Double-review of Testor-Italeri Pz.Kpfw. IV, Kit no. 808 and
Testor-Italeri Pz.Kpfw. IV-H, Kit no. 774
By Ray Mehlberger
Kit no. 808 copyright 1980
Out of production
Kit no. 774 copyright 1983
Available from one individual in the U.S. on the web for $15.00.
Kit no. 808 copyright 1980
Out of production
Kit no. 774 copyright 1983
Available from one individual in the U.S. on the web for $15.00.
HISTORY:
The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, is a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.The Panzer IV was the most numerous German tank and the second-most numerous German fully tracked armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War; 8,553 Panzer IVs of all versions were built during World War II, only exceeded by the StuG III assault gun with 10,086 vehicles.
Its chassis was also used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun, the Jagdpanzer IV self-propelled anti-tank gun, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun.The Panzer IV saw service in all combat theatres involving Germany and was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war. It was originally designed for infantry support, while the similar Panzer III was to fight armoured fighting vehicles.
However, as the Germans faced the formidable T-34, the Panzer IV had more development potential, with a larger turret ring to mount more powerful guns, so it swapped roles with the Panzer III whose production wound down in 1943. The Panzer IV received various upgrades and design modifications, intended to counter new threats, extending its service life.
Generally, these involved increasing the armour protection or upgrading the weapons, although during the last months of the war, with Germany's pressing need for rapid replacement of losses, design changes also included simplifications to speed up the manufacturing process.
The Panzer IV was partially succeeded by the Panther medium tank, which was introduced to counter the Soviet T-34, although it continued to be a significant component of German armoured formations to the end of the war. It was the most widely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to Finland, Romania, Spain and Bulgaria. After the war, Syria procured Panzer IVs from France and Czechoslovakia, which saw combat in the 1967
Six-Day War.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1939–1945 (Nazi Germany), 1954–1973 (Syria)
Used by: Nazi Germany, Romania, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Finland, Spain, Croatia, Syria
Wars: World War II, War over Water, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War
Designer: Krupp
Designed: 1936
Manufacturer: Krupp, Vomag, Nibelungenwerk
Unit cost: 103,462 Reichsmark and 115,962 Reichsmark With 7.5 cm KwK 40 (L/43)
Produced: 1936–1945
No. built: 8,553 of all tank variants
Variants: StuG IV, Jagdpanzer IV, Brummbär (Sturmpanzer IV), Nashorn, Wirbelwind, Ostwind
Specifications (Pz. IV Ausf. H, 1943
Mass: 25.0 tonnes (27.6 short tons; 24.6 long tons)
Length: 5.92 m (19 ft 5 in), 7.02 m (23 ft 0 in) gun forward
Width: 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner)
Armour: Hull front: 80 mm (3.1 in), Hull side (upper and lower): 30 mm (1.2 in), Hull rear (upper and lower): 20 mm (0.79 in), Hull roof and floor: 10 mm (0.39 in), Schürzen: 5 mm (0.20 in) to 8 mm (0.31 in), Turret front: 50 mm (2.0 in), Turret side and rear: 30 mm (1.2 in), Turret roof: 10 mm (0.39 in)
Main armament: 7.5 cm (2.95 in) KwK 40 L/48 main gun (87 rounds)
Secondary armament: 2 × 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns (3,150 rounds)
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cylinder petrol engine of 300 PS (296 hp, 220 kW)
Power/weight: 12 PS (8.8 kW) / tonne
Transmission: (Synchromesh ZF SSG 77) 6 forward and 1 reverse ratios
Suspension: Leaf spring
Fuel capacity: 470–670 L (120–180 US gal)
Operational range: Road: 235–320 km (146–199 mi), Cross-country: 120–210 km (75–130 mi)
Maximum speed: 38 to 42 km/h (24 to 26 mph) maximum, 25 km/h (16 mph) max sustained road speed, 16 km/h (9.9 mph) off road.
The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, is a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.The Panzer IV was the most numerous German tank and the second-most numerous German fully tracked armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War; 8,553 Panzer IVs of all versions were built during World War II, only exceeded by the StuG III assault gun with 10,086 vehicles.
Its chassis was also used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun, the Jagdpanzer IV self-propelled anti-tank gun, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun.The Panzer IV saw service in all combat theatres involving Germany and was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war. It was originally designed for infantry support, while the similar Panzer III was to fight armoured fighting vehicles.
However, as the Germans faced the formidable T-34, the Panzer IV had more development potential, with a larger turret ring to mount more powerful guns, so it swapped roles with the Panzer III whose production wound down in 1943. The Panzer IV received various upgrades and design modifications, intended to counter new threats, extending its service life.
Generally, these involved increasing the armour protection or upgrading the weapons, although during the last months of the war, with Germany's pressing need for rapid replacement of losses, design changes also included simplifications to speed up the manufacturing process.
The Panzer IV was partially succeeded by the Panther medium tank, which was introduced to counter the Soviet T-34, although it continued to be a significant component of German armoured formations to the end of the war. It was the most widely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to Finland, Romania, Spain and Bulgaria. After the war, Syria procured Panzer IVs from France and Czechoslovakia, which saw combat in the 1967
Six-Day War.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1939–1945 (Nazi Germany), 1954–1973 (Syria)
Used by: Nazi Germany, Romania, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Finland, Spain, Croatia, Syria
Wars: World War II, War over Water, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War
Designer: Krupp
Designed: 1936
Manufacturer: Krupp, Vomag, Nibelungenwerk
Unit cost: 103,462 Reichsmark and 115,962 Reichsmark With 7.5 cm KwK 40 (L/43)
Produced: 1936–1945
No. built: 8,553 of all tank variants
Variants: StuG IV, Jagdpanzer IV, Brummbär (Sturmpanzer IV), Nashorn, Wirbelwind, Ostwind
Specifications (Pz. IV Ausf. H, 1943
Mass: 25.0 tonnes (27.6 short tons; 24.6 long tons)
Length: 5.92 m (19 ft 5 in), 7.02 m (23 ft 0 in) gun forward
Width: 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner)
Armour: Hull front: 80 mm (3.1 in), Hull side (upper and lower): 30 mm (1.2 in), Hull rear (upper and lower): 20 mm (0.79 in), Hull roof and floor: 10 mm (0.39 in), Schürzen: 5 mm (0.20 in) to 8 mm (0.31 in), Turret front: 50 mm (2.0 in), Turret side and rear: 30 mm (1.2 in), Turret roof: 10 mm (0.39 in)
Main armament: 7.5 cm (2.95 in) KwK 40 L/48 main gun (87 rounds)
Secondary armament: 2 × 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns (3,150 rounds)
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cylinder petrol engine of 300 PS (296 hp, 220 kW)
Power/weight: 12 PS (8.8 kW) / tonne
Transmission: (Synchromesh ZF SSG 77) 6 forward and 1 reverse ratios
Suspension: Leaf spring
Fuel capacity: 470–670 L (120–180 US gal)
Operational range: Road: 235–320 km (146–199 mi), Cross-country: 120–210 km (75–130 mi)
Maximum speed: 38 to 42 km/h (24 to 26 mph) maximum, 25 km/h (16 mph) max sustained road speed, 16 km/h (9.9 mph) off road.
THE KITS:
Testor is based in Rockford, Illinois U.S.A. They are the distributor for Italeri, who is based in Italy. Italeri is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer that makes all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
Both kits come in shrink-wrapped tray and lid type boxes, that have side-out cardboard trays with the parts in them.
The Pz.Kpfw. IV, Kit no. 808’s cover art is a color photo of the model made up, shown sitting on a work-table with tools and paints. The model makes up to be 6 ¾” long (16.8cm). It is an unassembled model kit that is recommended for experienced modelers ages 10 and over.
The tank is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow, with dark-green spots. It has a white Afrika Korps palm-tree and swastika insignia on the front and sides of the hull. A red number 444 outlined in white on the turret sides and a black and white German cross on the hull sides.
One side-panel of the box gives the history of the tank. Followed by a small side-view of the cover art.
Testor is based in Rockford, Illinois U.S.A. They are the distributor for Italeri, who is based in Italy. Italeri is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer that makes all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
Both kits come in shrink-wrapped tray and lid type boxes, that have side-out cardboard trays with the parts in them.
The Pz.Kpfw. IV, Kit no. 808’s cover art is a color photo of the model made up, shown sitting on a work-table with tools and paints. The model makes up to be 6 ¾” long (16.8cm). It is an unassembled model kit that is recommended for experienced modelers ages 10 and over.
The tank is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow, with dark-green spots. It has a white Afrika Korps palm-tree and swastika insignia on the front and sides of the hull. A red number 444 outlined in white on the turret sides and a black and white German cross on the hull sides.
One side-panel of the box gives the history of the tank. Followed by a small side-view of the cover art.
The other side-panel lists paints and tools by Testors brand. Followed agan by the small side-view of the cover art.
The bottom of the box lists the features of the kit, over 8 color. Walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Box printed in the USA. Copyright 1980 and Testor’s street address supplied.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 3 tan trees, a black vinyl tree and 2 copies of the instructions.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 10 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the model made up, in the box art scheme, over it’s history and specifications, READ BEFORE STARTING, PREPARATION OF PARTS and PAINTING instructions.
Page 2 on through to page 6 give a grand total of 9 assembly steps. The steps have a lot of text in them to walk you through each of them.
Page 7 is a figure painting and assembly guide.
Page 8 & 9 is a loose sheet, printed on both sides. One side is the parts-trees illustrations. The reverse side gives decal application instructions and weathering hints.
Page 10 Is a painting and marking guide, that shows three 3-views.
One is the box art scheme. Already described above.
The second one is overall desert-sand color. It has a black and white German cross on the sides and either a red 413 outlined in white, or a black 7 with an ace of spades, or black 4ob or a black stenciled 8 or a white 23, that can be chosen for the sides of the hull.
The third one is in a base of desert-sand, with a choice of the markings also used on the second one.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead they are marked with symbols.
Tree that is labeled as a circle holds: the hull tub, top and turret parts (14 parts)
The kit contains 3 tan trees, a black vinyl tree and 2 copies of the instructions.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 10 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the model made up, in the box art scheme, over it’s history and specifications, READ BEFORE STARTING, PREPARATION OF PARTS and PAINTING instructions.
Page 2 on through to page 6 give a grand total of 9 assembly steps. The steps have a lot of text in them to walk you through each of them.
Page 7 is a figure painting and assembly guide.
Page 8 & 9 is a loose sheet, printed on both sides. One side is the parts-trees illustrations. The reverse side gives decal application instructions and weathering hints.
Page 10 Is a painting and marking guide, that shows three 3-views.
One is the box art scheme. Already described above.
The second one is overall desert-sand color. It has a black and white German cross on the sides and either a red 413 outlined in white, or a black 7 with an ace of spades, or black 4ob or a black stenciled 8 or a white 23, that can be chosen for the sides of the hull.
The third one is in a base of desert-sand, with a choice of the markings also used on the second one.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead they are marked with symbols.
Tree that is labeled as a circle holds: the hull tub, top and turret parts (14 parts)
Tree that is labeled as a star holds: road wheels, springs, return rollers, figures, gun barrel etc. (180 parts)
Tree that is labeled as a square holds: drive sprockets, final transfer covers, gun breech, idler wheels, tow cable, fenders, rear hull wall, etc. (112 parts)
The black vinyl tracks are labeled with a small black dot. They hold two long runs and 4 short ones.
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
The detail is great.
The Pz.Kpfw. IV-H KIT NO. 774.
It is packed in the same type box as the other IV kit.
The two side panels give the same info as the plain IV kit, but without color side-views of the model.
It is packed in the same type box as the other IV kit.
The two side panels give the same info as the plain IV kit, but without color side-views of the model.
The cover art is a color photo of the model made-up and sitting on a workbench along with tools and cement.
It is painted in the 1943 three color camouflage of dark yellow, dark green and red brown. It has a white outlined drawing of a bear, followed by white no. 200, with Grislybar above it on the sides of the turret armor. Unassembled kit recommended for experienced modellers ages 10 and over.
Cover photo is enlarged to show detail. Actual body length 6 5/8” (16.9cm).
It is painted in the 1943 three color camouflage of dark yellow, dark green and red brown. It has a white outlined drawing of a bear, followed by white no. 200, with Grislybar above it on the sides of the turret armor. Unassembled kit recommended for experienced modellers ages 10 and over.
Cover photo is enlarged to show detail. Actual body length 6 5/8” (16.9cm).
The bottom of the box, like the plain IV kit, lists features of the kit. Over 8 walk-around type color photos of the model made up in the box art scheme.
Box printed in the USA. Kit made in Italy. Copyright of the kit is 1983. Testor’s street address in Rockford, Il is provided.
Box printed in the USA. Kit made in Italy. Copyright of the kit is 1983. Testor’s street address in Rockford, Il is provided.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 3 dark-green parts trees, a silver vinyl tree and the decal sheet in one sealed clear cello-bag.
The instructions are missing in the kit. However, I looked at the kit listing on the web and you can download the instructions there. It shows 12 pages for them. I have to get more black ink, for my printer to copy a set.
These trees also are labeled with symbols, instead of being alphabetized and use the same symbols.
Dark-green Star tree has the lower and upper hull, turret assembly stowage box, etc. (15 parts)
The kit holds 3 dark-green parts trees, a silver vinyl tree and the decal sheet in one sealed clear cello-bag.
The instructions are missing in the kit. However, I looked at the kit listing on the web and you can download the instructions there. It shows 12 pages for them. I have to get more black ink, for my printer to copy a set.
These trees also are labeled with symbols, instead of being alphabetized and use the same symbols.
Dark-green Star tree has the lower and upper hull, turret assembly stowage box, etc. (15 parts)
Dark-green Solid Square contain the road wheels,figures springs, etc. (141 parts) The Open Square trees hold the early drive sprocket, fenders Idler wheels, etc. (102 parts)
A new tree, Dark-green Circle, contains the Schurzen for the hull and turret along with the mounting parts, air filter and hand holds. (53 parts)
The silver vinyl tree holds the tracks. There are 2 long runs and 4 short ones.
The decal sheet completes the kit’s contents. It contains black turret numbers 635 and 615. White stenciled turret number 835 and 209. The Grislybar marking.
Very nice detail.
Both kits recommended.
Both kits recommended.