Panzer IV / M113 kitbash

[mkhulu]

Chris and I both are.......  

Kit - Growing old is compulsory; growing up is optional  

Some PSR'ing last night , again on engine grills and driver hatch.

Hopefully by this weekend I will have the PSR finished (touch wood) and finished scratch building exhausts

Relating to the MG mount for the TC - not going with a Fliegerbeschussgerät.

Decided to mount a Browing 0.5" MG topside on the original Panzer IV Ausf D commander cupola.

[mkhulu]

I guess it's good making mistakes now rather than later  

Noticed yesterday that several of the side panels were not level   Removed and inserted new side panels

Hoping to start the turret base this afternoon as well as the hull PSR'ing

[mkhulu]

Hull PSR completed - first time I used Milliput Superfine. Pleasantly surprised.

Added periscopes for the driver - none of that direct vision slots for my whif 

Now I had a thought regarding the length of the M113 chassis - there is too little space for the driver hatch !

Hence I have decided to add a 6th road wheel - I made a cut between the drive sprocket and 1st (of the original 5) road wheel.

I will use a road wheel from the 1/35 Academy M163 Vulcan SPAAG kit.

Thank goodness this kit also have  individual track links included - I will use additional links from this kit for the lengthened Panzer IV Ausf D / M113 kitbash tracks.

[mkhulu]

It's looking grand - well I hope so 

Made a 1.5cm extension - road wheels to be added tomorrow (do not have access to my 1/35 stash at the moment)

I think I like PSR 

Still undecided with regards to the positioning of the driver's hatch

[mkhulu]

Some photos

Original configuration - you will see that the space for the driver's hatch is kind of limited ....



So I took my CMK saw and started sawing  

You will see the opening for the additional road wheel



Another angle



After PSR'ing the gaps last night - putty used was Milliput Superfine. Still to be sanded this afternoon



I am open to suggestions regarding on how to position the driver's hatch. I am stumped for ideas at the moment - a case of whiffer's block  

So let yer ideas be as plentiful  

[mkhulu]

Progress this afternoon - raided the 1/35 M163 Vulcan kit for its road wheels - seems PSR is still to continue but hey I enjoy it 

[NARSES2]

Those photos make you appreciate the work you have put in 

[frank2056]

That looks great!
For the driver's hatch, two ideas:
- flat, forward opening hatch, as seen on some early war tanks, like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/4792449995/
- Add a sloped glasis plate, then add a cylindrical driver's tunnel with a hatch on top; similar to the "pulpit" on an M7 Priest.

Sort of like this quick and dirty edit I did of your model pic:



Or a combination of the two - sloped glacis with a flat, upwards opening hatch.

[Gondor]

The angular version works best as it is in keeping with the rest of the tank.

Gondor

[rickshaw]

Can I suggest a third alternative?  late Marder IIIs and early Nashorns/Hummels on some versions had a "penthouse" style driver's compartment on a sloping glacis plate.   While in the Nashorns/Hummels this was eliminated as the war progressed in favour of a driver/co-driver compartment which stretch across the glacis, it continued in the late Marder IIIs.  It would be easier to manufacturer than your curved driver's compartment and theoretically stronger (curved plates are weaker than flat ones). This is what I mean:





Such a penthouse allows for a sloping glacis - inherently stronger and thicker (in real terms) although it is more difficult to manufacturer because a hole has to be cut in the sloping glacis and the penthouse fabricated but it is stronger than a curved plate.  However, both the penthouse and the curved plate you've proposed introduces a weak point in the glacis itself by needing a hole to be cut into it.

Another alternative, which removes the disadvantages and confers advantages is the Panther/Tiger II approach.  A sloping glacis which may be slightly steeper but allows a separate drivers compartment.  The driver is provided with periscopes, rather than a direct vision slit.  This removes the weakness of the penthouse/curved plate and still makes a greater effective thickness of glacis plate by sloping it.   So, perhaps instead of having a stepped upper glacis, as you have in the second photo, continue the lower of the two upper glacis plates to its natural height as a single angle (if that makes sense) and then place a horizontal flat plate extending forward from the superstructure to form the driver's comparment.   This would also allow either a co-driver or the additional space to be used for ammunition stowage.

[MilitaryAircraft101]

I personally like rickshaw's idea...

[mkhulu]

Ta all for the ideas  

Going the Marder route .

Progress today - the hatch is not level - just propping it up in order to clicky it with my camera for ye

Periscopes are from the KIFV kit.

Side view



Top side view

[rickshaw]

I'd take it higher up the glacis, almost to the top.  Otherwise you might find your driver doesn't have much leg room, particularly with the transmission there to the front drive sprockets.    Its starting to look good though.   

[frank2056]

I like the penthouse idea, but I agree that you want to move it all the way to the top of the glacis - unless you're hiring legless or height challenged drivers. If you have a seated figure in that scale, put him inside the tank and see how much clearance he has. Consider the thickness of the armor plate and assume that the drive wheel axle casing is going to be about 1/2 the diameter of the wheel and the transmission is going to be almost as wide.

[MilitaryAircraft101]

A slight offset too might I add. Looks great mate.