Fiulmodel Tracks

Perhaps there is one or two of the production that did indeed have the chin mantlet. I'll go check one of my older reference books later today.

Thanks Phill, that would explain it. I guess haveing the single steel rimmed wheel would not have the same problem and still save rubber, all be it a small amount.

Bish,

There was a small batch (abour 24)  of steel-wheeled Panthers manufactured in Sept. 1944. It's speculated that these wheels placed extra stress (metal on metal contact, rather than the rubber tyres on the standard road wheels) on the track links causing premature failure.

I believe this production batch pre-dates the introduction  of the chin mantlet, crew heater and flammvernichter exhausts which are prominent visible features of "late" Panther G's.

tiger, there were also some with a single steel wheel on each side at the back, Dragon does a kit of this as well. and these do have the chin mantlet. It is very confuseing, and i can only assume that the Steel wheeled vehicles were either ones that had been sent back for repair, or they just had these turret on hand.

Thanks guys I appreciate the help.

Jeff

I think you got me Bish. Most of what I'm finding is indeed the early mantlet. I thought it was the other way around, because so few ever saw service. 

Tiger, i always thought that the Steel Wheeled panthers had the earlier matlet, as i know when i first saw it i was a bit confused. I am not close to my Panzer tracts books at the moment, but i am sure it shows a steel wheeled with the early syle mantlet. I have the same kit, so i did check to be sure, but i could have cocked it up. I will check next week to be sure.

Do you have a pic of all steel wheeled with the chin mantlet.

I think either way Jeff, they are the right tracks

bouttime

Gentlemen,

 

I haven't been around much lately as it's boating season and as expected there is some fantastic work going on here as usual.

As I have really messed up the indy link tracks for my Dragon Panther G (smart kit 6370) I was wondering if the Friulmodel link set # ATL-08 was the correct set for this kit.

 

Thanks

Jeff

 

These are good for a Panther G Late. The kit you have appears to come with the early and later chin-mantlet. So to be sure, I'd probably opt for the late chin mantlet. To be honest, I've only seen pictures of the steel-wheels with that mantlet. HTH

http://www.friulmodel.hu/en/atl-08-panther-late-type-tracks-i11/