1942 DAK Panzer IV

[PainlessWolf]

Grabbed another couple of hours to work on the Panzer IV. More detailing on the Deck...drilling out scope apertures, cutting and installing an 'armored' block for the Drivers port and swapping out the admittedly good, stock Taigen bow MG for the excellent Tank Modelbau version.
Pics: ( Click to Enlarge )

[Soeren]

You are adding some very nice detail here. Great

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning, Soeren!
Thank you for continuing to follow the build. I really enjoy these upgrade\kitbash builds. They involve a lot of head scratching to get or create the parts for a particular tank. There are times that I wish Schumo or Wecohe were still widely available.
regards,
Painless

[c.rainford73]

Nice details Painless! Love the machine gun

[PainlessWolf]

Tonight was supposed to be a simple install of the swivel aerial for the Panzer. Altho' made for the PanzerIII, this little kit noted that it would work with the HL\Taigen Panzer IV deck as well. Everything started well. Leaving off the big base designed for the Panzer III, the swivel of the aerial was nearly a perfect fit for the interior double wall spaces used on the Panzer IV. After the easy drill through of the wall and a test fit, things started going South. The 3D printed aerial shaft snapped at the shear point where the printed spring attached. Ok, I wanted to use the early type base provided with the HL Panzer IV parts anyway so some clipping and drilling later, I had a strong composite part constructed and was 30 seconds away from being done with the installation. Of course, tightening the grub screw that held on the supplied servo arm (that would allow for automatic aerial raise and lower) snapped off the shaft section protruding into the underside of the deck....I really cannot recommend using 3D print methods for tiny parts designed to move....The shear factor is too high. I cut a rubber section of tubing to use as a press fit sleeve for the remaining aerial shaft. It fit tightly between the under deck support walls and salvaged the installation. The aerial can be raised or swiveled back into it's trough. There is no left over shaft to attach the servo arm to but that feature did not figure largely into my build plans anyway. More fun to follow.
Pics: ( Click to Enlarge )

[sassgrunt]

I continue to be impressed with your perseverance during a build when you encounter roadblocks & headaches; AND you manage to come out the other side with a better result than originally planned for! It really IS a great build to watch; so thank you for sharing it. -Mike

[palepainter]

What material are you using to print with?

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning, Mike!
Thank you for looking in, Sir. I was not planning to use a servo for the aerial raise\lower since I am pretty sure that the first time I swung the turret and forgot to lower the aerial, the gun tube would have snapped off the servo arm or the aerial. At least with this friction fit of the swivel arm, the gun tube will just push the aerial back into it's trough if I have it up. It looks the part and can be manually raised or lowered. If I ever get a real need to automate it with a servo, I can replace the 3D printed and broken swivel arm shaft with a small hexhead bolt of the right diameter and length.
regards,
Painless

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning, Palepainter!
Thanks for looking in. This aerial set was a kit purchased from Forgebear. I am not sure who manufactures it or with what type 3D print material. Could be PLA? The larger pieces like the servo arm and the base were solid and seemed very durable. The arm that the aerial glued into and that the servo arm attached to was far too brittle and could have used being printed out of metal or plastic cast. The HL piece that I used for the aerial swivel base took to drilling and gluing perfectly and is a standard cast plastic part.
regards,
Painless

[jarndice]

I have watched the Saga of the radio aerial with a mixture of anxiety and amusement
I long ago went the way of the Schumo aerial even though the aerial base is totally wrong it does work and has an element of strength,
In the days of crystal "Sender" transmitters it could be wired into the secondary board and do the practical job of the inaccurate whip aerial on the engine bay,
When I began on the Ausf H and J I was freed from the bother of ensuring the aerial was in its trough before swinging the Turret around,
The later PZ4s being able to run with their rear flank mounted aerial` Excuse me "Permanently erect"
I notice that the Turret side access door retainers are missing from your Turret and as Taigen went to the trouble of properly locating them in this revised turret I am assuming you have plans for them ? If you are going to do what I think you are your Fingertips are in for more discomfort
I continue to enjoy this journey (Journal ?) all the time wondering if you have discovered an elixer that will allow you another 50 years to complete your projects