Sadly none of my books have anything on this question.

I have the Meng JagdPanther G1 kit and it can be built with one of three gun mounts. No bolts, part D2, or bolted, parts C37 and C38. Also in the kit is a 4th type of mount, part D16. I found a few pictures of the JagdPanther with the 4th type of mount, which looks like a transition type. Two JagdPanthers had the one piece barrel, at least one has the two part barrel. The clearest is this one:



My question is, is this a standard gun mount used by all the factories, or one used at a specific factory? I like the look, and want to built this tank, and I'm curious about it, and google came up with nothing useful.

I'm no Jagdpanther experten, but the above photo has the late pattern mount - the narrow edged one without bolts was the earlier type. There could be various reasons this Jadgpanther has a one-piece barrel...maybe it was just replaced, due to being damaged or worn out, with whatever was available. Maybe it was a one-off from the assembly factory because they still had older barrels in stock.

From what I've read German factories used whatever parts were available, there was no standard combination they had to adhere to because what counted was getting vehicles out the door. This situation must have become more common as the war progressed and supply difficulties intensified. It also seems that whenever someone says, *This combination of parts was never seen on this vehicle*, somebody else posts a photo showing exactly that.

From left to right, D2, D16, D37, D38:


D16 has to be a thin edge early bolted mount.

Just as I posted this the Takom G1 late kit arrived. Interesting Takom has the thin edge bolted mount as an option for a mid to late G1 JagdPanther.

From the excellent Panzertracts 9.3 on the Jagdpanther. IMHO A must have...




What you are wanting to depict is the second interim version made to fit the hole already cut for the first version. Note the upper picture with 2 piece barrel vs the lower picture with monobloc barrel here



Caption states these vehicles began to be issued in October 1944, after the introduction of the split barrels in April 1944, so yes, stock of barrels was being used up...

Peter,

Thank you, just what I was looking for. I'll have a look for that issue of Panzertracts.

If I read that text properly the interim mount was used from August 1944 and replaced in October. Most probably didn't have the zimeritt applied. One of the pictures I found might have zimeritt.

Hi Randall. The larger hole was being cut in hulls in June 1944 but production at Miag was sporadically halted by bombing so the interim gun recess was not fitted to hulls until the ones built in August. Zim was still to be applied until Sept, so the 14 built in August would have both, plus or minus any that may have crept through end of July or Early Sept. After that, up to October, the interim would be fitted but without Zim.

Peter, thanks again. I have that book on order.

The Meng hull is multi piece, which is tricky. Everything here went together ok, the seam in the interlocking plates filled in with just a little liquid glue.

There are some fit issues on the rear plate, and large push pin holes. I filled them in because I think they will be visible. I cut off 1/3 of the shafts for the wheels because the shafts are too tight on the wheels.



The front hull test fitted. I cut off the fenders because they prevent the front plate from fitting after the sponson inserts are glued in. I put in the inserts to square up the hull. I'm hoping the seams to the hull front and sides glue in as well as the rear plate.

The rear deck fit is poor, but that could be due to the rear hull plate. Nothing that can't be fixed.

This is the so called 'mid' collar which was mounted from Augustus to October 1944, MNH didn't start Jagdpanther production until November 1944 so this feature is pretty much unique to MIAG built Jagdpanthers. Fortunately the Meng kit represents a MIAG Jagdpanther more or less.