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Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf J1/35 Scale
Kit: Tamiya TM35181 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf J
Accessories: None

Paint: Testors Model Master Enamels (TS), AeroMaster Warbird Enamels (AN), and Humbrol Enamels (HU)

Decals: Kit 		References:

Pzkpfw IV in Action, SS2012, squadron/signal publications, 1975 		Colors: TS2095
DarkYellow
TS2097
OliveGreen
TS1735
Wood
TS1742
DarkTan
AN9010
TireBlack
HU053
GunMetal
HU056
FlatAluminum
HU098
ChocolateBrown

This Pzkpfw IV, Ausf J represents Tamiya's second generation of Pzkpfw IV kits. The first generation was issued in the late 1970s and early 1980s and the second generation was issued in 1994. Since then, many of the parts in this "new kit" have found their way into a number of subsequent Pzkpfw IV variants issued by Tamiya. This Ausf J kit seems to represent an early production vehicle that does not have the later wire mesh side skirts. color="#cccccc">....Overall, this is an outstanding kit; it is both well detailed and well fitting. My kit had no flash or burrs, and what ejection pin marks there were, were in unobtrusive out-of-the-way places. Construction began with the lower hull and running gear - gone are the motorization holes commonly found on earlier Tamiya kits. This kit features a fully detailed underside, along with a multitude of suspension components and smaller details. I added zimmerit to front plate using Squadron Green Putty raked on with a razor saw blade. Next, I added all of the smaller details, but left the drive sprocket, road wheels, idler wheels and return rollers off until after painting. Tamiya provides both the early welded tube idler and the later cast idler. However, all of the decal options in the kit are depicted with the cast idler. I also added small Hudson and Allen retaining chains to the front tow shackles. The upper hull was tackled next. I ran a sanding block along the outer edge of the fenders to remove a slight lip on its edge. The lip is actually quite small, however I was concerned that later drybrushing might highlight it. There are two prongs on the upper rear hull plate (part B19) which are supposed to hold the tow cable in place. These prongs should be 'L' shaped hooks. I clipped the prongs off and backed the area behind them with .040 Sheet Styrene, then drilled a small hole into the brackets on the rear plate. Next, I superglued a piece of bent brass rod into the holes. This made a far more realistic cable holder - one that would actually hold the cable. I applied more zimmerit around the driver's compartment and across the upper rear hull plate. I added most of the tools to the hull and fenders, but left off the assembled jack and spare track links on the right side until after painting.

Likewise, I added the spare wheel stowage box on the left fender, but left off the wheels and retaining bar. The kit comes with hull side skirt painting. Likewise, I added the spare wheel stowage box on the left fender, but left off the wheels and retaining bar. The kit comes with hull side skirt mounts and rails, but the skirts themselves are not included. I left these components off, since I like the look of the tank better without them. These skirts were often damaged or lost in combat and were often not replaced - perhaps owing to the expected service life of the vehicle in late 1944 and 1945 - the supporting structure was usually removed by the crew. Finally, I added a small retaining chain over the jack block on the left side of the hull. The gun and turret are the last items to be assembled. Tamiya includes a full breech and a spent shell basket for the gun, however no other interior parts are included. I added all of the breech parts to the gun (primarily to serve as a possible counterweight if needed), but I didn't bother to paint them since the turret was going to be closed up. I completed the entire turret and gun assembly, but left the stowage bin and the upper armored skirt off until after painting. Trying to paint the turret with the armor skirts attached to the turret would be almost impossible. I cut the skirts off their sprues and cleaned them up a bit. I anticipated having to bevel the edges to make them thinner - this armored skirt was only about 1/4 inch thick - but Tamiya had already done this. There is a pair of noticeable ridges on the inner face of the armor skirt as a result. You may want to sand these ridges down to a gentle curve in order to make them less noticeable. You should also scribe a line on the inner face of the skirt between the two doors. Once the skirts were cleaned up, I added the skirt mounting brackets to the turret and then temporarily tacked the skirts in place to keep everything aligned.
Squadron Green Putty, raked on with a razor saw, was used to make zimmerit across the front of the hull. Small chain was added to the front tow shackles. Most of the tools were added to model and painted in place. All of the wheels and sprockets were left off until after painting. Another piece of chain was used over the jack block.
This was much simpler than I thought it would be; the process is greatly helped by the the parts being warp free and properly engineered - something I generally expect from Tamiya second generation kits. I painted the model overall Dark Yellow, followed by a slightly lighter coat of the same color. This was followed by irregular bands of lightened olive green. I let the paint dry for two days (I wasn't in a hurry) before applying a dark brown-black oil paint wash. The wash was applied a bit heavier around the lower chassis and running gear. I painted the axe handle, gun cleaning rods, and shovel handle with browns to simulate wood. The ends of the cleaning rods were painted flat aluminum. The road wheel tires - all 36 of them - were painted Tire Black thinned to the consistency of ink. The thinned paint flows quickly around the wheel, which eases painting considerably. Since the paint is also a bit translucent, the dark yellow shows through and helps deaden the stark contrast between the dark yellow and black. Once the detail painting was complete, the remaining components were assembled and the decals were applied. When the decals were dry, the model was given a light overspray of dark tan. The lower hull and running gear were given a slightly heavier coat of the tan. To provide a dusty look tan and brown pastel chalks were applied to the nooks and crannies, and the PzkpfwIV has a lot of them. Tamiya's tracks represent the late pattern 40 cm style with ice cleats - the small chevrons embossed onto each track link. I painted the tracks gun metal mixed with a little brown This was followed by a light dust coat, then a light drybrushing with flat aluminum to depict wear. These tracks are Tamiya's new 'glueable' tracks that were introduced a few years ago. Frankly, I'm quite pleased with them, and Tamiya has demonstrated that the technology is there to make a high quality, well-detailed single length of flexible track that can be joined together with regular model cement. Last, but not least, the wire cable was assembled using superglue, and painted gun metal mixed with a little brown. When dry, the cable was wrapped around the 'L' shaped hooks on the upper rear hull plate. The Pzkpfw IV has long been my favorite WWII German tank; consequently I was extremely pleased with this kit. Apart from the small chains and drilling out the machine gun barrels, I built it out-of-the-box. Since its completion, I have purchased another Mk IV Ausf J, along with its earlier sibling - the Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf H (TM35209). I'm looking forward to building them as well, and this time, I may go beyond out-of-the-box. Sean Thornton
A black-brown oil paint wash and chalk pastels were used to pop out the details in the kit. The tow cable was painted gunmetal and brown and wrapped around two L shaped wire hooks superglued into holes drilled into the rear plate.