JgPz IV

 

This is yet another remix of the work of others.

The body of the JgPz IV comes, I think, from the ever prolific Mr. Bergman; I've just refined the gun and mantlet a bit, and cut off the old running gear.  The running gear I've used has been extracted from Zac Kuvalich's (TigerAce1945) remastered Panzer IV model.

At some stage I'll probably also do a JgPz IV/70, since it would require minimal extra work. The front road wheels would need to be swapped for steel wheels, and the gun barrel would need to be replaced with the much longer (and muzzle brake-less) L70 gun. Though considering the relative fragility of the resin, I might just add a socket to the mantlet, into which I can glue a length of brass rod or tube.

The test print went very well. I'll call that a success, I think.

I've very rarely printed vehicles with separate running gear in FDM; I've seldom found it to be worth the extra trouble. However, it's a lot more straightforward when printing in resin, and the additional track link detail is nice to have. It will simplify painting the upper run of tracks as well, to be able to paint the tracks separate from the hull.

And here it is, all painted and decorated and ready for the wargames table.

Coupla days later...

The hull of the JgPz IV/70 is done and printed.

As I suggested earlier, rather than printing a fragile resin gun barrel, I just put a socket in the mantlet and used a 2mm brass rod. It's a tad too thick for a 75mmL70 in scale, but not too egregiously so, and it will be much, much more hard-wearing this way.

Modifications to the hull for the L70 version consisted of adding a gun barrel lock on the glacis, doing away with the left front MG port cover, adding another spare wheel, and filling up the rack on the rear of the engine bay with spare track links.

The redesigned running gear, with new steel wheels on the first bogies, is on the printer as I type this. It should be ready in about an hour, all going well.

And yet another day...

The JgPzIV/70 is all painted, and I've experimented with a new colour scheme, with which I am not entirely satisfied. Oh well, there's always another day.