New Builders.......

ChrisWilliams · Post by **ChrisWilliams** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:15 am

Hi Guys,

Just to let you know that I am building a Panzer IV from plans as well.
What versions are you guys building?

Chris

Graham Ord · Post by **Graham Ord** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:11 pm

Hi Chris
Just working through the drawings supplied with the manual,currently on the 36 roadwheels working out how to fix the hub cap on effectivly to 16 of them. Best bet seems to be 4mm long bolts on a 26mm pcd with 1/2 and 1/2 threads into the boss and hub spigot. It means they will not be interchangeable but they will be numbered to each wheel/hole.
As to the version I am doing, at the moment it is undecided till I get nearer the end and weigh up the options.
Hows your build going, its a lot of work but worth it.

Robert E Morey · Post by **Robert E Morey** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:22 pm

Graham,
My hats off to you on your PZ4 project. What an undertaking to make a model of this size from plans! You're doing a great job making the parts. I really admire your skill making all the parts on a lathe. Can't imagine the amount of work - its taking me months and I have most of the big stuff provided in the kit! Wow!

Thanks for the inspiration and keep up the great work,
Bob

Pierluigi Patri · Post by **Pierluigi Patri** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:04 pm

Hi Chris ,
I started to copy the drawnigs of the Armortek's manual about 2 months ago. I'll make the Ausf. H, that one showed in the manual.

ChrisWilliams · Post by **ChrisWilliams** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:24 am

Hi all,

I am at the stage that I have built all the suspension system and now working through the getting it all working smoothly. I have built the main deck plate and nearly finished the turret completely including most of the detail work, just a few minor things like welds and lifting hooks.
I work on several parts at a time so if I am held up on one piece I can move onto another and do a bit more.
The next stage will be the road wheels and finding a source to make the gears for the main drive and turret.
I will be building the Ausf J version or possibly the "vorpanzer" version not too sure yet but wil have to make my mind up soon as the drive sprockets are differant on each of them.

Chris

Graham Ord · Post by **Graham Ord** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:24 am

Hi fellow Panzer IV builders
I have just ordered 2, 45 tooth 1.5 mod gears from a company called www.rarodriguez.co.uk . Theres a minimum order charge of Â£50 buts its the best price I could get. I will recess these out to fit the axle shaft onto with a flange as well as into the bore to provide strength. The ring gear and bearing will be made of Acetol ( the ring gear from 6mm thick) as suggested by Armortek. I am still trying to figure an economical way of cutting the 130, 2 mod teeth. Cutters are expensive perhaps I can make my own? The acetal can be bought at http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/home.php?cat=3662

Pierluigi Patri · Post by **Pierluigi Patri** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:44 pm

Hi Graham
I had a look at the sites you mentioned. Iâ€™m still very far from with my work but Iâ€™ll record them on my PC.
Thank you.

Bjorn Wallentinus · Post by **Bjorn Wallentinus** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:49 am

Hi Chris,

Nice with another builder

I'm aiming at a very late version J, winter or spring 1945. This way I will have some unusual features like:

-Three return rollers instead of four with different hub cap (these were bushed instead of ball bearing)
-Wire mesh schÃ¼rzen insted of the solid sheet metal
-Towing hooks directly in the schassie side plate instead of bolted on to the front plate.
-FlammentÃ¶ter mufflers (looks kinda like the ones on the tiger)
-cupola hatch the pivots like on the panther instaed of folding up.
-a bunch of other small mods.
-Ambush camo (the dotted one that every one seems to like on the panter) Either that or the winter version of the camo.

I'm redesigning alot of parts to look more like the real ones so I'm not making fast progress.

My (very slow) progress can be seen on http://www.laban.nu (select panzer IV project in the drop down menu). I have also collected all the special Aufs. J features I have found there.

Regards
BjÃ¶rn

Kent Wiik · Post by **Kent Wiik** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 6:45 pm

Hi BjÃ¶rn,

Good to hear your build progress - we need more 1/6th tanks in this country!

One thing...
You say yours Panzer IV will be with a swing hatch like the Panther ones?
Pardon me but I never heard or seen that before, do you have a photo of such?
To my knowledge the ambush pattern was rarely used on Panzer IV.
I have only seen 2 photos of such painting scheme.

Keep up the good work
Kent

Bjorn Wallentinus · Post by **Bjorn Wallentinus** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:09 pm

Hi Kent,

From Oct 1944 they started using the new pivoting hatch. See my image page below, especially pics 19,22 and 25

http://laban.nu/panzeriv/piv-j-images.htm

My tank will sport alot of unusal features so the paint scheme will fit in nicely

Not 100% on the paint though, there are several different ones I can do. My favourite Pz IV J pic is no 20 in the link above and that one has an ambush camo.

Regards
BjÃ¶rn

Kent Wiik · Post by **Kent Wiik** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:06 pm

Hi BjÃ¶rn,

Now I spoted it!
See, one learn sometheing new every day

As my favourite period is Normandy I had totaly missed that hatch type.
Glad my 2:nd Panzer Division from Normandy will have the hatch that is within the kit.

Best regards
Kent

Bjorn Wallentinus · Post by **Bjorn Wallentinus** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:53 pm

So true about the learning. Every time I take a look at the bogie that I'm currently working on I spot things that I haven't seen before.. Oh well I can't change the design all the time or I will never be finished with the tank, or even the bogies...

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Panzer iv build