jknaus
Administrator
Okay an update finally. I got my Dragon Pz IV F1 but did not start on it due to lack of time and other projects. Then I managed to get the new Tamiya Pz IV F1 and it arrived on Thursday. I have had a couple of good days of modeling and started this on Saturday.
Now some observations. I think the Dragon kit is the best but does have a lot of spare parts and some poor directions. For accuracy and configurability it is tops. The Border Models new kit is very nice and gives 3 options but has some short comings. You only get one door configuration for the engine deck. The turret has a step in it that is a pain to get rid of, specially when you add all the parts before realizing your mistake. The tow pintle is a later version and so requires conversion which isnt too difficult. Only one version has shirtzen yet the superstructure has the slots for the rails which require filling on a weld joint. It would have made more sense to have a solid deck and cutouts for that one version. The construction is way nicer and easier than the Dragon kit.
The new Tamiya's kit is pretty straight forward but they have simplified some of it and then made other parts more work. The armoured housing for the drive sprockets is in 2 pieces on the other kits and here its 3. The suspension is single piece yet multi piece of the other kits allowing you to variate the arms for more interest on rough ground. The Drivers vision port has no glass so you can see into the hull. I glued some sheet plastic behind it. The one bulkhead has the external angles supports included and I found it easy to bend them out of shape. I like the other kits where you glue them on separately. The tow pintle has no hole or tow pin. I drilled it out and used the pin from my Border Models disaster. There are some other little things like all the vision ports on the cupola are open and no other option. This would be a real good kit for a quicky build or for a beginner.
Okay here is yesterdays work.
And this mornings work.
Hopefully later today get the road wheels sanded and painted so I can do the tracks. Once they are done I can join the hull and deck and do the little bits and pieces.
James
Now some observations. I think the Dragon kit is the best but does have a lot of spare parts and some poor directions. For accuracy and configurability it is tops. The Border Models new kit is very nice and gives 3 options but has some short comings. You only get one door configuration for the engine deck. The turret has a step in it that is a pain to get rid of, specially when you add all the parts before realizing your mistake. The tow pintle is a later version and so requires conversion which isnt too difficult. Only one version has shirtzen yet the superstructure has the slots for the rails which require filling on a weld joint. It would have made more sense to have a solid deck and cutouts for that one version. The construction is way nicer and easier than the Dragon kit.
The new Tamiya's kit is pretty straight forward but they have simplified some of it and then made other parts more work. The armoured housing for the drive sprockets is in 2 pieces on the other kits and here its 3. The suspension is single piece yet multi piece of the other kits allowing you to variate the arms for more interest on rough ground. The Drivers vision port has no glass so you can see into the hull. I glued some sheet plastic behind it. The one bulkhead has the external angles supports included and I found it easy to bend them out of shape. I like the other kits where you glue them on separately. The tow pintle has no hole or tow pin. I drilled it out and used the pin from my Border Models disaster. There are some other little things like all the vision ports on the cupola are open and no other option. This would be a real good kit for a quicky build or for a beginner.
Okay here is yesterdays work.
And this mornings work.
Hopefully later today get the road wheels sanded and painted so I can do the tracks. Once they are done I can join the hull and deck and do the little bits and pieces.
James
