Tamiya Panther G with Steel road wheels and night vision equipment.

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Just a quick question about this kit. When I get around to it, I want to use the steel wheels and was wondering if anyone knows if the night vision equipment was ever used on steel wheeled vehicles.

Thanks,

Jim

Edit: Forgot to add that the instructions say to use the rubber rimmed road wheels with the night vision equipment.

2

10 Panther G tanks with night vision equipment were delivered to Pz Div Munchenberg at the Seelowe heights in April 1945. All had standard rubber rimed tyres. They had in support a grenadier company with 2 251 half tracks with uhu equipment (IR searchlight).

They had several night actions and German AAR are not clear about the result, but it is very clear from Russian AAR that night combats on their side caused more armoured losses than they expected. I think that the IR on the panthers gave a significant advantage at night.

very few steel wheel Panthers were done and none, as far as I know, had IR fitted.

3

Given how late in the war it was, you could do it as a what if build and add your own markings.

4

I was looking at the stash and decided that since I have the Tamiya Panther G late version, I’ll just slap the steel wheels on it. Either way I have an extra set of Panther road wheels, lol.

5

Thanks James.

6

No problem.

I found and recovered many vehicles from a lake north of Berlin which on researching was where the maintainance and repair company of the Munchenberg Division was set up. On the russians breaking through they dumped all vehicles into the lake and pulled back

3 Panthers were amongst the vehicles recovered of which one was fitted with the Sperber 1250 equipment. This has been confirmed as the manufacturers plate has /F after the serial number which denotes the vehicle to be fitted with special equipment. Also, inside, the right rear ammunition stowage next to the firewall is missing and fixtures/fittings for an extra generator in its place. There are also changes to the turret which match the changes needed to fix the Sperber kit.

we have already asessed the vehicle ready for restoration back to runnin order and the reason why it was in the depot was that the left side final drive had been sabotaged. The Germans also removed the oil and ran the engine until it seized. It also smells of fish!