Tank wheel size

[Saxondog]

Here's the problem @rccommand Bill has a great set of road wheels,problem they are for a JAGDPANTHER,I want to use them on a TIGER VI but they are to big,3/8inch taller than the standard Tiger wheels.So the question came up were the wheels different sizes,and if so why.Certainly manufacturing different size wheels created  problems that the germans did not need.Also the difference between PANTHER,TIGER VI,KING TIGER,JAGDPANTHER.Were their really different size road wheels and why?

[bowlman]

After reading your post I took measurements of  3 tank wheels two Tamiya and 1 HL .

HL Tiger 1  49.82mm
Tamiya Kingtiger 49.91mm
Tamiya Panther 53.01mm

Jimmy

[Saxondog]

Thank-you Jimmy,but you see that is what we discovered also,but were the real tanks different? It would seem that to keep manufacturing simple they would use the same road wheels on the heavies,PANTHER,TIGERVI,JAGDPANTHER.and MAYBE KING TIGER. Now asiatam wheels are different also,they have a very nice road wheel set for the TIGER VI @189.00,then Bill@rccommand has this set for JAGDPANTHER for 132.00.I wanted to try them on my TIGERVI but we discovered the size difference.So did the GERMANS use different road wheels? Sax

[Plastic scouser]

Hi Sax,

the Panther and jagdpanther were classed as medium tanks not heavies by the Germans and used the same size roadwheels 860mm, some Panther Ausf G where fitted with the steel-tired 800mm diameter wheels which made the tanks ground clearance about 30mm lower.

The Tiger 1 and 2 both used the steel-tired roadwheels which where also 800mm diameter.

Early tiger 1 used the rubber rimmed tires which where also 800mm diameter

Cheers Ian

[Ex_Pat_Tanker]

I think the short answer for this is the German mindset for optimising everything
Reusing parts from somewhere else would make manufacturing sense, "but we can get a 2% improvement by making a new part" ::)

Also most of the equipement available to Nazi Germany was competatively bid in the 1930's, so there was no incentive to standardise, even if MAN would have allowed Krupp (for example) to raid their parts bin when preparing a new design!

The E series tanks were supposesd to be a replacement 'family' of vehicles for the mishmash of different vehicles in the German army - but in typical German fashion they realised the need for this too late in the game to do anything about it.

[Saxondog]

Well that does seem to clear the matter up.perhaps I should have chosen a different term than heavies, war production Tanks is more in line with my comparison.And this means that even if I buy the wheels and because my asiatam hull sets high they may well work but they will not be accurate.

[Woz]

I think the HL Tiger 1 wheels are smaller then scale because of the way the suspension is set up, also the wheel shafts are too thick so that a wheel thats the proper scale diameter just wouldn't work.

[Tankie]

The  HL tiger wheel at full size would give a reduction in diameter of  just 2.8mm, 1.4mm radius (or tyre depth).  Our car tyres wear by more than that in a year, so lets just say HL have modelled a tank that's done a few miles. 

[Saxondog]

I like that answer,have modeled a tank with a few miles on it. Very good.Now let's go one further since my asiatam hull sits high and I made the axles from shoulder bolts,tapped the control arms,and the panther wheel set uses the asiatam axles would they not clear the hull,but how would they effect track length,I have four extra track sections.I have 97 now so 99 mite even look better with the wheels.We have to hurry on the Tamiya buy so I can get back to finishing my H/L SUPER TIGER VI.Sax