Thursday, May 23, 2013

CH/DML Jagdpanzer IV A-0 WIP

The  Cyber-Hobby/DML "Orange Box" Jagdpanzer IV A-0 seems to be a nice kit, but apparently all of the 2-5 vehicles constructed had a zimmerit coating.  Not wanting to try to tackle doing zimmerit with putty, this kit languished for awhile until Tamiyia introduced zimmerit coating sheets.  Decided to see if the zimmerit coating sheets for the Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. J could be used for the Jagdpanzer IV A-0.  (ATAK zimmerit is another alternative, but the cost would be more than the price of the kit . . .)

The training vehicle paint scheme of uniform dark yellow seems a bit boring, so the plan is to use the 3-color camo scheme.  Initially the thought was to follow the scheme of the Panzer Lehr Jagdpanzer IV L/48 at Normandy shown in the Kagero monograph.  However, only the Kagero monograph seems to identify the vehicle in the photo in question as a Panzer Lehr vehicle, and other sources identify the vehicle as belonging to another unit.  Thus, ended up with a more generic 3-color camo scheme (Tamiya dark yellow base with Nato Brown and Field Grey camo), but with Pz. Lehr markings on fender per reference photo of Panzer Lehr Jagdpanzer IV L/48 loaded on a rail car (although the Pz.Jgr. tactical symbol and the Lehr "L" were probably reversed in relative size in the reference photo).  The balkenkreuz location was per reference photo of training vehicle.  The vehicle number is apocryphal and in any case, combat use of the A-0 by Panzer Lehr (more specifically, 130. Panzer-Jäger Abteilung) is murky at best.