In Bag Review of Armor Research 1/35th Scale
Early Style Panzer IV Turret Ausf. A, B or C
Kit no. ARC 5007
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: Unknown (at least 20 years ago)
MSRP: $16.00 back then.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: Unknown (at least 20 years ago)
MSRP: $16.00 back then.
HISTORY:
The first mass-produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausführung A (abbreviated to Ausf. A, meaning "Variant A"), in 1936. It was powered by a Maybach HL 108 TR, producing 250 PS (183.87 kW), and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse, achieving a maximum road speed of 31 kilometres per hour (19.26 mph).
As main armament, the vehicle mounted the short-barreled, howitzer-like 75 mm (2.95 in) Kampfwagenkanone 37 7.5 cm KwK 37 tank gun, 24 calibres in length which was a low-velocity weapon mainly designed to fire high-explosive shells.
Against armoured targets, firing the Panzergranate (armour-piercing shell) at 430 metres per second (1,410 ft/s) the KwK 37 could penetrate 43 millimetres (1.69 in), inclined at 30 degrees, at ranges of up to 700 metres (2,300 ft). A 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 34 machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main weapon in the turret, while a second machine gun of the same type was mounted in the front plate of the hull.
The main weapon and coaxial machine gun were sighted with a Turn Zielfernrohr 5b optic while the hull machine gun was sighted with a Kugel Zielfernrohr 2 optic. The Ausf. A was protected by 14.5 mm (0.57 in) of steel armour on the front plate of the chassis, and 20 mm (0.79 in) on the turret.
This was only capable of stopping artillery fragments, small-arms fire, and light anti-tank projectiles. A total of 35 A versions were produced. The 300 horsepower Maybach HL 120 TRM engine used in most Panzer IV production models
Panzer IV Ausf. D in 1940. In addition to armour upgrades, the bow machine gun was reintroduced. In 1937, production moved to the Ausf. B. Improvements included the replacement of the original engine with the more powerful 300 PS (220.65 kW) Maybach HL 120 TR, and the transmission with the new SSG 75 transmission, with six forward gears and one reverse gear.
Despite a weight increase to 16 t (18 short tons), this improved the tank's speed to 42 kilometres per hour (26.10 mph). The glacis plate was augmented to a maximum thickness of 30 millimetres (1.18 in),[20] while a new driver's visor was installed on the straightened hull front plate, and the hull-mounted machine gun was replaced by a covered pistol port and visor flap.
The superstructure width and ammunition stowage were reduced to save weight. A new commander's cupola was introduced which was adopted from the Panzer III Ausf. C.
A Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (smoke grenade discharger rack) was mounted on the rear of the hull starting in July 1938 and was back fitted to earlier Ausf. A and Ausf. B chassis starting in August 1938. Forty-two Panzer IV Ausf. Bs were manufactured.
The Ausf. C replaced the B in 1938. This saw the turret armour increased to 30 mm (1.18 in), which brought the tank's weight to 18.14 t (20.00 short tons). After assembling 40 Ausf. Cs, starting with chassis number 80341, the engine was replaced with the improved HL 120 TRM. The last of the 140 Ausf. Cs was produced in August 1939.
The first mass-produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausführung A (abbreviated to Ausf. A, meaning "Variant A"), in 1936. It was powered by a Maybach HL 108 TR, producing 250 PS (183.87 kW), and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse, achieving a maximum road speed of 31 kilometres per hour (19.26 mph).
As main armament, the vehicle mounted the short-barreled, howitzer-like 75 mm (2.95 in) Kampfwagenkanone 37 7.5 cm KwK 37 tank gun, 24 calibres in length which was a low-velocity weapon mainly designed to fire high-explosive shells.
Against armoured targets, firing the Panzergranate (armour-piercing shell) at 430 metres per second (1,410 ft/s) the KwK 37 could penetrate 43 millimetres (1.69 in), inclined at 30 degrees, at ranges of up to 700 metres (2,300 ft). A 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 34 machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main weapon in the turret, while a second machine gun of the same type was mounted in the front plate of the hull.
The main weapon and coaxial machine gun were sighted with a Turn Zielfernrohr 5b optic while the hull machine gun was sighted with a Kugel Zielfernrohr 2 optic. The Ausf. A was protected by 14.5 mm (0.57 in) of steel armour on the front plate of the chassis, and 20 mm (0.79 in) on the turret.
This was only capable of stopping artillery fragments, small-arms fire, and light anti-tank projectiles. A total of 35 A versions were produced. The 300 horsepower Maybach HL 120 TRM engine used in most Panzer IV production models
Panzer IV Ausf. D in 1940. In addition to armour upgrades, the bow machine gun was reintroduced. In 1937, production moved to the Ausf. B. Improvements included the replacement of the original engine with the more powerful 300 PS (220.65 kW) Maybach HL 120 TR, and the transmission with the new SSG 75 transmission, with six forward gears and one reverse gear.
Despite a weight increase to 16 t (18 short tons), this improved the tank's speed to 42 kilometres per hour (26.10 mph). The glacis plate was augmented to a maximum thickness of 30 millimetres (1.18 in),[20] while a new driver's visor was installed on the straightened hull front plate, and the hull-mounted machine gun was replaced by a covered pistol port and visor flap.
The superstructure width and ammunition stowage were reduced to save weight. A new commander's cupola was introduced which was adopted from the Panzer III Ausf. C.
A Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (smoke grenade discharger rack) was mounted on the rear of the hull starting in July 1938 and was back fitted to earlier Ausf. A and Ausf. B chassis starting in August 1938. Forty-two Panzer IV Ausf. Bs were manufactured.
The Ausf. C replaced the B in 1938. This saw the turret armour increased to 30 mm (1.18 in), which brought the tank's weight to 18.14 t (20.00 short tons). After assembling 40 Ausf. Cs, starting with chassis number 80341, the engine was replaced with the improved HL 120 TRM. The last of the 140 Ausf. Cs was produced in August 1939.
THE KIT:
This kit comes in a stapled-shut clear cello bag, that is stapled to a header card that has a black and white illustration of a Sherman tank, that has large white stars on the sides of the turret and hull.
It contains 5 hard and brittle, black resin parts: the turret, turret 2-part upper hatch lids and 2 alternate main guns. All the parts have pour-lugs on them that need to be removed.
This kit comes in a stapled-shut clear cello bag, that is stapled to a header card that has a black and white illustration of a Sherman tank, that has large white stars on the sides of the turret and hull.
It contains 5 hard and brittle, black resin parts: the turret, turret 2-part upper hatch lids and 2 alternate main guns. All the parts have pour-lugs on them that need to be removed.
This kit and all of the Armor Research line of kits was willed to me by a friend that died of cancer years ago. He did black resin, steel and PE parts and was based in Cedar Rapids, IA. I have put all the products on line to be sold by Charlie’s Models. His website can be found at:
charliesplasticmodels.com
Detail is excellent.
Recommended.
charliesplasticmodels.com
Detail is excellent.
Recommended.