GHQ, A Proposal

[panzergator]

While I'm deep in M48s, how about an impromptu addition to your M48 line - the M48A1, this year.

Combine your M48 hull with the 90mm-gunned turret in your M48A5 package to make the M48A1.

Buying the hulls and turrets separately costs around $202 for a 54-tank battalion, whereas buying in 5 5-packs is around $132.

[WWIICentral]

Panzergator,

This is not a bad idea... since it sounds like it wouldn’t require any model work, it’s all just packaging, right?

I’m not interested in the M48 but I’ve been thinking about the same thing for some WW2 vehicles. For example, why not package the PzIV F2 hull (new design) with the PzIV F1 turret (old design) so that we have the benefits of the newer hull design in the PzIV F1 blister pack.

Perhaps there are other complications that we aren’t aware of? Maybe how the moulds are produced makes this prohibitive?

Tanner

[panzergator]

I would think it's just a matter of packaging. Of course, there may be a production cycle involved. I was already looking at ordering M48A2 turrets to replace the A5 turrets, thus making my A2 battalion.

Seems to me a practical idea, though.

[pmskaar]

I already mentioned this in the M-48 thread already but I would like to see a new M-48A2 model including hull and turret to replace the older one in N-17.

[pmskaar]

I already mentioned this in the M-48 thread already but I would like to see a new M-48A2 model including hull and turret to replace the older one in N-17. I'm sure the sculpt would be an improvement.

On the matter of the Panzer IVF1 as proposed by Tanner, I would also like to see it as well. I do have some of the older Panzer IVF1s and they are okay. The issue I have with GHQ newer Panzer IV series in general is that while the tracks and roadwheels are beautifully sculpted and the other details are very crisp on the new models there are some nagging issues that really should be rectified. The biggest issue is that the suspension is beautiful except the drive sprocket is totally wrong and has no teeth. There are a few other things such as no tow cable on the new model and some proportions in the upper hull and turret seem just a bit off. I noticed this on the Panzer IVG especially. The Panzer IVH is not as noticeable as the drive sprocket is mostly covered by the sideskirts. I painted the Panzerjager IVA and the Mobelwagen for the catalog and overall those are very nice models except for the drive sprocket being the most noticeable item.

GHQ makes great models overall and I continue to support them both with my wallet and on various modeling sites. I think that they are the best out there even though they may have a very occasional miss as I have described with the new Panzer IV series.

[panzergator]

Without a doubt, GHQ does the best job at the best price.

[pibber]

Hi all
I totally agree with Pete. To my point of view, I think the new design PzIV series is really a disaster : the models are really beautifully sculpted, easier to paint, but unfortunately the drive sprocket is with no teeth (if we just look quickly at the chassis, we have trouble to identifying the front from the rear !), also, the details represented (tracks, mudguards, armored skirts ...) are out of scale because they are too thick. So, I much prefer the "old" design PzIV models (which were admittedly less well sculpted) but more to right scale, which is very important to me. Concerning the PzIV "H", the GHQ catalog actually shows a photo of the old model (at the correct scale and with the toothed wheel, which is not very visible). The new design PzIV"H" model is actually very different because, even the positioning of the side skirts on the hull (placed too far forward), gives the new model a quite different silhouette compared to reality. So, within the same tank company the mixture of the two different design models is noticed very easily ... To avoid this problem on my PzIV "F2" tank company (old design and not full completed) and to finish it, I took PzIV F1 and I have to modified the barrel in F2 (!) to be able to benefit of the chassis with the old design at the right scale ! The same scale problem also arises on the beautiful Sdkfz 11 AA for example, which is oversized. It's really sad this scale error because there is no harmony with the other older design models. I hope that in the future corrections will be made for the latest models of PzIV to respect the harmony.