by Bob Barnetson

JTFM Enterprises has released a 28 mm (approximately 1:56-scale) Panzer IV ausf H with side skirting. JTFM Enterprises is a Canadian tool-and-die and precision sheet-metal fabrication company run by Jeff Trnka. Trnka has also been a plastic injection-mould maker. He began resin casting about three years ago when approached by Company B and Brigade Games to cast their kits.

JTFM Enterprises recently began producing its own 28 mm military vehicles and this model is the first the company has brought to market. A large selection of models (PDF link) is planned and will be available in North America through North Bay Games and Hobbies and worldwide directly through JTFM. The models will also be for sale at the Hotlead gaming convention in late March in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

Initial Impressions
The model arrived wrapped in foam and placed inside a box. This inner box was encased in a sturdy cardboard box with packing peanuts. All items arrived undamaged. The model itself is an 11-piece resin model (with a metal gun barrel) and there was virtually no flash on the model. A single page of instructions was also included.

I was quite astounded by the level of detail apparent on the model when I opened it. Particularly noticeable was the detailing on the road wheels and the tracks.

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Sculpting
The model provided had a three-piece hull (hull plus left and right tracks). The tracks and running gear are exceptionally detailed. The bogies, return rollers and drive sprocket on each side are the most crisply sculpted I have ever seen (including those on 1:35-scale plastics kits) and even the brackets mounting the road wheel to the hull (an almost invisible detail) are well rendered. The tracks themselves are flawless and highly detailed. A nice touch is that the tracks sag (as they do naturally) between the return rollers.

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The hull is nicely done, with all detail where it should be and some nicely moulded items like a shovel, spare road wheels and muffler. The back deck has nice detailing as well, although this is obscured by the turret once the model is assembled.

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The turret is crisply cast, with separate smoke launders, commander’s hatch and gun barrel (cast in metal). Side skirting (schurtzen) is provided. A nice touch is that the side skirts are all one-piece units. This differs from most plastic model kits, where you must glue brackets to the skirts and then the skirts to the tank. JTFM’s arrangement substantially reduced the amount of hassle this entails.

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Assembly
Assembly took approximately 12 minutes, despite a few difficulties I ran into. The track assemblies fit snugly against the hull and glued in without any problem using superglue. I then attached the two schurtzen. The right skirt had a slight warp to it (imperceptible until you tried to attach it) that caused the front part of the skirt to pull away from the hull. Some gentle bending, cursing and a good dose of superglue seemed to fix it.

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I did not have any problem attaching the left-hand skirt. Subsequently, though, I found the left-hand skirt was too high to allow the turret to rotate to the right (the back of the turret catches on the skirt). This may well be my fault, although I took some care in putting the skirting on. This is something others will want to be mindful of, as it is a snug fit.

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The turret went together reasonably well. The gun glued in properly. I again had some difficulty with the skirting. A bit of bending was necessary and I could never make all six brackets (with a total of 12 attachment points) sit properly on the turret. Eventually I glued the front brackets properly and squirted some glue between the skirt and rear stowage compartment (from underneath) to get a good bond. This may have contributed to the rotation problem I encountered with the left-hand skirting (although the right-hand skirt is fine).

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Despite these minor troubles, this was by far the easiest skirting I have ever attached. I still recall crying over an Esci Panzer IV in the mid-1980s. A bit more care on my part likely would have resolved the problems.

Comments
The resulting model is really quite lovely to look at. The detail is very crisply rendered and it looks good. I am keen to get the model painted up once the weather warms enough to get a coat of spray primer on it. I expect the detail will take a wash quite well. The detail should pose no problems painting–gaming in 28 mm is all about having lots of detail!

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I wonder a bit about the durability of the model on the gaming table. I inadvertently broke the hull MG off while rotating the model to look at it (it glued back on easily). The delicate skirting and the brittle nature of resin leads me to expect some damage will occur at the club, likely when someone rotates the turret. Yet several days of handling has yet to dislodge the skirting, so this may be a baseless worry.

I’m always a bit taken aback by the costs of 28 mm vehicles. This model costs $35 CDN plus shipping (you can buy seven to ten 10 mm models for this price). Yet this price is broadly consistent with the other 1:56- and 1:60-scale models that are available. For example, AGN offers a Panzer IV without skirts for $35 CDN while Sands Models have Panzer IV(h) for £15 and West Wind for £18. The detail on the JTFM model appears superior.

Conclusion
Overall, this is a top-notch kit. The sculpting appears accurate and the casting is crisp. It assembled easily and in one-quarter the time of the 1:72-scale plastic kits that are sometimes used with 28mm figures. The overall high quality is very surprising for a first kit.
JTFM informs me that its plan is to continue to fill gaps in existing lines of mid- to late WW2 armour and soft-skinned vehicles. Planned 2008 releases appear to include:

• German: Sdkfz 11 prime mover, Panther ausf G, Tiger I, STuG IV and Jadgpanzer IV
• British: Churchill Mk.VII, Sherman Firefly Vc, Cromwell Mk. VIII, and M3 Grant
• American: 2.5 Ton 6×6 Cargo Truck, M2 Half Track, M2A1 Half Track, M3 Lee, M4A3E8 Sherman, and M3 White Scout Car

Pros

• An exceptionally detailed model.
• Higher quality than other brands at the same price point.
• Little assembly is required.

Cons

• Model is delicate and may sustain damage during gaming.
• Skirting was fiddly to attach.