Pz. Kpfw. IV. Ausf. E (Africa corps) – the German infantry support tank

At the end of February 1934, when the concept of two main tanks was approved, the future Pz. Kpfw. The IV was supposed to be an infantry support tank - it was supposed to cover the main tank, the future Pz. Kpfw. III. If not for the strange policy of the German army commanders, both tanks could have been built on the same chassis, with the same type of turrets, as the British did. But with the Germans, everything was different, because during the design it became clear, that the support tank needed a larger tower with a larger mounting ring. Therefore, two different tanks were designed with an almost identical body, slightly different chassis, different engines, transmission and externally similar, but structurally very different towers. Tank Pz. Kpfw. IV with short barrel 7.5 cm caliber cannon KwK 37 L24 not produced in large numbers. Only 35 machines of series A were produced, version В - 42, version C - 143, and version D, produced since 1939, 231 tanks were released to the world. Version E had a number of new solutions: the bearing wheels and their bearing lubrication sockets were repaired, the turret of the commander's hatch was replaced, and the rear armor of the tower was thickened. Most Е version tanks have reinforced frontal armor by riveting an additional armor plate to the main frontal plate. Between October 1940 and April 1941, 200 E-version tanks were produced and made their debut in North Africa. In addition to Africa, the "four" fought in the "Maritas" operation in Greece and Yugoslavia and in the "Barbarossa" operation in the USSR.

A complex and beautiful model with "full stuffing": full detailing of the engine compartment, combat compartment, perfectly restored chassis, exterior details. The model represents a tank of the 15. Panzer-Division, which took part in combat actions in North Africa, in rubbed African camouflage, and is intended for intermediate and advanced modelers only.