Tamiya Panzer IV D, Child of Doom

[Stikpusher]

My latest resurrection project from the Shelf of Doom… I started this for a So.Cal AMPS Panzer IV GB about 10 years ago

I was going to replace the kit tracks with some AM tracks and eventually settled on some Modelkasten indy links

Since I wanted to do a DAK Panzer I decided to replace the crew figures with a set from Verlinden and the kit decals are replaced by a set from Bison

I got most of the basic assembly finished, but then hit a snag when I tried to fit the AM tracks to the kit sprockets. The sprockets were too wide as engineered. So I put it onto the shelf of doom after getting this much completed

So yesterday I decided to pull this one off the shelf and tackled the reason for the stop first. I cut the sprockets in half, sanded away some of the middle section until they would fit the MK tracks, then glued them back together.

Then a test fit onto the lower hull

This won’t be my main project, but I will be chipping away at it for the next while until it is finished.

[MassimoTessitori]

Making the sprocket thinner will alterate its mid plan when mounted on the original pins. I would suggest to ckeck if to move the sprocket a bit outside while fitting them to the hull to mantain the alignment to the mid plan of the road wheels.

[DByrden]

Perhaps you need to see this?
And your driver; well, he just needs to see.

David

[Stikpusher]

@MassimoTessitori

Making the sprocket thinner will alterate its mid plan when mounted on the original pins. I would suggest to ckeck if to move the sprocket a bit outside while fitting them to the hull to mantain the alignment to the mid plan of the road wheels

I thought about that. The sprockets are adjustable at this point and not glued in place, so can fiddle with their inboard/outboard placement.

@DByrden

Perhaps you need to see this?
And your driver; well, he just needs to see

It looks like Tamiya made the outermost drivers add on plate too wide, and I was following the directions blindly… I’ll see what I can do to correct that.

[DByrden]

I think Tamiya’s plates are fine, but their instructions are very unclear here.

David

[metalhead85]

Good catch David, I totally missed that detail when looking at the upper hull.

[Stikpusher]

@DByrden

I think Tamiya’s plates are fine, but their instructions are very unclear here

I was able to pry the plates off. I’ll have to downsize them a bit in addition to minor repositioning in order to get both of those holes above the drivers vision slot visible.