Was this vehicle normally zimmed or not when it was produced?
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Only the first couple months of production, then Zimmerit application ceased.
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No ZImmerit in production vehicles, like @brekinapez mentioned, only in early production models before Zimmerit application ceased.
Only surviving Panzer IV/70 Ausf. A - Saumur, France.
Another vehicle after it was knocked out during the battle for the Colmar Pocket, February, 1945.
Panzer IV/70(A) - Tank Encyclopedia (tanks-encyclopedia.com)
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Try finding a photo of one with Zimmerit. Despite early production in August and early September, within the time frame of Zimmerit application, I’ve never seen one. Not a well photographed vehicle.
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Nope; all I posted were Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyers with the lower profile hull… Nevermind.
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To be honest, I only gave the date production began but I don’t know how many were actually finished to the stage where Zimmerit would have been applied by the time usage ceased.
But I can’t say I’ve seen any with either, so if there were any they were rare compared to the rest of the production run.
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I think what you may be looking for is the Panzer IV L/70 (V)
Different hull configuration from the PzIV/70 (A)
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Production figures for PzJg IV/70 A.
Finding photos of PzJg IV/48 and /70 V with Zimmerit are not a problem.
Zimmerit application was ordered to be discontinued on September 9th, 1944, so there were probably less than two dozen PzJg IV/70(A) completed with Zimmerit.
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Isn’t this vehicle the older version with L48 gun? It has a muzzle brake, four return rollers, and two armored cones on the glacis, also no travel lock for the gun (as it is L48)
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Most likely. SO many PzIV variants were cobbled together, is hard to keep track of which version is which. The PzIV was the most widely produced armored vehicle the Germans built in WW2 with so many versions and mutations.
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Are these two not the same one? They are both holed in the same place and in the same way?
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@TopSmith Greg, I don’t think we can say zimmerit on a Pz IV 70(A) was impossible but it would have been extremely rare if it occurred. Below is the best information, I’ve seen todate on the question.
Armorama: Atak-zimmerit-set-for-panzer-iv-70-a has an interesting image that was used to support Atak’s product for the Tamiya kit.
From the thread above…
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I thought it was the same vehicle at first, then i noticed the lack of Schurzen brackets; the single impact damage on the right side of the front hull (from vehicle’s POV), along with the larger hole on the right side of the superstructure; they do not match the B/W image.
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Alkett versions can be found, it’s Volmag versions with Zimmerit that can’t be found.
Wrong! Geez… 
Other way around. V’s can be found, it’s A’s I haven’t seen.
There is no superstructure in the photo of the scrap heap above, how can it be viewed as an “A”?
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Paska, I take no position on the question just passing on the best information in favor of supporting a Pz IV 70(A) w/zimmerit I’ve seen todate.
I was hoping it might coax some additional comments and insights.
See link for comments etc, please.
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I noticed that too. But then the Saumur example has a lot of small parts missing. Small parts have a way of disappearing between being knocked out, and transporting. And the extra penetrations may have just been the result of target practice after the initial KO. Lots of supposition!
I do not see any view ports or the cones on the face of armor in the photo. Maybe that is their defining clue?
Secondary question. A reviewer wrote that the Tamiya’s commanders hatch only opens 90 degreed to the hull roof and it should angle back. If it is true, at about what angle? The Sumar 70 A model looks vertical, however the photos of the PZJG IV 48 has the hatch tilted back at some angle.
Thanks TopSmith, No driver’s vision port, D’oh! I’m really batting 1000 today… 
OK then, there it is! I still would like to see the superstructure though, I guess it’s somewhere in the pile, but it’s obviously not necessary.
Need to look into the hatch question.
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Got it. Not the best picture in the world, but the first vehicle shows the commander’s hatch angled back, the second one is vertical. The third one is angled back again. Sorry, but I don’t have an angle measurement, yet.
OK, I found a usable side view that can be measured, it’s 45 degrees.
Next Question, what is this bracket?
I don’t see it on other photos or on the Doyle drawings on page 160 of Light Jagdpanzers