Messages

166

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Panzer IV Ausf D / E / F1 - 170323

« on: March 23, 2017, 09:53:53 am »

Pinky's suggestion of doing the upper hull in 2 pieces to enable flexibility is worthy of consideration subject to practical limitations.

By the way I think the last individual photo of the D has been accidentally labelled as an E.

167

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Panzer IV Ausf D / E / F1 - 170323

« on: March 23, 2017, 06:21:12 am »

I am very impressed with these. I note Rubicon has chosen to use the earlier drive sprocket on the Ausf D which would reduce the number of changes required to modify it to the earlier versions. You are setting a very high standard Rubicon.

168

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Hull Top 170322

« on: March 22, 2017, 08:18:56 pm »

Definitely on the right track.

169

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Tracks & Roadwheels 170318

« on: March 19, 2017, 10:45:01 am »

Well said ripley. I think I've gone from knowing very little on this subject to almost nothing. Interesting nonetheless.

170

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Tracks & Roadwheels 170318

« on: March 18, 2017, 05:10:13 pm »

Rubicon. No museum exhibits had been referred to. I take your point it's just an example where the driving wheel sprocket can't be used as an identifying feature of an Ausf D. Perhaps the evolution with the road wheels was more clear cut on the transition from D to E. It appears likely both the earlier sprocket fitted to Ausf A to C and the later version were used on the production line for D's.

I don't know why Panzer IV's earlier than Ausf E are described as prototypes. Evolving yes, but prototypes. 134 C's, 229 D's and 223 E's produced. Are the 175 F2's and 25 F2 conversions prototypes for the following 1687 G's? I think these production numbers put them well beyond prototype status and down plays the importance of the earlier variants at the time of the Panzer IV's greatest success.

I have a lot of confidence in you in getting a top notch product to market. The effort you are putting in to the Panzer IV and the Sherman is outstanding.

171

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Tracks & Roadwheels 170318

« on: March 18, 2017, 02:49:36 pm »

Now I'm not so sure. I am seeing elaborate models Of Ausf D with drive wheel sprockets that look like C's and pictures purporting to be D's that also look like they have C's sprockets rather than the later version. Does someone know the truth of this.

172

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Tracks & Roadwheels 170318

« on: March 18, 2017, 01:32:28 pm »

I had only just made this discovery myself.

Unfortunately from my point of view I've also discovered Ausf A thru C had quite different drive wheel sprockets than later ones. There is secondary evidence to the contrary with, for example, box art depicting Ausf D with C sprockets but I suspect this is wrong.

173

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 14, 2017, 10:56:21 am »

It's a shame we don't appear to know when this extra armour first appeared. It would give a clue when it arrived on the production line and therefore on which variant. That is assuming it wasn't only a retrofit.

I wonder if it was considered worthwhile for tanks intended for employment in urban areas where the extra weight (poorly distributed) was less important than when travelling cross country. Pure speculation on my part. I note when the L43 weapon appeared the 'vorpanzer' extra pieces seem to have disappeared. The extra weight of the new weapon probably put an end to the idea.

My guess is it first appeared on Ausf E, Lasted until Ausf F1 and possibly retrofitted to Ausf D. However the paucity of photographic evidence suggests it was never common.

174

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 14, 2017, 06:30:28 am »

Pinky, the Tank Encyclopedia has an artists side view of what purports to be a Pz IV F1 Vorpanzer. I don't know what evidence was used to create it.

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer_IV.php

175

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 13, 2017, 10:47:02 am »

I accept your point with the side skirts ripley. However I don't think there is a technical limitation with the barrel length. Depending on the wargames rules being used it might be valuable to model armour variations (eg vorpanzer) or different barrel lengths representing different penetration capabilities. I think it adds interest to the hobby.

I agree not many observers will know the difference but it's the model builder/owner that's learning and hopefully gaining something when they part with their money. My two cents worth anyway. 

176

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 13, 2017, 06:50:54 am »

I think the gun length of an L43 is 334mm less than the L48. That's 6mm in 1/56 scale. I think I can spot that particularly if the different vehicles are near each other. Others might like to differ but I'd like to see Rubicon model these different variants. It think it adds depth to your tank collection!

In contrast my reference suggests an Ausf C is 10mm narrower than a D. Or less than point 2 of a millimetre at 1/56 scale. Pretty sure I wouldn't notice that. I don't know whether there is a theory on what the human eye/brain can distinguish. I imagine there is a relationship between the size of the discrepancy and the proportion that is of the object in question.   

177

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 12, 2017, 09:56:52 am »

I can't vouch for the truth of this but various internet sites indicate these 'vorpanzer' additions could be found on Pz IV Ausf D, E and F. I suspect they weren't common on any of them but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be available in an expansion.

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Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 10, 2017, 08:46:22 am »

I like your thoughts on this Rubicon. I hope you include Ausf C parts! As said before there are lots of bits that could go into an expansion which would encourage extra sales of the base kits.

179

Work In Progress / Re: The Panzer IV Digital Library - Ausf F1 3D Drawings 170301

« on: March 09, 2017, 06:14:57 pm »

I like it.

It is relatively small changes like this I think would make an Ausf C from an Ausf D. Then the entire war would be covered.

180

Work In Progress / Re: GAZ-AAA 6x4 2t Truck - 3D Drawings 170308

« on: March 09, 2017, 05:38:29 pm »

Agreed, there are enough tanks out there to fill a tabletop but I think I'm right in saying most of them in 1/56 scale are fairly generic. Tanks are merely Sherman's or long or short barrel Panzer IV's without much attempt to differentiate different variants. Rubicon sets a higher standard in this regard.

The family of vehicles set to follow this truck sound very interesting.