OKB Grigorov

Turret for Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.H/Ausf.J Late

This kit preview covers an aftermarket turret set to convert a German Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung H or Ausführung J into a late Pz IV Ausf. J built in the winter of 1944 through the Spring of 1945. This set replaces and upgrades the complete turret for a 1/72 scale Pz. IV Ausf. H or Ausf. J kit such as the Revell Pz IV H kits 03119 and 4184 and Ausf. J kit 03112, the Dragon kit 7497 and Zvezda kit 5017.

Looking at the parts enclosed within several small ziplock bags within a small cardboard box we have 14 cast resin parts on pour plugs, a turned brass 7.5-cm KwK40 gun barrel, and an etched brass fret containing 22 parts (some very tiny parts). (I apologize for the resin color in the photographs; the resin is actually gray, but my camera adjusted the color to be brown.)

Going clockwise, at upper left we have the gun mantlet and recoil housing. Next are two pour plugs holding four turret side doors. At upper right is the late war cupola which I believe is referred to as the Type 3. Rather than lifting on a hinge, the cupola hatch lifts and pivots like the Panther and Tiger cupola hatches. (These cupolas can be bought separately from OKB Grigorov, set 72376.) The cupola has open view ports which is important for modeling the tank in combat. Below the cupola is the turret storage bin with separate brass lid so we can model the bin open. At center bottom are the two MG34 machine gun barrels for the turret and the hull ball mount, and the KwK 40 muzzle brake.

The turret, at lower left, is superbly cast with screw detail, weld seam detail, three Pilze jib crane mounts on the roof, and the four lift hooks on the upper side. The cupola and side door opening are covered by a thin sheet of resin that is easily cut out with a sharp blade if we wish to model the hatches open. If we do model the doors and hatches open we better install some detail inside the turret. The gun mount opening is also blanked over by thin resin which we should cut out in order to mount the gun parts.

The above kit assembly instructions is for OKB sets B72006 and B72007. The instructions look complete and above average for a resin model kit. The parts diagram include reference numbers for the resin parts, but the drawings show parts for set B72006, which is a Pz IV H or an early Pz IV J based on the original style roof vent and the vision port on the turret side doors. The set B72007 is a late Pz IV J turret, but these instructions work fine as the parts are the same or similar. With the mounting of turret Schürzen on the Pz IV G, H and J, the turret door visors and pistol ports, and the pistol ports on the rear wall all became superfluous.

The OKB turret has no Zimmerit coating as this turret type was produced after Zimmerit application ceased. It does have a nice gunsight opening left (our right) of the gun mount.

This 1/72-scale OKB Pz IV J turret and the Pz IV H turret may theoretically be able to be used with the Pz IV H kit from Plastic Soldier Company but the PSC kits I have are all larger than 1/72, no matter what the box states. The ESCI Pz IV Ausf. H kit is not really an Ausf. H; it is closer to an Ausf. F or G, so if we use this turret on the old ESCI/Italeri Pz IV kit we’ll need to add and change a lot of detail.

This turret set B72007 is very similar to OKB Pz IV Ausf. H turret kit B72006. The Ausf. H turret B72006 differs in having visor and pistol ports in the side doors, a cupola hatch that opens upward on a hinge, no Nahverteidigungswaffe close defense weapon on the roof and the earlier style, smaller, roof fan vent.

Above left is a close up of the OKB resin turret for the Pz IV Ausf. J; at right for comparison is the pale gray Dragon Pz IV H turret and the tan color Zvezda Pz IV H turret. All three exhibit the screw detail on the turret roof for fittings on the roof of the turret interior. Left of center on the OKB turret is the enlarged turret fan vent cover. Notice that it has a wedge cut out of it so that it does not cover the adjacent close defense weapon, the Nahverteidigungswaffe, which was a roof mounted, breach-loaded, 360° rotating launcher for small bombs and smoke grenades introduced on late Pz IV and other Panzers. The Dragon turret has a round cover over the Nahverteidigungswaffe location while the Zvezda kit turret has no Nahverteidigungswaffe weapon nor cover.

The plastic Dragon and Zvezda turrets have holes in the turret edge for mounting the turret Schürzen brackets while the OKB turret lacks the mounting point holes. Historical photos show the side hull Schürzen were often removed or lost, but the turret Schürzen were typically left installed on the Pz IV H and J. Neither the Dragon nor Zvezda turret have the three Pilze on the roof, small sockets for setting up a jib boom. The OKB Pz IV H turret B72006 more closely resembles these Zvezda and Dragon turrets.

Revell molds their Pz IV turret more traditionally without slide molding, so while Dragon has a three-piece turret and OKB a two-piece turret, Revell supplies a five-part assembly. This Revell turret from their Ausf. J kit offers the small style vent cover, Pilze sockets, and holes for mounting the turret Schürzen like Dragon and Zvezda. The Revell turret lacks the screw holes on the roof. All three plastic kits include the hinged cupola hatch. (This photo shows the correct gray color of the OKB resin parts.)

Depending on the plastic kit we use we may have to alter or enlarge the turret race on the superstructure.

Conclusion
I find these two resin Pz IV sets to be an excellent upgrade for a late WW2 Pz IV. With some scratchbuilding a skilled modeler could maybe bring the Revell, Dragon or Zvezda kits up to this quality. The open side doors beg for some interior detailing. It takes more than a turret to produce an accurate Pz IV Ausf. J so use your references.

References

• Panzer Tracts No. 4-3, Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. H / Ausf. J, 1943 to 1945, Hilary Louis Doyle. Lukas Friedli, and Thomas Jentz, published by Panzer Tracts (2016).
• Panzer IV vs Sherman France 1944, Duel series #70, Steven J. Zaloga, Osprey Publishing (2015).
• Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. G, H and J 1942-45, New Vanguard #39, Doyle, Jentz & Bryan, Osprey Publishing (2001)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahverteidigungswaffe

This set was purchased by the modeler.

Article Last Updated: 24 May 2020