Hello everybody and a Happy New Year!

Because today is my birthday (just got 18, yay), I decided to start building this CH kit that I reviewed a while ago. The review is here. I'm loosely following the kit instructions.
First thing I did was to put together the drive and idler wheels. Some sanding was needed to get rid of the locator pin marks.


Now, when joining the parts A12 to the hull, we have the notorius gap that DML/CH Panzer IVs have. Fixing it was easy thanks to James Tainton videos I saw over at planetarmor.




Lastly, here we have the large cylindrical muffler that went together with no problems. I'm planning to hollow the exhaust pipe hole a bit bigger, to be more in scale. At the moment I think it is too thick.



I'm planning to built that kit as a Panzer IV built in June 1944. For that, I have to apply a zimmerit coating on it. The best way to do it, I think, is to use Tamiya's zimmerit applicators and putty. Unfortunately, I cannot find that set anywhere in Estonia so that will have to wait a while. I'm also opened for paint scheme options.

Thanks for looking.
Karel

Let me be the first to say happy birthday ( i can just remember my 18th ) any way i will be keeping close tabs on your build i am about to start some DML Pz IV's in the next weeks of my own (ausf J 9105 and Ausf D 6330)

keep up the good work

john

happy birthday!

and succes with the J


greetz

Thanks guys!
I have continued working with this kit. As this is my first DML/CH kit, I have to say that I have never seen a kit with so nice fit. Sometimes it feels like no glue is needed because everything just falls together so easily.
Here we have the glacis plate. I decided to use the kit provided PE parts as the spare track brackets. The PE is really easy to bend and looks very nice. Unfortunately I lost one of the PE brackets to the carpet monster, so I had do use the plastic one instead.


I glued the bump stops and bogie mounts onto the hull tub. As you can see, there is a central mould line on all the leaf springs.


When attaching the lower hull front plate to the hull, a pretty wide gap was left behind. I don't think it's the kit's fault, because I haven't seen this gap on other DML Panzer IV online builds. I probably messed something up, but the gap has been filled know with some putty.

I made new springs for the front mudguards. I think that they look better than the plastic ones. I will probably make some new springs for the back mudguards as well.

I also built the ball-mount MG. I have already cleaned the mould line from the MG barrel. (sorry for the crappy pic)
.
Finally, some pictures, with everything I have made this far, dry fitted together.




Comments welcomed.
Karel

Long time, no updates!
I have only made small progress with this kit, because I still haven't got my hands on Tamiya's zimmerit applicators.
Started working with the turret, and it's now almost compleate.

Here you can see the mould lines on the barrel.




The turret skirt holders have mould lines on them that have to be removed.

The same thing goes along with the side skirt rails and holders.

I also cleaned the road wheels and primed them.

Thanks for looking.
Karel