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6315
Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf. F1 (F)
1/35 injection plastic kit with decals and photo etch
The
Panzer IV served as the backbone of the German Panzer Divisions for
most of WWII. The Panzer Ausf F1, which was first designates as the
Ausf F, was the last Panzer IV version to be armed with the short-barrel
7.5cm Kw.K 40 L/24 tank gun and with around 460 built saw service both
on the Eastern Front and in the Mediterranean. The Ausf F1 saw a return
to the flat driver・s front plate, which was now 50mm thick, the new
Kugelblende MG mount, wider road wheels, narrower muffler, and the fitting
of 40cm wide tracks as standard.
This new release from Dragon depicts a typical Panzer IV Ausf F1 as
produced during in 1941 or early 1942 and seen in numerous wartime photos
from the front line. This kit is based on the recent Dragon release
of the long barreled Panzer IV F2 (G) from the Smart Kit series, while
including new decals and parts for the short-barreled 7.5cm Kw.K 40
L/24 tank gun and mantlet. Clear plastic parts are provided for the
driver・s and radio operator・s forward and side vision blocks, turret
side vision ports and the cupola vision ports.
The optional photo etch includes the air intake covers, baffles below
the engine deck hatches, detail on the rear convoy light, turret mounted
vane and a pair of fender supports. Newly made Panzer IV Ausf F1 were
not fitted with shurzen (side armour) and this kit does not have vorpanzer
(spaced armour which is included in the Cyber-Hobby kit 6398) which
was fitted to several tanks.
The 18 step gatefold instructions are clearly laid out. The few injection
marks are placed so that they are hidden on the finished kit. Clean
up of this kit・s part should be very quick.
TURRET
The turret is based around a 3-directional slide molded shell, which
has detail such as the countersunk holes finely reproduced. The hatches
and ports have internal detail and can be modelled open and clear plastic
is used for vision blocks. The commander's cupola has internal detail
with five vision blocks and the lock mechanism on the split hatch, while
his seat is also included. The toothed turret ring is integrated into
the turret・s base. As expected the roof has separate parts for the varying
handles, commander・s sight, covers etc, while the rear stowage bin and
two-part lifting hooks, which are quite impressive.
The 7.5cm KwK40 L/24 gun is impressive and provides the full gun assembly
the correct frontal armour and mantlet for the shorter barrel. There
is a choice of gun sleeves with differing screw head patterns and a
choice of a slide-molded MG34 in its protective sleeve or an empty sleeve.
Inside the turret the there is the gun breech, spent shell catcher and
guard.
HULL
The lower hull, shares features with the Panzer IV F2 Smart Kit and
Vorpanzer. Slide-molding has been used to provide detail on the bottom
and sides such as weld beams, counter sunk holes and screw heads. The
drive housing is assembled from only four parts and the return idler
mounts are cast on the hull tub. Separate parts are provided for small
detail such as the rear idler mount, rear plate, track tension adjustors,
bump stops, and towing pintle. The main exhaust is a detailed multi-part
assembly with some slide-molding, and a hollowed outlet. The four part
smoke candle rack has internal detail.
The side fenders have an impressive anti-skid pattern on the upper surface
and underside and separate front and rear fenders. The holes for the
tools are predrilled and the bottom of many of the brackets are crisply
cast onto the fenders, which combined with the sharply defined tools
(which have the brackets and clamps cast on) will deliver impressive
results. The jack is built from five parts and has separate brackets.
The tow cable is made from twisted wire with plastic end eyes.
The upper hull is based on a single part, which has excellent detail
for the turret race, screw heads with slots, countersunk holes and rain
guards. The main engine deck hatches can be modeled open, although you
will need to add a Maybach HL 120 engine (several are available). There
is a choice of two designs for the side air intake vents. For the large
hatches on the engine deck there is a choice of three profiles. One
is the style intended for use in Central and Western Europe which did
not have vents, and the other two are the later Tropen (Tropical) style
with the vents. Both Tropen styles have baffles underneath the hatches
(one set in PE). These vents on the hatches are sharply defined. A part
fits where the firewall separating the engine from the fighting compartment
was, but it appears structural as it is not detailed.
The forward armour and rear hull plate are well done with attention
to detail such as the fine bolt heads and the counter sunk screw holes
near the brake access hatches. The spare tracks on the right fender
have positioning tabs and have no visible injection marks. The driver・s
and radio operator・s hatches can be left open and the forward MG34 is
a Gen-2 tooling and features the ball mount and the internal detail
such as the grip and ammunition bag. The forward headlamp has the option
of clear plastic lens or a covered lens and the Notek light is crisp.
SUSPENSION
The road wheels have the tyre and rim as one piece (two units per bogy)
and have separate hub-caps (correct profile) with small screw heads
finely reproduced. The bogies mountings are built from four parts. The
road wheels and return rollers feature the Continenta(U) brand name
an pressure markings on the sidewalls. Four extras road wheel pairs
are included and could be attached as spares, as is often seen in photos.
The tracks are Magic Tracks where each link comes loose, and for most
modelers will require no clean up, although each link has two small
injector marks. These links are the 40cm wide type with open guide horns
and no chevrons on the outer faces, a type that was common on the Ausf.
F. The tracks are asymmetric in that there is a separate set for each
side to reflect the way the track pins were fitted. Each side is separately
packed and has its own shade of grey.
DECALS
The impressive Cartograf decal sheet by has markings for ten Ausf F1,
each of which is supported by five profiles on the instruction sheet
and a color side profile on the box. Several spare decals, such as extra
unit emblems and Balkan Crosses are included. The 5 Panzer Division
Devil・s Head emblem and the turret number for the white washed Panzer
both have the grey background from the actual tanks original paint scheme
an approach which will simplify painting.
The Panzer IV are:
* Panzer Regiment 31, 5 Panzer Division, in Russia 1942 (box art: mainly
dark yellow with grey bands and turret number 424 with unit emblem of
a devils head)
* Panzer Regiment 35, 4 Panzer Division, in Russia 1942 (dark yellow
with brown camouflage bands; turret number white 301 and red bear unit
emblem).
* Panzer Regiment 31, 5 Panzer Division, Eastern Front 1942 (white washed
over grey with turret number red 421 and devils head emblem).
* Panzer Regiment 36, 14 Panzer Division, Eastern Front 1941 (all grey
with turret number yellow 831 and white K on front and rear).
* Panzer Regiment 21, 20 Panzer Division, Eastern Front 1943 (dark yellow
with brown and green patches with turret number white 334 and white
elephant unit emblem).
* An unidentified unit at Kursk 1943 with turret number black 3 and
an original grey base coat largely over painted with dark yellow.
* Grossdeutschland, at Voronezh in 1942, dark grey with yellow camouflage
overspray and turret number white 2 with unit insignia of a white helmet)
* A captured Ausf F1 serving with the Russian Major Szalimov・s battalion
at Leningrad 1942 (all grey with Soviet hammer and sickle marking)
* Panzer Regiment 5, 21 Panzer Division, Libya, North Africa in 1942
(sand/dark yellow with turret number red 402 and DAK palm tree emblem).
* Panzer Regiment 8, 15 Panzer Division, Libya, North Africa in 1942
(sand/dark yellow with turret number black 8 and black unit emblem).
RECOMMENDATION
Dragon・s Panzer IV Ausf F1 (F) has all the benefits of the Smart Kit
format, which makes it a rewarding kit both out of the box and as the
basis for super-detailing project. With a choice of ten options, the
decal sheet is particularly impressive and compliments the crisp professionally
researched tooling. Highly recommended.
-
Neville Lord
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