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I picked up a Battlefront Panzer IV very cheap today. It's missing a few parts so I'm looking for inspiration to convert it into something else.

Any ideas appreciated.



This is a possibility, does anyone know anything about it?

George Spiggott wrote:I picked up a Battlefront Panzer IV very cheap today. It's missing a few parts so I'm looking for inspiration to convert it into something else.

Any ideas appreciated.



This is a possibility, does anyone know anything about it?

You mean this?











From previous research it seems to have been a one-off conversion for Bory Airfield, near Pilsen, as a mobile flak gun.

However that could be wrong. There was also a vehicle collection point at Pilsen after the war so it may have come from somewhere else. Whats interesting is that there were actually two of these conversions at Bory Airfield.

I have also recently unearthed a picture of one in Holland, sadly I dont have that online. I suspect they were indeed field conversion to provide a mobile 88 similar to the trialled 88mm flak tank on a lengthened Panzer IV hull - the 8.8cm Flak auf Sonderfahrgestell.

The Germans were notorious for field conversions, plenty of them on various Panzer chassis.



Im wanting to do this one...

There are several variants you could convert the Panzer IV into.

You could make it into a "Munitionsschlepper fur Kalgerat" Ammunition Carrier.

an "Bergepanzer IV" tank recovery vehicle. Battlefront used to sell this model but have not lately.

There is a very interesting variant called "Infantrie Strumsteg auf Fahrgestall Panzerkampfwagen IV" infantry assault bridge on tracked chassis. it has an extendable bridge very much like the large firetruck ladders.

an "Bruckenleger IV" a bridge layer for tracked vehicles to cross over, alot like the modern tank bridge layers.

There is a variant that has an anti-aircraft turret very much like the ball turret on the bottom of the B-17 bombers "Leichte Flakpanzer IV (3cm) 'Kugelblitz'"

there is a variant "10.5 cm leFH18/1(Sf) auf Geschutzwagen IVb (Sd Kfz 165/1) where the turret is a removeable and towable howitzer.

you can probably find pics of these online somewhere. You could also make it into a wrecked objective marker.

I use a hard to find book "Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two by Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle. I highly recommend this book for the FOW German Panzer enthusiast.

Hope this helps

You could model a toilet on top of it. Oh wait, that's not THAT thread...

Some good pics and ideas, thanks.

10.5 cm leFH18/1(Sf) auf Geschutzwagen IVb (Sd Kfz 165/1)

This seems interesting.



I have a spare 105mm gun, I just need to scratch build a turret.

George Spiggott wrote:Some good pics and ideas, thanks.

10.5 cm leFH18/1(Sf) auf Geschutzwagen IVb (Sd Kfz 165/1)

This seems interesting.



I have a spare 105mm gun, I just need to scratch build a turret.

My bad on the names. There were two kinds of prototypes made like this. One is the "10.5 cm leFH18/1(Sf) auf Geschutzwagen IVb (Sd Kfz 165/1)" eight of these were made and the "10.5 leFH18/1 L/28 auf Waffentrager GW IVb" also known as the "Heuschrecke 10" with three prototypes built. the Heuschrecke 10 is the variant with a turret that can be mounted on a pad with wheels. It has a gantry built onto the tank while the Sd Kfz 165/1 does not have the gantry on it.

Were you able to find some of the pics of it with the turret off? There are several shots of it in the book I mentioned. The howitzer wheels are mounted on the rear of the tank while the turret is on it. There is a kind of gantry that is attached to the tank to allow it to lift the turret and place it on a mounting pad that the wheels go on to become thetowable howitzer.

Can't wait to see how it turns out. I would very much like to know the details of your construction after you build it. I want to make one myself someday.

Here is a scan of the page from the book showing the different angles of this variant.

Hope this helps

D.

Yes... None ever saw service though... They built three prototypes and then it got cancelled.

Cool vehicle though.

I'd make an interesting Wespe proxy. The Flak 88 Pzr IV looks easier to make though. I can buy a FiB blister of 88s and split the contents between a number of projects.

I'd go with a Bergepanzer IV. They're useful in game terms, aren't they?

I've already got a Bergepanzer III (the origonal BF one) from way back. I don't use it often.

Ok, so here a couple I found:

28/32 cm Raketenwerfer auf Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D Fahrgestell
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/5437862237/
A panzer IV ausf D chassis equipped with a protected rack for launching the 21cm "wurfkorper". It had no turret but an aditional protected cabin for the rocket operator. The date of this projekt is 1943, unfortunately I have no more data on the manufacturer or other performances.

And the Panzer IV Munitionsschlepper Panzer IV E-D