Hi all,

Just a quick question please, I've been struggling to find accurate info on what the padlocks looked like on Tiger and Panzer IV Rommelkisten (equipment trunks attached to turrets)...or even if the use of padlocks was common?

If so, I know that the Tiger 1 had four latches per trunk, were four padlocks typically used (one on each latch) or did they just lock one latch per side, as some models and the Bovington Tiger 1 has?

Thanks in advance with this rather obscure question.

Here's an example of WW2 German padlock :



and here's a period picture :



H.P.

Interestingly enough, the padlocks the Wehrmacht used looked a lot like.....padlocks.

Thanks guys!

I see there were a few shapes used...

Does anybody know if typically all the latches on the Rommelkisten were locked or if the crew would only lock one of the latches?

The picture of the Rommel kiste above is excellent but it only shows one latch!

Wow, what an interesting subject. I honestly never gave a thought that that they would even lock up their storage boxes, panniers, etc.

AS far as being able to scratch anything that small, I think I'd be hopeless.

Gaz

All tankers do. We always kept locked our most "stealable" stuff.

Just check out Panzer DB's Tiger photo album on Flickr (only 803 pics to choose from )

https://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/albums/72157623974348778/page1

A few examples :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/5578237150/in/album-72157623974348778/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/5799266383/sizes/o/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/6707609391/sizes/l
https://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/8082173294/sizes/o/

H.P.

G'day Gaz

They're available in brass, but trust me, they're absolute mongrels to assemble. As for why they locked the boxes - in a word, light fingered infantry (and everybody else, for that matter). Same reason a lot of British Shermans do not appear to have any on-vehicle tools - they're wrapped up safely with the rest of the stowed equipment.

Regards

Rob

Thanks so much for all the helpful answers! On the Eduard 1:35 Tiger 1 Mid production PE set, there are four padlocks included so the above info will help in placing them correctly.