Armorama :: Review Academy: Stug IV Sd.Kfz.167

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Review

Academy: Stug IV Sd.Kfz.167

CMOT

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Posted: Wednesday, February 06, 2019 - 04:30 AM UTC

Darren Baker reviews and builds the German Sturmgeschütz IV Sd.Kfz.167 (Early Version) from Academy in 1/35th scale.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

M4A1Sherman

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Posted: Wednesday, February 06, 2019 - 07:54 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Darren Baker reviews and builds the German Sturmgeschütz IV Sd.Kfz.167 (Early Version) from Academy in 1/35th scale.

Read the Review

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Thanks, Darren!

After reading Darren's conclusions about this ACADEMY kit, I can say with some veracity that I've heard much worse about certain 1/35 DRAGON kits and ESPECIALLY about certain of their BLACK LABEL products- Even some of the very latest of kits from the best of the other plastic model manufacturers will need some improvements i.e, removal of "knock-out" pins, "flash", and "corrections" here and there etc, in order to bring ANY kit "up" in quality. I agree with Darren in that this 1/35 ACADEMY StuG. IV kit at least deserves a look...

Speaking for myself, I've yet to build anything "straight-out-of-the-box" since I was 8 years old, and that's a loooong time ago...

ctkwok

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Posted: Thursday, February 07, 2019 - 04:46 AM UTC

Thanks for the review Darren! The Miniart tracks looked attractive and I bought two sets, but the 5-point sprue gates were PITA to clean up, and my copy of tracks were very flashy. On close inspection it seems you're joining the tracks with something other than the kit-supplied pins right? They were impossible to work with given the flash.

I was seriously considering the kit, but I think the majority of the early StuGs have zimmerit - even their box art said so - but unlike their PzIV they didn't supply the excellent DEF zimmerit decals so in that context it wasn't as attractive.

CMOT

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Posted: Thursday, February 07, 2019 - 07:13 AM UTC

Ideally I would add Zimmerit to the model, but I felt it would hide too much of the kit to allow the viewer to form a fair opinion of the product. I have used the MiniArt kit as intended with the pins provided and after 4 sets I have yet to have an issue beyond one broken track link. MiniArt offer fantastic customer service from my experience and I suggest you contact them and supply an image of the issue; I am sure it will then be corrected for you.

Taeuss

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Posted: Thursday, February 07, 2019 - 09:18 AM UTC

You're right on that one -all early Stug IVs should have factory Zimmerit. Only the late version didn't come that way. A messy problem that just has to be done; and when it's done well we brag about it while downplaying the fingerprints. The kit reminds me of an updated Italeri offering; hopefully the detail on the bogie wheels is better. Can't remember if you mentioned if the kit comes with PE for the engine deck.

stevieneon

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Posted: Thursday, February 07, 2019 - 08:41 PM UTC

Quoted Text

You're right on that one -all early Stug IVs should have factory Zimmerit. Only the late version didn't come that way. A messy problem that just has to be done; and when it's done well we brag about it while downplaying the fingerprints. The kit reminds me of an updated Italeri offering; hopefully the detail on the bogie wheels is better. Can't remember if you mentioned if the kit comes with PE for the engine deck.

This kit is fantastic, like their Panzer IV. Nothing like the italerii kit, which is an abomination! 😁

Bravo1102

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Posted: Thursday, February 07, 2019 - 10:42 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Quoted Text

You're right on that one -all early Stug IVs should have factory Zimmerit. Only the late version didn't come that way. A messy problem that just has to be done; and when it's done well we brag about it while downplaying the fingerprints. The kit reminds me of an updated Italeri offering; hopefully the detail on the bogie wheels is better. Can't remember if you mentioned if the kit comes with PE for the engine deck.

This kit is fantastic, like their Panzer IV. Nothing like the italerii kit, which is an abomination! 😁

The old Tamiya kit is an abomination. It's completely out of proportion and has that motorized hull with a flat bottom. The Italeri is just old. It's from the 1970s. Its contemporaries were the horrid Tamiya toy and the Monogram 1/32 kit!

Italeri has updated the molds on those 40 year old kits with photoetch and all new tracks and road wheels. But the Academy is all new and better. Even better than those 1990s Dragon Imperial series Stugs that one still finds all over.

The Miniart tracks are early 36cm track. Post Pzkpfw IV E and on the Stug IV there should be the later 40cm track as supplied in the kit. Especially since this Stug has a cast idler wheel indicating its built on a later ausf H suspension. I just started researching two Stug IV builds.

Of course with my old stash I'll be stuck building a Tamiya and a Dragon Imperial kit.

stevieneon

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Posted: Thursday, February 07, 2019 - 11:16 PM UTC

I actually have two dragon imperial StuGs, an early and a late. Got them for a song. Good basic kits. I'll be replacing the tools with ones with clamps from leftover dragon kits and replacing the wheels with later dragon ones with CONTINENTAU (!), but won't change much else. Even the tracks are decent enough. I'm not one of these guys that sands the mark off every link! 😉😉

Kaktusas

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Posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 - 09:42 PM UTC

Great looking Stug, will take a closer look at one @ LHS.

Only one note, Miniart tracks are wrong type for this vehicle. It is early 38cm wide tracks, while this stug should wear wider 40cm ones. Assuming dates Stug 4 was manufactured, solid guide horn plus chevrons is appropriate choice so you are left with Modelkasten or Kaizen, although AFV club ones could also be used from the stockpile (as they are earlier type). That is if you must use plastic aftermarket tracks.

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Posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 - 10:54 PM UTC

Darius: You are the 2nd member to give me this bad news and I am considering my options at this time. Thank you for the input.
Is Riich 1/35 Ostketten Workable Track Links for Pz.Kpfw.III/Pz.Kpfw.IV RE-30008 a suitable selection?

Kaktusas

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Posted: Tuesday, February 12, 2019 - 12:01 AM UTC

Daren,
Yes! i honestly dream about making Stug with bad**as wide winter tracks

There were two (major) types of winter tracks, "winterketten" with appendix grown on regular pz3/4 tracks, and later "ostketten". Later traks were much "beefier" than "winterkette" witch tend to brake and loose their extensions. So for any late autumn/winter/early spring scenarios these tracks are good choice. As well, schurzen should have two mounting positions: shurzen leaning towards the hull at the bottom for regular tracks, and shurzen completely horizontal for ostketten.