I recently stumbled across a nice looking color profile of a Jagdpanther in one of my books and decided to use that as the basis for my Dragon Jagdpanther (once I get around to actually building the thing)
Luckily, I also managed to find two photos of this particular vehicle in Panzhewrecks Vol.3
![](https://i.imgur.com/6sr3jeM.jpg)
![](https://i.imgur.com/cxcDEmF.jpg)
According to Panzerwrecks, those photos were taken at Oldenburg on 10th May, 1945 and the Jagdpanther is a vehicle of 1./Pz.Einsatz-Abt.20.
Unfortunately, those are the only photos of "59" that I know of and they only show it from one side.
It appears to be a late Jagdpanther G1, which my Dragon "late" kit (6393) should match.
While I do know a thing or two about the Jagdpanther, I'm in no way an expert and would appreciate any help with identifying just what features can be seen on this tank destroyer.
I already had a long, hard look at both photos and I think I managed to indentify some things on my own. If any of my assumptions are wrong, please feel free to correct me:
It has the large Geschütznische (gun recess) with the 8 external bolts, which makes it a vehicle built in or after October 1944.
While it's hard to tell for me, I believe that it's a MNH produced vehicle. You can't see the characteristic MNH spade cutout in the fenders, but the tool rack that holds it appears to be mounted parallel to the side fenders, making said cutout necessary.
In addition to that, the hole for the left driver's periscope is welded over with a thin metal plate. As I understand it, only a handful of MNH vehicles built in November 1944 had that persicope cover plate installed. (Fgst.Nr. 303001-303020)
Considering those (hopefully correct) observations, here's a list of features I think my model should display:
- No Zimmerit (as on all late Jagdpanther G1s)
- Large Geschütznische
- Single driver's periscope with a thin plate welded over the 2nd hole
- MG ball mount with the stepped aperture
- Smaller "universal" muzzle brake
- U-brackets to hold the towing cables welded to the top edge of the rear plate
- Panther G rear stowage bins
- Welded suspension bump stops
- Deleted rear shock absorbers
Additionally, I'm not sure about a couple of minor details:
- Would the rear storage bins have the X-pattern ribs or the 5 vertical ribs instead?
- Some of the vehicles in the Fgst.Nr range I listed had the air vent on the roof moved to the front edge, directly above the gun. Does this apply here?
- Jagdpanthers produced at this time should have a raised "hump" on the gun mantlet that was threaded to accept a lifting eye. I can't see the hump in the photos however.
- As far as I understand it, MNH didn't weld any "Pilze" sockets to the superstructure roof at the time. Is Dragon's omission of them correct for this vehicle?
- Dragon has you add heat shields around the exhaust pipes. With them not being visible in the photos, is there any way of telling if that's correct?
- The idlers are hard to make out in the photos, so I can't tell if they're the standard type or the later self-cleaning version.
- The Panzerwrecks book points out that there are foliage loops welded to the hull sides, but I can't make them out.
Most of my assumptions here are based on the Panzer Tracts volume on the Jagdpanther, but I could be horribly wrong regarding all of this of course.
If any Jagdpanther experts are willing to chime in with their knowledge, I would greatly appreciate it.
Clemens