With the number 35374 Tamiya brings the Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F.
Here, too, there is a successful surprise from Tamiya, because even if you think at first glance: "Ah, Panzer IV, Tamiya, I know it, old hat", then it's not the old classic that everyone knows, namely the decade-old Ausf.D, but the completely new and in current quality coming Ausf.F, which is the last version with the short L / 24 cannon - often also known as the F1 version.
In the box we find 7 dark gray and one light gray sprue, the lower tub, textile rope material, wire, polycaps and a decal sheet.
As usual, the quality of the injection molded parts is excellent and clean. The detailing is good, as is typical of Tamiyas.
The lower hull is in one piece, so that it is particularly helpful for beginners, as it makes assembly much easier. Like the tub sides, they still have nice, clean and crisp details
The distinctive Panzer IV drive is shown quite well and with relatively few parts. The individual wheel stations with the two wheel mounts, leaf spring and tub base are one-piece, which is super easy and pleasant to assemble, while being quite detailed but not moveable - but on the one hand this is not necessary because immovable segment chains are also included and on the other hand that's not Tamiya’s claim at all.
The rollers are made up of two individual rollers and the hub cover and are sprayed clean and with good details. And it is also very pleasant that these set on just one sprue, i.e. I keep the work of separating and overcasting within limits. Unfortunately, the rubber lining is completely smooth without any manufacturer imprint - Tamiya's claim to this extremely fine super detailing has never been here either, but it would simply make a better impression overall if a few fine details were to be found here.
On the other hand, I notice that the drive wheels are really exceptionally well made - here I can almost see a cast structure on the webs to the outer rim and the cover!
The tracks consists in large parts of long segments and a few individual links for the revolutions around the idler and drive wheel. The individual links contained here are cleanly sprayed and provided with two sprues. The optics are definitely excellent, just with the open guide tooth.
The segments are beautifully represented both inside and outside with the corresponding details but unfortunately there is actually one or the other ejection point on the inside of the segments - a bit of a shame. The upper chain strand is made up of 10 shorter and longer segments corresponding and realistic chain slack - very commendable, especially since these can be assembled foolproof on an enclosed construction aid and then lie exactly on the support rollers and realistically sag in between.
The upper hull is also made up of a one-piece cover plate with all the openings for the engine hatches, as well as the driver and radio hatch and the body side walls. The details here are really beautiful and finely presented. As I said, the hatches are included individually and can be built open or closed - but, as is so often the case, "open" only makes sense if you are installing interior fittings yourself, because there is none in the kit itself.
The engine hatches are fortunately included in two versions, the early version as a closed plate and the later version with the air slots.
We also find really beautiful and finely structured weld seams on all the metal sheets of the superstructure.
The tracks cover plates are shown as two parts on each side and have a beautiful corrugated structure that is finely and sharply injected.
The tool kit, which is attached to the chain plates, looks pretty good so far and has already cast on the brackets. The tow rope can be represented with the plastic thimbles with fiber-free textile rope - it's not as nice as a twisted copper rope, but it is enough.
The turret is astonishingly composed of several side parts that are attached to the base plate - unusual for Tamiya and certainly a bit more challenging for beginners than a finished upper part of the tower. Could of course be an indication that Tamiya has plans in the back of her mind for further variants.
The 7.5cm stub cannon is made up of a relatively large number of parts, which also include the cover and the inner workings of the cannon including a beautiful case bag. The pipe itself is only shown on the outside with the end piece open at the front - so it is not a continuous pipe.
The tower cover plate looks very nice and has fine welds on the edges. the distinctive countersunk screws are unfortunately a little under-detailed, because it actually only looks like simple, round indentations.
The rear stowage box is made up of several parts and has some very nice rivet details.
The hatches in the tower can all be built open or closed - but here too, despite the interior detailing of the cannon shown, the tower is basically empty inside. Therefore open hatches are better only if you put or put a figure in the open hatch - and while we are on the subject, Tamiya would not be Tamiya if this kit had not included at least 3 suitable figures. These are injection-molded figures made of a few parts with very nice poses and good details. There are even two different heads for one figure. The faces of the figures are expressive and neatly modeled and sprayed. From the poses, one figure is for the commander's cupola and the other two for the respective side hatches in the tower.
As usual, the instructions are in the typical perfect Tamiya style, which is clearly structured from front to back and shows the construction of the model in 35 construction stages with great drawings and explanations. There shouldn't be any confusion here.
Another extra sheet on glossy paper shows historical information about the original in several languages and finally the 2 color profiles for marking and painting, which are possible together with the enclosed and neatly printed decal sheet.
The suggested variants are:
Turret number 416, 14th Panzer Division, Southern Russia, summer 1942, in plain dark gray
5th Armored Division, Central Russia in dark yellow with khaki stripes
The kit really knows how to please, and closes a gap in the Panzer IV family from Tamiya. Highly recommended for quick and enjoyable handicraft fun.
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