Poor wallet of mine!

Two little questions: what was the purpose of the "Ortercompass"; and what was that small angled plate on top of the recuperator housing for?

http://tiger1.info/EN/Orterkompass.html According to Panzer Tracts 4-3, the angled plate was to hold a poison gas detection card.

I'd like to indulge, but this website https://panzerworld.com/german-armor-allocation-1945 shows no Pz IV allocation to 9SS during 1945. They did get 30 in November 1944. What, if any, differences are we looking at here?

Not a particular fan of the J but I presume this means a flood of other Ausfuehrungen that will mean a bonanza for those of us who have wanted to show open hatches for years.

Was just thinking the same thing Bill. Oh well, I'm in for at least one. Maybe an Ausf "H".

This will go nicely with my RFM kit. Going to do AU, real WWII has been played to death. I will use a mid-war paint scheme, Heer division and tactical symbol and RR loading card. Call me deluded, but model building needs to be fun.

Fun is why I build, and I think this one might be fun.

Seems that the interior has problems, and not little ones. There is no way for the gunner to traverse. The man should have two hand wheels for aiming, it's literally what he's there to do, but the wheel for his right hand is completely missing along with all the gearbox that connects it to the turret. Also, Miniart don't seem to understand what makes J into a J. The electric motor was removed - all the references tell you that. But in this CAD they still have the electrical gear for the motor, on the turret forward legs. Plus the battery that was also deleted. It's any kind of Pz.4 down there except a J. I'm not a big Pz.4 expert - I only read about its turret controls. I can't evaluate the rest of the kit. David