first we want say a very deep impressed Thank's to all!
The interest in our cupolas is compelling.
Here some historic hints to the different cupola versions and our order no.:
1. Tiger I:
1.1. Cupola 021 B 48013:
From Fahrgestell-Nr. (vehicle-no) 250 391 the turret - turret-no. 392 of the Tiger I was redesigned - so called "Neuer Turm".
On these turrets the cupola 021 B 48013 was mounted.
This was the cupola from the Tiger II project.
It has seven periscopes and one azimuth indicator ring.
It was fixed on the turret with a ring going straight through the 25mm turret roof plate with slits in it to weld some other plates in the slits and on the turret roof. This ring has cutouts for the pulleys for the azimmuth indicator ring.
This is exactly our cupola on the pictures in the forum - with minor exceptions:
- no blade sights in front of the periscope hatch indicating 12 o'clock
(for promotion use only)
- no holes in the bottom of the cupola ring (only needed for the Porsche
turret
These cupolas were mounted from July 1943 on to end of January 1944 - Fahrgestell-Nr. 250 816 - when the azimuth indicator ring was dropped.
So there were some 425 to 520 vehicles with the azimuth indicator ring.
Order-No.: TI-48013-AIR
Cupola without azimuth indicator ring can be ordered too, with massive mounting ring.
Order-No.: TI-48013
In January '44 the hatch return stopper seemed to be introduced.
Order-No.: TI-48013-HR
40mm roof plate was introduced in March '44 - Fahrgestell-Nr. 250 991. There the 40mm roof was machined out by 15mm for mounting the cupola.
1.2. Cupola 021 B 2762:
From Fahrgestell-Nr. 251 201 to the end of the Tiger I series the cupola 021 B 2762 was mounted. There the 40mm roof was alse machined out by 15mm.
A minor change on the cupola 021 B 2762 was the angle from the upper edge to the edge under whom the periscopes were mounted. The periscopes were mounted with wing nuts. In addition three channels were cut into the rim to drain rainwater away.
Order-No.: TI-2762
If there were Tigers I with the quick release mounting brackets for the periscopes is not clear.
2. Tiger II:
2.1. So-called "Porsche" turret:
2.1.1. Cupola 021 B 48013:
On all Tigers II Porsche without the blade sights in front of the periscope hatch indicating 12 o'clock was the cupola 021 B 48013 mounted, the same as on the Tiger I, with the azimuth indicator ring.
Order-No.: TII-48013-AIR
On the other Porsche turret with the blade sights in front of the periscope hatch indicating 12 o'clock was the cupola 021 B 48013 mounted, the same as on the Tiger I, without the azimuth indicator ring.
Order-No.: TII-48013
The difference to the Tiger I mounting was the absence of the mounting ring. The cupola was fixed with 13 bolts in a 15mm cutout of the roof plate. The pulleys for the azimuth indicator ring were fixed on the bottom of the cupola.
It seems from war pictures there were only up to 20 with the azimuth indicator ring.
Further on there exist some pictures of the King Tiger Porsche turret with three channels cut into the rim to drain rainwater away.
Order-No.: TII-48013-DS
2.2. Serienturm (Henschel turret):
2.2.1. Cupola 021 B 2762:
Here the cupola 021 B 2762 was mounted on the 40mm roof plate with a ring so as on the Tiger I.
The exception:
Not the roof plate was machined out, instead 15mm of the bottom of the cupola was cut out.
A Minor change was the angle from the upper edge to the edge under whom the periscopes were mounted. The periscopes were mounted with wing nuts. In addition three channels were cut into the rim to drain rainwater away.
These cupolas can also be ordered, with 15mm cutout, changed angle and the three cutouts for the rainwater.
It seems only up to 60 vehicles with the Henschel turret has this cupolas.
Order-No.: TII-2762
2.2.2. Cupola 021 B 50641:
These cupolas have had the quick release mounting brackets for the periscopes with major changes to the inner ring.
These cupolas will not be fabricated now or in the near future because of the massive difficulties to deliver the ring and the mounting brackets in the same quality as the other cupolas.
Thanks to the books of Thomas L.Jentz and Hilary Doyle and our own researches these hints are possible.
Ordering of the cupolas is now possible by eMail to
info@modell-panzer-fabrik.de
Have fun!
