Panzer IV Ausf.J (frühe)

[Laurent Moitrot]

Nice job so far.

[Dario Risso]

Here is a list of the modifications I've made to the kit; of course it doesn't means this is the "right way" to do it, is just "my way"





1 - Track tension tool in P.E.
2 - Lifting hook (all gray parts are from other Dragon kits)
3 - Rails and brackets thinned, adding brass triangles; drilling the fender where the side guides were.
4 - Drilling of the side spare links
5 - Clips of the flaps that close the vents
6 - Tool clamps made of brass sheet
7 - Tow cable made of annealed steel fishing line
8 - Wire copper handles
9 - Spare track links
10 - Tow cable supports made with copper wire
11 - Spare wheel bar clamp hollowed; need to add the chain and pin
12 - Need to make the hatches ..er...locks? (25)
13 - C hooks bracket in FG (21)



14 - Zimmerit made with Milliput y AFV Club or Modelkasten tools
15 - Copper wire chain
16 - Spare tracks (Tristar) and holders
17 - Spare tracks
18 - Spare tracks hold bar, made with brass sheet
19 - "Bosch lightyear" wire
20 - Copper wire springs
21 - Idem 13
22 - Idem 1
23 - Hatch stop in copper wire
24 - Lifting hooks
25 - Idem 12



26 - Copper wire chains and stretched sprue pin
27 - Towing cable chain
28 - Telephone wire hand holds



29 - Dragon Rommelkiste with plasticard brackets and Dragon nuts
30 - Schürzen doors in plasticard with locking bar in copper sheet
31 - Turret ring holder and nuts
32 - Upper part of each hinge on plasticard
33 - Telephone wire hand holds
34 - Cover for the hole where later the close defense weapon will be located
35 - Schürzen brackets thinned; bolts added
36 - Lifting hooks
37 - Screws on the turret roof (single holes, half covered with putty, a fudge)
38 - Copper wire ring
39 - Replaced gun muzzle

Cheers
Darío

[Dario Risso]

First coat of paint, dark yellow


Then XF-64 and XF-58, both tonned down with 10-20 % of XF 60



After 2 coats of acrilic floor polish, I started the paint chipping, using a brush and a sponge, with a light yellow color





The same as above, but with a dark brown color







After a couplke of acrilic filters and washing with oils diluted in white spirit, the chipped paint was toned down, simulating old chipping covered by dust


The muffler worked with oil pints



After 2 coats of floor polish, the decals received filters too



I've been working on the terrain for my scene. The street, after washing with a mix of oils and pigments



And, finally.... the well! Base with Tamiya acrilic (57 + 60), then drybrush with artistic acrilics and washing with oils. The ...lions? heads received a coat of Gold acrilic and an oil wash in green (a mix of yellow + blue + white)



Regards
Darío

[Laurent Moitrot]

It looks good.
one question tho : I remember we talked about the Zimmerit on the front plate but why not on the glacis ?

And ... since it is a J the chances are good that it doesn't have the "clips to close the flaps on the air vent" yet this looks good once it is added.

[Dario Risso]

Thanks Laurent; I can't remember why I dont add zimm to the glacis About the clips for the vent grilles, I though they will be partially hided by the foliage, so... I don't build it

Here the final pics:



















Thanks to all for the help in this project

Darío

[Tim Coulson]

Very nice Darío.

How did you achieve the running water from the fountain?

Tim

[Laurent Moitrot]

Yes this running water is cool !

(I was talking about the half wing nuts used to fix the vents when open obviously you build them).

[Dario Risso]

Thanks huys!
Tim, the running water is a piece of fishing line covered with an Eureka product called "Dimensional Cristal" It's like an acrilic varnish, a little white but cristal clear when dry.
Laurent, I misunderstand, I though you talk about this clips:



Let me understand the fact: late panzer IVs doesn't carries neither the clips nor the half wingnuts?

Darío

[Jamie Tainton]

Good job Dario, your work is improving with every completed project!

[Laurent Moitrot]

They carry the clips but not the half wing nuts.
You need the clips to hold the shutters "closed". The nuts are just there to keep the shuttres from "dangling" on the fenders which might be considered as "not important".

By the way I'm not a diorama maker and admire people like you who come up with this kind of ideas yet if you allow me one suggestion : your Pz IV doesn't look heavy. Some road wheels barely touch the tracks / ground. Maybe you could improve this by screwing the tank to the base in order to have it firmly held ?