Panzer IV Ausf. D, DAK

This is the Tristar PzIV D, made as a DAK vehicle. I added the turret box from my spares bin, the tropical louvres were from the DML PzIV E, and the spare wheel holders were made from copper wire. I switched the hinges on the engine deck round the correct way also. I added weld seams using strip styrene melted with liquid glue, and added Aber chains here and there as appropriate. The figure in the turret is by Alpine, the guy on the side is Tristar, with the spare head from the Alpine figure.

The tank represents a 4 Kompanie vehicle Pz Regt 5 during Operation Crusader, Nov 1941. There are lots of pictures of a similar vehicle in Concords "Armour of the DAK" [Tom Cockle] and "Panzers in North Africa" [Healey]. I also used the old Bruce Quarrie "Panzers in the Desert" photo-file as reference.

The model was given an undercoat of Tamiya grey from a can, and then oversprayed in Xtracrylics Ral 8020. A further series of alternate sprays of airbrushed grey / yellow + some grey drybrush and paint chipping completed the effect of worn paint work with the original grey showing through. Marking were from the spares box.

Hope you like it. I tore my hair out with this one - nothing seemed to fit - but with a bit of patience and filler, it worked out I think.

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