I would like to include a Panzer IV in a dio of Panzer Lehr Div during Caen and have to decide on what kit to get. I have built Academy's Pz IV H and was not too impressed. I am looking at Tamiyas Pz IV H Early and Pz IV J. Does anyone have any input as to which is a better kit? Is there a good PE kit that included fenders for either of these kits (I haven't worked with too much PE and am not particularly concerned with minute details such as tool clamps )? Also, if I went with the Pz IV H early, would I be able to get away with not doing zim?

Any input would be greatly appreciated

Cheers and happy holidays

Branden

Branden,

I am working on the Tamiya IV H which came together with no fit problem whatsoever. I think their IV J is more recent than the H, so the buildability should be equally well, if not better. Dragon has a IV J as well but I have no experience on it so can't comment.

I have the On the Mark schurzen brackets from a sale. I don't like this too much since they only provide the brackets and you have to tailer your own schurzen from plastic card or metal plate by using the templates in the instruction. I then bought the Eduard 35551, schurzen for IV H turret. This set is quite nice but a bit expensive.

I also have a small fret of PE from On Show Model (or some other name similar). I got this when I was in Japan. Part 1 contains the mud guards; Part 2 is various details. They are quite rare, I only seen them once or twice in HK and don't know if it is available in the States.

Do check out Aber and Eduard, I think they have the full detail set as well. Don't know which manufacurer produced the PE fenders but I have seen someone has it on his IV H before, probably in Armorama. It was a brass colour so I would check out Aber first. I have seen photos of IV H has no zimmerit on, so you will be OK on this one.

Here are some reference:

http://mythicpanzers.jexiste.fr/Files/Vehicles/02-MittlerePanzers/Panzer4/16-Pz.Kpfw4-Ausf.H.htm
http://www.military.cz/panzer/index_en.htm click Tanks, then Germany, then Pazer IV H
http://www.xs4all.nl/~arsaak/panzersinnormandy/index.htm

From what I've read, the Academy Pz IV H is a clone of the older Tamiya kit. The newer, updated and retooled Tamiya PzIV H & J kits are much, much better with the Ausf J being the more accurate. It was released first and some of the later features (e.g.thickened turret roof ) were carried over when they did the ausf H.

Indeed it is Geoff, & I don't think time has treated the dies very well, there was far more cleaning up than I remember, I still have the original built on my shelves!
So I'd go with the newer offerings - the only thing the Academy kit has going for it is it's very cheap, & we all know why!
H or J doesn't matter, they both will need Zim I'm afraid. Panzer Lehr was a recently equipped unit in Normandy, I think they had been formed from training units, hence the unit name. They were also one of the best equipped armoured units in the entire Wehrmacht, SS included; and their Panzergrenadier regiments were the only ones to be completely equipped with halftracks.
Looking at pictures of HJ & Hohenstaufen in the west in 1943 - 44, they would appear to have got Ausf H PzIVs, this would be the same timescale for Panzer Lehr.