PANTHER G ZU-FUSS

[edpanzer]

More quality work there Herman

[HERMAN BIX]

Been away sorting rig issues out. Moving 12 Million bucks worth of hard assets over 3000kms one way does a mans head in way more than Aber clasps
To get this lot there & back we have burned more than $20,000 worth of tyres
The damn things never blow when its - A; daylight.............B; less than 2 days travel from supply to the disabled unit.........C; an available size in stock thats all of the previous
$3720 just to supply & fit 2 steer tyres on one truck after a 2 day drive to get them for example.
One load was lost off the trailer when a double combination dolly hit a culvert on the side of a narrow road & broke the duel wheels off the axle beam, breaking the restraints & losing the load off the side.
All of the 22 spare tyres were used up plus emergency hot-shots.
No wonder I drink.

Got the first lot of gussets on each mystery mount. All hand cut & shaped to suit.
18 to go
The actual system that will join the rocket baskets to each mount will allow just enough clearance from the Schurzen for them to swivel and the turret to rotate.
I have decided to wait until they are all mounted & then decide on the firing cable solution.

[edpanzer]

Jeez Herman no wonder you're tyred out

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
Welcome back! A different kind of hand banging and hopefully still more enjoyable. ;o)
regards,
Painless

[HERMAN BIX]

Cheers lads, it takes a few days to 'turn off'
Its not only the easter long weekend, but also my wedding anniversary................today.
Shes having a sleep in while I get brass cut

[HERMAN BIX]

Holy crap these are tedious
Got two basic mounts done, other four are needing only one gusset in each, then the mystery -mounts are done.
Still need to mount them, and place welds etc.
The real trick is going to be the wooden rocket crate/swivel system/mount combo scenario.
Mocked the two completed basic mounts up on the hull side just to get a taste -test .
Mine are slightly longer than the one found on the 'A' in the Littlefield collection, and have to sit a bit higher due to the Schurzen mounting profile along each side (the 'A' has lower brackets to mount the Schurzen) but this still will not impede the turret traverse.
I would really like to see this system on a good 'A' to give historical accuracy, but making the assumption that the 'A' model in the Littlefield collection was the crash test dummy(possible the Tiger 1 too), and mine represents a production example done in Nov '45, the concept of a the mystery mounts being a 'Zu Fuss' deployment system is becoming more plausible every day.

[HERMAN BIX]

Done. All 6 mounts now gusseted. Glad thats over.

[Abe Froman]

They look so real, top work sir. Looking forward to seeing the crates mounted. Will look so impressive

[PainlessWolf]

Herman,
I'm reading about WWII's 'Herman Bix' in one of the Osprey books, 'Jagdpanther vs SU-100'. Informative and amazing stuff. Amazing like the excellent work you continually push out. After a highly satisfactory phone call with Eric from IMEX today, I should be joining you on the Build Fields again very soon. Following along!
regards,
Painless

[wibblywobbly]

Following this with interest. Amazing how you can make one of those mounts so perfectly yet alone a matching set. This is going to be one heck of an original build.