Old Panther G refurbishment

[Peter Quambusch]

Some months ago I acquired a G from Holland. While waiting for the Leo to be ready for shiment, I thought I`ll start refurbishment on this cat....
Here are just a few pics:

On the way to maintenance....

Taking it apart....

Adding some standoff armor...

Current state of affairs..

[Chang]

Hi Peter,
Like these added stand-off armors. Never knew the turret top adding were two layers. What was it's scaled thickness?
And it looks like the engine deck added armors are in different thickness.

Regards,
Lerh Chang

[Peter Quambusch]

Hi Peter,
Like these added stand-off armors. Never knew the turret top adding were two layers. What was it's scaled thickness?
And it looks like the engine deck added armors are in different thickness.

Regards,
Lerh Chang

Hi Chang,

There were different types of "anti aircraft armor" (official name) in use during the late stages of the war. These were conversions done in the field by the troops with whatever material was at hand.

Turret double (full) cover, no additional rear armor:

Single turret armor, partly additional rear armor:

Single (part) turret armor:

As you can see from the pics, there was no uniformity in the ad ons.... The troops had to make due with what was at hand.

Cheers

Peter

[Ed Groenenberg]

Hello Peter.

How effective was that added armour actually?

Regards,

Ed

[Peter Quambusch]

Hello Peter.

How effective was that added armour actually?

Regards,

Ed

Hi Ed,

To be honest, I have no idea. But must have done some good, else it wouldn´t been installed.
Maybe same level like the skirts?

Cheers
Peter

[mark lawson]

This turret roof armour was a feature of 1./Pz.Rgt.4 in Italy its wasn't applied to all Panther.

[Peter Quambusch]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the info. Do you have any additional info on this subject?

Cheers

Peter

[mark lawson]

There are a number of pictures in this book. As you say it was a field modification fitted to Ausf A and G Panthers in Italy. I don't remember seeing any pictures from other fronts.

https://www.panzerwrecks.com/product/it ... 945-vol-2/

[Peter Quambusch]

Exploiting a lull in the rain......

Current state of affairs.

And thanks Mark for the link...! Sorry for the late reply.

Cheers

Peter

[Robert E Morey]

Nice upgrade Peter. I like the extra armor bits and added details.
Best regards,
Bob

[Peter Quambusch]

Except for the exhaust pipes, which still need some tlc...

The Cat is ready for action.

[Peter Quambusch]

On special request from my dearest snow loving friends Chris and Peter:

[Peter Quambusch]

As we expect the snow to return, I thought I´ll give it a try with ww...

[Tim Carr]

Very nice rebuild.

Enjoy

Later Tim

viewtopic.php?t=9876

[Stephen White]

Hello Peter.

How effective was that added armour actually?

Regards,

Ed

The simple answer Ed is not effective at all. By the end of the war, the principle Allied aircraft anti-tank weapon was the free flight rocket, RP-3 for UK use and FFAR for USAAF. Both relied on kinetic warheads, which will punch through spaced armour, which is designed to defeat HEAT warheads. The latter were only seen on FFAR and its successor HVAR after the war. The standard Hispano 20mm aircraft cannon had ball, HE and incendiary rounds, ie no HEAT. The appliqué armour was too thin to have any significant effect on kinetic ammunition.

The best defence for late war German tanks against aircraft was speed. The free flight rockets were notoriously inaccurate and the ability of aircraft to track a moving tank with cannon fire was also limited. The appliqué armour added weight and therefore slowed the vehicle.

Having said all that, a famous dead French general (and Emperor) once said that in war "the moral is to the physical as three is to one". So maybe adding appliqué armour made the crews feel safer and that can't be undervalued. And it gives us lots of scope to customise our models, as Peter has done so well.