In Box Review of Tristar 1/35th Scale
German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D/Tauch
Kit no. 35023
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2006
Available at Kit Linx for $50.14 and at 2 locations overseas on the web.
I paid $19.95 for this kit at Fagan’s Hobby Shop, in Dubuque in 2011.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2006
Available at Kit Linx for $50.14 and at 2 locations overseas on the web.
I paid $19.95 for this kit at Fagan’s Hobby Shop, in Dubuque in 2011.
HISTORY:
The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, was 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.
Production changed to the Ausf. D; this variant, of which 248 vehicles were produced, reintroduced the hull machine gun and changed the turret's internal gun mantlet to a 35 mm (1.38 in) thick external mantlet.[23] Again, protection was upgraded, this time by increasing side armour to 20 mm (0.79 in).[17] As the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 came to an end, it was decided to scale up production of the Panzer IV, which was adopted for general use on 27 September 1939 as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161 (Sd.Kfz. 161).
In response to the difficulty of penetrating the thick armour of British infantry tanks (Matilda and Matilda II) during the Battle of France, the Germans had tested a 50 mm (1.97 in) gun — based on the 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun — on a Panzer IV Ausf. D. However, with the rapid German victory in France, the original order of 80 tanks was cancelled before they entered production.
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 and 115,962 Reichsmarks 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[6])
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, was 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.
Production changed to the Ausf. D; this variant, of which 248 vehicles were produced, reintroduced the hull machine gun and changed the turret's internal gun mantlet to a 35 mm (1.38 in) thick external mantlet.[23] Again, protection was upgraded, this time by increasing side armour to 20 mm (0.79 in).[17] As the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 came to an end, it was decided to scale up production of the Panzer IV, which was adopted for general use on 27 September 1939 as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161 (Sd.Kfz. 161).
In response to the difficulty of penetrating the thick armour of British infantry tanks (Matilda and Matilda II) during the Battle of France, the Germans had tested a 50 mm (1.97 in) gun — based on the 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun — on a Panzer IV Ausf. D. However, with the rapid German victory in France, the original order of 80 tanks was cancelled before they entered production.
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 and 115,962 Reichsmarks 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[6])
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 KIT:
Tristar is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic models subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D that is emerging from a river. It is overall Panzer-grey with a skeletal white German cross on its sides.
The commander is standing in the upper turret hatch. He wears a black Panzer uniform with a cloth side cap.
One side-panel of the box provides Tristar’s street address in Hong Kong, China, their FAX , E-mail and web numbers. Followed by the history of the tank and a color photo side view of the model made up.
Tristar is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic models subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D that is emerging from a river. It is overall Panzer-grey with a skeletal white German cross on its sides.
The commander is standing in the upper turret hatch. He wears a black Panzer uniform with a cloth side cap.
One side-panel of the box provides Tristar’s street address in Hong Kong, China, their FAX , E-mail and web numbers. Followed by the history of the tank and a color photo side view of the model made up.
The other side-panel of the box repeats the Hong Kong addresses and gives addresses of their office in Japan. Followed by color box arts of their kit numbers 35021, a German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.B and kit number 35022, a Pz.Kpfw. Pz BFWg 28(t) Ausf. G. Kit made in China.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 13 tan parts trees, a tan hull tub and turret top part, a clear tree, 2 decal sheets and a PE fret in 10 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 6 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over a one-paragraph history of the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D/Tauch and PLEASE READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, in English and Chinese.
At the bottom of the page there are Tristar’s Hong Kong, China and Japan office addresses.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. A few trees are shown shaded-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
The top of page 3 gives international assembly symbol explanations in English and Chinese.
The bottom of page 3 through to page 9 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 9 has a coloring and marking guide, that shows a 4-view profile of the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D. in the box art scheme (already described above).
It was with the 2nd Panzer Division, Semols, 1940.
Page 10 is another coloring and marking guide, It shows four more 4-views. All of them are overall Panzer-grey.
The 1st one has white no. 933 on the sides and rear of the turret, skeletal white German cross on the sides of the hull, a black shield with a skull and crossbones on it, that is the emblem of the 9th Panzer Regiment 18, Russia, 1941, that it was with.
The 2nd one has a white tactical insignia, over white no. 632 on the sides and rear of the turret. Skeletal white German cross on the hull sides. Unit shield insignia for the 18th Panzer Regiment, Russia, 1941, that it also was with.
The 3rd one has a white outlined no. 342 on the sides and rear of the turret, an illustration of a white shark, followed by a skeletal white German cross on the sides of the hull. It was also with the 19th Panzer Regiment, Germany, 1940.
The 4th one has a white outlined no. 231 on the sides and rear of the turret, a skeletal white German cross on the sides of the hull.
It’ s unit is not given.
The bottom of page 10 gives the color names and decal application instructions.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan tree letter A holds: the hull top and sides etc. (13 parts)
This kit holds 13 tan parts trees, a tan hull tub and turret top part, a clear tree, 2 decal sheets and a PE fret in 10 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 6 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over a one-paragraph history of the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D/Tauch and PLEASE READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, in English and Chinese.
At the bottom of the page there are Tristar’s Hong Kong, China and Japan office addresses.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. A few trees are shown shaded-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
The top of page 3 gives international assembly symbol explanations in English and Chinese.
The bottom of page 3 through to page 9 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 9 has a coloring and marking guide, that shows a 4-view profile of the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D. in the box art scheme (already described above).
It was with the 2nd Panzer Division, Semols, 1940.
Page 10 is another coloring and marking guide, It shows four more 4-views. All of them are overall Panzer-grey.
The 1st one has white no. 933 on the sides and rear of the turret, skeletal white German cross on the sides of the hull, a black shield with a skull and crossbones on it, that is the emblem of the 9th Panzer Regiment 18, Russia, 1941, that it was with.
The 2nd one has a white tactical insignia, over white no. 632 on the sides and rear of the turret. Skeletal white German cross on the hull sides. Unit shield insignia for the 18th Panzer Regiment, Russia, 1941, that it also was with.
The 3rd one has a white outlined no. 342 on the sides and rear of the turret, an illustration of a white shark, followed by a skeletal white German cross on the sides of the hull. It was also with the 19th Panzer Regiment, Germany, 1940.
The 4th one has a white outlined no. 231 on the sides and rear of the turret, a skeletal white German cross on the sides of the hull.
It’ s unit is not given.
The bottom of page 10 gives the color names and decal application instructions.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan tree letter A holds: the hull top and sides etc. (13 parts)
Tan tree letter B holds: turret base parts etc. (49 parts) One part is excess.
Tan tree letter C holds: fuel tank, hatches, exhaust, hatches, glacis plate, etc. (56 parts)
Tan tree letter D holds: the jack, tools, S hooks,tow cable ends, etc. (60 parts) One part is excess.
There are eight trees labeled as being letter E and they are co-joined. Together they hold the ammunition rounds, hatch, wall supports, grab handles, etc. 47 parts.
Tan letter F is the one piece lower hull.
Lettering jumps to the tan letter H, turret top part
Tan letter I tree holds: an alternate hull top part etc. (33 parts)
Lettering jumps again to tan letter S tree. There are 2 identical ones that hold: drive sprockets, idler wheels etc. (11 parts ea.) 4 parts are excess.
Tank letter SG contains the individual track links. (76 links per tree).
Letter jumps again to the letter W trees. There are 3 of them that are co-joined. They hold road wheels etc. (43 parts total) 14 parts are excess.
Trees GP1 and GP2 are clear trees. They hold lenses. (4 parts total) 1 part is excess.
Next is the PE fret, with 64 parts on it such as a bison, chains, hooks. etc. The length of cable and two decal sheets.
There are no figures included in the kit.
The detail is very good,
Recommended.
The detail is very good,
Recommended.