The Modelling News: Preview: Two 48th scale german WWII icons from Hobbyboss in March

The 48th scale Bf-109E & later Panzer IV are Hobbyboss' new items of March. We look at the colours, decals, & built-up kits in our preview...

Preview: Two 48th scale german WWII icons from Hobbyboss in March

German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.J Medium Tank 84842

by Hobbyboss

Model: 84842

1/48th scale

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV) Sd Kfz 161, commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.

The colour schemes presented in this kit

The decals in the box

Designed as an infantry-support tank, the Panzer IV was not originally intended to engage enemy armour—that function was performed by the lighter Panzer III. However, with the flaws of pre-war doctrine becoming apparent and in the face of Soviet T-34 tanks, the Panzer IV soon assumed the tank-fighting role of its increasingly obsolete cousin. The most widely manufactured and deployed German tank of the Second World War, the Panzer IV was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV tank destroyer, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun, amongst others.

Model Length: 197.6mm; width: 94.8mm

The kit consists of over 270 parts

Newly tooled parts in accurate detail

6 sprues , upper hull and lower hull

The kit made up by Hobbyboss staff...

Messerschmitt Bf109E-4

by Hobbyboss

Model: 81792

1/48th scale

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s. This pioneering aircraft featured cutting-edge design elements, including an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear. Having proven its mettle in the Spanish Civil War, the Bf 109 remained a vital component of the German Luftwaffe's fighter force at the onset of the jet age, towards the end of World War II.

The colour schemes presented in this kit

The decals in the box

MAsks are provided for the transparent parts

The E-4 variant marked a significant improvement over its predecessors, as it abandoned the engine-mounted cannon in favor of more effective wing-mounted MG FF/M cannons, which offered a higher rate of fire. Additionally, the cockpit canopy underwent modifications. First introduced in July 1940, the E-4 played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain. According to German records, 249 E-1s, 32 E-3s, and 344 E-4s were lost in the second half of 1940. Many E-3 fighters may have been upgraded to E-4 specifications, making this a relatively straightforward process.

The parts of the kit.