Munster Pz IV Ausf.G walkaround

[43rdRecceReg]

I've spent much of this year immersed in studio music projects and, for once, tanks had to be pushed very much into the background...and what an effort it was...as old habits die very hard
Anyway, I managed to get a break lately in Zürich, where my son lives, and we hit on the idea of a long road trip up to the Munster Museum in North Germany. It was well worth the effort.
For the benefit of Panzer IV fans, nerds and nitpickers, here's a short walkaround highlighting some of the features you might wish to recreate or add to your magnum opus.
Most regulars here will be aware that if you click on the pictures I post, they will- as if by magic-enlarge. Should you not know that, then do click on individual pics for that extra detail.

Pz IV Ausf G rear view

Details rear view- Left side

Pz IV convoy light and louvre

Pz IV Left side- wheel storage box

Pz IV left side- louvre and pipe cleaners!

Pz IV details- front left shackles etc.

Pz IV Ausf G front- left view

Pz IV front-right axe mounting

Pz IV front right side jack mounting

Pz IV hammer mounting

More tomorrow. Dinner awaits (for the dog anyway )

[43rdRecceReg]

Ooops, Thor would be chuffed with the excess of mighty hammers. It must be that twitchy forefinger on that sensitive keyboard I could alter it, but I'd burn my dinner. (No, and that's not the norm either )

[c.rainford73]

These are absolutely brilliant. Thank you for sharing I will need these soon.

[Tiger6]

Munster is an amazing place, their collection of post war German (East and West) AFV's is very comprehensive, and they have a good collection of WW2 kit as well.
Well worth a visit if you ever get the chance, just remember that its the little garrison town about half way between Hanover and Hamburg, not the major city Münster further south - there is quite a distance between them!

[43rdRecceReg]

Indeed, it is an amazing place. It's also eerily located not far from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, in the Celle district.
Some more pics here. I also have a fair few shots of the British Comet they have there, and I shall post them at some point.

Pz IV early CD player

Pz IV shovel and tools

Generally, the lighting is good in the Museum, but it's a wee bit faint here and there for my iPhone. Still, there are no restrictions and snapping, nor on touching the vehicles....and for picking up on that old wartime vibe

Pz IV fire extinguisher and tools

Pz IV rear return roller

Pz IV r.h. Drive Sprocket

Pz IV Driver's vision slot

Pz IV r.h. Drive Casing

PzIV l.h. Drive casing

PzIV axe and front diamond-checker plating

Pz IV Mudguard hinge detail

[43rdRecceReg]

Pz IV mudguard/fender retaining spring

Pz IV details l.h. front fender

This is quite a rare beast in that it's in working condition, or, at least it was, when this video was made in 2013 :

phpBB [video]

[43rdRecceReg]

Munster is an amazing place, their collection of post war German (East and West) AFV's is very comprehensive, and they have a good collection of WW2 kit as well.
Well worth a visit if you ever get the chance, just remember that its the little garrison town about half way between Hanover and Hamburg, not the major city Münster further south - there is quite a distance between them!

Yes. That's two Munsters separated by an umlaut, and around 200 kilometers....as we discovered, when it emerged my son had booked a B & B in the one with the umlaut . Luckily the trusty iPhone allowed us to rebook locally; but do beware of the difference, and especially the distance if you choose to visit there (you should)!

[jarndice]

Who is this neer-do-well wandering onto the Forum without so much as a by your leave
Good to have you back Roy,
Quite missed the repartee,
Thanks for the front and rear fender detail I am about to cut the front fenders off of a Heng Long PZ4 body to replace with a Pair of hinged Shapeways early examples,
I don't think I have ever seen a spring on the inside of the front fender before,

Talking of things musical, I bought "The Honeydrippers"CD last year,
I had put it off because Robert Plant was reported as saying he really did not like it and only took it on because Mr Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegun asked him to,
But with Robert Plant, Jeff Beck Jimmy Page and Nile Rogers in the line up I thought It must have something in it
Well it is quite different to what he and Jimmy Page are more famed for but I liked it and the second track "Sea of Love" Which I think Marty Wilde Had a hit with in the late 50s early 60s is a real earworm of a track,
It really has not a drop of Freeform Jazz in any single bar but I thought it might be acceptable as the last piece in our set,
I suggested it to Tony who said we could give it a try,
So Tony and I rearranged it for Piano, Drums and Guitar,
That's mostly because we cannot justify or afford or find the space for a full orchestra and so I have the brass neck to play the lead emulating Jimmy Page (I wish), Tony as ever on vocals and Piano,
It took our usual clientele by surprise first time out but instead of the hoped for acceptance we found that for the first time ever the daft bug*res got up and started dancing to it.

[43rdRecceReg]

Hi, Shaun!
Jimmy Page used to have a bolt hole up here, on Loch Ness. It was a period pad called 'Boleskin House', and practically burned to the ground in 2015. I've no doubt he dripped quite a bit of honey there, along with his wayward pals; but he was no longer the owner when it went up in smoke. Jay Kay, of Jamiroquai and notable tamtrums, had (and may still have) a house up here in Wester Ross-one that's not too many miles from my own, in fact.

Hope you find the Pz IV pics useful. I could have done with them when I was assembling the Tamiya Pz IV, although the overpriced Tamiya is an Ausf. J, not the G example here.
Roy
p.s. I see you've been elevated to a company commander these days Congrats.,Capn.

[jarndice]

I am a fair way through a PZ4 "E" and an "H",
I was reluctant to build a Schurzen "H" or "J" but I got hold of the proper Tamiya sprue with the Turret Schurzen and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was and after a few judiciously pin viced holes in the turret roof it fitted without any snags and certainly looks the part,
At the same Time using a combination of a Heng Long Metal Cupola and the bits from the Tamiya sprue I made up a late one piece cupola with the one piece hatch and found a nice aerial holder on Hagens site for fitting to the rear left flank of the body,
I bought an aerial from Dave and with a smear of washing up liquid on the rubber base of the aerial I pushed and twisted at the same time and a perfect fit.
Now I am detailing the body such as cutting off the front and rear fenders and fitting working hinged ones COMPLETE with SPRINGS ,
Because all the hatches are now metal I fitted Neo-Dymion Magnets to secure the Body to the Hull,
Next comes the wiring.
Onward and upward.