文档介绍:AFV/15 March/April 04 13/2/04 3:59 pm Page 34
Modelling
the
Panzer IV
Part One - Construction
By Tom Cockle
n July 1939, a contract to produce 223 Armoured protection was improved by With only 200 vehicles produced, it’s no
Begleitwagen, designated as adding 30mm supplemental armour wonder that operational photos of them
the Panzerkampfwagen IV , was plates, called Zusatzpanzer, to the front of are scarce. As far as is known, there are
Iawarded to Krupp-Grusonwerk. The the superstructure and 20mm plates to the no survivors but fortunately, a number of
order was reduced to 206 in March 1941 sides of the superstructure and the lower Panzerkampfwagen IV were also
and production ended in April 1941 with hull beside the partment. The fitted with the Zusatzpanzer and at least
200 pleted. smoke candle rack was now mounted on two can be seen today, one at the Tank
the rear superstructure plate protected in Museum at Bovington and the other at
Among the improvements introduced was an armoured housing. Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the .
a redesigned drive sprocket and roadwheel
hubcaps. The Fahrersehklappe 30 and an In early 1941, a few were converted to The Kit
mander’s cupola were Tauchpanzer and ten converted to ‘Tropen’
adopted from Panzerkampfwagen III for employment in North Africa. Turret The obvious choice was the new Tamiya
production along with a fume extraction stowage bins also began to be fitted Panzerkampfwagen IV . All the basic
fan in the turret roof. Turret construction around this time. Except for the ten sent ponents are included and the detail is
was simplified by welding a single rolled North Africa, the rest saw action in the good, particularly the drive sprockets. You
plate on the back of the turret eliminating Balkans and on the Eastern Front. will also require some selected
the bulge under the cupola. components from the old Tamiya
34
AFV/15 March/April 04 13/2/0