Pete's Panzer IV Ausf.D

[Steve Jones]

Nice to see you getting to grips with this old classic Peter. I hope there isn't too much cleaning of parts for you. One good thing is that it will go together with few issues. Good luck

[stillp]

I don't do figures, but the ones in this kit aren't too badly moulded, and I'd like to have some hatches open, so I've been trying a few things on the driver, and I think I've managed to avoid him looking like a 4-year old's picture of Coco The Clown. Whether he looks like a German tank driver is another matter! What do you think folks?

All comments welcome.
Pete

[Si Benson]

Evening Pete,
Well, up close and personal I think he ls looking reasonable:thumb2:
Use the 2 foot rule....snap a pic from a distance and see how it looks then.

[Guest]

Very good indeed Pete.

[scottie3158]

Pete, Looking good so far.

[stillp]

Thanks folks, if he's good enough for you figure experts then he'll certainly do for me!

Pete

[Mini Me]

Liking it Pete, Rick H.

[Steven000]

Looking good Pete,
I surely like the idea of an open hatch and a figure, it makes the vehicle come to life and gives a better understanding of it's size. :thumb2:

Cheers
Steven

[SimonT]

I recently bought one of these oldies as they are dead cheap and a good way of bumping up an Amazon order to get free delivery

Probably going to do my usual and correct the problem areas when I get around to it - width, suspension spacings, narrow wheels etc

Good thing is that they still look like what they are intended to be out the box but, if so inclined, have plenty of scope for reworking

[stillp]

Assembly finished I think, except for wheels and tracks. Dunkelgelb everywhere!
That can dry overnight, then I'll start work on the wheels. Tools etc will be painted grey before attaching. Figures have had their limbs glued on in what I hope are good positions, and are currently drying after filling the joins with PPP.

Thanks for watching.
Pete

[scottie3158]

Peter,
Looking good.

[Steve Jones]

Nice to see the wet stuff on the build. Looking really good.

[stillp]

Dunkelgelb doesn't cover very well does it! Most of a 17 ml bottle later, this is where we are:

Next jobs are to get the rubber black on the wheels, and a wash on the driver and loader. On the driver, I used a Vallejo Game Colour wash labelled as "Dipping Formula Immersion, so I dipped the figure, but found the consistency was like treacle, so brushed most of it off with a wet brush straight away. It seemed OK, but for the other 2 figures I think I'll try diluting it and brushing it on.
Now, I need some advice from the armour experts - should the inside faces of the open hatches be in the exterior colour, or off-white?

Thanks
Pete

[Steve Jones]

They need to be the same colour as the outside armour. It was only in the early months of the war that the inside hatch colour was the same as the interior colour. Its been ages since I did the Ausf D but you need to check if the cupola pads are black. I am sure they are.

Great build so far Pete. Keep up the great work

[stillp]

Thanks Steve, that saves a job! Showing my ignorance her - what are cupola pads?

Pete