1:35 Panzer IV - Ausf. G

Panzer IV Ausf. G 1:35, Zvezda

A plastic kit of the German Panzer IV medium tank in the Ausf. G version in 1:35 scale from Zvezda. For models of ground hardware 1:35 is the most widespread scale, so the model will sit well among the other vehicles and figures in a collection. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted; the exact contents of the package are given on the box.

The real subject

The Panzer IV was the most numerously built German medium tank of the Second World War and went through a series of production versions. The Ausf. G version of 1942 and 1943 is among those in which rearming with a long-barreled 7.5 cm gun markedly improved anti-armor fire compared with the earlier machines with a short barrel. During production, add-on armor plates were added to the front of the hull and the turret, and on later examples also side skirts protecting the flanks of the hull and turret. The running gear with eight paired road wheels on leaf springs remained a typical feature of the whole series.

Building and painting tips

Assemble and paint the running gear before you close up the hull, as it is harder to work between the wheels and the tracks later. Fit the tracks only after the base shade has been sprayed. An airbrush and lower pressure suit a camouflage scheme; make the transitions between shades soft. After the decals and a gloss coat, apply a wash into the recesses and the rivets, and then apply pigments from the bottom upwards: mud and dust effects look credible only when they follow the direction in which dirt settles on a vehicle.

Who the model is for

• modelers of ground hardware in 1:35 scale
• anyone interested in the development versions of one type of tank
• builders of dioramas who need a commonly used vehicle
• modelers with basic experience of building tracked hardware

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.