Sturmpanzer IV Late - Cyber-Hobby/Dragon Orange Box

Almost done, but the episcopes in the commander's cupola need painting.  Also, the superstructure isn't attached to the lower hull yet.

Yahagi (矢矧) Tamiya 1/700 WIP

IJN Yahagi (矢矧) - an Agano-class cruiser

StuG, JagdPz and SturmPz

Some thoughts on Orange Boxes

Reading a review of the Cyber-Hobby Orange Box Brummbär Late on Amazon made me think of how the various Orange Box kits stacked up.  Quick thoughts are set out below.  The comments are colored by the following preferences: (i) don’t care for DS tracks (too weak; harder to reproduce sag of “dead” tracks on German AFV); and (ii) not a fan of using CA so lots of PE is a downer for me.   

CH 9117 Orange Box Brummbär Late

Good:  Only kit of late version of Brummbar available; lots of extras for the spare parts box; magic tracks; price (can be had for as low as $14.99 on dragon models usa online site)

Bad:  Schürzen too thick and not at all close to actual schürzen.  Also no support for attachment point of fender extensions resulting in poor/weak fit.  Loader’s hatch doesn’t open.

The Amazon reviewer gave this kit two stars, in part because of a some warped parts (see StuG IIIF comments below) and frustration with magic tracks.  I actually prefer magic tracks to DS tracks, because I think the end result is better, but I can understand those who might prefer the ease of the DS tracks (assuming they don’t break).  Some of the detail was soft or missing, but these can be replaced from the spare parts bin or scratch built as necessary.  Fit was generally okay, although fit between upper and lower hull is not the greatest.  Also, while mostly due to own stupidity, the lack of attachment points on the fender extensions probably contributed to installing one side reversed.  Added figures don’t add much, IMO.

Overall – 3 of 5

CH 9101 Orange Box StuG IIIF

Good:  magic tracks; included figures can be versatile.

Bad:  Hull fit; inaccuracies; lack of detail in breach.

This kit was kind of a dog for me because the upper hull was warped resulting in some major fit issues.  Also, there is no detail whatsoever in the gun breach area and it is not so easy to scratch build, so it has to be covered up.  Finally, I understand that there are significant inaccuracies that require correction, so assembly of this kit is on hiatus.  Added figures look okay and are probably versatile.  Probably would prefer to spend the money buying the Tamiya StuG IIIG even if it has vinyl tracks that have to be replaced.

Maybe I will see if I can put on some hippo team markings from girls und panzer.

Overall – 2 of 5

CH 9123 Orange Box 15cm Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33 auf. Pz. III

Good:  magic tracks; previously was only version available; price.

Bad:  lack second stowage box on rear deck; some hull to fender fit issues.

This kit wasn’t bad.  Biggest issue was a fit issue between upper hull and fender.  Also it lacks the second stowage box commonly found on these vehicles.  I think the upper ventilator probably needs some wire going around it.  There may be some inaccuracies, but with only 12 models built on various models of Pz III chassis, I didn’t bother to research too much.  For some reason DML released two follow up full price kits.  This kit sufficiently scratched that itch for me at a lower price.

Overall:  3.5 of 5 (based in part on price)

CH 9128 Orange Box Sd. Kfz. 253 le Beob. Pz. Wg.

This is still in construction, but so far seems to very nice kit, with nice figures.  One downside, from my perspective, is that reference photos seem to show this vehicle only in (boring) dark grey or dark grey with white winter camo, which would be consistent with the time that it was a standard part of the StuG Abt. TOE.  However, even presumably post-standard TOE reference photos appear to show the vehicle only in dark grey, e.g., with SS-Prinz Eugen division.  The only exception seen to date is a vehicle that appears to be in dark yellow with brown and/or green camo, with a shield fixed to the commander's rotating hatch.  Once source indicates that this vehicle was assigned to the SS-Totenkopf division in the Balkans.

Overall:  tbd

CH 9127 Orange Box Jagdpanzer IV/70 (A) “Zwischenlösung”

Good:  magic tracks; nice figures; price.

Bad: “Thoma” schüzen appear to be difficult to install with weak attachment points; gun barrel vulnerable to flopping.  Some fit issues, e.g., rear road wheel holders.  Loader’s hatch doesn’t open; other soft/missing details.  For some reason the driver’s vision block is in a down position.

The kit probably suffers from the fact that this is simply an ugly looking vehicle.  The kit has been described as a “dog” on another website and I would have to agree.  The attachment points of the “Thoma” schürzen looked so weak that I didn’t bother attaching them, given the complex looking assembly of the “Thoma” schürzen and the fact that the Thoma” schürzen  didn’t look so good.  The gun barrel ended up flopping down and the mantlet had to be hacked apart to try to fix it.  I ended up using the DS tracks from the DML StuG IV Early with zimmerit on this kit because I didn’t want to spend too much time on it.   Figures are pretty decent, IMO.

Overall:  2 of 5.

CH 9131 Orange Box Jagdpanzer IV A-0

Good:  Magic tracks; nice figures; general accuracy and detail; price.

Bad:  Lack of zimmerit; some soft/missing details.

While still a WIP, overall this is a pretty nice kit, with good fit and decent details, although you probably want to replace a lot of the tools, jack block, muffler, etc., with better stuff from your spares.  Also, the rear convoy light probably should be an early version and the joint in the rear between the upper and lower hulls is missing (although there is a part for it included, but not called out in the instructions).  One big thing that is missing is zimmerit; although the museum version generally lacks zimmerit, there is a small patch on the rear that indicates that it used to have a zimmerit coat, as shown in reference photos.  Nice set of figures.  While this kit obviously isn’t as detailed as the DML kits described below, with some replacements (and zimmerit), it builds into a nice kit without the sometimes laborious amount of small parts/PE in normal DML kits.  In that way, it is sort of like a Tamiya kit.

Overall:  4 of 5 (based in part on price)

DML 6465 Elefant with Zimmerit

Good:  zimmerit; detail; metal barrel.

Bad:  DS tracks; would have preferred some PE be optional.

Overall nice kit with molded on zimmerit and metal barrel.  Some of the PE wasn’t fun (for me at least), and the DS tracks broke and had to be replaced with individual link tracks.  Fit generally seemed to be okay.

Overall:  4 of 5

DML 6397 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)

Good:  good details; magic tracks; parts for spare parts box.

Bad:  some fit issues with upper hull to lower hull/fenders.

Except for a problem in fitting the upper hull to the lower hull/fenders, this kit went together well without too many annoying PE parts (or at least having the option of plastic or PE).  Lots of optional or spare parts also meant a good supply of replacement parts for less/softer detailed orange box kits like Jagdpanzer IV A-0.  Minor nits include lack of pad for interior of commander’s hatch.

Overall:  4.5 of 5

DML 6576 – Sturmgeschütz IV Early with zimmerit

Good:  zimmerit, good details; parts for spare parts box.

Bad:  DS tracks; gun assembly complex and offset.

The only major fit issue encountered was that the gun assembly (which is attached to floor of the vehicle) is offset, and has to be adjusted.  I had read about this elsewhere but forgot and so had to make the post-installation surgery.  The assembly sequence for the gun was a little tricky as well.  As always with DML kits, lots of test fitting is critical.  I don’t care for DS tracks and used them for the doggy Jagdpanzer IV L/70(A), replacing them with a set of open guide horn magic tracks from the DML StuG IV Late (which inexplicably has open guide horn tracks).  A minor quibble is that some of the spare track links have closed guide horns; while reference photos often show a mix, it probably would have been better to have the open guide horn option.  This kit also has lots of optional or spare parts that can be used as a source of replacement parts for less/softer detailed orange box kits like Jagdpanzer IV A-0.  Installed the schürzen rails, but not the actual schürzen, so not sure if any issues there – some comments suggest there could be an issue with the material used for the schürzen.  Also using PE for the bottom of the spare road wheel box doesn't seem like a good idea because it is more vulnerable than plastic to warping.

Overall:  4.5 of 5

 

 

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DML StuG IV Early with Zim - WIP

DML StuG IV Early with zimmerit WIP.  The original DS tracks (solid guide horn) were used for the JagdPanzer IV L/70 (A).  All of the photo references for the early StuG show open guide horn tracks so the open guide horn tracks from the DML StuG IV late were used here, although some of the spare tracks still have the solid guide horn.

So far, the kit has gone together fairly well.  As has been noted elsewhere, the mounting points for the base of the StuK 40 locates that guns off-centered to the loader's side, so they were removed and the gun moved towards the commander's side of the vehicle (unfortunately after the initial mounting of the same).  The gunner's site also will need adjust to fit through the opening in the top of the casement.  Also, as also has been noted elsewhere, there is a gap between the casement and upper glacis plate which was filled with plastic card.  Some trimming was required to get the rear fenders to fit.  The top of the brackets for the spare wheel holder were either broken or inadvertently sheared off, so replacement is still needed.  The AMPS Central SC "Wildcats" group-build guide to the StuG IV was used as a very valuable reference in determining initial, early, mid, late, etc., part selection, as well as identifying some errors in the instructions (there were a few others as well).  Overall, however, this is a nice kit.

 

 

 

 

A family?

 

DML Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V), Cyber-Hobby (DML) Jagdpanzer IV L/70(A) and Cyber-Hobby DML Brummbar Late.  Mom, Dad and ugly kid in the middle.

DML's StuG IV Early with zimmerit is next on the block.

Cyber-Hobby/DML Orange Box Jagdpanzer IV L/70(A) - WIP

Looks like the ugly love-child of a Brummbar and Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V).

Will try the DS Tracks from the DML StuG IV Early with Zimmerit.  Last experience with DS Tracks wasn't so good - the DS Elefant Tracks broke and I ended up using individual link tracks.

 

 

As some other commentators have noted, this kit is something of a dog.  It is missing the periscopes and other details, the loader's hatch doesn't open, the barrel does not stay in place, i.e., it flops down.  I didn't even bother with the Thoma schurzen brackets because the attachment points seemed so weak that they would be guaranteed to fall off.    Obviously, the somewhat compensating factor was the Orange Box price.  New smart kit available from Dragon now.

 

 

Vintage Kubelwagen

Vintage Tamiya Kubelwagen.  Short on detail, but the axles work (?!).

Late War Camo

Hard edge or soft?  Screen caps of a JagdPz IV and StuG from German newsreel seem to show soft edge 3 color camo.  Newsreel supposedly from Feb or March 1945, but no way to know when film was shot.  Vehicles look to be in new condition, judging from completeness of schürzen.

Tale of Three (WIP) Dragons.

After a hiatus of several months, have been trying to complete a Cyber-Hobby Orange Box Sturmpanzer IV (late), a Cyber-Hobby Orange Box StuG. III Ausf. F mit winterketten, and a DML Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (6397).

 

 

 

The kit schurzen for the Stupa suffer from being massively thick and also from the fact that mounting points do not correspond to the individual plates.  In fact, the whole seems to be inaccurate but with the mounting rails already attached, decided against replacing them in their entirety with a AM set like the Eduard set stashed away for the next build of this kit (if it ever happens).  Instead, using the (probably inaccurate) kit schurzen as a temple, made a couple of new plates on each side by realigning the plate divisions with the mounting brackets.  Some of the resultant plates look suspiciously narrow, but we'll see how they turn out.  Maybe should have checked against Eduard set first.

 

 

 

 

It is interesting to contrast the more recent JagdPz IV with its older brethren.  Both the Stupa and Stug had fit issues, particularly between the upper hull and the lower hull tub; requiring in the case of the Stug removal of the locating tabs (suggesting warping of either or both hull pieces).  There also were other engineering issues such as the lack of locating pins to anchor the extended fenders on the Stupa which made assembly more challenging that might otherwise have been the case (and probably contributed to one being installed in reversed position).   In contrast, thus far at least, the JagdPz IV, while much more detailed and complex in assembly has had great engineering and fit.  While the Stupa and Stug are Orange Box kits, and the comparison might be akin to comparing a VW Bug from years ago to a current Audi (or an old Toyota Tercel to a new Lexus), the improvement in Dragon’s kits is impressive.  Which is not to say that the OB kits aren’t worth their lower price; but sometimes it’s nice to drive a Lexus rather than a Toyota.  UPDATE:  there were some fit problems between the upper hull and the lower hull/fenders, which required some moderate shaving/trimming to try to get a flush fit.

A pic of the DML Jagdpanzer IV L/70 as WIP:

 

 

 

 

Cyber-Hobby/DML StuG III Ausf. F mit winterketten (from DML StuG III Ausf. F/8) as WIP:

 

 

From what I've read, this kit needs lots of corrections to be accurate, so I probably won't be spending time on it for the foreseeable future.

Italeri AB 43 WIP

 

The kit went together pretty well and without any substantial gaps or other fit issues.  Overall, I was quite impressed with it.  Need to figure out the best/easiest way to do the camo, however.

Horch 1a

Old skool Tamiya Horch sans flak.  While in Japan in 2012, picked up the original Tamiya Horch 1a kit without the flak and crew, but with the closed top.

Tamiya Jagdpanzer IV L/48 Late

An attempt to build a late (i.e., late Sept. 1944) Jagdpanzer IV L/48 using a recycled Tamiya Jagdpanzer IV Lang kit and based on the Kagero Photosniper drawings. The late model L/48 barrel is from Jordi Rubio, with selected PE from the Eduard set, plus some spares from the DML Jagdpanzer IV L/70, DML Elefant, Cyber-Hobby/DML Brummbar Late, Acad. PzIV track links and various other kits. The barrel was fitted after quite a bit of hacking at the original kit parts.  The commander's hatch needs to have the crash pad added, as well as the part at forward (top) part of the hatch.

Stug IV (Tamiya) WIP

 

 

This is the old Tamiya kit, which lacks zimmerit.  Thought about mating with newer Tamiya Pz IV hull (middle picture), but w/o zimmerit no real point in doing so.  NOte thick kit schurzen.