History for the modeler

            The correct designations for this vehicle are Panzer IV/70 (A), Panzerwagen 604/9 (7.5 cm Pak 42 (L70)).  According to Thomas Jentz’s, the term “Jagdpanzer” was never actually used by the Germans during the war.  This vehicle and related types were originally and officially lumped in with the open top, lightly armored Marder vehicles under the term “Panzerjager”.  Presently, Jagdpanzer is the common expression for historians and modelers to differentiate these low profile, heavily armored tank destroyers from the open top Marder type vehicles, and that is how I will use it in this review.

            The Jagdpanzer IV was envisioned to be a tank destroyer version of the Pz IV tank able to carry the Panther tank’s superb 7.5 cm L70 gun in a low, well-armored superstructure.  Ideally, these would have replaced the Stug III and Stug IV, which was never realized.  The first JgPz IV to see action was actually armed with a version the Pz IV’s 7.5 cm L48 gun, not an ideal solution.  In August of 1944 the long gunned variants were produced.  (So no Pz IV/70’s apparently seeing action in early Normandy or Byelorussia campaigns.) 

Of the three major variants of the Jagdpanzer IV, the company Alkett produced this particular version, hence the “A” designation after the caliber number.  (The other version is the Pz IV/70(V), produced by Vomag.)  Comparing the Alkett and Vomag versions, the difference is extremely obvious.  Alkett attached the sloped armor superstructure of the Vomag version atop the regular Pz IV tank chassis!  The reason for this is not so obvious.  The fuel tanks of the regular Pz IV tank are under the crew floor (ever notice those filler caps on the side above the roadwheels?).  The Vomag modified the chassis and moved the fuel tanks to allow the main gun to elevate with a lower superstructure.  Alkett, by placing the superstructure on an unmodified Panzer IV chassis, had to make superstructure higher in order for the gun to elevate adequately.

Of 278 Pz IV/70 (A) vehicles produced, the first 50 apparently had Zimmerit coating though I have not seen any photos of these.

The conversion & construction

This is one of LEVA’s early conversion kits, but is still very nice.  Displayed above are the tan and green resin parts.  Included are a solid superstructure, nine steel-rimmed roadwheels for the front stations & a spare, a well molded gun & mantlet, Flammentoeter mufflers, gun travel lock, superstructure lift-hooks for the corners, gun-cleaning rods, and mg-port cover.  The superstructure is with an open loaders hatch, drivers viewport molded on, the MG-42 machine gun port, and well-done weld seams for the interlocking armor.  Also included is a rooftop fitting for the MP44 rifle with the 90 degree curved barrel for ridding yourself of those pesky assaulting infantry.  My references do not show this feature on the production vehicles though.

            Above is the LEVA conversion being assembled atop the Hasegawa Panzer IV chassis.  The Hasegawa superstructure had to be cut away first and filed down to adjust the fit.  The periscope covers are etched-brass from Extra Tech.  Tools are scratchbuilt, molded on the Hasegawa kit, ESCI parts, and MarS resin accessories. 

The PART etched-brass tracks are folded and ready for painting.  I used the Panzer III tracks which were long enough to use with the Pz IV and still with a little extra  for the spare links carried.  The PART Pz IV tracks are considerably longer than the Pz III track set and come with small pieces to glue onto each link to make the tracks more accurate in scale-thickness.  True the tracks look a little thin, but considering that styrene plastic and rubber band tracks are typically too thick, this is acceptable to me.  The beautiful relief and hollow guide teeth outweigh any drawbacks in my oppinion.  Folding them, and connecting the ends is easy.

The completed LEVA-Hasegawa conversion in a mini-diorama set in March-April 1945.  The gunner’s periscope is scratchbuilt from styrene rod, the tow cable from coarse thread.  Paints used were Poly-S and Model Master acrylics with an Iwata Eclipse airbrush.  The PART brass tracks were painted first with dark gray enamel auto-primer, followed by a light dust coating with the rest of the model, then rubbing the high spots and guide teeth with a graphite pencil to represent wear.  The only markings are 1/72 scale crosses and a tactical marking from Archer Fine Transfers.

Conclusion

Overall I am very pleased with the conversion and the final model.  Assembly was straightforward though detailing can be a challenge.  For those interested, scratchbuilt wire-mesh side skirts can be added.  The LEVA conversion was originally designed for the old ESCI Pz IV though the Hasegawa and Revell kits are more accurate and detailed.  Only Revell has respectable kit tracks.