Hi all!
Today something almost invisible but well in place a good feeling I did it after all.
The thing named “Bumper stop” in Panzer Tracts 5-3, placed under the first swing arm on the LHS.
As this item has no springs I would rather name it “Swing Arm Stopper” (SAS) as that is what it is.
At the beginning of the Panther production Ausf D didn’t have this item.
At the fighting baptise for the Panther in the battle of Kursk a lot of Panthers was lost while running on mines so something had to be done.
Running on a mine with on the LHS caused huge damage due to the swing arms on that side was pointed forward.
To prevent the wheel/swing arm rotate backward and inflict sewer damage to the rear road wheels/swing arms this SAS was to be mounted.
At the same time the front 1/3 of the belly plate changed from 16mm to 30mm.
Those things came in production late 1943 so also early Ausf A was made without them.
Here is (Thanks to Sven Strobbe) a photo of the SAS on the Houffalize Ausf G.
Please note that the upper left steel tube is a post war addition.
A lot of juice details like the 6 holes for torsion bar fittings.
All those things will later be attached direct to the hull side and not on the SAS.
Due to the tiny free space available the rings supported the base of the swing arm I just made with a row in the plate, those rings are almost invisible behind the swing arm and wheel anyhow.
Please note the design of the horizontal bar and the steel plate at the rear.
Also note how close to the edge the upper right hole is located.
The real plate thickness was 15mm so that is 2,5 in 1:6th.
As it is located under the hull and might take punishment while running I wanted it made of steel. Aluminium is a nice material but as this plate will be full of holes I prefer something stronger here.
I also love to “make something out of nothing” and “dig were you stand” so after a quick walk about in the house I came out victorious.
My boy’s soft airgun target bullet catcher had a perfect steel plate and I only needed ¼ of it.
I am sure they want notice a slice of it is missing…I hope…
I used the drawing in Panzer Tracts 5-3 as a template but did some minor changes after study the real thing and the kit design.
I will add the correct extra thickness to the belly plate front 1/3, but more of it later.
The horizontal bar I made from 4mm plexi glass rods glued and bolted together and with Mr Dremel sculpted into correct design.
Plexi is pleasant to work with and as this bar want takes any weight or force protected by the steel plate I am sure will work fine here.
The only place from were the SAS is visible from the front looking under the hull.
Please note the 2 bolts with lock tabs and how the lock tabs are folded once to the bolt head and under the horizontal plate.
I made this from M5 bolts and the lock tabs I cut out from a 0,2mm brass sheet.
The SAS will be attached to the hull side with 3x M2,5 countersunk and later hidden screws.
Work in progress:
Did someone mention Cheese?
After some fiddling, trial and error and drilling (but always pure fun) the end result was this:
I simply love the colour of RAL 8012 Red Oxide primer and I will probably hang this one in the X-mas tree (has done this before and my family has given up telling me not to…
)
Hope you found this worth reading and as always thanks for looking.
Kind regards
Kent
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