Panther road wheels

One is an early type and one is a later type. I want to say that the 16 bolt was the earlier  initial production type and it was replaced by the 32 bolt type after failures in service by the 16 bolt type. But that is off the top of my head. I would have to check my books at home.

The 32 bolts were experimental. In August 43 wheels with 24 bolts became standard. I would say go with which ever you prefer.

Thanks everyone. Since period pictures in the book I have show both on different photo's, I guess I'll go with that. I don't have an option in the kit for a 24 bolt pattern, only 16 or 32.

I am not familiar with the Takom kits but believe they do 2 Ausf D's, and i would guess yours is the mid/early with interiour. Looking at a review, it does look as though the road wheels are on their own sprue, so your not getting parts you don't need. I believe 2 of the marking options are from Sept 43, these would clearly be older vehicles still in use when the new road wheels were brought out. The wheels would only be changed as and when needed.

I just got a different Panther book from a friend and I found one reference to the wheels this morning. It says from June 1943 on, an "alteration was made to strengthen the tanks over-strained road wheels by fitting additional rivets between the existing 16 rim bolts" (Osphrey "Panther Medium Tank 1942-1945"). So what I thought were additional bolts were actually rivets.

The kit I have is the combo kit #2108 "Lucky Pack" that includes the 16 ton gantry. Gonna be a fun build if I can keep the tiny parts away from the carpet monster.

Not nessacerily. The 16 added rivets were fited to production vehicles to strengthen them. There were 3 experimental sets of wheels to find a permanent soloution. One was the 32 bolts, another was 24 bolts in 8 sets of 3 and a 3rd was 16 rivets or flat head bolts. They finally setteled on 24 bolts.

If yours are the rivet and bolts wheels, the 2 will look different. If they all look the same, they are the experimental 32 bolts wheels.

While very useful, the Osprey books are often simplified, i find the best referance books on German armour are the panzer Tracts series.

Rivet counters....

stikpusher

Rivet counters....

 

 

 

Or in this case, Bolts

Bish

 

 

stikpusher

Rivet counters....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or in this case, Bolts

 

The "32" wheels in the kit have what appears to be 16 larger "bolts" and 16 smaller ones that must be the rivets. For the sake of peace amoung nations I may stick with the 16 bolt pattern.

Recon89

The "32" wheels in the kit have what appears to be 16 larger "bolts" and 16 smaller ones that must be the rivets. For the sake of peace amoung nations I may stick with the 16 bolt pattern.

 

Does sound like you have the rivet and bolt option.

There were issues with the Panther D which became well apparent during the Kursk offensive fires, road wheel issues etc and to the front line troops it was clear that while this was a really good bit of kit, it needed fixing on many fronts to make it the tank that it became.

the road wheel issue was solved but it would be common for Panther D tanks to be seen at the late stages of the Kursk battle to see both 8 and 16/32 head wheels on the same vehicle.

if you are doing an initial or early D then go with the 16 head. If you are building a late D then the 32 or a mix would be correct.

actually I am interested in Takoms crane. What do you think of it?

James

Thanks everyone for the help and info. The kit does specify a late production model.

Late production, so yours is the one with the Zimmerite?

Yes it's the D model with zimmerit and full interior. It is an interesting kit in that Takom decides on which model type to put in the combo kit with the gantry crane. They offer 5 different Panther model types and you don't know which one you will get until you open the box. It will be an early, mid, or late production A model, a late production D model, or a late production D model with zimmerit. So far I am happy with the kit, it has a lot of detail and good fits (other than my usual screw-ups).

That is pretty cool that you get a “surprise” in which Panther comes in the box with the gantry crane. And so many different variants on top of that. No difference in pricing at all? 

Must be the same price for any option, didn't say otherwise in the order. You just can't tell them which option you want, it's up to them. It's just like Christmas morning to see what you got.