Panzer IV variants

Kits # 7234, 7235, 7238, 7244, 7260, 7276, 7292, 7293, 7307

Preview by Rob Haelterman - heman_148(at)hotmail.com




As of mid-2011 the series comprises the following kits.

  • 7234 Sd.Kfz.164 Hornisse (see here)
  • 7235 StuG IV Early (see here and here)
  • 7238 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Command
  • 7242 Brummbär mid production (see here)
  • 7244 Sd.kfz.165 Hummel Early Version (see here)
  • 7260 StuG IV Late (see here, here and here)
  • 7276 Jagdpanzer IV L/48
  • 7278 Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. G
  • 7292 Sd.Kfz.164 Nashorn (see here)
  • 7293 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Late Production (see here and here)
  • 7301 Sd.kfz.165 Hummel late version
  • 7307 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Early Production
  • 7321 Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F1 (F) (see here)
  • 7359 Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F2

 

While some of these kits were already the subject of a specific review, as mentioned above, we will only outline the differences between the different kits in this article.

 

Overview

  7244
Hummel Early

7234
Hornisse

7292
Nashorn
7276
Jagdpanzer IV L/48
7307
Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Early

7293
Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Late

7238
Jagdpanzer IV L/70
Befehl
7235
StuG IV Early
7260
StuG IV Late

Tracks

Roadwheels & Hubcaps
2 x Sprue "K" (Universal type)
Late hubcaps
2 x Sprue "K" (Universal type)
Late hubcaps
2 x Sprue "K" (Universal type)
Late hubcaps

1 x Sprue "P" (Steelwheels)
2 x Sprue "K" (Universal type)
Late hubcaps

1 x Sprue "P" (Steelwheels)
2 x Sprue "K" (Universal type)
Late hubcaps
2 x Sprue "K" (Universal type)
Late hubcaps

Return Rollers

"M" Rubber return rollers

"f" Rubber return rollers
(Same as "M")

"F" Steel return rollers "M" Rubber return rollers Steel return rollers (different from "F") Steel return rollers (different from "F") "F" Steel return rollers "F" Steel return rollers
Drive Sprocket

Late sprocket

Alternative late sprocket without cover for the bolts (but not marked on the manual)

Idler
Tubular idler, Sprue "J" Tubular idler, Sprue "J" Tubular idler, Sprue "J" Tubular idler, Sprue "J" Idler with angular spokes, Sprue "G" Tubular idler, Sprue "J"
Suspension

Lower Hull
L I Four return roller type,
holes for screws

Four return roller type,
no holes for screws

Three return roller type,
holes for screws

Three return roller type,
no holes for screws

"E", StuG hull,
four return rollers
"L", StuG hull,
four return rollers
Hull

A

B

Part of C

A

B

C

Sprue "A"
(See comments below)

Sprue "A"

Sprue B Sprue C
Barrel w/o notch
Sprue C
Barrel with notch
Sprue C
Barrel w/o notch
Other Sprues

Parts of D

E

G

D

Parts of E

F (with specific parts blanked off)

F (with specific parts blanked off)

Early Sprue "B"

Late Sprue "B"

Early Sprue "D" Late Sprue "D"
Schürzen, Sprue "E" Isolated parts of L/48 kit   Schürzen, Sprue "E" Schürzen, Sprue "N"  
Metal Holders for spare wheels   Holders for spare wheels   Gun Barrel Gun Barrel

Rod for antenna (not included in my kit, or already lost)

 
PE Schürzen Small parts   Small parts, incl. Sternantenna Schürzen  

Note that sprue D from the Hornisse is not included in the early Hummel. This is a pity as it contains the early exhaust seen on very early Hummels.
Also note that the tracks in the Hornisse/Nashorn/Hummel kits seem to be the same as in the other kits, while the original vehicles had a slightly longer chassis.

 

 

Manual and remarks

7244 Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel Early version
7234 Sd.Kfz.164 Hornisse
7292 Sd.Kfz.165 Nashorn




Scans above by Henk of Holland, used with permission

Scans above by Henk of Holland, used with permission

These three kits are very similar if one makes abstraction of the use of different guns.
Small differences exist between the Hornisse and the Nashorn, like the gun barrel, travel locks, exhaust arrangement and the absence of spare road wheels in the Hornisse (which is basically an early Nashorn).
It seems that the Hornisse has all the parts for the Nashorn, so you could build either one using the former kit using the instructions above.
There is an extra front visor on sprue A "not for use" in all kits. According to the scans of the instructions I have seen this is meant for the late Hummel (with wider driver's compartment).
Of note is the presence of a part number E20 on the sprues of the Hummel, but the part itself is blanked off. According to the scans of the instructions I have seen this is the driver's roof for the late Hummel.
It also of note that extremely small bits of sprues are inluded in some of the kits. To me it looks like complete sprues were cast, these bits cut off, and the remainder thrown away.

 

7235 StuG IV Early
7260 StuG IV Late


These kits have a lot in common, but are still sufficiently different.
One of the main differences can be found in the lower hull. The "late" has three return rollers while the "early" has four. Other differences in the hull are the two holes in the bottom for display screws on the "early", and the extended hull sides for tow hooks on the "late". Why they are actually there puzzles me, as you need to saw them off according to the instructions. I should check my references to know if none of the late StuGs ever had these.
While the manual of the "early" still has you assemble 18 road-wheels, like that of the "late", the box with the two spare road-wheels that goes on the side of the fighting compartment actually comes as a separate part for that kit, i.e. with the roadwheels integrally molded with the box. I see no reason why Dragon changed their tactic.
Another odd difference can be found in the presence of Schürzen for the "early" kit, while none is to be had with the "late". I am quite sure late StuGs also carried them. The "early" kit even has them twice: once in plastic, once in PE. Using the spares for the "late" is no direct solution, as you still would need to find mounting rails somewhere in your spare's box.
(The presence of PE parts in the "early" kit probably explains why this is an "Armor Pro" series, while the other is not.)

While, at first, I thought the manuals showed actual kits under construction, I have come to believe that these are probably CAD designs, which are clear enough to me, even if you need to get used to them a bit.
An error in the "early" kit's manual can be found in the way the MG is mounted on the roof. The shield cannot possible be in the upright position without the loader's hatch supporting it, i.e. it always laid flat when those hatches were closed. While you have parts for a closed and for an open hatch, Dragon does not mention that you can actually leave those hatches open. The same remark holds for the commander's and driver's hatch. I will need to dig deeper in my references when I build these kits, but I thought there was a difference between the driver's hatches on the early and late StuG IVs, while Dragon does not seem to make any distinction.

Something else that struck me as odd, is that Dragon gives you a Sprue "D" that is specific for the early StuG, but with two parts on it that are not for use.

 

7276 Jagdpanzer IV L/48 "Early production"
7307 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Early production"
7293 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Late production"
7238 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Command version"





Scans for 7307 & 7293 by Henk of Holland, used with permission

 

Construction of these four kits is pretty similar. Some have PE parts to replace smaller plastic bits, while others only offer the plastic bits. I've always found this to be an erratic strategy that Dragon seems to follow.
In the same line of erratic behavior lies the fact that we get nice metal gun barrels for the Jagdpanzer L/70 "Early" and "Late", but not for the Command Version, while it had exactly the same gun. Talking about the gun, some of the kits have the corresponding plastic part molded with a step (notch) at the base, while some haven't. For some reason, Dragon changed the molds.
Note that the early Jagdpanzer comes with two types of gun: with and without muzzle brake.
Furthermore, while I believe all Jagdpanzer IVs would have carried Schürzen, only the L/48 and Command version can be built with them. The L/48 even has them twice (PE and plastic). As all kits have the mounting brackets included (and the L/70 "Late" kit would even have you install them), you can at least cover another kit with these skirts.

The sprue for the engine deck is another aberration, as part 3 (a complete engine deck with closed hatches and integrally molded tools) is not for use in any kit. That's not a big deal, as you also get an engine deck with open hatches and separate tools, but I don't see why it would need to be included. Neither did Dragon, it seems, as at some point they blanked off the sprue gate for this part, but in a very non-systematic way:
- not included in the Japgdanzer IV L/48 kit
- included, but marked not for use in the Jagdpanzer L/70 "Early" kit
- not included, but marked as included/not for use in the Jagdpanzer L/70 Late kit. (The manual is thus incorrect.)
- included, but marked as not for use in the Jagdpanzer L/70 Befehl

Sprue E, the one with the Schürzen, also contains hooded vertical exhausts (i.e. the very late type) which are "not for use" in any kit. Nice for the spare's box, or for use on the Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Late" kit.

The manual differs from that of the StuG kits in that it is now of the "line drawing" type.

A note about Zimmeritt.

  1. The Jagdpanzer IV L/48 "Early production": according to my info, most of these L/48 armed vehicles had Zimmerit, which the kit doesn't have. Possible exceptions are the very late ones that had no muzzle break for the L/48 gun. So, either you add Zimmerit, or you go for a late early Jagdpanther.
  2. The Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Early production": according to my info most of these early L/70 armed vehicles, i.e. the ones with four return rollers and no steel roadwheels, had Zimmerit, which the kit doesn't have.

The L/48 kit has four steel return rollers, while the early L/70 kit has four rubber return rollers. I always thought the L/70 came after the L/48 and the rubber wheels before the steel wheels, so this is suspicious, although I can't tell for sure (yet) if this is correct.
The Jagdpanzer IV L/70 kits 7293 and 7238 come with 9 steel roadwheels, while you only need 4 (plus perphaps two spares).

Also note that the upper hull (including the engine deck) is 0.5 to 1.0 mm too high. This shows in the position of the gun mantlet and the size of the small rear additional armor plates.

 

A more detailed discussion about the chronological features of kit 7276 (the L/48 kit) can be found here.

 

Bruce Probst adds the following:

In 2005 (I believe) Dragon released kit 7293 "Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Late Production" which included an aluminium gun barrel.
In 2020 the kit has been re-issued, with the same kit number but different box art and different contents: there is no longer an aluminium barrel but a slide-moulded plastic one instead (which in the kit I purchased seems slightly warped). I believe the original release of the kit also included the plastic barrel (Ed. Note: it did), although my kit also included a large number of alternative wheel hubs (I think?) (in plastic) which are not mentioned anywhere in the instructions (Ed. note: these were already included in the original release).
Unfortunately many retailers seem to have not noticed these changes and still market the more recent kit as if it were the original release, now making it a case of "buyer be alert!".
Although Scalemates claims this kit is number "7293P" that doesn't appear anywhere on the box -- it's just 7293.



Decals and Markings

Decals are by Cartograf and look very good on the sheet.

 

7244 Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel Early version

5 color markings.

  • Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1944, 3-tone camo
  • "Das Reich" Division, Normandy, 1944, 3-tone camo, number 119
  • Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1944, mostly white, but 3-tone camo on barrel and dark yellow fighting compartment
  • "Das Reich" Division, Normandy, 1944, 3-tone camo, number 110 "Clausewitz"
  • 5 Pz.Div., Russia, 1944, 3-tone camo, number 1585

 

7234 Sd.Kfz.164 Hornisse

Scans of manual by Henk of Holland, used with permission

6 color markings and lots of spare numbers in various styles.

  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 525, 3-tone camo, mainly green
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 560, number A2, green over dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 525, number 131, green over dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 525, number 211, 3-tone camo
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 560, number 233, brown over dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 525, number 302, green over dark yellow

 

7292 Nashorn

Scans of manual by Henk of Holland, used with permission

7 color markings and lots of spare numbers in various styles.

  • Unknown unit, overall dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 560, 1943, number 231, brown wavy pattern over dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 519, 1943-44, "Tiger", white over dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88, 1944, white squiggles over dark yellow
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 525, 1944, number 131, 3-tone camo
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 525, 1944, number 214, 3-tone camo
  • s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88, 1944, red heart, green over dark yellow

 

7276 Jagdpanzer IV L/48 "Early production"

Little in the way of markings, but four color schemes nevertheless:

  • Pz.Jg.Abt.228, 116 Pz.Div., Normandy, 1944
  • Pz.Jg.Abt.12, 12 Pz.Div., Normandy, 1944. As far as I know, 12 Pz.Div. was fighting for survival in the Baltic area during 1944. I can only assume that, once again, this is Dragon's PC way to indicate 12 SS Pz.Div. "HJ".
  • Unidentified unit, Germany 1945
  • Pz.Gren.Div. "Hermann Göring", East Prussia, 1945

 

7307 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Early production"

Four marking options are offered:

  • Unidentified unit, Germany, 1945
  • 9 Pz.Div., Hungary, 1945
  • Pz.Div. "Feldhernhalle", Budapest 1945
  • Unidentified unit, Eastern Front, 1945
The last option carries crude stars, either dark grey/green or red, and represents, according to my sources, a vehicle used by the Bulgarians after they switched sides.

 

7293 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Late production"

Five marking options, four of which belong to the crack "unidentified unit":

  • "L01". Unidentified unit, Hungary, 1945. Timothy Lau points out that, if this vehicle existed, it was probably a command vehicle.
  • Unidentified unit, Germany, 1945
  • "322", s.Pz.Abt.665, Germany, 1945
  • "101", Unidentified unit, Germany, 1945. Timothy Lau points out that this is the probably a command vehicle.
  • "221", Unidentified unit, Germany, 1945. Timothy Lau points out that this vehicle is probably what the markings are based on.


Strangely enough, the third, resp. fourth and fifth, option depicts a vehicle from the same unit AND with the same number as the third, resp. first and second, one in kit 7238. They even have the same camouflage pattern, but lack Schürzen in this kit.

 

7238 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 "Command version"

Five marking options, four of which belong to the crack "unidentified unit":

  • "101", Unidentified unit, Germany, 1945. Timothy Lau points out that this is the probably the command vehicle in question.
  • "221", Unidentified unit, Germany, 1945. Timothy Lau points out that this vehicle does not look like a command vehicle.
  • "322", s.Pz.Abt.665, Germany, 1945
  • Unidentified unit, Hungary, 1945
  • Unidentified unit, Hungary, 1945

Strangely enough, the first, resp. second and third, option depicts a vehicle from the same unit AND with the same number as the fourth, resp. fifth and third, one in kit 7293. They even have the same camouflage pattern, but have Schürzen in this kit.

 

7235 StuG IV Early

Seven marking options are provided:

  • 24 Inf.Div., Germany 1945
  • Unknown unit, Gothic Line, Italy, 1944
  • Unknown unit, Eastern Front, Poland, 1944
  • 1 Pz.Div., Hungary, 1945
  • Unknown unit, Lake Balaton area, Hungary, 1945
  • "Elsabeth", 912 StuG Brigade, Kurland, 1945. Timothy Lau points out that this vehicle had both features of an early and of a late StuG IV.
  • Unknown unit, Germany, 1945

I didn't see any difference in the Balkenkreuze marked with (1) and (2), but I am sure there must be a reason to distinguish between them.

 

7260 StuG IV Late

In my opinion this kit is a rip-off when it comes to markings. All you get is two marking options ("Yugoslavia, Spring 1945" and "Unknown Unit, Germany, 1945") and only four Balkenkreuze. OK, you only need three, so you have something to add to your spare's box, but I've become used to a wider choice.
Remarkably, the sheet is marked as "7235", which would imply that it was originally meant for the "early" StuG.

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Article Last Updated:
18 December 2011
13 March 2013