The Panzer IV was a German medium tank produced between 1937 and 1945. Over the course of the war, it became the most numerous tank in Wehrmacht service. Developed alongside the Panzer III during the second half of the 1930s, it was initially armed with a short-barrelled 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 gun and intended to provide fire support for infantry.
Production of the Ausf.E version began in October 1940. It differed from earlier versions of the Panzer IV in having thicker armour, a slightly larger turret, a new type of commander’s cupola and a redesigned driver’s visor. The vehicle weighed 21 tonnes and, like other Panzer IV variants, had a five-man crew. Its 300 hp Maybach HL 120 TRM twelve-cylinder petrol engine gave it a top road speed of 42 km/h and a cross-country speed of 20 km/h.
In the spring of 1941, 40 Panzer IV tanks were sent to North Africa as part of the Deutsche Afrika Korps, ten of which were Ausf.E variants. The model depicts one of these vehicles serving with Panzer-Regiment 5 near Tobruk in April 1941. The tank was modified to Tropen specification and fitted with additional armour plates on the front and sides of the hull. The tanks sent to Africa were originally painted dark grey and were only repainted in desert colours after their arrival, using whatever materials were available in field conditions. As a result, vehicles seen during the early stages of the North African campaign could vary considerably in colour and often had a heavily weathered appearance.
More about the model and its construction can be found at this link
+ MiniArt 35588 Jerry Cans Set WW2
