Glad to see that Trumpeter is continuing to pursue the Pz IV line and will be following these releases with interest. The approach of providing PE for the Ostwind turret in particular is an interesting step.

Wow, these guys are listening! I asked for engines if you're going to give me hatches that open, and here they are! DML, it's your turn to push the envelope and give us engine compartments if you're going to provide openable hatches.

Again...more choices to make...might have to get a 2nd job to afford the abundance of kits that are coming out. Nahh, wouldn't be any time to build!

Nice-----

Actually while Tamiya offered the Wirbelwind and two versions of the Mobelwagen, the only Ostwind kits to date have been the old Monogram kit in 1/32nd thirty years ago and the more recent Italeri offering in 1/35th. From the test shots, it looks as though Trumpeter, like Italeri before them, has not repositioned the radio operator's hatch forwards, even with the driver's hatch (it needed more clearance due to the larger turret ring, so the workshops cut out the opening in front of the hatch with a torch, and then welded the cutout back in place behind it). The hull machine gun mount on the Bergepanzer looks a bit anemic, though this seems a minor quibble. On the plus side, the inclusion of full hull interiors raises the bar a bit for Dragon (though no doubt this will also affect the price point). [/quote] CMK did a 'special' of the Ostwind, using a Tamiya Pz. IV kit with a lot of added PE and plastic parts for the Ostwind 'conversion' . A truly horrible kit, the plastic parts for the turret are pretty much beyond help, and the gun lacks much finesse. It still sits on my 'to finish one day shelf'... The Bergepanzer is a definite, in return for a full (and pretty accurate too) interior I can live with a few pin marks. Nothing that a bit of work will fix.... I know what I will go and order at my LHS.

A small basket next to the ejector catches the shells. As for using search lights, the box art looks a bit speculative. These guns were meant for close support protection for Armour, and were mostly used to defend against fighter(bomber) attacks, during daylight. The search lights were used at night, against the large waves of heavy bombers, with the 88mm FlaK 36/37.

Henk, Major League Baseball rules require the home team turn on the stadium lights if it's very overcast....

A small basket next to the ejector catches the shells. As for using search lights, the box art looks a bit speculative. These guns were meant for close support protection for Armour, and were mostly used to defend against fighter(bomber) attacks, during daylight. The search lights were used at night, against the large waves of heavy bombers, with the 88mm FlaK 36/37. [/quote] Cheers for that, much appreciated.

So about that Bergepanzer IV, I really can't find much information on it online but it seems that most of them were converted from damaged Panzer IVs sometime in 1944, am I right? If this is the case, just how realistic is it to paint one of these in German Gray as portrayed on the boxart of the Trumpeter model? I thought the Germans stopped painting their tanks gray a long time before 1944. Please tell me I'm wrong, I find it would look much better in gray.