Panzer IV Ausf.D
Kit Comparison
Dragon Kit #6265 - Tristar Kit #35023
Part 3: Turret
1:35th Scale
Kit Comparison by Terry Ashley

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Since posting the original comparison review back in April of this year there has been a bit of confusion regarding the actual dimensions of the Dragon kit gun housing and in the hope of putting this to bed once and for all I will present further information here using the very references and plans it is claimed were used when producing the kit.

The reference most often quoted is the Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV by Thomas L. Jentz with scale plans by Hilary Louis Doyle.

On pages 4-30 and 4-31 of that book is a set of 1:35 plans of the Panzer IV Aust.D, the subject of the kits featured in this comparison review and before continuing I’ll also say that anyone with this reference and the Dragon kit can do exactly what I have done here to verify that all is above board.

I have scanned the section of the overhead plan showing the gun housing and have removed the surrounding detail for clarity but the plans have not been altered in any other way and again I invite others to do the same to verify.

Measuring the distance on the plan from the front of the mantlet shield to the end of the gun housing shows a distance of 11.5mm (give or take a fraction for variations in printing etc.) and the distance from the front of the mantlet shield to the tip of the barrel is 29mm.

Measuring the exact same sections of the assembled Dragon gun housing sees the distance from the front of the mantlet shield to the end of the gun housing at 11mm (again give or take a fraction for variations etc.) and the distance from the front of the mantlet shield to the tip of the barrel is 27.5mm. Yes I have pushed both the plastic and metal barrels through the housing as far as they will go and measured both with the same overall length.

I have also assembled a gun from a second kit and the measurements are exactly the same as with the first kit and also used two different mini steel rulers with .05mm divisions to eliminate any calibration error of the measuring device.

Out of fairness I have also included the measurements of the Tristar gun assembly against the same plans with the distance from the front of the mantlet shield to the end of the gun housing at 11.5mm (again give or take a fraction for variations etc.) and the distance from the front of the mantlet shield to the tip of the barrel is 28.75mm.

Scan of the Panzer Tracts gun housing plan (left) with the
Dragon (middle) and Tristar (right) housings showing the actual dimensions of each.

Images not to scale, just to show the measurements

These measurements concur with my original findings and unless I’m doing something seriously wrong here I stand by these findings.

Of course many will see the 1.5mm as inconsequential and simply ignore this when building the model and I have no problem with that at all because as I have said previously I simply present the information for people to take or leave as they see fit. But the fact remains that the gun housing assembly is short by approximately 1.5mm compared to the very references quoted and against the others mentioned in the original review for anyone wanting true accuracy.

Overhead view showing the size discrepancy with the Dragon gun housing
compared to the Tristar kit resulting in the whole gun/barrel assembly
being approx. 1.5mm too short as confirmed by the above measurements.
You can also see this discrepancy reflected in the distance of the two rows of housing screws
from the mantlet shield with them being much closer on the Dragon kit due to the shorter housing.
Note the screw spacing on the Panzer Tracts plans.
Also note the differences look larger in the image due to the magnification factor.

I will not go down the path of why some continue to say otherwise and simply leave these facts for you to peruse and make up your own minds. And of course if anyone has additional information I always receptive to factual input.

Please note that the only information being put forward claiming these finding are incorrect are either from the Company or Company associated "advisors" or "reviewers". I would very much welcome input from anyone not associated with the Company or without any vested interest to actually measure their kit and advise the findings compared to the available plans, thank you.

Click HERE to see what the Dragon designers have done which resulted in this error.

Part 1: Lower Hull and Running Gear

Part 2: Upper Hull

Part 3: Turret

Part 4: Gun Housing Dimensions (this page)

Kit parts
Click on thumbnails for larger view



Kit parts


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References:

	Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV Typical Panzer Tracts book with excellent technical descriptions and detailed coverage of the Panzer IV.
	Achtung Panzer No.3 Panzer IV Excellent detail coverage of the Panzer IV with the usual detail photos and drawings of all versions of the Panzer IV.
	Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.D Up-Gunned AFV Super Detail Photo Book Vol.1 Published by Model Art Co.Ltd. 56 pages, full colour, soft cover
	Ground Power Magazine #108 - 5/2003 Published by GALILEO Publishing PzKpfw IV Ausf.A-D (pages 5-75)
	Koku Fan World Tank Series Panzerkampfwagen IV Japanese text but 1:35 plans and many wartime Pz.IV photos
	Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45 Osprey New Vanguard 28 ISBN: 1855328437
	Panzer IV & Its Variants Walter J. Spielberger Schiffer Publishing ISBN: 0887405150
	PzKpfw IV Ausf.A to J Tanks in Detail 1 Ian Allan Publishing.
	PzKpfw IV Squadron Signal Publications Special #6081 The usual in action fare with photos and drawings of the Pz.IV versions. More photo coverage than the in action series
	PzKpfw IV in action #2012 Squadron Signal Publications The usual in action fare with photos and drawings of the Pz.IV versions

Page created December 31, 2006