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

[Magneto]

I thought the Close defence weapon was rotatable?

 

[Magneto]

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.

You can just add a German keyboard and use when necessary - Das ist nicht so schwer!

 

[Magneto]

What is a J arty spotter paul?

Ausführung J (Ausf. J - version J // Arty is UK army slang for artillery)

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Ausführung J (Ausf. J - version J // Arty is UK army slang for artillery)

Got ya.

 

[Panzerwrecker]

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

This 5033 Kit doesn't come with a full turret interior. Only kit 5043 provides it. This kit builds up a full breach, gun cradle and shell basket and there are three trays which although not called out, can be fitted to the rear of the turret, but that is it. The turret floor and a few other items fixed to it are on the sprues, but as I mentioned, it is missing the vital brackets that attach it to the turret. I'll be building the full interior kit later in the post.

This is all of the turret floor that you can build from this kit. It's a bit daft that you are unable to fully build the rotating floor assembly due to just a a few items and the all important brackets on sprues only provided with their interior kit. It's a strange decission, similar to RFM providing just the engine in their Ausf H early kit. Pointless really without the rest of the engine bay components

*The two missing brackets would fit to the tabs at the top of both pole type fixings

​

​

 

[Jakko]

I'm sure it did [rotate] in operation but whether the cover had a fixed position when not in use I'm unsure.

I thought I had an extensive article about it in the small number of issues I have of Waffen Revue, but it turns out I don’t. I’m sure I’ve got cross-section drawings of it somewhere, though … let me check some more.

Ah, OK, Spielberger to the rescue: page 130 of Der Panzer-Kampfwagen Panther und seine Abarten has a section drawing of the Nahverteidigungswaffe. To be precise, this one that I also found online:



However, in the book it includes the original captions for the various parts, which somebody seems to have erased for this one.

It most certainly looks like it can rotate in this drawing, and the cover over the barrel is part of the rotating section, though it’s entirely unclear to me how that fits or how it was supposed to be removed. I get the impression that it can only be pushed up, so somebody would have to go outside the tank to take it out?

I have absolutely no idea where the Umlaut symbol can be found on my keyboard.

On Windows, you can select a keyboard that has them or lets you type them and temporarily switch to it, for example German like Paul suggested above. Alternatively, ü can be typed by keeping the Alt key pressed and then typing 0252 on the numeric keypad (not with the row of numbers along the top). See here for more.

On a Mac, just keep the vowel pressed:



Then press the number for the accent you want, or click on it with the mouse.

This last method also works on iOS and iPadOS, and I assume Android.

 

[Waspie]

On a Mac, just keep the vowel pressed:

View attachment 497574

Then press the number for the accent you want, or click on it with the mouse.

This last method also works on iOS and iPadOS, and I assume Android.

Wow, everyday a school day. That'll be useful.

 

[Magneto]

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.

Hi Los,
sorry if I seem a little (?) antagonistic - sometimes my weird humour gets the better of me. Not wanting to flog a dead horse but I do believe that nearly if not all the components are included in kit to make the full turret interior -

Heres the thing;

If you compare the sprue letters that contain vital turret parts between both kits they don’t coalesce (thank you spell check)

The turret components on the ‘non-interior’ kit are scattered among different sprue - but they are there! Perhaps the plans for a complete interior were pulled on this kit halfway through the manufactures design and instead passed on to the next projected kit - The Ausf. J interior kit

 

[Magneto]

Wow, everyday a school day. That'll be useful.

Which is why I have an iPad!

 

[Magneto]

This 5033 Kit doesn't come with a full turret interior. Only kit 5043 provides it. This kit builds up a full breach, gun cradle and shell basket and there are three trays which although not called out, can be fitted to the rear of the turret, but that is it. The turret floor and a few other items fixed to it are on the sprues, but as I mentioned, it is missing the vital brackets that attach it to the turret. I'll be building the full interior kit later in the post.

This is all of the turret floor that you can build from this kit. It's a bit daft that you are unable to fully build the rotating floor assembly due to just a a few items and the all important brackets on sprues only provided with their interior kit. It's a strange decission, similar to RFM providing just the engine in their Ausf H early kit. Pointless really without the rest of the engine bay components

*The two missing brackets would fit to the tabs at the top of both pole type fixings

​

View attachment 497555

​

Don’t quote me as I’m not yet invested in this kit but try this (some interior parts are even duplicated);

 

[Jakko]

It's a bit daft that you are unable to fully build the rotating floor assembly due to just a a few items and the all important brackets on sprues only provided with their interior kit.

How hard are those to scratchbuild, though? And/or: Has anybody thought of copying them as 3D-printed parts?

 

[Magneto]

How hard are those to scratchbuild, though? And/or: Has anybody thought of copying them as 3D-printed parts?

There is no need to scratch the parts

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Don’t quote me as I’m not yet invested in this kit but try this (some interior parts are even duplicated);

View attachment 497594

View attachment 497595View attachment 497596

Thanks Paul

I will scour over the 5033 kit to see if all the turret parts are scattered around the sprues. I'll post up what I find as it would be a bonus if they are included

 

[Panzerwrecker]

How hard are those to scratchbuild, though? And/or: Has anybody thought of copying them as 3D-printed parts?

I'm going to check all the sprues now as the turret parts might well be included and unlike the interior kit, spread over different sprues. I'll post up my findings ASAP

 

[Panzerwrecker]

I've just noticed this thread should be in the armour section and not artillery. Can a moderator please correct my error?

 

[Magneto]

Thanks Paul

I will scour over the 5033 kit to see if all the turret parts are scattered around the sprues. I'll post up what I find as it would be a bonus if they are included

I actually have 2 of these kits (because there are 2 fairly distinct options) so would be interested to know.

Another strange one is that there is another RFM kit that has the same situation - not an interior kit per se but had the turret interior as ‘extras’.

The Tiger I initial (the winter cam box art - but I’m sure the other initial is the same set up)

 

[Magneto]

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.

Have you tried reasonably hot water? This is a bit of an abstract art - so best practice on a piece of scrap

 

[Panzerwrecker]

Thanks for the tip, but I havn't due to me attaching all the brackets to them I really should have tried before attaching them, and after the weights I put on them overnight didn't solve the issue.

I'll get em straight somehow

 

[Panzerwrecker]

OK, so I've done much scouring off both the instructions and sprues of both kits (5033 & 5043) and not all the turret interior parts in interior kit 5043 are provided on kit 5033 sprues. Some are though, and I'll admit I did not notice them, as many have different part numbers and are located on different numbered sprues. (thats my excuse anyway)

Heres what I found checking both kits contents

Starting off with the sprue count, both kits share some identical sprues. These are:

• A x 1
• B x 1
• C x 2
• D x 2
• E x 1
• F x 1
• G x 1
• H x 1
• J1 x 1
• J4 x 1
• K x 1
• N x 1
• W x1 clear
• YA x 1 PE
• YB x 1 PE
• Tracks and poly caps

Sprue R x 1 is in both kits but contain different parts (sprue R in kit 5033 is much larger and contains many more parts)

Kit 5033 has an extra sprue J2 x 1 which just contains parts for the Artillery Observation vehicle

Kit 5043 contains x 14 additional sprues including:

• L x 1
• M x1
• P x 1
• Q x 1
• S x 1
• T x 1
• U1 x 1
• V x 1
• X x 1
• XA x 1
• Y x 1
• Z x 2
• 'Clear parts' (Replacement hull and turret parts for showing off the interior)

Turret interior parts included on kit 5033 sprues but not called out in the instructions, include:

5043 kit part No & equivalant 5033 kit part No

F27 - F6 or clear part W13
F8 x 2 - Same
S15 - R31
Z27 - R27
S20 - R4
W11 - Same
W9 - Same
X27 - F5
X28 - F4
F18 - Same
F33 - Same
X2 - F24
X48 - R14
F37 - Same

(for placement see instruction sheet pics below)

There are 31 turret interior parts contained on sprue X x 1 in interior kit 5043 that are not available on any sprues in kit 5033.

Although you get a turret floor (part F33) and a few other items which I assembled and posted above, you would still need to scratchbuild three significant parts to connect it to the lower turret moulding. These parts are marked Z32 x 2 and X1. That still leaves twelve other vital parts missing from the rotating turret floor assembly.

Turret interor assembly pics from interior kit 5043




Please correct me if I've mistaken any info.

 

[Magneto]

OK, so I've done much scouring off both the instructions and sprues of both kits (5033 & 5043) and not all the turret interior parts are provided on kit 5033 sprues. Some are, and many have different part numbers. (details below)

Starting off with the sprue count, both kits share some identical sprues. These are:

• A x 1
• B x 1
• C x 2
• D x 2
• E x 1
• F x 1
• G x 1
• H x 1
• J1 x 1
• J4 x 1
• K x 1
• N x 1
• W x1
• YA x 1 PE
• YB x 1 PE
• Tracks and poly caps

Sprue R x 1 is in both kits but contain different parts (sprue R in kit 5033 is much larger and ttcontains many more parts)

Kit 5033 has an extra sprue J2 x 1 which just contains parts for the Artillery Observation vehicle

Kit 5043 contains x 13 additional sprues including:

• L x 1
• M x1
• P x 1
• Q x 1
• S x 1
• T x 1
• U1 x 1
• V x 1
• X x 1
• XA x 1
• Y x 1
• Z x 2

To add turret parts included on kit 5033 sprues but not called out in the instructions include: (for placement see instruction sheet pics below)

5043 part No Equivalant 5033 part No

F27 F6 or clear part W13
F8 x 2 Same
S15 R31
Z27 R27
S20 R4
W11 Same
W9 Same
X27 F5
X28 F4
F18 Same
F33 Same
X2 F24
X48 R14
F37 Same

There are 31 turret interior parts contained on sprue X x 1 in kit 5043 that are not available on any other sprues in kit 5033

However , almost all of the rotating turret floor can be made but it requires two vital brackets (parts Z32 in kit 5043) to attach it to the lower turret moulding. These would need to be scratch built to utilise the turret floor parts available. Two othe small parts on the floor require scratch building along with the addition of gas masks, but thats it.

View attachment 497636View attachment 497637
View attachment 497638
Please correct me if I've mistaken any info.

Great report! Thanks! Not sure if you checked clear sprue? They have TCs chair and supports (I don’t have kits in front - stashed away. But here could be a plot twist….

Can you look at that missing ‘turret support-esque’ piece I kit 33? Vis;