Features:
Turret:
- New turret roof rendered w/delicate details
- New turret side-skirt armor produced to scale thickness
- Newly tooled one-piece 3 directional silde-molded turret for Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.D
- Side-Skirt door can be positioned open/closed
- Realistically detailed side-skirt armor brackets
- Includes hollowed out undercut on turret bottom
- 5 directional slide-molded commander's cupola authenticall recreates structural details
- Incorporates toothed turret ring in turret interior
Gun:
- Complete gun assembly w/full detail
- Finely detailed 7.5cm Kw.K.40 L/43 gun
- Rifling inside gun barrel is finely reproduced
- Detailed gun muzzle brake
- Gun sleeve w/delicate weld and bolt detail made from 3-directional slide molds
- Mantlet view port can be modeled open/closed
- Mantlet w/aerial deflector for long gun barrel is new
- Mantlet guard can be removed and gun unloaded as on the real vehicle
Upper Hull:
- Brand new additional armor for driver's and radio operator's panel
- Driver's and radio operator's hatches w/interior detail and external rubber bump stops
- Driver's interior periscope assembly in fine detail
- Newly tooled spare-wheel rack w/spare wheels on upper hull side
- Newly tooled cleaning rod
- New spare-track bracket on frontal glacis plate
- Realistic double-layered air intake
- Air-intake covers have option of injection or photo-etched parts
- New OVM arrangement on fenders
- Newly tooled side fenders w/tread pattern on both sides
- Fans and coupling modeled in several parts to provide interior detail
- Engine hatches can be assembled open/closed
- Photo-etched parts for engine-deck exhaust grill
Lower Hull, suspension, wheels:
- Detailed chassis formed from multiple parts w/bolt detail
- New additional armor on frontal hull
- Fine detail newly tooled rear hull
- 40cm Magic Tracks
- Delicate detailed sprocket and idler
- Separate armored cover for final-drive housing
- Realistic suspension w/multiple components
- Transmission system w/excellent detail
The Panzer IV was the workhorse of Wehrmacht armored units, with more than 8500 produced from 1937 to 1945. The Ausf. D formed the first main production run, with 229 manufactured in 1939-40. The original Panzer IV D was fitted with a short-barreled 7.5cm KwK 37 L/24 gun, but the performance of this infantry support weapon was rapidly outclassed. To make the tank more relevant, a number of IV Ds were later updated and up gunned with a longer 7.5cm KwK40, the same potent cannon that was fitted to the Ausf. F and G.
Modifications have been carried out on this up-gunned D such as the inclusion of 40cm tracks, additional frontal armor, and road, sprocket and idler wheels. Delicately produced side skirts are produced to scale thickness, and the associated brackets are accurately formed. No detail has been spared, with even the bolt heads well represented and the left skirt positioned slightly forward of the right one in true conformity to their actual arrangement. To match the newly tooled Schurzen, the kit has also benefitted from a brand-new turret produced by a 3-directional slide mold. This exciting kit is brimming with detail, transforming this Ausf.D into an outstanding member of the Panzer IV family. For those modelers looking for something special in their Panzer IVs, this item with better protection and a bigger gun fits the bill!