Scale Plastic & Rail

1/72 Panzer IV Ausf.D from Armourfast

1/72 Panzer IV Ausf.D
Armourfast
Catalogue # 99028
Available direct from Armourfast for £7.50 for a pack of 2 vehicles

I have previously written on the site about the Sd.Kfz.161, the Panzerkampfwagen IV, the only German tank to remain in production throughout the whole of the war (albeit in a myriad of different marks and as the basis for tank destroyer, Sturmgeschutz, self propelled artillery, anti-aircraft vehicles and command tank variants). It can definitely said to have been the backbone of the Panzer forces for several years and was even fighting, albeit with lessened effectiveness, right up to the moment of defeat.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D variant was introduced in autumn, 1939 and has always been my personal favourite of the family tree. With upgraded armour and an external hull machine gun mantlet being the only differentiating features to distinguish it from its predecessor, the Ausf. C, 248 of these vehicles were produced, with 229 of them as the pug-nosed but aggressive looking standard tanks (below). They served mainly in the infantry support role in the Blitzkrieg on the West in 1940, but by the time of Barbarossa, remaining Ausf. D tanks saw a much more general role including use as tank fighting AFVs. The few that were shipped to North Africa also saw service as general tanks. The last survivors were gone from the battlefield by mid-1944.

Credit and copywrite: Wikipedia

Armourfast have previously released a 1/72 kit of the Panzer IV Ausf.G that I reviewed on the site; it suffered from some indifferent research leading to a slightly confused vehicle detail-wise. However, a very quick appraisal of this new kit of the earlier Panzer IV variant, the Ausf.D, shows that, be it by design or accident, Armourfast have got it just about spot on for a 1940-41 Ausf.D with regard to the mixture of mantlet, cupola, exhaust system and engine deck options.

As ever, there are 2 tanks in the box; the sand coloured sprue (below) holds all of the parts. Unlike the Ausf.G I examined, this was a much cleaner molding with no flash.

A close-up of the upper hull (above) shows that the detail is a little simplified but is all correct for an Ausf. D. Plans confirm it is very accurate in shape in all its major dimensions. The turret front and mantlet remain the weakest parts of this release but are more than acceptable. As ever, the tracks and wheels are single pieces as standard (below) and no tools or extra track links are included. The lack of the suspension bogies will rankle a little with the keen modeller but is perfectly acceptable to the younger or inexperienced modeller or the wargamer the kit is aimed at. A machine gun barrel will need to be added to the hull position.

As usual, the instructions are carried on the rear of the box (above).

The inclusion of the turret bin may seem wrong to many modellers since Ausf. D tanks are rarely seen with them in France, the Balkans or Russia. However, they were used on desert vehicles so Armourfast are correct to offer the option.

So What Do We Think?
A better, more accurate kit than the Ausf. G variant; it will build up into a good looking model.

Recommended.

Our thanks to Armourfast for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. 

Robin Jenkins.