Rye Field Model (RFM) 1/35 Pz. IV Ausf J kits 5033 (2 in1 ) & 5043 (full interior)

[Panzerwrecker]

The last time I built a Pz.IV was as a twin build after quite a number of new 1/35 scale Pz.IV's were released back in 2019. I compared one of them, Border models Ausf J kit Bt-008 with a mid-noughties Dragon kit, 6575, considered by many Pz.IV enthusiasts as one of their best.

This time I would tackle two more Ausf J kits, only this time by the same manufacturer. In this case Rye Field Models 2 in 1 kit RM-5033 and their full interior kit RM-5043.



I have already made a comprehensive list of production feature changes on the previous Ausf J twin build blog so here is just a brief history of the Ausf J.



To give it its full title the Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung J (Sd.Kfz. 161/2) was the ninth and last variant of the Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank family. It was produced from January 1944 to the last days of April 1945. It was distinguished by numerous simplifications from the previous Ausf H in an effort to accelerate production and conserve valuable materials. The biggest change to the Ausf J from the Ausf H was that the single-speed turret traverse electric power drive was replaced with a two-gear manual traverse, in favour of extra space used for fuel storage. Although this change is not really visible on the non interior kit, the change to much lighter wire mesh screens from the steel spaced armour (schurzen) used previously, is. These were introduced in Oct 44. All of these changes were a last-ditch effort to increase Panzer IV production and compensate for tank losses.

Although both Nibelungenwerke (N-Werk from now on) built 2980 units, and Vomag 180 units, Vomag only built some of the very first vehicles. Due to the production run timescale the Vomag vehicle Fahrgestellnummers (chassis numbers) 86394 to 86573 all had both anti magnetic paste (zimmerit), the original muffler type exhaust and fittings for either type 1 or type 2 steel schurzen. As both RFM kits provides none of these features, if accuracy is to be maintained, out of the box, they can only represent N-Werk built vehicle variants.

In the interest of balance, I will appraise the kits in terms of both accuracy and engineering and I will refer to the excellent Panzer Tracts No.4-3 publication once more. There are still a few gaps in the production timeline in the book, and ambiguity regarding dates that certain features were upgraded or replaced are still up for discussion.

Both kits were released in 2019 and use many of the same external parts from the same sprues. The main difference being that kit 5043 has additional parts to provide a full interior. The hull tubs (Wanne), utilise a flat pack style of engineering to allow the moulding of more internal details. The lower hull side plates look slightly different in each kit. The main turret shell mouldings remain the same and come in just three parts, the gun barrel is in plastic and all the mesh spaced armour, apart from the brackets are represented in photoetch.

The first kit to be release was 5033 and is labelled as a 2 in 1 kit. In addition to the regular Ausf J gun tank, there are parts to build an artillery observation tank (Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV Ausf. J or Pz.Beob.Wg.IV Ausf.J for short These vehicles started to be assembled on the Ausf J in April 1944. Kit 5043 was released soon after and represents just the gun tank, but with a full interior.

Although Ausf J built vehicles were constantly updated throughout their short production history, some changes introduced did not immediately find their way onto vehicles at the time of implementation. As many sub-contractors were involved and factories were temporarily incapacitated due to allied bombing, it was typical to see many vehicles leave the factory with a mishmash of early and late features. What this means is that some of the very last vehicle to leave the N-Werk factory may well have still retained earlier production features.




To build straight out of the box, both these kits represent accurate ‘late’ Pz.IV production vehicles. To get an idea of what RFM instruct you to build out of the options available in either kit, here is a breif list of build features for both variants shown in RFM CAD images below.

Kit 5033

Gun tank (pink parts) features the last production run lower hull with extended towing eyes and three return rollers, simple handles on the transmission hatches and full mesh screen spaced armour. Welded upper front panel lifting hooks, a choice of cast idler wheels, regular late style cupola and late production bogie mountings without the two central upper bolt holes.​

Artillery observation tank (blue parts) features the earlier lower hull with four return rollers, and bow plate bolted on towing brackets. Upper hull side bolted on lifting hooks. Armoured covers on the transmission hatches and a StuG rotating cupola and additional communications antenna. The choice of fabricated idler wheels and no spaced armour or brackets fitted and the earliy production bogie mountings.​

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There is a set of workable track links to fit to either variant.​

Kit 5043

Instructed build features.

Gun tank as per kit 5033 features the last production run lower hull with extended towing eyes and three return rollers, simple handles on the transmission hatches and full mesh screen spaced armour. There are a choice of idler wheels, regular late style cupola , a full interior,clear plastic turret and hull top plate and workable track links..​

For those who like to invest more time in recreating specific vehicles or want to accurately represent a vehicle that would have fought in a certain operation, it is worth mentioning at this point that as well as choices given in the instructions, and the available backdate options appropriate to both variants that are not, parts are also available on both kit’s sprues to venture into representing Ni-Werk vehicles built at the very beginning of Ausf J production. There will be more tinkering required as witness marks or predrilled holes might need to be re-worked, and Zimmerit will likely need to be added, but parts such as the early style muffler found on their Ausf H kit are included in the box.

One of these ‘appropriate to both’ features is the number of return rollers. Although both kits have you build the gun tank variant with three, four were often seen on many vehicles produced well into 1945. The timeline of production changes in the Panzer Tracts publication shows that a change to just three return rollers was implemented in Oct 44. In the case of kit 5033 you are instructed to build the gun tank with three and the artillery observation tank with four. In reality, both options on the gun tank could be used. Kit 5043 instructs you to build the gun tank with three return rollers, but again, with the witness holes present on the inner lower hull sides, and the return rollers on the sprues, the option is there to add four.



Let’s have a closer look at the first kit they released.


Rye Field Model Pz.IV Ausf J #RM-5033



Some of the parts below are not called out in the kit instructions but are available in the kit and featured throughout the Ausf J production history.

• Choice of two return roller types.
• Lower hull sides with the option to fit three or four return rollers.
• Choice of either cast or fabricated idler wheels.
• Choice of either bolt on (upper front panel) and welded lifting hooks (upper side panel)
• Late lower hull side extensions with towing eyes or earlier type extensions with bow plate bolt on tow brackets.
• Flame supressing (Flammentoter) and muffler type exhausts.
• Early and late style (top two bolts deleted) mounting castings for the bogies.
• Choice of two styles of rear towing mountings.
• Choice of two styles of flame suppressing exhausts (short and fat or long and thin)
• Choice of transmission hatch armoured covers or simple handles.
• Option to add additional (on later production) engine fan cover handle.
• Choice to add mesh spaced armour and brackets or just bracket blanking plates.
• Choice of turret front plate with visor or panel with visor deleted.
• Three muzzle brakes

Upon opening the large box all the sprues are individually packaged and the instruction booklet looks nice and clear. There is a paint and marking guide for five vehicles. There is also a small correction sheet, but it looks to me like it is only applicable to their interior kit 5043.

Checking over the sprues in my kit I was surprised to see a few of the smaller parts covered in small traces of flash. They won’t be too much trouble to clean up, but it is unusual to see in such a recent release. What RFM can be commended on is the positive placement of many of the more delicately moulded items to the sprue gates. Cleaning these parts will be made much easier without sacrificing detail.

Moveable suspension and individual track links.



RFM also offer a specific upgrade solution for super detailing. Set RM-2003 can be used both on this kit and their interior kit RM-5043



Voyager also offer a specific to kit 5033 PE & resin upgrade set too http://www.voyagermodel.com/productdetails.asp?itemid=PE351046


For those that intend to build either variant straight out of the box this next section can be skipped.

What ‘late’ Ausf J features are offered in the kit

Now we have established the kit represents a N-Werk built vehicle, there are also a few more visual clues that back this up. Initially N-Werk built Ausf J vehicles all had a unique application of three spare track fittings on the port side of the rear of the upper hull. From around Aug 1944 this switched to a six spare links arrangement on the starboard side. This later feature is the only option offered in the kit.

Likewise, only the wire mesh spaced armour (Drathgeflechtschurzen) is offered, so if it is fitted, it limits the build production timescale for both variants to post Sept 1944. However, the kit does supply bracket blanking plates, so you are given a choice to leave them unfitted, and therefore still represent an earlier build.

Although the earlier horizontal type of exhaust muffler is on the sprues, it is not called out as an option to be fitted. Only the Flame suppressing (Flammentotor) twin vertical exhausts (fitted from Aug 1944) are, so although the Pz.Beob.Wg.IV Ausf.J (artillery observation tank) production started in April 1944, without adding the muffler type exhaust, you can only really represent vehicles built from Aug 1944.

As is evident in so many period images, it was not always a given that updated parts were fitted once the change was announced. There were many contractors providing parts to the builders at N-Werk and existing stock could have been used first. It is therefore possible to see visors present on turrets, along with the original bolted upper hull lifting hooks on vehicles built with the very last produced hulls with three return rollers introduced in Dec 44.

RFM are to be commended on giving us a choice with the return rollers, the ability to backdate the towing point locations and the option to fit the earlier turret front panel with visor. However, it would have been nice to have included an optional rear panel with the early style muffler fixings. These were clearly still present on some ‘later’ built Ausf J’s. I can only assume that the only rear panel moulding with the muffler produced by RFM is designed for their earlier 9./B.W Wanne (hull) on their Ausf H kit. To my knowledge all Ausf J's used the 10./B.W Wanne with the extended floor plate at the rear.

Options to backdate both variants with what is available on the sprues is limited, but there are a few parts which, although only called out to be fitted to the Pz.Beob.Wg variant, would still be relevant for a late 1944 built N-Werk gun tank. For the turret, that included the front armoured plate (part E9) with the vision port. This change to delete it was not fully implemented out by wars end and this is evident in many period images on some of the very last Ausf J’s produced. As for hull tub (Wanne) production, the earlier tow coupling (parts K32, K33 & K92) and the late production Ausf H front sidewall extensions (Parts K56 & K60) without towing eyes, along with rear tow hooks (parts K40 & K41) would have been relevant to all early production Ausf J's. As mentioned above, although the muffler type exhaust is present on the sprues only a rear panel with the holes for the later style Flammentotor exhaust is offered.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Kit 5033 build ​

My plan was to build the gun tank variant, so after inspecting all the contents and making a note of what might be available, but not actually called out in the instructions, I started with step one.

Lower hull (Wanne) and running gear.



The hull tub consists of separate mouldings for floor, sides, front, and rear plates. The side plates connect with T-slot joints located below each bogie housing into the floor plate moulding. In addition, there are two tabs on the inside of each side plate that fit down into cut-outs in the floor plate. I wish I could say that these plates in my kit fitted positively but they just didn’t. Without any internal bracing, I think the design intention is to provide more structural rigidity to the joint but there is just far too much resistance within all the connection points to allow both parts to align correctly. This friction within all the connections forces the side plates upwards and even after a decent application of Tamiya extra thin I wasn’t 100% happy that the side plates sat down completely flush on the floor plate as I think the designers intended.

The bow plate comes in two parts and you are instructed to pre-drill holes in the outer moulding to accept the spare track bar for the gun tank variant. The track bar fixing would be applicable to all vehicles with the extended side plates with towing eyes. The bow plate sits in slots in both side plates, and it thankfully sat down nice and flush onto the floor plate. The rear plate has two small notches that dictate the height it connects against both side plates and the rear plate definitely wasn’t sat as flush to the floor as I would have liked.

Hull tub assembly with the sprocket housings fitted.



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With my hull tub built up, and the side plates pushed down as far as the T-Joint connection would allow, internally there was still a noticeable fine gap running the whole length of both side connections, visibly widening toward the rear. Now I wish I could say that the tolerances of this connection were not hugely important but as we will see later, I think they might be.



Not a great start and TBH if the interior kit’s plates connect in the same manner, I will likely cut the T-cut tabs off the side panels and align them by eye.

Moving on, you now get the option to open up different holes in the hull side plates to accept either three or four return rollers. For the gun tank you are instructed to add the three, along with front and rear extended sidewalls with towing eyes (parts K57 & 58). For the Artillery Observation variant, you are to add four return rollers and the shorter front side extension (parts K59 & 60).

Lower hull assembly with bogie mountings fitted. I have fitted three return rollers, the final production front and rear side plate extensions with towing eyes and the track pin return plate (parts D5) to represent a 1945 production gun tank. The interlocking glacis plate was dry fitted to aid spacing alignment whilst it cured overnight.​

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Steps 3, 4 & 5 divides the two variants and has different fittings to add. In step 6 you are to add the road wheels. Although either type of idler wheels could be added to either variant if you wish, the fabricated type is called out for the artillery variant and the casted type to the gun tank.

One small anomaly found in this build stage is found on the outer face of the cast idler wheels. They have a small lip on both their inner and outer rim which wasn’t present on the real thing but are are simple to remove.

Lip present on the right wheel and removed on the left. I sanded accross the whole face to remove the lip and realised I had sanded the central hub too flat and removed the central grease nipple Thats the idler wheel choice decided then​

It is worth noting that although the idler wheel stub axle parts K76 & K77 have small aligning tabs to locate into notches in the lower hull, it is worth waiting until the track runs are test fitted before fixing permanently. It is easy enough to snip off the tab to adjust it's position if more or less track sag is required.

The option to have the main road wheel bogies moveable by snipping away a small tab is a welcome feature, and all the wheels have poly caps. Pay attention as the idlers use Poly Cap 2 which is shorter. Poly caps when they work (I'm looking at you Border Model) is something I personally like. There is no need for a permanent fixing with this system and is extremely useful if you like to paint your running gear separately.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Glacis plate, track guards and kit tracks

Step 7 divides the two variants again and adds different parts to the glacis plate. Although simple handles started to replace the original cast air intakes on each brake inspection hatch from around Feb 45, both types continued to be fitted.

Interlocking glacis plate with simple transmission hatch handles.
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The sprockets are added, and the tracks assembled in the jig provided in step 8. They will require a little clean up, but they do look authentic. I cannot comment on how well they build up with the jig or how robust they are once assembled as I will be using some aftermarket 3D tracks on my build.

If you do intend to add the kits moveable tracks or indeed any aftermarket type, be aware that they are instructed to be fitted in this step for a reason. Due to the close proximity of the rear return roller to the track guard they will not fit on as a complete run once the track guards are fitted. Ways around this on this kit are to either leave the outer portion of the rearmost return roller temporarily off, or install the tracks as per the real thing. i.e. pulled over the sprocket or idler and guided over the wheels. The rotating sprocket and idler, courtesy of the poly cap system does make this task much easier.

Track guards along with the engine firewall panel, cooling louvres and upper hull rear plate all dry fitted to check fitment.
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Although I added my track guards to the lower hull first, Step 9 involves populating both track guards with all the pioneer tools and fittings. The tool clasp ends are represented in photoetch. You are also instructed to assemble and fit the two-part engine cooling louvres. These attach to the track guards before the upper hull (Aufbau) assembly is constructed and added. Everything here fits extremely well although the C hooks were a bit of a disappointment. They both had two prominent and visible sink holes on one face. As they are thin enough already, I simply replaced one from the spares bin. I also sourced a 3D printed empty fire extinguisher holder to replace the kit part.

The track guards align to the hull side plates positively due to cut outs, and line up well with both details on the glacis plate and with the lower rear hull plate. Once in place and the accessories attached, the engine compartment firewall panel can be slotted down onto the hull floor, effectively trapping both track guards in place. This will also provide support for the top plate moulding once fitted. The upper hull rear plate can now be fitted.

The cooling louvre outer armoured plates are just dry fitted in both pics below.
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Nice casting detail on the idler mountings​

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[Panzerwrecker]

Upper Hull (Aufbau)



In step 12 the upper hull front, side and top plates are built up. Again, the variants are divided, and different fittings added. In Dec 44 welded U-shaped lifting hooks on the front of the upper hull started to replace the bolted-on cast lifting hooks fitted to the sides. If these parts (D4) are added to either variant, you will need to fill the holes in the side plates where the bolt on lcast ifting hooks (parts C32 & 34) were positioned.

Detail on the front of the upper hull sub-assembly. The squared off bullet splash guards for both hatches are correctly represented.

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Before committing to final fixing, the upper hull sub-assembly was test fitted to the lower hull. In step 13 this locates precisely into slots into both the glacis plate and track guards. It should then rest on the engine firewall panel and engine cooling louvres, and thanks to small cut-outs on the rear of the upper rear plate should butt up flush.



Unfortunately, the construction issues I experienced whilst building the hull tub in step one came back to bite me. I didn’t automatically assume this was the root cause, initially assuming the engine cooling louvre parts were to blame. The issue I had was, although the front portion of the upper hull sat down precisely into both the glacis plate and track guard slots, it was neither resting on the firewall panel (visible gap externally as it sits down at the rear of the upper hull side plates) nor sat flush up against the rear of the upper rear plate! The reason being it was fouling against the top of both engine cooling louvres. The top plate angles down just before the engine hatches onto the cooling louvre assembly. Ater double checking I had assembled them correctly (I had), I looked at parts they attached to. They fit directly to the track guards which in turn fit directly to the side plates. Could it be that the slight gap onto the hull tub was now responsible for this issue? That I won’t 100% determine until I build the interior kit, and although the side plate mouldings are different the same engineering is employed. What is interesting to see in RFM’s subsequent 2020 Ausf H kit is they instruct a different sequence for fitting the upper hull assembly. In that kit you are instructed to add the upper rear plate after both top plate and armoured cooling louvre panels are added.

For now, I had to find a solution and the obvious one was simply to remove a little plastic off the top of both engine cooling louvres. As the louvres have an external armoured plate yet to be fitted and the top portion is hidden under the top plate, any enthusiastic sanding will be hidden. I slowly sanded along the full length of both louvres until VOILA, the top plate located down onto the firewall panel and sat flush against the back of the upper rear plate. Not a biggy to put right but annoying if the hull tub engineering is to blame. Has anybody else experienced fit issues like this with this kit?

Engine and crew hatches can now be attached in step 14 along with the final fitting to the upper hull in steps 15 & 16

With the engine cooling louvre armoured panels fitted you can see the difference in height of the top plate at the rear. Top pic is before sanding and bottom after.



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[Panzerwrecker]

Mesh space armour (Drathgelflechtschurzen)

It was now time to move onto the mesh space armour (Drathgelflechtschurzen). I will refer to them as D-Schurzen from now on The instructions steps 17 through 19 are once more divided to fit the appropriate fixings to each variant. The artillery observation vehicle is assembled without the mesh spaced armour altogether. This option involves adding blanking plates to where the tubular rail brackets fixed to the upper hull. Although not represented on the kit moulding, there would have been fixing holes in the track guard side profile where the two lower brackets attached. To portray this feature accurately very small holes will need to be marked and drilled.

Unlike the Dragon kit only one tubular top rail is provided, and this comes with cut-outs to allow placement of the nine D-Schurzen top brackets. If you wanted to display the odd mesh panel missing, you would have to fill the slots in. I notice RFM in one of their CAD images simple show the top brackets attached to the rail where a central mesh panel is missing. I’ve never seen an image of the top bracket present on the rail without a panel, so I’m not 100% sure if this is accurate. RFM’s interpretation does however solve the issue of leaving the rail cut-out visible.

There are two fixed options of clipping the nine top brackets over the rail. The outermost location allowed for the fitment of the wider Winterketten/Ostketten tracks. The three lower D-Schurzen brackets clip down into the track guard brackets which also had two fitting locations to allow the fitment of the wider tracks. Whereas the upper bracket is one part with two fixed positions, the track guard fixings were in two parts with the outer part moveable. This had to be positioned to accept either of the track types. To represent this fixing the kit offers it in two parts. The inner is moulded to the track guard, and the outer are represented as individual parts. In step 17 these outer parts (D12) are shown in the vertical position to accept the regular tracks included in the kit. To accept wider tracks, they should be fixed horizontally. The images below give you a better idea of how this worked in practice.

Two lower D-Schurzen brackets on a resto project. First image has the outer portion of the bracket extended horizontally to accept the wider tracks. The lower image has the outer portion of the bracket now fixed vertical for normal track fitment. **two of the D-Schurzen hull bracket fixing holes mentioned above can be seen below the rearmost fixing for the jack on both images.​

Rather than attaching the rail brackets to the hull as instructed in step 17, I employed a different method. I’ve built a few Ausf J kits with D-Schurzen and the engineering to connect the brackets to the rails are all similar. As the two connection points often need a fair amount of mould seam removal, doing this after the brackets are attached to the hull will be tricky. Checking as I cleaned up each bracket connection that it was the correct fitment to the upper hull, I ended up with a bracket on rail assembly that I could test fit to both upper hull and track guards to assure it all aligned correctly. Leaving this little assembly dry fitted to the hull overnight ensured it cured in exactly the correct position.

The D-Schurzen tubular rail and brackets dry fitted to the hull.
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The D-Schurzen mesh panels themselves are in photoetch with predrilled holes to attach the lower plastic brackets. There are three shallow cut-outs in the PE to position the upper plastic brackets. Due to the use of plastic for the upper bracket mouldings, they are far chunkier than they would be in this scale. PE alternatives are available in RFM’s upgrade solution set as mentioned earlier. The mesh panels are convincingly thin, but the weave looks a little one dimensional.

Inner view of the upper and lower brackets fixed to a PE mesh screen
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To assemble the mesh panels, they are framed on the outside with photoetched strips with bolt head detail. These line up and fix to the outside framework of each panel. The two lower plastic brackets fit through the mesh panels precut holes and are fixed to PE locking strips on the outside. This is a secure and fool proof way of attachment. The last step is to position the three upper plastic brackets into the shallow cut-outs at the top of each PE panel. These definitely benefit from a good clean up as tolerances are tight when clipped over the tubular rail. Ensuring they fit squarely into the cut-outs will ensure each panel lines up well, both onto the rail and to each other.

PE locking strips fixed to the lower brackets and PE frame strips fixed to the outside of the mesh screen ***one of the lower PE strip is not aligned and needs re-attaching​

A clear image of a mesh sceen and both upper and lower brackets. The upper brackets look to be much longer than the ones RFM provide and extend internally a way down from the top of the screen




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To add the mesh panels, they need to be carefully and simultaneously attached to both the tubular rail and track guard brackets. The lower mesh panel brackets slot into the track guard brackets and the upper bracket clips over the tubular rail cut-out.

The horizontal mesh panels are assembled and also added in this step. They effectively bridged the gap between the hull sides and the D-Schurzen and would allow crew members access along the sides of the vehicle.

A full complement of D-Schurzen dry fitted
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[Tworrs]

Great work so far Los, you are overcoming the vagaries of the model very well.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Great work so far Los, you are overcoming the vagaries of the model very well.

Cheers Garry. Glad to have you along

 

[Magneto]

Mesh space armour (Drathgelflechtschurzen)

It was now time to move onto the mesh space armour (Drathgelflechtschurzen). I will refer to them as D-Schurzen from now on The instructions steps 17 through 19 are once more divided to fit the appropriate fixings to each variant. The artillery observation vehicle is assembled without the mesh spaced armour altogether. This option involves adding blanking plates to where the tubular rail brackets fixed to the upper hull. Although not represented on the kit moulding, there would have been fixing holes in the track guard side profile where the two lower brackets attached. To portray this feature accurately very small holes will need to be marked and drilled.

Unlike the Dragon kit only one tubular top rail is provided, and this comes with cut-outs to allow placement of the nine D-Schurzen top brackets. If you wanted to display the odd mesh panel missing, you would have to fill the slots in. I notice RFM in one of their CAD images simple show the top brackets attached to the rail where a central mesh panel is missing. I’ve never seen an image of the top bracket present on the rail without a panel, so I’m not 100% sure if this is accurate. RFM’s interpretation does however solve the issue of leaving the rail cut-out visible.

There are two fixed options of clipping the nine top brackets over the rail. The outermost location allowed for the fitment of the wider Winterketten/Ostketten tracks. The three lower D-Schurzen brackets clip down into the track guard brackets which also had two fitting locations to allow the fitment of the wider tracks. Whereas the upper bracket is one part with two fixed positions, the track guard fixings were in two parts with the outer part moveable. This had to be positioned to accept either of the track types. To represent this fixing the kit offers it in two parts. The inner is moulded to the track guard, and the outer are represented as individual parts. In step 17 these outer parts (D12) are shown in the vertical position to accept the regular tracks included in the kit. To accept wider tracks, they should be fixed horizontally. The images below give you a better idea of how this worked in practice.

Two lower D-Schurzen brackets on a resto project. First image has the outer portion of the bracket extended horizontally to accept the wider tracks. The lower image has the outer portion of the bracket now fixed vertical for normal track fitment. **two of the D-Schurzen hull bracket fixing holes mentioned above can be seen below the rearmost fixing for the jack on both images.​

View attachment 497487View attachment 497488


Rather than attaching the rail brackets to the hull as instructed in step 17, I employed a different method. I’ve built a few Ausf J kits with D-Schurzen and the engineering to connect the brackets to the rails are all similar. As the two connection points often need a fair amount of mould seam removal, doing this after the brackets are attached to the hull will be tricky. Checking as I cleaned up each bracket connection that it was the correct fitment to the upper hull, I ended up with a bracket on rail assembly that I could test fit to both upper hull and track guards to assure it all aligned correctly. Leaving this little assembly dry fitted to the hull overnight ensured it cured in exactly the correct position.

The D-Schurzen tubular rail and brackets dry fitted to the hull.
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View attachment 497489


The D-Schurzen mesh panels themselves are in photoetch with predrilled holes to attach the lower plastic brackets. There are three shallow cut-outs in the PE to position the upper plastic brackets. Due to the use of plastic for the upper bracket mouldings, they are far chunkier than they would be in this scale. PE alternatives are available in RFM’s upgrade solution set as mentioned earlier. The mesh panels are convincingly thin, but the weave looks a little one dimensional.

Inner view of the upper and lower brackets fixed to a PE mesh screen
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View attachment 497490


To assemble the mesh panels, they are framed on the outside with photoetched strips with bolt head detail. These line up and fix to the outside framework of each panel. The two lower plastic brackets fit through the mesh panels precut holes and are fixed to PE locking strips on the outside. This is a secure and fool proof way of attachment. The last step is to position the three upper plastic brackets into the shallow cut-outs at the top of each PE panel. These definitely benefit from a good clean up as tolerances are tight when clipped over the tubular rail. Ensuring they fit squarely into the cut-outs will ensure each panel lines up well, both onto the rail and to each other.

PE locking strips fixed to the lower brackets and PE frame strips fixed to the outside of the mesh screen ***one of the lower PE strip is not aligned and needs re-attaching​

View attachment 497493

A clear image of a mesh sceen and both upper and lower brackets. The upper brackets look to be much longer than the ones RFM provide and extend internally a way down from the top of the screen

View attachment 497499


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To add the mesh panels, they need to be carefully and simultaneously attached to both the tubular rail and track guard brackets. The lower mesh panel brackets slot into the track guard brackets and the upper bracket clips over the tubular rail cut-out.

The horizontal mesh panels are assembled and also added in this step. They effectively bridged the gap between the hull sides and the D-Schurzen and would allow crew members access along the sides of the vehicle.

A full complement of D-Schurzen dry fitted
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View attachment 497494

I have the J arty spotter Panzer - I think it might be very worthwhile mentioning that is has a full turret interior?

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Sitting in to watch the build with interest.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Turret & tracks

In step 21 we move on to the turret. The gun breach and cradle are a comprehensive assembly and no doubt feature due to their interior kit. Although not called out, a few other items from this interior kit can be found on various sprues trees. Unfortunately, the rotating turret floor assembly is missing crucial bracket parts that would have had it attach to the lower turret moulding. However, there is still plenty of detail to eyeball in the interior if any side doors are left open. It would have been nice to see a metal barrel although the slide moulded one is easily cleaned up to hide the very faint seam line. You also get a choice of three plastic muzzle brakes.



The upper and lower turret shell mouldings are nicely engineered with fine weld detail lining the joint. The completed gun breach and cradle assembly securely fixes to the lower part making paint application a simple process before closing up the turret. As already mentioned, it would be appropriate to fit the front panel with the vision port to either variant. If the vision port deleted panel is used, the four-screw heads moulded onto the turret roof behind where the vision port sat, need to be removed.





One small anomaly I found in step 24 was that part S17, the close-in defence weapon (Nahverteidigungswaffe) cover, sits at a jaunty angle. Looking at the Panzer Tracts line drawings and the odd image of the turret roof I always assumed the cover sat in one position when not in use, with the oval facing forward. The part has two pips underneath, the larger one is to fit into a 1mm hole that you been instructed to drill out in step 23. As the smaller pip sits centrally and the cover hides the 1mm hole that you drilled the solution is to snip off the larger pip you can simply change the orientation of the cover before fixing.

Images of the turret roof are hard to come by but you can just make out the orientation of the close-in defence weapon cover above this chaps head (just to left of the black smudge)
​

The turret schurzen are accurate for a N-Werk built vehicle in so far as they have the correct brackets and appropriate external bolt fixing location points to both the turret and the panels. N-Werk had a unique feature and differed to the earlier Krupp built vehicles. The side plates of the schurzen were mounted 50mm further forward which changed the door spacing, and different support brackets were used. This also meant different mounts held the protector for the cupola base. There are a few visual clues on the turret to determine a N-Werk built vehicle. One of them is the middle bolt of the three-bolt head pattern on the exterior of the front schurzen panels will be rearward. Another is that the door hinges butt up to the panels on N-Werke Schurzen. On Krupp vehicles the rear hinge on the curved panel sits further back and the rear door overlaps the panel. This is difficult to see unless the Schurzen doors are open.

A Krupp built Ausf H turret Schurzen door

​

Unfortunately, as soon as I snipped my turret schurzen panels off the sprue gates it was apparent that both the front sections bowed inwards quite badly. I left them overnight under a weight, but they simply sprang back the next day when the weight was removed! I am hoping that a touch more manipulation and the fixing of the brackets to the turret will straighten them out.

As with the D-Schurzen I fixed the turret brackets to the schurzen panels first to get a nice clean fitment. As there is very little room between both the rear curved panel and the turret bin, these areas would benefit from an airbrushed shadow coat before final fixing. PE storage trays either side of the turret bin are added by way of either plastic or PE brackets. As they would be hardly visible, I opted for the more durable plastic option and thinned them down.

Brackets attached cleanly to the Schurzen. Bendy front panels is not a good look!




Rear of turret with the plastic brackets fitted to accept the PE trays that fit eaither side of the turret bin and Schurzen. The Close-in defence weapon cover is now facing forward.
​

The cupola assembly is a comprehensive model in itself. It contains a myriad of both solid and clear parts, but they all fit perfectly, and it looks exquisite once built up. You get two main cupola moulding options; one to build up with the armoured visor covers permanently open, and one so the covers simply slot in and remain moveable.

Turret components dry fitted to the hull
​

With many components still left unfixed until I clean and prep for paint, I turned my attention to track fitment. RFM offer individual links together with a fitting jig. Along with this out of the box solution I had quite a few other options. I had the three-return roller link and length tracks left over from the Border kit along with a set of both T-Rex and QuickTracks 3D printed sets. To save time I opted for the QuickTracks snap fit set.



These are series 7 track links and come in three sealed bags. You get handed links for both left and right runs and a small bag with wire and a few open links to which you can thread through to close the track loop. Both runs were built up in an alarmingly quick 20mins. They do indeed simply snap together and are far more robust than they look once assembled.

I had a few issues with a set of both StuG F/8 and Ausf J type QuickTrack links earlier this year. They resembled a banana as soon as you started to assemble a run of more than three of them! The manufacturer acknowledged there had been some quality control issues and kindly replaced both sets. Whereas the original set came in grey plastic the two replacements I received are in black resin and the boxes are marked ‘Rev 1’. Each handed bag now contains a small built-up run which I can only assume is a small test run to ensure they align correctly.

Although difficult to see, casting numbers are present on each link and they fit the kits sprockets, idlers, and main road wheels perfectly. 98 links were fitted to the Ausf J and as QuickTracks give you 120 links per side, there are plenty left to depict spare tracks.

Utilising many of the spare tracks left over. **spacing of the glacis plate track brackets was deliberately aligned during construction for these specific tracks.

​

As mentioned earlier the idler wheel stub axles have small locating tabs to fix them in one position inside the lower hull but that is easily removed if you wish to adjust it. Even with the tab left in place my 98 QuickTracks links per side fitted perfectly. These links don’t sag as naturally over the return rollers as the types with pins. The friction in the snapfit connection sees to that, but it only takes small adjustments for them to look the business.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

I have the J arty spotter Panzer - I think it might be very worthwhile mentioning that is has a full turret interior?

What is a J arty spotter paul?

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Sitting in to watch the build with interest.

Welcome onboard Michael

 

[Waspie]

A great build with superb commentary along the way.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

A great build with superb commentary along the way.

Thanks for the kind words Doug

 

[Jakko]

Drathgelflechtschurzen

Drahtgeflechtschürzen

Draht = wire
Geflecht = woven material (but generally not cloth, AFAIK)
Schürzen = aprons

Also, if you don’t know how to type an Umlaut (¨), as seems to be the case for you , add an e after the vowel: Schuerzen is an acceptable alternative for Schürzen — but in German only! (This because the Umlaut sign is actually an e that migrated to above the vowel before it.) Though IMHO it looks awkward, and just typing an Umlaut is much better.

One small anomaly I found in step 24 was that part S17, the close-in defence weapon (Nahverteidigungswaffe) cover, sat incorrectly orientated on the turret roof. It should sit with the oval facing forward.

I thought this could rotate through 360°?

 

[Panzerwrecker]

What tank to build

I never intended to model this build on any one specific vehicle, but it was now time to pick a unit, a theatre of war and a paint scheme. The build features incorporated on my build, especially the inclusion of the three return rollers, track return plate, central tow bracket and more importantly the transmission brake hatch handles, push my production timescale to post March 45. If I was going to use the kit’s painting and marking guide that would leave either of the last two 1945 options.

As I wanted to try out a late war factory camo and tank No 515 was covered in whitewash, Tank No 11 is the one, I will represent. Many of the factory applied late war camos were applied in a hard-edge pattern and this does look to be the case looking at the period images above. Although RFM have depicted their Ardennes offence vehicle in this hard edge scheme they have depicted tank No 11 with much softer demarcation lines on the camo. Using both the kits painting guide and period images I will attempt to fine line the edges in first with the airbrush then block each colour in.

Tank No 11 is from the 11. Panzer Division and was photographed around Bad Kotzing, Bavaria in a pretty worn condition. It is shown on page 75 of Panzer Tracts 4-3 minus all the D-Schurzen and associated brackets. The spare track bar is missing from the bow plate and the idlers looks to be of the casted type. This tank’s Fgst.Nr (chassis No)110222 stencilled on the track plate is reported to have had one of the very highest recorded Fgst.Nr’s in service with the Wehrmacht.​

Tank No 515 is from the 31 Pz.Rgt. 5 pz. Div. and was photographed in eastern Prussia. Dragon, Border Models and Miniart all have decals for this tank in their late Ausf J kits, with Miniart labelling their kit as a Jan-Feb 45 production.​

I can't find any period images of this vehicle on the tinterweb as yet, and although I won't be building it, if anybody has one, please feel free to post it up.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Drahtgeflechtschürzen

Draht = wire
Geflecht = woven material (but generally not cloth, AFAIK)
Schürzen = aprons

Also, if you don’t know how to type an Umlaut (¨), as seems to be the case for you , add an e after the vowel: Schuerzen is an acceptable alternative for Schürzen — but in German only! (This because the Umlaut sign is actually an e that migrated to above the vowel before it.) Though IMHO it looks awkward, and just typing an Umlaut is much better.


I thought this could rotate through 360°?

You might well be correct. I'm sure it did in operation but whether the cover had a fixed position when not in use I'm unsure. I'm just going off the Panzer Tracts line drawings and the few turret top images I've seen.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Drahtgeflechtschürzen

Draht = wire
Geflecht = woven material (but generally not cloth, AFAIK)
Schürzen = aprons

Also, if you don’t know how to type an Umlaut (¨), as seems to be the case for you , add an e after the vowel: Schuerzen is an acceptable alternative for Schürzen — but in German only! (This because the Umlaut sign is actually an e that migrated to above the vowel before it.) Though IMHO it looks awkward, and just typing an Umlaut is much better.


I thought this could rotate through 360°?

Apologies Jakko I have absolutely no idea where the Umlaut symbol can be found on my keyboard. If I can find it I will update all my text.

 

[JayCee]

A very full and worthwhile build log. Excellent resource for anyone building these kits.
John.

 

[Andy the Sheep]

I'm joining the audience. A Pz IV by Los is always interesting