New Jagdpanzer IV NOR101 still not historically accurate (1 Viewer)

[Mastercom10]

First Legion continues to decline its german Jagdpanzer IV with this new release NOR101 but, unfortunately, always not
historically accurate such the two previous items :

- BB069 : first SS panzer division during BOB had never had this version but only the L/70 version with the longer gun.

- LW035 : it should be zimmerit coating.

- NOR101 : it should be necessarily zimmerit coating during this period, the hard-edge camouflage painting scheme seems very improbable
at this time and the marking of the Panzer Lehr Division with this big white "L" on the front casemate seems very suspicious.

Maybe one day we will have an accurate Jagdpanzer IV L/70 for the late war period, but manufacturing efforts will have to be made because there are several
significant differences between this version and the L/48.

 

[BrianW]

Check out the spare track configuration as well, on a real vehicle, the track would fall off. It's exactly the same as the first release and at 370 Dollars it's shameful. On the plus side, at least the weathering looks far better than the amateurish attempt on the first one.

 

[tmanthegreat]

First Legion continues to decline its german Jagdpanzer IV with this new release NOR101 but, unfortunately, always not
historically accurate such the two previous items :

- BB069 : first SS panzer division during BOB had never had this version but only the L/70 version with the longer gun.

- LW035 : it should be zimmerit coating.

- NOR101 : it should be necessarily zimmerit coating during this period, the hard-edge camouflage painting scheme seems very improbable
at this time and the marking of the Panzer Lehr Division with this big white "L" on the front casemate seems very suspicious.

Maybe one day we will have an accurate Jagdpanzer IV L/70 for the late war period, but manufacturing efforts will have to be made because there are several
significant differences between this version and the L/48.

I was going in circles with another TS collector in the Toy Soldier Collector Asia Facebook group the other day and they seemed to have a hard time at what I was getting at with the issues on this latest Jagdpanzer model - but Mastercom, you’re dead right here.

As you said, the hard edge camouflage as depicted on the NOR101 Jagdpanzer IV model is not accurate for the Normandy campaign in June-August 1944. At that point the German Army was still under the February 18, 1943 order that stipulated vehicles receive a base coat of dunkelgelb (dark yellow) with patches of Olivgrun (olive green) and rotbraun (red brown) applied in patterns and patches at the crew’s discretion. The camouflage on NOR101 is really more indicative of a very late order from 20 December 1944 that stipulated vehicles be painted at the factory with a dunkelgrun (dark green) base coat with patches of rotbraun and dunkelgelb painted over that.

The upside down tracks Brian noted are again an embarrassing oversight…

If anything, the First Legion NOR101 model should look more like these pics of the box art from different editions of the Dragon Models 1/35 scale Jagdpanzer IV A-O kit and paint guide:

Nevertheless, the type of early pre-production model Jagdpanzer IV A-0 that First Legion has made WAS operated by the Panzer Lehr division and IS more or less appropriate for the Normandy campaign. Further, that early type of Jagdpanzer IV was built in December 1943 right before zimmerit was required to be applied to German armored vehicles, so it kind of makes sense for it not to have the zimmerit.

All said, I’m still tempted to get the NOR101 model given I do find the paint job and weathering attractive, even if inaccurate. It’s $370 price is way cheaper than the $450 price for BB069 and $465 for LW065 for some reason…

 

[Mastercom10]

Hello tmanthegreat,

I really appreciate these kinds of "constructive comments" on this forum.
At the same time, I wanted to tell you that your dioramas with a tank and a group of soldiers accompanying it are very well done and attractive.
In regard of NOR101, I remain convinced that it is not representative of the vast majority of the 31 Jagdpz IV L/48 received by the
Panzer Lehr Division in March 1944 and also not of the Normandy battle.
In fact, it could be a possible very rare exception !.
Yes the first 30 Jagdpz IV were produced in January 44 and orders for zimmerit have arrived only the 15 January, but nearly all
archive photos show these tanks with zimmerit, even some pre-series with sloped armor hull front.
About the hard-edge painting scheme, I managed to find a single photo of a JagdPz IV L/48 with this kind of camo but painted on zimmerit
( Nuts and Bolts vol 37 page 83 ). But this case too is uncommon and not representative of the generality at this period.
In regard of box art and paint guide of model kits, we have to be very careful because they are sometimes not reliable and realistic but rather
"artistic view".
For example, in your post, there is a Dragon paint guide for a Jagdpanzer IV L/48 of the LAH Division in Normandy : absolutely false, this unit
never had this tank.
In conclusion, for an more accurate Panzer Lehr Division Jagdpanzer IV L/48 in Normandy, I think NOR101 should have been made with zimmerit, no muzzle brake,
no front upper hull spare track ( which is actually not bound by anything on the model ! ), no big white L marking on the front casemate and
with a soft edge camo.