Schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper (sWS) armoured cargo version. Chapter 7: Setting the tone (Applying wet and dry mud effects to the chassis and running gear)

As I plan to display this vehicle abandoned in a field in a late 1944 ETO setting, the running gear is to receive a fair amount of wet and dry mud effects.

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 7: Drathgelflechtschurzen (mesh space armour)

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Construction of the  Drathgelflechtschurzen (mesh space armour). 

In addition to having the option to fit all the spaced armour, you can build it without any of the fittings added by simply adding the kit provided blanking plates which fit to the upper hull. To replicate this option accurately you would still really need to drill lots of very small holes in the track guard side profiles, where the lower brackets would have attached. That will involve a very fine drill and a very steady hand!

 

 

The tubular top rails provided in this kit only come with cut-outs to allow fitment of the spaced armour panels, so if fitting them you have to attach all the panels. Unlike the most excellent Dragon Ausf J kit #6575 there are no additional tubular rails offered without any cut-outs. This addition allows you to still display the rail without any panels fitted. If you wanted to display the odd panel missing on this kit you would have to fill any appropriate cut-outs. I notice RFM in one of their CAD images simple show the brackets attached to the rail where a central spaced armour panel is missing, which is a little strange. In reality the bracket was welded or bolted to the rear of the spaced armour panel which then clipped and bolted over the rail. 

The upper brackets connect the tubular rail to the rear of the panels. The lower brackets connect the rear of the panel to the track guards. These lower brackets are in two parts to allow for two fitment options. This was to enable the use of wider Winterketten/Ostketten tracks. The upper rail brackets are in one part and have two fixed positions, whereas the track guard brackets had to be adjusted to sit further out to accept the wider track type. The outer portion of this lower bracket needed to be positioned horizontally to clear the wider track type. In step 17 these are only shown fitted in the vertical position to accept the regular tracks included in the kit. The real bracket was hinged but you need to decide which option to you want beforehand (unless you fancy drilling and pinning all eight brackets!)

 Track guard brackets postioned for wider tracks

 

 

And for regular track fitment

 

 

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 6: Tracks

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RFM offer individual links together with a fitting jig. They are an appropriate type for the vehicle. Along with this out of the box solution I had quite a few other options. First up I had the three-return roller link and length tracks leftover from the Border kit. In addition I also had two 3D printed aftermarket sets.  T-Rex and QuickTrack. As I hadn't yet tried them, I finally opted for the QuickTrack snap fit set.

These are type 7 links and come in two bags for both left and right fitting. A small bag with a few open links and wire, to which you can thread through to close a completed track loop is also included. Both runs were built up in an alarmingly quick 20mins. They do indeed simply snap together and are far more robust than they look once assembled. 

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 5: Turret

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With the upper hull fitment conundrum remedied it was time to move onto the turret.

The gun breach and cradle parts are exactly the same as on their interior kit. Although not called out, a few other interior items from this kit can be found on various sprue trees. There appears to be a few different boxings of this kit which will have slightly altered sprue layouts. Unfortunately, although the rotating turret floor moulding is present both are missing the crucial bracket parts that would enable you to add a full basket to the turret surround. However, even with what is available, there is still plenty of detail to eyeball, shoud you model any turret hatches open.

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 4: Track guards and upper hull

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Putting asside the completed lower hull and running gear the next steps involve populating both track guards with all the pioneer tools and fittings. You are also instructed to assemble and fit the two part engine cooling louvres. These attach to the track guards before the Aufbau assemby is constructed and added. Again, everything fits extremely well. Unfortunately the C hooks were a bit of a disappointment. They both had two prominent and visible sink holes on one face and will require filler. I simply replaced one from the spares bin. I also sourced a 3D printed empty fire extinguisher holder.

Sd.Kfz. 7. Building the 8 ton Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen Chapter 14: Dragon kit: Adding a towed 3.7mm Flak gun

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Whilst waiting for scenic supplies for the diorama base, it was time to start work on the towed vehicle. In this case a Flak 36/37. This was taken from the recently released Tamiya/ICM Renault AHN combo kit. As the Sd.Ah 52 trailer wheels had been removed in the image I used a set of 3D resin brake drums from a Sd.Ah56/57 trailer. To replicate the hub and wheel studs I sanded the rear of a pair of outer Sd.Kfz 251 wheels until just the central hub remained. These were then added to the 3D drums and fixed to the trailer axles. Looking at the image the trailer also had a few grab handles that were not present on the kit, so these were made up from copper wire.

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 3: Building the lower hull and running gear

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After inspecting all the contents and making a note of what might be available I started with step one as per the instructions. As this was RFMs first Pz.IV kit, designed along with their interior kit released later that year, the lower hull is built up in sections to allow for additional interior detail. Any opening hatches come as separate items which is to be applauded. All the flatpack lower hull parts erect positively and cleanly and although there is no internal bracing to fit at this stage it all lines up straight and true. It is worth noting that due to the tight friction design of the sidewall to floor plate connection, some pressure does need to be exerted whilst the glue bonds, to ensure that both pieces sit completely flush along their whole length.

 

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 2: Ausf J History and what variants can the kit build

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A little bit of Ausf J history

The Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung J (Sd.Kfz. 161/2) is the ninth and the last variant of the Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank family. This variant was distinguished by numerous simplifications made to prior variants to accelerate production and conserve valuable materials. This last variant included replacing the single-speed turret traverse electric power drive with a two-gear manual traverse, in favour of extra space used for fuel storage. This was a last-ditch effort to increase Panzer IV production rate and compensate for tank losses. 

Panzer IV Ausf J. (Rye Field Models RM-5033 1/35 2 in 1) Chapter 1: Whats in the box?

Using the well researched Panzer Tracts No.4-3 publication once more, I was time to unbox Ryefield Models (RFM) 2 in 1 kit RM-5033.

This was released at the same time as their interior #5043 kit and uses similar flat pack engineering to create the Wanne (hull tub). This kit allows you to build both a gun and an artillery observation tank. The instructions have you build the gun tank option with a three return roller hull, with extended side towing eyes. This is also how you are instructed to build up the gun tank in kit 5043. However, although not in the instructions, you can backdate the gun tank in both kits to a slightly earlier production variant, without some of the very last features. All the parts are available on the sprues.

This is a kit I have very much been looking forward to building.  It will be my first RFM kit and I have only heard goods things about them as a manufacturer. Although I understand Pz.IV purests have spotted some accuracy issues, the kit engineering is much lauded. So without further ado lets get started.

Sd.Kfz. 7. Building the 8 ton Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen Chapter 13: Dragon kit: adding accessories

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It was time to test fit the painted accessories onto both the load area and cab ready for final fixing.  I suspect a few items will still have to be removed or placement tweaked but I'm nearly there.  Less is more and all that!  The green stuff sculpted tarps were made almost 10 years ago and are very crude in places. As some are fixed in place, they will require a little more work to make them look like convincing tarps, blankets, and clothing. I might have to resort to placing some extra material over certain areas to disguise some overscale edges etc. 

 

 Chapter 14