Hello, I need some help with the bogies and road wheels in this kit.
Are the bogies susposed to articulate, I have assembled (2) sets and find that there is no way to “true” them up horizontally with the lower hull. There seems to be a lot of “slop” in the assemlby, I have Tenaxed everything together and it just doesn’t look right. I would imagine by the time you reached the end of one side, none of the wheels would line up…very disapointing as the kit seems to be well thought out.
Most of the newer Dragon’s PzKpfw IV’s suspensions articulate. I wasn’t sure about the C, but this Language is from the discription on the web site " Realistic suspension w/multiple component actually works like the real vehicle’s." So I’d say yes they areticulate.
I’d assemble the boggies and road wheels and wait to afix them till you’re ready with the track.
There have been a number of Panzer IV build logs on the site - I’d do a search an see how they handled the issue.
Yes, That is the kit, thanks for the reply. I have already glued up (2) bogies (minus wheels) and have sent a request to Dragon to send me the replacement parts…we will see, fingers crossed.
I went ahead and assembled (2) others and left the arctculated parts un-glued and they seem to level out fine.
The suspension is indeed designed to be workable/articulate. It’s one of the complex things about the kit design that makes it a “Super Kit” and was later abandoned on the F1/F2/G “Smart Kits”. The suspension will sit level once the wheels are mounted as the leaf spring design for the road whell pairs will sit level with the wheels in place but not without them mounted.
3rd Placer- you’ve got some work ahead of you- I have this kit in the stash and have been holding off on it due to the sheer # of parts and time required to get it built. Keep us poseted on your progress- I’m curious to see how it builds up as compared to the Smart Kit versions.
I dont’ think you need to worry about the replacement parts. I miffed some PE parts on the Pz IV D ‘3 in 1’ kit and the sent me a new sheet of PE in no time. Good service. This one builds very much like the D kit, I have not done the ‘Smart’ version so I can’t compare but I enjoyed the ’ Pz IV 3 in 1’.
I built the Ausf. D about 18 months ago. although the suspension is designed to articulate, in practice, it makes life much easier if you simply cement everything in place, and makes no difference to the look of the finished product, except maybe if you plan to display it on an irregular surface:
