Rochm model has a new Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.B "July 1945" w/Orterkompass OK 38.

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So what idiot would stick his head out a hatch to read a compass when the bullets are flying. Seems they would already know which way to the front.

I kinda wondered that, myself. Maybe it was intended to help locate the nearest "WURSTUNDSTRUDELHAUS" restaurant chain after the "War of 1947"..?

Otto Carius writes about the major fault that Soviet/Russian commanders committed: They did NOT stick their head out.

Otto Carius DID stick his head out to get a better overview of the battle and be able to command his crew more precisely.
He writes about one skirmish where he knocked out some Soviet tanks and claims that his victory was largely based on him having a better overview thanks to sticking his head out.

There is also a fine but significant difference between sticking ones head out to get some overview when the enemy is maybe 1000 yards away and exposing ones head when enemy infantry is 50 yards away.
Getting the compass bearing to an object far away is probably more relevant than worrying about the angle to something 50 yards away slightly over on the right side.

/ Robin

The British did this in the desert. There was a compass tank.

Thing is the mount has to be demagnitized because the big steel thing under it tends to throw off a compass. One usually had to dismount and walk a few yards from the tank to shoot an azimuth. So it's worse than sticking your head out the hatch. You're supposed to do that to maintain situational awareness. Abrams was rumored to have welded his hatch open and insisted all his commanders keep their heads out and scanning.

Thing is in a US tank you could shoot it once, mark it on the cupola and keep track of it using the gunner's rate tachometer. Didn't some German tanks have degrees marked off on the turret ring?

Yeah, what Robin said. Seems to me the compass device was never intended as an "in-combat aid," but was used before or after any action.

Now you know what all those pointing German figures are doing. They shot an azimuth with their compass and are telling the troops which way to go.

Here's one way to do it.
Stop tank
Dismount commander and loader with map and compass. Walk three to five paces from tank.
Gunner stays on tank to scan for targets
TC shoots azimuth and coordinates with map.
Recorded heading and terrain.
Remount tank.
Point turret in direction of travel and tell driver center tank on it.

So much easier to ask a guy on the ground for directions.

Warning: do not let a second lieutenant do this if you wish to actually reach your destination. You will get lost.

Looks like an interesting version of the HB kit.

Looks like the Panzer 68 is still lightyears away.

I think the little compass gadget looks cool. does it have to be more than this?

Surely this news item should have been launched at the start of the month?

Can't see that very exposed bit of oil-filled glass on the roof lasting any length of time in combat! The obvious solution would be a hand-held compass in the TC's pocket to be used dismounted when not being shot at. Or a compass mounted inside the turret...

It's for road marches not combat...

Dan

Look:

Orterkompass info

If nothing else it'd be useful in a diorama featuring all those German pointing figures.

There is some speculation on the excellent website panther1944.de whether the Orterkompass was intended for use in connection with the night fighting equipment, to coordinate with the UHU-vehicles for battlefield infrared illumination.

http://panther1944.de/index.php/en/sdkfz-171-pzkpfwg-panther/technik/orterkompass

This is at least a plausible explanation, as it would be strange for such a basic item such as a compass without any other specific purpose to be mounted on fighting vehicles so late in the war in an unprotected manner, and yet without any detailed information available as to why it was done. Considering the combat range with the stronger illumination by UHUs was supposed to extend to up to 2500 m, coordinating via an azimut from shared compass systems would probably be a good place to start.

The Orterkompass OK 38 seems to be one of those ideas that doesn't really take reality into consideration: shell hits, etc would wipe this clever piece of precision equipment away in no time; it doesn't even seem to be encased in an armoured cover. I'm with the guy that stated that they would simply dismount and take readings from, say, the back of the tank thereby possibly sheltered from incoming rounds? Cool but of dubious application, though the Infra red idea might have merit.

Orterkompass info

Small piece of text borrowed from David Byrdens excellent web-site:
"This diagram shows three holes in the top of the sheet-metal base. A quick-release holder made of Bakelite was screwed into these holes. The holder incorporated the magnetic compensators, and for their correct operation it would have been necessary to keep the holder permanently on the roof. The compass itself could be easily inserted and removed from the holder, and stored inside the tank without ill effect."

Quick release holder, store compass in tank when not actively used.

/ Robin

Count four posts up from yours.

This the the best that I found about the Orterkompass, sorry but I guess that it´s only in spanish.

http://panther-ausfuehrung-g.blogspot.com/2015/01/orterkompass-en-el-panther-ausf-g.html