New First Legion Jagdpanzer IV LW035 opinion (1 Viewer)

[Mastercom10]

First Legion release their Jagdpanzer IV in another version but, unfortunately, always with short gun L/48 equiped with a muzzle bake.
Effectively, it is an earlier version of this Jagdpanzer which is not very widespread for the late war period, notably because muzzle brake
was officially dropped in August 1944.
( there are however some very rare photos of Jagdpanzer IV equiped with muzzle brake in 1945 ).
So, how was the 21 Jagdpanzer IV L/48 received by the 3rd SS panzer division on September 5, 1944 ?.
IMHO, certainly without muzzle brake but probably with zimmerit paste which was dropped in factories only on September 9, 1944.
I hope that First Legion will finally release soon the longer gun L/70 (V) version so that we have an accurate 1st SS panzer division Jagdpanzer
for the Battle of the Bulge ( this panzer division had 21 Jagdpanzer IV only with longer L/70 gun during this battle ).

 

[tmanthegreat]

I’ve got to agree with you concerning your thoughts on the upcoming FL Jagdpanzer IV L/48 repaint. I do know survivors of this early type were still in use well into 1945, but like you said, they’d likely have zimmerit paste and the muzzle breaks would be removed by that point. From what I understand, the zimmerit paste was applied to the production Jagdpanzer L/48 series vehicles and on the very early production Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V) vehicles up to September 1944. All subsequent vehicles did not have it applied.

That said, it looks like FL corrected some of the glaring inaccuracies on their first Jagdpanzer IV (for one, the spare tracks on the front hull are now oriented correctly) but I’m hoping the paint job looks as good in actuality as it does in the promo pics. The last few FL WWII vehicles, including the winter M10, Normandy M10, and DAK Panzer III all looked fantastic in person and very much like their promo pics, so I’m hopeful on the upcoming Jagdpanzer IV… However, I sort of feel it’s a gamble as well… Their first Jagdpanzer IV L/48, in its stock configuration, was one of the worst-painted FL vehicles I’ve ever seen. It bugged me so much that I weathered mine with some washes and powders. To darken and better blend the colors and weathering. My work improved the look of the vehicle, but one should not have to do that on a $450 model.

Still, I’ve got to wonder why FL just didn’t do the later Jagdpanzer IV/L70 (V) from the get go. It’s been a long time since one of those was available in proper 1/30 scale and it would have been the better fit for both their Battle of the Bulge and Late War German lines. Nevertheless, here’s hoping we get one eventually!

And BTW, I wonder when we’ll see those Jagdpanzer 38T Hetzers FL previewed a while back?

 

[Hunter Rose]

And BTW, I wonder when we’ll see those Jagdpanzer 38T Hetzers FL previewed a while back?

Fingers crossed the Hetzers turn out looking exactly like the preview images, as those look amazing.

 

[joesgis]

LWO35 sure looks great. My concern is, BB069 also looked great in marketing photos, but those photos were of a superior model than the actual production model. So I will wait and see and hope for the best.

 

[FirstLegion]

LWO35 sure looks great. My concern is, BB069 also looked great in marketing photos, but those photos were of a superior model than the actual production model. So I will wait and see and hope for the best.

I think this is fair to some extent, but remember, when we released that model we were unable to physically inspect it in person following the production and are also now using far more metal parts in the models. If you liked the M10's, you'll like this new Jadgpanzer IV. The painting is really complex, the skirts are very detailed and individually configurable, it really is a stunning model we think, better than BB069 because of better painting and assembly as well as the addition of the skirts. Our inability to enter China hurt our productions during that period. That is gone and i'm sitting in Asia right now and we won't release any new products that we haven't personally inspected.

Matt

 

[joesgis]

I think this is fair to some extent, but remember, when we released that model we were unable to physically inspect it in person following the production and are also now using far more metal parts in the models. If you liked the M10's, you'll like this new Jadgpanzer IV. The painting is really complex, the skirts are very detailed and individually configurable, it really is a stunning model we think, better than BB069 because of better painting and assembly as well as the addition of the skirts. Our inability to enter China hurt our productions during that period. That is gone and i'm sitting in Asia right now and we won't release any new products that we haven't personally inspected.

Matt

This is very good news, thank you!

 

[Horseman]

This is very good news, thank you!

I received my BB069 JAGDPANZER IV. The Camo is awesome! I agree the barrel should be the long one w/no muzzle brake. The only 2 flaws I found the gun barrel was lowered down no sitting with the level ground. It was glued fixed in place like that. Gently I was able to move it up in the correct position w/o breaking it. The icing on the cake is the track attached in front is upside down!!!
The bracket is above the center track teeth. That would never hold the track in place. The winter Jagdpanzer IV it is correct. Having to address this stuff on a $450.00 model is insane. I looked at the stock photo of the model BB069 and the track is upside down on that too! Is there a way to take the track off the front of the model w/o destroying it? Again I should not have to do that on such an expensive model.

 

[tmanthegreat]

I received my BB069 JAGDPANZER IV. The Camo is awesome! I agree the barrel should be the long one w/no muzzle brake. The only 2 flaws I found the gun barrel was lowered down no sitting with the level ground. It was glued fixed in place like that. Gently I was able to move it up in the correct position w/o breaking it. The icing on the cake is the track attached in front is upside down!!!
The bracket is above the center track teeth. That would never hold the track in place. The winter Jagdpanzer IV it is correct. Having to address this stuff on a $450.00 model is insane. I looked at the stock photo of the model BB069 and the track is upside down on that too! Is there a way to take the track off the front of the model w/o destroying it? Again I should not have to do that on such an expensive model.

Horseman, you are spot on with the flaws on the BB069 Jagdpanzer IV… It’s definitely not one of First Legion’s best efforts. I also thought about prying off the upside-down spare tracks and re-orienting them to the correct position on the front glacis, but didn’t want to cause significant damage to the model. However, what really bugged me was the paint job and weathering. It was way too bright and garish. I applied some basic AFV model weathering techniques including washes and use of weathering pastels to my BB069 Jagdpanzer IV to blend the paint and weathering and definitely made it look better and more realistic.

My BB069 Jagdpanzer IV in stock configuration:

My BB069 Jagdpanzer IV after weathering modifications:

Still, as you said, one shouldn’t have to do that to a premium $450 model! Thankfully, the FL armor I’ve bought since the Jagdpanzer (the M10s and Panzer III) have all be perfect and beautiful models, so I have high hopes First Legion will do things right on the upcoming LWG035 Jagdpanzer IV in the winter camouflage.

 

[rschofer]

Horseman, you are spot on with the flaws on the BB069 Jagdpanzer IV… It’s definitely not one of First Legion’s best efforts. I also thought about prying off the upside-down spare tracks and re-orienting them to the correct position on the front glacis, but didn’t want to cause significant damage to the model. However, what really bugged me was the paint job and weathering. It was way too bright and garish. I applied some basic AFV model weathering techniques including washes and use of weathering pastels to my BB069 Jagdpanzer IV to blend the paint and weathering and definitely made it look better and more realistic.

My BB069 Jagdpanzer IV in stock configuration:

My BB069 Jagdpanzer IV after weathering modifications:

Still, as you said, one shouldn’t have to do that to a premium $450 model! Thankfully, the FL armor I’ve bought since the Jagdpanzer (the M10s and Panzer III) have all be perfect and beautiful models, so I have high hopes First Legion will do things right on the upcoming LWG035 Jagdpanzer IV in the winter camouflage.

My Pz III looks great except that BOTH tracks were installed backwards, which bugs the hell out of me. An earlier Pz IV from FL had one track backwards, but it was a loose enough fit that I was able to remove it and refit it correctly.
The Pz III tracks seem to be very snugly glued on and I can’t remove them.
You’d think of all details that should be checked by QC, the track orientation would be high on the list!

 

[Panzer ace]

Big thanks to all for the reviews, comments and pics of this piece.