OK, so I'm slowly getting back into modeling as the weather gets progressively worse here in Pennsylvania. I picked up my Tamiya Panzer IVH for which I had bought the Verlinden interior and a bunch of PE. I anticipated doing some gluing when, after a bit of research, I realized that the Verlinden interior is made for Tamiya's Panzer IVJ variant, not the H I have. When I bought it, the box made no distinction between the J and H, and my impression was that they are so close that it shouldn't matter. Well, the Verlinden parts turn out to be about an 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch narrower than the H hull accepts.

Have any of you run into this at all? What have you done to correct it? It looks as though I'm going to have to buy sheet stock and cut a false bulkhead for the right side of the tank while trying to line up the turret within the hull. Anyway, it was more than I bargained for.

Also, any good Panzer IV references would be appreciated.

Thanks, Fritz

Hi Fritz-

The main internal difference between the H and J is the turret traverse motor. H's had it and the J's didn't. The J model turret was hand traversed by the crew. The problem is.. that I don't know for sure where this motor was located in the H's turret. The only cut-away drawing I have is a J variant.

I'm not familiar with the Verlinded interior, but I have read (I forget where) that their StuG interior was also too narrow. The J version would have the added turret traverse mechanism (minus the motor). All you would need to do would be locate and scratch build a turret traverse motor...... fun huh? Also make sure you don't add the additional turret traverse wheels for the crew.

Does the narrow interior cause it to sit to low in the hull? If that is the case, I would put a spacer under it and fill the gaps on the sides - that way you could center it better... It would seem easier to do this than to add a spaced bulkhead and try to line up the turret. Just add a little strip styrene on either side of the floor to fill the gap and you're set.

By the way - I just moved to Philly from Iowa and must say that I like Pennsylvania so far!!

Later
Jeff

P.S. - Some good CHEAP references that I have are:

Panzerkampfwager IV Ausf. G, H and J by Osprey/New Vanguard
Panzer IV - The Panzerkampfwager IV Medium Tank, 1939-1945 by Kevin Hjermstad
PzKpfw IV in Action by Squadron

These all are available for less than 20 bucks each.... well worth the money in my opinion

Well welcome to PA! Its not the most exciting state, but having been born here, I've found it hard to consider moving anyplace else.

The piece sits fine in terms of height within the hull, its the left-right positioning that I'm going to have trouble with. I also just got an email from a hobby shop owner who 's heard about Verlinden kits being a problem. I guess, as you had said, this kit isn't the only Verlinden kit to have these problems. Its annoying more than anything considering how much money they ask for these pieces, but I'll just have to deal with it for now.

If there is anyone out there who has done this combo, or any Panzer IV interior for that matter, I'd sure like to see your photos and get advice on this situation.

Oberst! You're an interior guy, maybe I'll private message you and see.

Thanks,

Fred