Kent`s Panther build

[Per Sonnervik]

Hi Kent,

What can I say, except joing the fanclub - really impressive and all this by using a Dremel!!?? The only one handling a Dremel like you is the Japanese 1/35 modeller M. Takaishi. Please, give us amateurs a hint of how you do it.

Looking forward to the next piece of art.

/Per

[Kent Wiik]

Hi all!

Quite a while since I posted here and the reason is that the Panther build has been put a side a while in favour for other things in life.
As for the Dremel-magic it is only a matter of a lot of different x-tra Dremel tool bits and lots and lots of patience.

To start me up again I begun on something most can live without but an interesting little gem quite visible and full with interesting problem solving.

Today it is the Ball MG plug with its chain and tab.
In an earlier thread I have described how I customized the MG ball mount.
http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... f=10&t=405

I wanted this cover to be functional so it might not be 100% accurate in measure, an mm here and there might differ but I simply have to live with that.

Strangely this item is not shown in the Panzer Tract booklets beside the tab.
Nowhere is any information regarding size etc in any Panther books to my knowledge nor on the net.
Hardcore research and hours and hours spend later here is the result:

All Ausf A and G with the ball MG had one but good WW2 photos of them are hard to find.
Often you see them as small dots and more often they are missing.
Here is a nice one of a factory fresh MAN Ausf G:



Please note the carabiner hook at the top end of the chain for easy removal of the cover, now we know why they are missing on photos…
Also note the loop placed horizontal on the cover where the chain is attached.

Let’s begin with the tab.
I have no WW2 photo of one but some from preserved Panthers.
Here is (a blurry one) from the Saumur Ausf G:



Here we also can see a bit of the so characteristic chains the Panther had, also used for this cover. Please note how thin and long the links were and the ring at the end.
The chain for the cover had a ring at both ends.

Here is another photo, this time it is the Houffalize Ausf G:



The tab consisted of a 3mm steel plate bended 60 degrees at front so the carabiner hook was able to go free for the triangular shaped front plate upper edge.
(that edge is later something in need for a makeover at least on my 2006 edition Panther)
Please note that years of wear and tear on the Houffalize Panther have flattened out the steel plate.
Also note the curved front end and that the rear end was square and not curved as the drawing in Panzer Tracts 5-156 show.

Another photo, this time the Bovington Ausf G:



A castle nut with 3 spacers bolted this item to the hull so no welds here.

I used a M2,5 screw and made the castle nut from a 2,5 high nut that I reduced I height and made 6 slots in. Silver solder it to the M2,5 screw
Add a M3 high nut and 3 M3 spacers I reduced the wide in to 7mm, all bolted to the plate made of a brass strip.



A photo of the cover itself is almost impossible to find, they simply didn’t seem to have survived and also on museum Panthers they are rare.
Thanks to Tim is here a photo of the one on the Littlefield Ausf A.
I think it is a genuine WW2 one taken care of and brought up into its former glory.



Please note the welding and how the pin was tilted 15 degrees.
This pin was stuck into the hole the MG34 sat in.
As forced with an angle the cover jammed tight onto the ball mount.

Also note that the rubber gasket had a flat surface.
Not a rounded one that can be seen on same preserved Jagdpanthers today.

Here are 2 WW2 photos showing the tilted pin:





Seen on the Littlefield cover the pin is placed off centre.
That means that the loop for the chain also is mounted off centre as can be seen in this WW2 photo:



The Littlefield cover also shows that the end of the pin was made concave and had a hole.
This WW2 photo confirms that:



I made the cover out of brass, silver solder together.
A lot of trial and error before I had a working one that fitted my customized MG ball mount.

The rubber gasket with its flat edge I made out of the rubber from wind shield wiper glued in place at the cover.

The chain I stripped from a model tugboat I made in the 1980-ties.
Who I got the chain from back then I don’t remember but it is a perfect match.
I have enough chain to fill my Panther as it is all over her in different places, also used it on the round engine hatch seen in an earlier chapter in this saga.

This is how everything turned out in the end, painted and with a minor weathering.
Hanging loose:
(Please note that the chain will be adjusted in length when the front plate upper edge is taken care off later on)



And fitted:



A lot of work but it was great fun making it.

Hope you found this worth reading and as always thanks for doing so.

Kind regards
Kent

[Paul Morris]

Hi Kent.

Well done as ever looks like you have got it absolutely spot on looks good well done.
Cheers Paul.

[Per Sonnervik]

Hi Kent,

Good to see you back in action again and it´s an interesting topic too. I´ve researched this too (of course) and came to the following details, which differ slightly from your details;

The rubber is round and I think I see that in your Panther photo, this one;



but I also found an original MG ball plug with the rubber intact and not touched by any
restorers and it´s round;




Also the reason for the hole in the middle (threaded 10 mm) is for a threaded axle to be inserted from the inside to hold the plug tight and firm against the MG mount, see this photo from the Ft Knox Tiger II which I took in the early 90`s;




Maybe to late for you to change things but interesting perhaps just the same.

/Per

[Kent Wiik]

Hi Paul and Per.
Thanks for responding, now I know at least someone is reading my saga.

Very, very interesting Per!
Yes your photo of the real thing show without doubt the rubber was rounded.
Will change my at once, thanks.
Suspected that the hole was there for a reason, now we know what for.
Thanks again Per, the forum at its best.

Kind regards
Kent

[William Gardeniers]

Hello Kent Always a pleasure too read your post

Cheers William

[Maarten Schutjes]

Interesting detail. Thanks Kent! (and Per).

[martin pitcairn]

Kent and Per, I love the displays of knowledge and Kent the building skill and attention to detail. Fantastic, that said I do wonder why the Germans at this stage of the war were even spending resource on extra fittings like these, if the mg was removed it would only leave a small hole. it seems to me a piece of German over engineering or did it have a different use? no criticism of you or Per intended as I love the detail of your work, I just think it was an odd thing for them to make.

[Kent Wiik]

Hi again all,

Martin:
I agree, this is one of those over engineering things that sucked the Reich of resources late in the war.
Beside having a tank that would be able to fold deeper water a rag stuck into the MG ball mount would do the same job.
Please note the Germans did try cutting corners enable speeding production and cut costs making more Panthers for less money and man hours.
For example the rear bumper stops and bumpers was deleted as well as ½ the number of bolts at the engine deck.
Post war photos from Panther plants show that the tab was still assembled on hulls until the very last days of the war.
As with all deleted items they was still assembled until the stock pile was empty.

The Per photos above really got me going...
The round rubber was easy, just a 17x22mm O-ring, piece of cake.

One thing I missed was that the cover pin was not only off centre vertically but also horizontally:

Took this opportunity and change the pin into the more accurate 6,3mm diameter.
Also did I change the loop as I had made it far to thin.

Now it look like this:

Much better!

Kind regards
Kent

[simon_manning]

kent, amazing as always and nice to see you on the forum. regards simon manning.

[martin pitcairn]

Kent, thanks for the reply and the information, I think your build is outstanding and I love the detail work both in research and in your build, please continue posting and informing, many thanks martin

[Tim Bowman]

Fantastic my friend! good to see you are making some progress on this beauty.

best regards
Tim

[Pierluigi Patri]

Hi Kent,
it is stunning how many details you document not only about the main parts but also about the particular ones.
Many thanks for your posts

[peter karlsson]

Hi my friend!!

absolutly outstanding kent!! as usual!!


regards peppe.

[simon_manning]

Hi Kent, nearly TEN years has elapsed on your Panther build, did you ever finish it, regards simon.