Model Art has produced many titles and now has started a new series with this first publication; AFV Profile #1 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 “Lang”. While this work mainly covers the Panzer IV Lang (V) (the “V” standing for VOMAG the company that developed this version) it also touches on the Panzer IV Lang (A) (A for Alkett the company that developed this version). If you read Kanji maybe you can help the rest of us who do not. Even so a lot of information can be found in the profiles (color and B&W), the hundreds of photos and the limited use of English with this profile.

The first eight pages are the 12 color profiles which will be helpful in developing a color scheme for your modeling project. Each tank profiled has, in English, listed the unit (if known), the location and the date: again just what the modeler needs. The next 18 page section is the Modeling Guide where a build of the Cyber Hobby and Tamiya 1/35 scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 tanks occurs. However, it’s all in Japanese which really limits its usefulness.

The Development Section (26 pages) while in Japanese has some excellent photographs and line drawings that are useful to the modeler. The four 4-view drawings do have English subtitles and this makes them very helpful. At the rear of the book is a four page English translation and it would be nice to flip to these drawings when you read this section. The next section is on Deployment, and the tables and graphs are all in Japanese so this section is not much use to the non-Kanji reading public.

The longest and most informative chapter is the Detail Files (56 pages). It’s here that pictures from Jagdpanzer IVs in Kubinka, Aberdeen, Ottawa and a British captured tank are compared in specific areas on the tank. Some very limited English subtitles can be found, but just the photos (color and B&W) alone are very useful. At least the area covered is given in English as a title. The final chapter is the Photo Gallery which has 8 pages of World War II photos of these tanks in action, knocked out or captured.

This is a high quality product that has glossy paper which reproduces the photos well with excellent artwork. Despite language difficulties a great deal of information is contained which could be used in making a model. I can recommend this publication to any armor modeler who wants to improve his knowledge of this tank.

I want to thank IPMS/USA and Model Art for the chance to review this new publication.