Tamiya 35096 - 1:35 Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf.D

Plastic model kit of the German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.D medium tank in 1:35 scale

The Panzer IV Ausf.D represents the early support version of a tank that would go on to become the most numerous German fighting vehicle of the Second World War. The short 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun was intended above all to destroy firing positions, anti-tank guns and fortifications, while the job of fighting enemy tanks fell at that time to the Panzer III.

Tamiya 35096 comes from a 1977 mould and captures the distinctive shape of the early Panzer IV: the angular hull with its stepped front plate, the turret with the external gun mantlet and the running gear with eight small road wheels per side, suspended in pairs on leaf springs. The turret rotates once assembled.

What is in the box:

• Plastic parts for the hull, turret and running gear
• Vinyl band tracks
• Three figures
• Decal sheet for four marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35096
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Length when built: approx. 169 mm
• Skill level: beginner

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. This is a kit for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The kit is classic and clearly engineered, with the parts fit typical of Tamiya, which makes it a good choice as one of the first tanks in a collection. The running gear with its many small road wheels needs the most attention - aligning them carefully gives the tracks a natural run. The vinyl band tracks are joined with cyanoacrylate glue.

German grey (e.g. Tamiya XF-63 German Grey) is right for the France 1940 and Balkans 1941 options, while the Afrika Korps vehicle calls for desert sand (e.g. XF-59 Desert Yellow). Decals go down best over a gloss coat, which limits silvering, and a matt varnish suits the finished tank. A wash will emphasise the rivets, hatches and turret detail, and pigments can add dust to the fenders and running gear.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the vinyl band tracks
• Brushes in various sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Wash to bring out details and recesses
• Optional: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the vehicle - Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.D:

The Panzer IV was designed in the 1930s as a support tank, armed with a short 7.5 cm gun firing at low muzzle velocity. Its task was to destroy strongpoints, anti-tank guns and fortifications, while the Panzer III dealt with enemy armour.

The Ausf.D, produced from 1939, introduced among other things the external gun mantlet and thicker side armour. Tanks of this type fought in the French campaign of 1940, in the Balkans in 1941 and in North Africa with the 15th Panzer Division.

Experience on the Eastern Front forced the rearming of the Panzer IV with a long 7.5 cm gun, turning it into a fully capable anti-tank weapon and the main German battle tank until the end of the war. Early short-barrelled versions such as the Ausf.D remain one of the most recognisable images of German armour in the first years of the war.

Original vehicle specifications (Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.D):

• Length: approx. 5.92 m
• Combat weight: approx. 20 t
• Crew: 5
• Main armament: short 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun
• Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns
• Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM petrol, approx. 300 hp
• Top speed: approx. 40 km/h
• Suspension: leaf spring, eight road wheels per side
• Production: 1939-1941

About the manufacturer - Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the heart of the Japanese model industry. It began as a timber business and released its first plastic model kit in 1960. Two years later came the 1:35 scale tank that established this scale as the worldwide standard for military modelling. The brand is known for precise injection moulds, well thought out kit engineering and excellent parts fit, which is why its kits are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike. The Military Miniature Series, to which this kit belongs, runs to hundreds of items covering vehicles, guns and figures from the Second World War and the modern era. Alongside kits, Tamiya offers a full range of modelling accessories: paints, glues, tools and brushes. The company is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable names in the hobby.