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| Subject: | Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks |  |
| Date: | May 7, 2006 |
| From: | Kazutaka YOKOTA | |
I have examined Tristar’s Pz.IV ausf C and B kits, and found that both kits are pretty good in terms of accuracy and research issues, although the kits are not as glamorous as DML’s recent offerings and look very ‘basic’, so to speak, with just few PE parts and no ‘extra goodies’.
First, here is the list of features which characterize Pz.IV ausf B and C.
I. Major features which distinguish Pz.IV ausf B and C from ausf D and later
I.1. Internal Main Gun Mantlet (B and C)
I.2. Straight Superstructure Front Armor (B and C)
I.3. Engine Room Side Louvers (B and C)
I.4. Hull Rear Armor and Details (B and C)
I.5. Bump Stoppers (B and C)
I.6. Fuel Filler Caps (B and C)
I.7. Rivets on the Lower Hull (B and C)
I.8. Vision Ports (B and C)
I.9. Radio Operator’s Hatch (B and C)
I.10. Idler Wheel (B and C)
I.11. Upper Return Rollers (some Bs and some Cs)
I.12. Round Key Plate on the Engine Hatches (B)
I.13. Track Links (B and C)
II. Smaller characteristic features of ausf B and C
II.14. Hinges on the Brake Inspection Hatches on the Glacis Plate (B and C)
II.15. Spare Track Links (B and C)
II.16. OVMs (B and C)
II.17. Auxiliary Engine Muffler (B and C)
II.18. Splash Guard around the Large Turret Roof Hatch (B)
II.19. Fenders (B and C)
II.20. Various Nuts and Bolts
Then, this is the list of nitpicks, or tweaks, or whatever, I have found for Tristar’s ausf B and C kits. The numbers in parentheses correspond to features in the above list. As you can see, there is only relatively small number of issues; Tristar has done homework very well to represent the above features correctly.
1. Track links (I.13)
Tristar introduced a new set of 38cm track link parts in their Pz.IV ausf C and B kits. However, the center guide horn appears too tall for ausf C and B; it is more appropriate for ausf D and E. Pz.IV ausf A through E all used 38cm tracks, but the track link of ausf D and E was of new design which had the taller guide horn in contrast to the one used for ausf A/B/C which had the shorter guide horn.
In order to rectify this, we can either 1) cut off the top end of the guide horn, or 2) use Modelkasten’s SK-57 38cm track link set. Modelkasten SK-57 includes two sets of guide horn parts; shorter ones for ausf A/B/C and tall ones for ausf D/E.
I think this is the biggest error in the Tristar kits.
2. Splash guard on the side of the main gun mantlet. (I.1)
This is probably the second most serious problem in the Tristar kits. Pz.IV ausf B and C had some sort of splash guard on the side of the main gun mantlet. It is one of the most conspicuous features of ausf B and C. But it is omitted in both Tristar ausf B and C kit.
3. Tool clumps for the long crow bar (II.16)
The long crow bar on the LHS fender of Pz.IV A through D is fastened with one clump. Tristar ausf B, C and D kits have two clumps molded for this crow bar.
4. Rain guards above turret side hatches (II.20)
The rain guard for the turret side hatch is slightly shorter in Tristar kits than the real one. The difference is very small, and can be ignored. But, the lower-rear end of the rain guard appeared to be fastened by a rivet on the real vehicle, whereas the kits place this rivet outside of the rain guard.
See my posting in another thread about DML Pz.IV ausf D kit too.
http://www.track-link.net/forum/modelling_kits/4197
5. Two rivets on the turret rear (II.20)
There are two small rivets (or bolts) on the bulge under the commander’s cupola of Pz.IV ausf A/B/C. They are omitted in Tristar’s both ausf B and C kits. (The PMMS review below points out that these rivets are present on ausf D and are also omitted in Tristar Pz.IV ausf D kit and DML Pz.IV ausf D kit. I am not sure if this is the case with ausf D, as APG Pz.IV ausf D does NOT have the two rivets there.
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/misc/pz4d/pz4d3.htm )
I will post some related photos in the next few days.
Kazutaka |
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 | Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Kazutaka YOKOTA - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Paul A. Owen - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf C kits: Lower hull front #1 [IMG] - Paul A. Owen - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf C kits: Lower hull front #2 [IMG] - Paul A. Owen - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Short Shot problem - Paul A. Owen - May 8, 2006 |
| . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks [IMG] - Lawrence Quah - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks [IMG] - Lawrence Quah - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks [IMG] - Lawrence Quah - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks [IMG] - Lawrence Quah - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Kazutaka YOKOTA - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Roy A. Schlicht - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks [IMG] - Lawrence Quah - May 11, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Lawrence Quah - May 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Paul A. Owen - May 23, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks - Lawrence Quah - May 24, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Tristar Pz.IV ausf B and C kits: tweaks [IMG] - Lawrence Quah - May 30, 2006 |
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