In Box Review of Cornerstone 1/35th Scale German Panzer IV Transmission
Kit no. CM-001
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 199X
MSRP: $10.00 back then.
Available at Kitlinx for $11.22
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 199X
MSRP: $10.00 back then.
Available at Kitlinx for $11.22
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 armored 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 armored 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 armor 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 armored 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 Reichsmarks (Around 490,000 USD today) and 115,962 Reichsmarks with 7.5 cm KwK 40 (L/43) (Around 550,000 USD today)
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 MG 34 machine guns (3,150 rounds)
Engine: Maybach HL120 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 armored 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 armored 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 armor 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 armored 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 Reichsmarks (Around 490,000 USD today) and 115,962 Reichsmarks with 7.5 cm KwK 40 (L/43) (Around 550,000 USD today)
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 MG 34 machine guns (3,150 rounds)
Engine: Maybach HL120 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 KIT:
Cornerstone Models is a resin model kit manufacturer, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They make all manner of resin subjects in 1/35th scale.
This kit comes in a blousy, navy-blue, end-opening type box. It has a color photo that is glued to the top of the box, that shows the Panzer IV transmission painted up and atop a work-bench.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet (no decals in this kit) will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box, to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
Cornerstone Models is a resin model kit manufacturer, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They make all manner of resin subjects in 1/35th scale.
This kit comes in a blousy, navy-blue, end-opening type box. It has a color photo that is glued to the top of the box, that shows the Panzer IV transmission painted up and atop a work-bench.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet (no decals in this kit) will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box, to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains one tan resin part of the transmission in a zip-locked clear cello bag and the instructions.
The kit contains one tan resin part of the transmission in a zip-locked clear cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single tan sheet, printed on one side in 5 ½” x 8 ½” page format, folded twice to fit the box.
It shows illustrations of the clutch pedal, gear shift lever and clutch linkage.
None of these are included in the kit and have to be scratch-built by you. Only the main section of the transmission is supplied in the kit. It is bright silver.
An illustration of the transmission’s rear is shown and a side and top view of the transmission inside the hull of a Tamiya or Revell Pz. IV kit, showing to set it off-side to the right.
It shows illustrations of the clutch pedal, gear shift lever and clutch linkage.
None of these are included in the kit and have to be scratch-built by you. Only the main section of the transmission is supplied in the kit. It is bright silver.
An illustration of the transmission’s rear is shown and a side and top view of the transmission inside the hull of a Tamiya or Revell Pz. IV kit, showing to set it off-side to the right.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.
Recommended.