Turret hoops for camo on Panther

Derek Attree · Post by **Derek Attree** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:09 am

Hi Guys
Those that have done this what diameter wire and what radius
are the hoops on the side of the turret to hold camo.
I know there are normaly 5 per side of the turret.

Any ideas

Thanks

Derek

leesellars · Post by **leesellars** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:10 pm

Hello Derek

Hope you are well. Ive used 2mm wire and a 3mm radius.4 on the side and 1 around the corner at the same hieght as the bottom hoops.They were used for folage and as far as i know fitted for the normandy hedge rows.

Lee

Derek Attree · Post by **Derek Attree** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:19 am

Hi Lee
I am fine thanks back at work now.
Thanks for the info.
Any news on the transfers?

Derek

Antony Rowley · Post by **Antony Rowley** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:18 pm

Hi, got my wire ordered. Below is a photo (found on the web) of the camo hooks with wire or string in to help with holding the foliage. Is this correct

as it looks quite neat and finishes it off

.

Thanks Antony

Kent Wiik · Post by **Kent Wiik** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 1:20 pm

Hi,

If possible, always look at the real thing:

They were introduced as standard applied from factory in November 1944 so they were a bit to late for the Normandy foliage

Hope this was of any use.
Kent

Antony Rowley · Post by **Antony Rowley** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:28 pm

Hi Kent,

If the hoops were factory applied then they would have to be removed to fit the spare track hangars seen on quite a few late Panther G's.
Have you any original photo's of the wire between the hoops or is this just fictional

Can't see any wire on the photo below even though there is foliage attached to the turret.

Thanks Antony

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:45 am

Antony,

I was glad to see you got your idlers working OK.

From what I've read and seen(I'm no expert disclaimer), the hoops were a very late war addition and were done at the factory. By then, they were putting foliage on them before they left the factory! Allied air supremacy and all.

I like the looks of the cable/rope through the hoops. My feeling is that the photos we see theses days represent a small sampling of what was on the battlefield 63 years ago. Who's to say there were no field mods done earlier. I would guess they did anything they could to turn their tanks into rolling bushes that go boom.

I plan on having track links on my turret plus foliage.

Boy that Panther in your photo has a familiar camo job

Regards
Tim