Panzer Tracts No. 4-3: Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. H/J, 1943-1945

Book Specifics

Authors: Hilary Louis Doyle, Lukas Friedli, and Thomas L. Jentz

Vol. 55

Price- $26.46

ISBN 978-1-915969-00-2

Softcover, 86 pages with 92 photos and 26 pages of 1/10, 1/20, and 1/35 scale CAD drawings

What's Inside

Informative text and detailed photos and scale CAD drawings abound inside! Anyone into modeling armor is well versed in the amazing products coming out from Panzerwrecks- and they now publish the Panzer Tracts series- so let's get right to it! The contents include:

1. Introduction
2. Pz.Kpfw.IV (7,5cm) (Sd.Kfz.161/2), Ausführung H
3. Pz.Kpfw.IV (7,5cm) (Sd.Kfz.161/2), Ausführung J
4. Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV
5. Panzerbefehlswagen IV
6. Firepower and Survivability on the Battlefield
7. Operational and Organizational History
8. Export of Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H and Ausf.J

While the book focuses on the Pz. IV at the sunset of its combat career, the details inside are impressive as it focuses on the three assembly firms of Vomag, Krupp, and NiWerk. The book is a culmination of 50 years of research through private and public archives, including hours of measuring surviving Pz. IV examples to create the CAD drawings in 1/35, 1/20, and 1/10 scale. From the Panzerwrecks website is this addition: "An outstanding discovery was a surviving Drahtgeflechtschürzen which revealed further details that are documented for the first time and will require the updating of existing model kits. Chassis number analysis has led to an updated production history." The text is scattered throughout the various marks and include thorough analyses.

Descriptions include overviews of production changes, as well as improvements made after delivery as flaws and modifications were realized in combat situations. The text is backed up with series of clear photographs that alternate between full page and two per page formats. The 26 pages of the multi-view CAD drawings include also close-up drawings of the various Schürzen and their support brackets, as well as the pre-cleaner system and the sternantenne.

As is usual, the best part of these types of books are the photos inside. I have included a sampling of them- but they provide endless inspiration for your current or future builds and give some interesting ideas for scenes in your vignettes or dioramas. The 84 pages listed on the Panzerwrecks page do not include the insides of the front and rear covers, as well as the amazing chart on the rear cover itself so technically there are 87 pages! 

I'd love to see more on this scheme...

Conclusion

The Panzer Tracts series from new publishers Panzerwrecks include reworked images, and a refined layout. If amazing reference photos of the Pz. IV in action and at rest, and scale CAD drawings are your thing, this book will be right up your alley. The authors might even be known to some of you! All jokes aside though, this is a must have and look for reviews of other books in this series from other review crew members soon!

Highly Recommended for anyone interested in the venerable Panzer IV.

Thanks goes out to Panzerwrecks for this review sample.

Reviewed by Michael Reeves

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