One more participant reporting in.

With my Bf 109 campaign build nearing completion, I was thinking about doing something a bit simpler to paint and with less decaling and thought that's Dragon's Panzer IV Ausf. J (mid production) would great in the middle of all the wingy things.
Simpler to paint as I'm going to make it as a one of the fifteen tanks Finland received in 1944, which were shipped in the factory-applied overall gungelgelb.

Though I'm thinking of building it mostly OOB, I'm not making any promises. Those OOB promises seem to be those I can't keep...
Well, mostly OOB if you don't count the zimmerit it'll need. That'll be my first. Now asking about the best zimmerit-making methods is like asking what's the ideal dunkelgelb paint mixture, but here we go. I was thinking of regular milliput, with the pattern imprinted with a suitable tool. That OK?

So far I've made a slow 'n' steady start on the kit, mostly cutting the major parts from the sprues, began the assembly of the hull, checking reference, and doing detective work on the kit and it's instructions to determine what parts to use.

Now I see what people mean when referring to the "confusing Dragon instructions"!
Like, in step 1 you make assemblies "E" and "R", the turret lift hooks, which are then used in step 16... And another one: the hull back plates, of which this kit's instructions tell to use the one for the late style exhaust pipes, yet the instructions have the in step 1 the picture from the earlier H and initial J releases with the opening of the "barrel" type muffler to be opened.

WIP pics coming soon when I get going properly.

Nice work Littlebear,I really like your banged up and rusted muffler.No progress,on vacation for a week,San Diego is beautiful !! I got the whitewash on before I left and started filtering and weathering.Pics when I return.

Hi folks,
My contribution to the campaign
Academy Panzer IV H/J
Eduard zimmerit
Caniballised turret skirt from old model
Elephant barrel

Here are some more progress shots of my project:






Still got some more weathering to do,also thinking about addiing some mud.

Hi Anthony,

This model is really coming along, I like the finish , be careful not to overdo the weathering as the paint job looks fine at the moment. Mud would be a good idea, would add some interest. Excellent job, look forward to the next update.

all the best,

Paul

Well, I've made a proper start on my build so it's time for some WIP pics.

The hull and turret went together nicely with just some very minor trimming required in a couple of spots.

As I'm making a Finnish vehicle equipped with the earlier type exhaust, I needed to use the upper back hull plate part C7 with the corresponding mounting holes.

As there is quite a few parts in the running, I just decided to sit down and clean up them all in a couple of sessions. I'm glad that's over with.

Looking at photos of PS.221-1 I'm intending to build, I chose the "plain" type idler wheels and the simpler style return rollers (parts A13 & A14) from the alternatives provided in the kit.

Assembling the bump stops, I had to cut off the locator tabs from the back of the bumpers as they inhibited a proper fit. The bumper fastening bolts were missing from the mounts, but fortunately the unneeded suspension bogie mounts from the Jagdpanzer sprue had just the right kind of bolts. These bolts were then simply sliced off with a knife and glued in with liquid cement.


To make a Finnish vehicle, the schürzen mounts on the fenders had to go, as even though the vehicles were shipped with the regular full set of schürzen, the hull side plates' mountings were deemed flimsy and were removed soon after arrival. The turret plates were retained however.


And off the go.

The dark colouring is from a felt tip pen I used to mark the lines I scribed along the egdes of the mounts while they were still intact, to make sure I didn't lose the locations of the mounts when removing them. The schürzen mount fastening holes were then drilled in with a 0.3mm drill bit.

Preparing the fender front and rear end pieces, I couldn't help noticing how Dragon managed to mould the whole rest of the fenders without a single ejector pin mark, yet each of the end pieces boast four. Perhaps it's because of the smaller number of moulding nodes used?


That's it for the first update.



Ps. I've been thinking of replacing the main gun barrel with a metal one, and would greatly appreciate ideas and recommendations.
RB Models' ones look good, but it seems they require some slight work to fit, as they're not intended at a particular kit.

Also, I've been thinking of Milliput for doing the zimmerit coating, would that be a good putty to start with? It's my first zim ever.

I just need to add the friul tracks I am waitng for,and the antenna,








perhaps I overdid it with the mud,I think I could have done better,hopefully it looks better with the tracks and sprockets on.

Anthony: Your IV/L70 looks fine to me!! it would have been hard to get around corners in an urban situation and in rush hour

Can someone please tell me how to change the banner in my post. the UN campaign is over. Thanks.

Byron

Byron,thanks for the look,for the banner,you must go to your modify profile tab and then your signature link,then you erase the link to the UN banner and then add the link for the Workhorse Banner.I usually save my campaign banners on my photobucket account.

Anthony,
I don't think you over did it at all with the mud, looks great. looking forward to seeing it completed

Nice Panzer IV Keith, I like the zimmerit . Is the zimmerit hand made or a kit ? I have the Academy Panzer IV H in my stash I was thinking of doing it next but I have to finish my panzer D for the campaign. Do you have more pictures we can see?

Andy

Some more progress, mostly working on smaller bits.

I've got the upper hull together, sans the engine hatches. To ease painting, I treated the air intake louvers the parts of the hull with dunkelgelb before assembly.

Xtracrylics' interpretation of the dark yellow seems to look a bit dark and brownish to my eye, or is it just me?
Also, it looks like I got wrong settings in my camera, as these turned out reddish. Well, doesn't matter as it's just WIP shots.

Looking at different manufacturer's sites for suitable metal gun barrels and not finding anything specifically meant for this kit (it seemed the only one for these new DML kits were for the F2 and G from Aber), I picked up a JB Model's (ie. RB Models in a little fancier zip-lock bag) barrel from a LHS.

Looks like I'm facing some careful cutting and drilling to mount that barrel.

Towing hooks detailed:


Btw, has anyone else found the metal tow cables in Dragon kits tricky to work with? I tried annealing the provided wire but it seemed the treatment had very little (if any) effect.
After a fruitless second try, I resorted to thread.

Eetu: Looks like a lot of work is coming your way! but it's a nice work, specially with the hooks.

Keep on modeling!!

Byron

My WIP, a Italeri Pz IV ausf G, I'm using a Eduard detail set and Tamiya's on vehicle equipment set. I'll also be using some Dragon link to link that I had left over from another kit.

Looks like a good start Neal,have fun with the roadwheels !!

Thanks, it's my first time using photo etch so I'm having fun playing with it. The road wheel's are not much of a problem as I was lucky enough to get a World of Tanks beta invite so I just sand them down while waiting for the match to end

Getting kind of a late start, but I am expecting my 35 Academy Tiger I mid pro. w/interior to arrive soon. I should have plenty of time to finish, by the deadline.

Matt: Congrats on your Tiger!! just remember that this campaign is about the Panzer IV and his variants.

Keep on Modeling

Byron

Matt,
The Tiger campaign starts December 5 here is the link for that tread

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/165272&page=1

Got it done today !! DML Jagdpanzer IV Smart Kit.Went together pretty well,added friuls,otherwise OOB.Used Tamiya paints,Weathered and filtered with Mig Products.It was nice working on this campaign sharings builds and ideas.I will see some of you over at the 1/48 campaign.

Nice Jagdpanzer, Anthony. A little suggestion: I would add a dark brown wash to the suspension to tie the light mud on the suspension and the dark mud on the fenders a little more togehter.
Anyway, very nice build.

See you in the 1/48 campaign - I will be the one in a tiny Kubelwagen

Great Balls of Fire, would you just look at all them Pz.IVs

Great Modeling guys
Tony the Mutt

yeah i soak every model in warm soapy water before building it. it cleans it up and gives me a chance for close inspection. and it makes sure that the paint will stick and not peel off. lots of luck.

holy crap man. "if you got the money honey i got the time." thats a lot of scrap to throw around but i bet it will be amazing.