1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", Ardennenoffensive, early 1945

Dizzyfugu · February 08, 2016, 03:24:01 AM

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161. The Panzer IV was not originally intended to engage enemy armor—that role being allocated to the Panzer III. However, with the inadequacy of the Panzer III becoming apparent and in the face of Soviet T-34 tanks, the Panzer IV soon assumed the original role of its increasingly vulnerable cousin.
The Panzer IV saw service in all combat theaters involving Germany and was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war, with over 8,800 produced between 1936 and 1945. Upgrades and design modifications, intended to counter new threats, extended its service life.

>1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Panzer IV was partially succeeded by the Panther medium tank, which was introduced to counter the T-34, although the Panzer IV continued as a significant component of German armored formations to the end of the war. Modifications of the late production versions (the H and J variants), with ever more added armor, meant that the tank's weight increased to 25 tonnes (27.56 short tons) and more. In spite of a new six-speed SSG 77 transmission borrowed from the Panzer III, cross country speed dropped to as low as 16 km/h (10 mph) on anything but hard, level surfaces.

The Ausf. J was the final production model, and was greatly simplified compared to earlier variants to speed construction, and it was generally considered a retrograde from the Ausf. H. Born of German necessity to replace heavy losses, it was greatly simplified to speed production. The electric generator that powered the tank's turret traverse was removed, so the turret had to be rotated manually. The space was used for the installation of an auxiliary 200-litre (53 US gal) fuel tank; road range was thereby increased to 320 km (200 mi).

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Starting in early 1944, Rheinmetall placed a bid to augment the Panzer IV's firepower: an attempt was made to mate a so-called "Schmalturm" turret — carrying the longer 75 mm (2.95 in) L/70 tank gun from the developing Panther Ausf. F tank design — to a modified Panzer IV hull, resulting in the "Ausf. K" or, inofficially, the "Karl" variant.
This version was actually less of a new serial production variant. But it was rather an upgrade kit. mounted on damaged, recovered and reconditioned Panzer IVs, since a change of the production lines would interrupt the ongoing, already limited output of the Ausf. H and J. Production of the modified tank was carried out by Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia.

The Schmalturm offered an enhanced front armor (100mm vs. the Panzer IV's original 80mm), improved ballistic protection and an extended front hull roof which was slightly thicker. It also had a built-in stereoscopic rangefinder — using twin matching armored blisters, one on each turret side, much like the Americans' post-war M47 Patton tank — and a lower weight than the original turrets.

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Another benefit was the bigger size of the new turret. It not only offered sufficient space for the new gun, a crew of three and an ammunition bunker, theoretically it would have even been possible to mount the bigger 8,8cm KwK 43 gun from the Tiger I - even though this might have totally brought the Panzer IV's chassis beyond its limits.

But the "Karl" update was not limited to the new, bigger turret. It also comprised a slightly more powerful engine, a new hydraulic transmission that could better cope with the increased all-up weight and a package with new, sloped front and side walls that replaced sections of the original armor and improved the ballistic protection, especially for the front. The Panzer IV chassis and the engine installation remained unchanged, even though both had come to their weight limits for an effective operational use of the tank.

During the winter of 1944–45, the Panzer IV was one of the most widely used tanks in the Ardennes offensive (Battle of the Bulge), where further heavy losses—as often due to fuel shortages as to enemy action—impaired major German armored operations in the West thereafter.

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Panzer IVs that took part were survivors of the battles in France between June and September 1944, with around 260 additional Panzer IV Ausf. Js and 40 Panzer IV Ausf. Ks issued as reinforcements. This deployment was the new version's first combat participation and it confirmed the higher effectiveness of the new gun and the improved armor.

Due to its compact size the Panzer IV Ausf. K proved to be better suited for urban combat than the bigger (yet faster and more agile) Panther with the same gun, even though the new turret' higher and bigger silhouette through and the raised center of gravity turned out to be a slight tactical weakness, compared with the earlier Panzer IV versions.

Until the end of hostilities, roundabout 160 former Panzer IV H & J were updated to the Ausf. K standard and exclusively operated by German troops.

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Specifications:
Crew: Five (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner)
Weight: 28.0 tonnes (30.9 short tons; 27.5 long tons)
Length: 5.92 metres (19 ft 5 in); 7.74 metres (25 ft 4 1/4 in) gun forward
Width: 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.66 metres (8 ft 8 3/4 in) w/o AA machine gun
Suspension: Leaf spring
Ground clearance: 495 to 510 mm (1 ft 7.5 in to 1 ft 8.1 in)
Fuel capacity: 520 l (192 US gal)

Armor:
20–100 mm (0.8 – 4 in)

Performance:
Speed:
- Maximum, road: 39 km/h (24 mph)
- Sustained, road: 25 km/h (16 mph)
- Cross country: 16 km/h (10 mph)
Operational range: 320 km (200 mi
Power/weight: 12 PS/t

Engine:
12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM V12 with 340 PS (344 hp, 244 kW)

Transmission:
Hydrauilc SSG 77H transmission (six forward and one reverse ratios)

Armament:
1× 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70, with 85 rounds
3× 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34; one co-axial with the gun, one in the front bow
and provision for an AA machine gun on the commander's cupola (total 3.200 rounds)

The kit and its assembly:
A whif tank, born from an incomplete Wirbelwind AA tank (missing turret :-/) and the Schmalturm from a Panther Ausf. F, both Hasegawa kits. Even though fictional, the Panzer IV/Schmalturm combo was actually tested in 1944 (as mentioned in the background), but it was rejected because the heavy turret was too much for the already stressed Panzer IV chassis. But that does not stop proceedings in Whifworld, does it?

Besides, the idea of revamped/recovered tanks back in service on a large scale is not far-fetched, especially concerning the Panzer IV: Many self-propelled guns or all the Wirbelwind and Möbelwagen AA tanks were actually 2nd hand Panzer IVs.

Fitting the Schmalturm was easier than expected, since the adapter diameters in the Panzer IV hull and the Schmalturm's attachment are the same! Only the Panzer IV hull's roof had to be levelled, because the new turret has a larger diameter and base. The Panther's turret was taken almost OOB, I just replaced the plastic gun barrel with a more crisp white metal piece, which necessitated an additional gun mantle.
In order to update the Panzer IV even more I also implanted a new front and side armor, getting rid of the original vertical walls that made it pretty vulnerable. These are simple styrene sheets of 1mm and 0.5mm strength, cut to size and blended together and with the hull with some putty.
Mirror visors for driver and co-driver were scratched, so that the new front has no openings and weak points anymore.

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A new machine gun opening was added (left over from a Trumpeter Königstiger) and around the hull some tools were added since the new armor occupies the space on top of the mud guards, where formerly most of the stuff was carried. As a consequence, the spare wheels and their rack went to the rear end and I added some spare track pieces from the scrap box to turret and front end.

Tracks and wheels were taken OOB, and painting all those wheels separately was rather annoying... But everything went together really well.

Painting and markings:
As a revamped vehicle I wanted a rather simplistic and improvised paint scheme – the idea behind the scheme is that the tank would leave the factory in its primer livery, and receive quick/minimal field cammo with whatever was at hand.

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Consequently, the kit received in an initial step an overall coat with RAL 3009 (Oxidrot), which comes close to the German red lead priming coat of the era. It is the authentic RAL tone, from a rattle can – a pretty intensive tone! In real life the paint will probably have had a rather pinkish hue because paints were stretched with cheap, white lead pigments and other fillers.

On top of that, fields/streaks of Sandgelb (Humbrol 94 comes close) were brushed, and finally some darker stains with a dark red brown (Humbrol 173, Scenic Track Color) and mottles with Sandgelb added – a kind of minimalistic variant of the contemporary Hinterhalt scheme. The long gun barrel was counter-shaded with a sand yellow underside, another detail from late war tanks. Actually, this improvised, mottled scheme even has a real benchmark: a late war Jagdtiger in this odd livery I found in literature was the benchmark.

A dark brown wash was used to simulate dirt all over the hull and emphasize details. Then the few decals were applied and the whole kit received several tours with light dry-brushing in Dark Earth, and Light Grey. After sealing everything with matt acrylic varnish, wheels and tracks were mounted and the lower hull sections were stained with wetted pigments (simulating mud) and a "coat" of dry pigments dusted between the wheels and on the mudguards.

1:72 SdKfz. 161 "Panzer IV, Ausf. K (Karl)", during the Ardennenoffensive (a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge), early 1945 (Whif/Hasegawa kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Not the first of its kind, but a relatively simple but effective conversion of the Panzer IV – partly thanks to the unexpected interchangeability of the Hasegawa kit parts. The paint scheme looks weird and almost like a desert camouflage, but somehow very German, too.

Captain Canada · February 08, 2016, 03:45:58 AM

Love the paint scheme on this one ! The pics sure make it real...especially the black and white ones !

Gondor · February 08, 2016, 04:43:20 AM

Very nice indeed, the next step in the tanks evolution

Gondor

PR19_Kit · February 08, 2016, 04:47:55 AM

I don't understand it, but it looks good and wholly believable.

Old Wombat · February 08, 2016, 05:24:57 AM

I don't work in mini-scale (1/72) but that's a great build, Dizzy!

Quite believable, too, as the sloped armour would weigh less than a similar thickness armour angled to the original hull shape, thereby making the improved armour less of a burden on the over-worked drive-train than might otherwise have been the case.

Sweet!

PS: I can see Allied tankers panicking when they see it, in the belief that they're facing a Panther (& screwing up their initial ranging shots).

Dizzyfugu · February 08, 2016, 05:43:21 AM

Thank you, gentlemen.

I think this one turned out well - not only the construction part of the project, but also the livery and the weathering.

It's not the first build of this kind - the Panzer IV with sloped armor has been built/whiffed several times before, I was amazed to find out while working on the conversion. Anyway, the Schmalturm is a novelty, AFAIK, and even though it's relatively large for the Panzer IV hull it works, IMHO.

NARSES2 · February 08, 2016, 06:34:17 AM

I like that and feel it's a far more logical use of resources then some of the actual projects worked on. Makes a nice looking late war tank

Dizzyfugu · March 04, 2016, 04:14:37 AM

Short thread revival - Russia struck again and took inspiration in the model...

https://translate.google.de/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Falternathistory.com%2Falternativnye-srednie-tanki-pzkpfw-iv-ausf-k-karl-germaniya&edit-text=

Interesting how idea spin further and around the world?

Weaver · March 04, 2016, 04:25:57 AM

Nice one Dizzy - very believeable and the pics are excellent.

Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 08, 2016, 04:47:55 AM
I don't understand it, but it looks good and wholly believable.

It's like a slow train that can go in any direction Kit....

DogfighterZen · March 10, 2016, 11:01:45 AM

What a great looking beast! I had to see the build pics to know it's a bash... Great build and pics, as always!