The turret is similarly moulded with slide-mold technology, and has a nice weld seam around the top plate. The flame cut detail on the edges of the armor plates is nicely represented. The detail is crisp, with no visible flash. The upper and lower hulls are moulded using slide-mold technology. The kit comes packed with each sprue in a separate plastic bag, in a sturdy cardboard box, with a cardboard divider separating the hull parts from the other sprues, as is typical for Hobby Boos and Trumpeter kits. The instructions are laid out in 12 steps, with large, exploded-assembly diagrams. The kit consists of twelve sprues, an upper and lower hull, a turret, a small photo-etch fret and a decal sheet. While the prototype was supposed to use the Panzer IV J turret, it is not unreasonable to expect that the simplified turret would end up on the production vehicles. It does not include things normally found on a production vehicle, such as headlights, tools and tow ropes. The kit represents a prototype Pz.Kpfw.III/IV auf Einheitsfahrgestell with the Krupp simplified turret. The idea was dropped in July, 1944 when the decision was made to discontinue Panzer IV production. The turret would have thicker armor than the turret of the Panzer IV ausf J, and be cheaper to build. However, the lower hull design was retained for the Panzer IV Lang (Jagdpanzer IV L/70).Īround the same time that the Pz.Kpfw.III/IV auf Einheitsfahrgestell was being developed, Krupp was working on a simplified turret for the Panzer IV. 20-01 (Paper Panzers), three prototypes were built between March and July, 1944, when the project was discontinued. The tank would be equipped with the Panzer IV ausf J turret and schurzen plates covering the upper parts of the running gear.Īccording to Panzer Tracts No. The resulting chassis would be used for both a medium tank and tank destroyer. The Pz.Kpfw.III/IV auf Einheitsfahrgestell (which roughly translates as Panzer III/IV standard chassis) was a proposal made in January, 1944 to combine the best parts of the Panzer III and Panzer IV into one vehicle, with sloped armor and efficiencies in assembly to make this cheaper and quicker to produce.