This addition to their 1/35 Military Miniature Series depicts the Ausf.G (early production) variant of the long-serving Pz.Kpfw.IV. Ausf.G tanks were equipped with long-barreled KwK 40 L/43 guns after fighting with Soviet armor demonstrated the obsolescence of the Wehrmacht’s short-barreled weapons.
Images show prototype CAD data.
Nice to see Tamiya clean up 20-30-40 year old molds. Brand loyalty back in the day included Tamiya. However, not only have I drifted away from WW2, but the couple of Pz IV’s I have in the stash won’t be replaced with this one (the technology is way too good with the couple I have). Congrads to Tamiya for re-engineering their molds, but I have to stick with I’ve got at the moment.
Tamiya does what Tamiya wants; it has always been so. If they did what the people wanted then they would have the largest line of WWII Japanese aircraft in 1/32 of any company because that’s what I want.
Tamiya remaims my favorite manufacturer of model tank kits due to superb engineering, outstanding instructions, crisp molding, fitment and ease of building.
I wish Big T would update that 1994 era suspension just a little bit. Road wheels have several small weld seams Tamiya could add and the bogie’s outer face shouldn’t be hollow. It’s a minor annoyance I fixed on Tamiya’s Pz IV H & J kits I built.
I track time building and discoverd I took 56 hours to build a Dragon Pz IV F basically out of the box excluding tracks. Building the Tamiya Pz IV H and adding Zimmerit, various PE details, weld beads, flat screw heads, adding wheel welds took 48 hours excluding tracks.
My hobby time is very limited so Tamiya 's quality engineering, instructions and ease of building greatly out rank any other concerns. I’m sure that’s a bit of a rarity. For me personality, the Tamiya Pz IV’s offer the best bang/return for the build time required.
Here’s hoping we get a Late Tamiya Pz IV G as well. A new Tamiya T-34 would really rock, I’d love to see that. Tamiya could have some fun doing a 1942 T-34/76 STZ state of the art given that Dragon CyberHobby version is total dog puke on fitment.
I guess it also depends on your build rate. I average a kit a month on armor, and my collection is primarily Dragon and Trumpeter/Hobby Boss. I think maybe I’ve just gotten used to assembling indy links and don’t think much about them as I do them.
While I would appreciate -no doubt- the typical beautiful engineering, instructions and detail that Tamiya brings to its kits I too already have my fill of earlier exquisite Dragon kits (with crowded instructions). The figures, on the other hand, I’d like to see for myself and hope that they will be offered separately.
@brekinapez, An armor kit a month is a good rate. That’s definitely making things happen. Kudos to you!
I’ve seldom had an issue with individual link tracks causing a building bog. I prefer them to link and length. Six armor models compelted in a year is good year for me.
I like Dragon, have a closet full of their Panzer IV’s, halftracks, Tigers & Panthers to prove it:) Dragon made epic improvements to become a dominant player in the industry.
For me the Dragon quagmire comes from:
Busy crowded sometimes confusing often vauge instruction sheets. I’ve learned to hate their old instruction sheets with the photographs especially.
Extra research to find out where Dragon’s instruction sheets are wrong.
Dragon’s excessive number of sprue attachment points requiring more clean up.
Dragon’s style of engineering that favors higher part counts.
I’ve built probably ~35 to 40 Dragon kits over the years. None of them have ever been an enjoyable build. Not a single one. I own a big pile of Dragon kits but seem to have ended up building more Tamiya by a factor of about 4 to 1.
I’d guess summer since AHHQ did a video on the new kit about three weeks ago. All he said was soon from what I recall.
Based on the AHHQ video, it looks pretty good. I will buy one. Tamiya does excellent engineering for a sweet build normally.
However, it’s very sad Tamiya clings to those 1970’s design 4 piece mufflers without slide molding,1990’s suspension & lower hull, MG’s again aren’t slide molded and you get some more lame string for the tow cables.
In an Andy Hobbt HQ video on the new Tamiya 1/24 Nissan 240ZG, Andy says many new Tamiya kits release in June and mentioned he thinks the Tamiya Pz IV G is in that batch of June releases.
