Converted HL PZ IV F2 into IV H

[lmcq11]

Hi

Here is a standard Heng Long Panzer IV F2 converted into an H model. Having more time than money, my target is always to do it at the cheapest cost possible, but I had fun integrating quite a few extras on this one.

Here is a list of the changes;
- Bought a few Tamiya Panzer IV J sprues on eBay. Included partial J turret, tools and other smaller parts. Hard to find now.
- Reworked J turret into H model
- Reworked HL turret rear bin,
- Reused HL turret side doors
- Reworked HL commander turret with a single hatch
- New Tamiya sprocket and idler wheels on HL lower hull, road wheels and tracks
- Bought Modellino metal return wheels, the last one at the rear being placed lower
- Bought Tank Modellbau panzer IV schurzen for hull and turret
- Rear deck from Juckenberg, angled and integrated into HL upper hull. Lot of work here but having a panzer IV rear deck angled towards the rear is important to me. This is a big HL flaw to have made it flat.
- Mato rear deck doors. They fit Juckenberg deck
- Tamiya main gun
- Scratch built air filters
- Up-armored front plate
- Electronics are HL

It was fun. Total investment was about $350.
Regards,

[c.rainford73]

Beautiful job on on of my favorite tanks! I am not only impressed with your paint and details but the price of the project too!!

I pride myself in combining broken tanks or incomplete armor or kits in disrepair and assembling them into what I consider very nice running examples.

I will combine Tamiya and Heng Long models and parts to complete project tanks.

I noticed a very impressive collection of armour in the background....

Is that 1:35 scale in the cases or is it 1:16?

I love the Tamiya gun and correct muzzle break and the slanted engine deck.

Absolutely stunning piece

Carl

[Reaper332]

Fantastic looking P4 mate, nice combination of different brand parts.....

Cheers Ken

[Arnie_DK]

Really nice job!

I'm currently doing a similar project myself.
What did you use to make the airfilters and do you have any wip pictures of them?

[HERMAN BIX]

Sensational, the mantlet arrangement is spot on, and having done a F2 to a G myself, that bit alone is a major win.
How did you reduce the gap from the turret face to the mantlet cover ?
Really really nice work.

[lmcq11]

Hi,
The turret and gun mantlet is from Tamiya Panzer IV J sprues purchased on ebay for 18$ each a couple of years ago. I purchased two at that time because these things are rare and you never know when they are no longer available. Shown in below picture is the other Tamiya turret sprue I still have. As you can see, the Panzer J turret was up-armored on the top so I had to sand this down and also remove the smoke gun to make it an H version. This turret shape is much better than the HL.

The air filter tubes are made of 7/16 styrene tube and plastic card at both ends. Using references, the stand for the filter was carved out of 2mm plastic card using the dremel, with some metal strip from left over photo-etched frets. Never discard these... Cost of air filter: probably 25 cents.

I can see quite a few more things that can be improved. I will keep that for the refit scheduled in a couple of years... Now in the meantime, if someone could sell Trumpeter IV H standalone sprues, that would be great. I think there would be a market for these.

Regards, Louis

[Arnie_DK]

Thanks for that detailing of your filter. Going to be very helpfull when I build my own

And again. Superb work!

[Marc780]

Your work on this is stunning. The details and workmanship are first-class. Not one flaw and about perfect...this is the type of tank i always strived for but coild never quite make.

I'm a little bit confused by the paint being plain dunkelgelb, although perhaps you know something I dont about this variant? The schurzen armor was introduced in 1943, around the time of Operation Citadel. I have seen no images of Pzkfw IV tanks, after Citadel without the green and/or brown paint sprayed in the familiar random pattern over the sand yellow.

[lmcq11]

True, most panzer IV H would have camo applied by the crew or by factory but my color references show a few example that are plain dark yellow, specially on the Italian front. I decided to make this one a bit different than my other panzers.