Bill Cross reviews QuickWheel's Front Wheels & Mask for the Sd.Kfz.251.



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Thanks!

Great review Bill, and thanks for the chuckle I take it the masks included are reusable as with the 'regular' quick wheel masks, any idea if the wheels will be available separately, to cut the cost a bit if building multiple kits of the same subject?

Forgive my ignorance, but did Dunlop actually supply 251 tyres? (the photos provided appear to be of a restored vehicle) A bit OT, but if so how did a British company get away supplying the Nazi war machine?

Thanks for the review

Rudi

James, I'm glad you enjoyed it.


Don't know the answer to that. The masks are reusable, but the adhesive that holds the mask onto the surface does degrade with multiple re-uses. The ring will hold the tires in-place, but I can't comment on how they would work 10x after the first use. I will let you know after I build the two DML Sd.Kfz.7s in my stash, LOL.


I don't know the answer to that, Rudi. Greg Rossa who is the owner of QW is working on replacement wheels for all the surviving tire brands, so I will see what he knows.

But when the Nazis seized power, they ended up nationalizing or otherwise controlling a number of foreign-owned businesses or multinational brands. General Motors' Opel, is the most-famous example, since the Opel Blitz became a staple of the Wehrmacht's motor pool.

I don't know if there was a Dunlop factory in Germany, but Goodyear did have one in Fulda.

But I'm assuming, and you know what happens when you assume (you make an ass out of "U" & "me").

UPDATE:

Greg Rossa, the owner of QuickWheel is on holiday (it's August in Europe and the cities empty out, LOL), but he offered several bits on this:

a) Dunlop didn't supply 251/11 tires - it supplied MUCH wider range of German vehicle tires and that includes 251/11 (that can be seen on many pictures if you look very carefully) and I'm planning to make many more wheels for other vehicles in near future.

b) the vehicle on the pictures is not really a restored one as much as its recovered (I was told that this particular one was taken out of the river - it had 2 different tires on it - Dunlop and Continental actually ) almost in full (including the tires as I was told by the museum keeper in which i took the pictures) - besides - would Dunlop really care to make tires that would fit 251/11 or that would have the same tread pattern AFTER the war? If yes - well I really wouldn't know why. I can tell that the tread pattern is genuine because every other tires i photographed had same one - unless somebody wants to say that for some reason Dunlop, Continental, Fulda and Deka made their tires for unknown reason after the war. It sure might result in some discussion but hey - if someone doesn't want Dunlop ones there will be 3 others to choose from very soon

c) I don't know *how* the company got away but did it really have to? That's just tires they supplied I guess that's a question for someone who lived and worked at Dunlop during the war. But really - there was a Dunlop factory (at least one) in Germany during the war.
Then what about Fulda? I see Fulda tires commonly on many trucks these days (I guess it's a Dunlop trademark now) - does that mean "they got away" with supplying the tires during the war too?

By the way - I'm preparing a wheel set for Sd.Kfz. 7 with Fulda tire (also based on museum exhibition) if I haven't mentioned that before.

Fulda Sd.Kfz.7 tires? Ooo, what a nice way to end a horrible week!!

THanks for the info, Bill

You're welcome, Rudi. Have added a photo of the finished wheels on an old Tamiya SdKfz. 251.