Wanted: JagdPanther detailed front glacis driver periscope

[Steen Vøler]

hi tankers
Does anyone make a detailed drivers periscope for the jagdpanther front glacis?

[Dave Boller]

Hi. Never heard of one. Seriously doubt it. What you might try doing is modifying one of the two types that FOA has(ex 6 Scale Icons). There's a Type-1 and Type-2 periscope. Both have clear prisims with metal casings, and a workable metal bracket for attaching them to the inside hull/cuppola. Both types were pretty generic in late-war tanks. Type-1's were usually the kind the drivers and radio opporators used, either mounted to their hatches or hull roofs. The "Jadg's" swivel-roof scopes were of this kind. The Type-2 was smaller, usually cuppola(cast)mounted (Tigers and Panthers). However, the King Tiger's loader-periscope was of this kind as well, and you can get that at FOA currently. I'm thinking this is the kind you want for the driver, since they were typically used on sloped hull surfaces, not horizontal/level ones such as on a roof. Now the "Jadg", as you may know, had an early split-type periscope and a later single block one. I'm guessing the later, but I don't know how you want to handle that on your build. Give me the measures (in mm's)in the driver's appeture, so I can figure out which size scope works best.

[Kent Wiik]

Hi Steen,

Yes, no one has made an aftermarker Jagdpanther driver periscope and the closest one is Mike Stannards Panther driver one. FOA has them now as 6SI-PAN15K:
http://www.fieldofarmortanks.com/6si-pa ... -as-a-kit/

You have to correct the upper half of the housing as the front JP front plate has an angle.
here are a link that show the real thing:
http://www.panzerphotos.com/iwm-jagdpanther

The periscopes used in the cupola is not correct, they are tilted and the driver one was square.

Kind regards
Kent

[Dave Boller]

Nice photos. Yes, it looks somewhat like the Type-1 Prisim(Pan15), with an unusual mount for the sloped glacis plate. The prisims with metal housings make a good start here, but you'll need to scratch-build the mount. Here are the measures for the FOA prisim (Pan-15): width is approx.18mm X 6mm, as measured by the opening in the metal housing. Add approx. 1mm per side for the housing frame. See if those measures fit well with the glacis plate appeture, obviously you don't want to come up short. Good luck with your build.

[Steen Vøler]

Thanks Dave and Kent

I will do some thinking on this and how to change it. First thing will be to make a trial in plastic for the outer case.

[simon_manning]

hello steen, this is difficult part to get a close-up detailed picture of the outside periscope fitting, how it protrudes out of the glacis plate, the late jagdpanther at bovington looks like it had a metal cover over the periscope with a flap that could be closed, but its dented and broken so therefore not easy to examin how it worked, try some photos of the bovington jagdpanther for referance, regards simon manning.

[Steen Vøler]

Hi Simon and thanks

I have started the process of grinding out the space needed to fit a periscope based on the original persiscope from the kit.

I am aiming to have a 1-2 mm frame out of the stock unit and still keep the periscope angel intact so that it will just slide into the front glacis. When ready I will post some Pictures of the finished grinding Work

cheers
Steen

[Dave Boller]

I'm guessing the metal cover is a rain guard, to keep the glass clear.

[michael hilton]

Hello Steen, if this is the periscope you mean, I made one out of brass sheet and Perspex. It is upside down in this view....regards Mick.

[Steen Vøler]

Thanks Mick
that's exactly what I wanted to make

[John Fitzsimons]

I have some periscope parts that may be of use for the prriscope. I can post some bits to you of you pm address.

John

[michael hilton]

This is a view of the peri, while under construction, brass soldered parts, I used the original Armortek periscope plug....mick