Can anyone tell me the wood that the jack blocks were made of. I would think the Germans would have used oak cause of its depth and strength. But maybe it was pine. This question relates to how I paint the wood color. Also on the Panther I'm doing on a photo of it it shows ice cleats hanging off the back of the spare track rail. How were these stowed- with wire or is it just a haphazard array?

I'm not too good with knowing about different woods, but I'm sure it would have been a hardwood. If I remember, pine is relatively soft, so I would guess oak or a similar wood. As for the ice cleats, I don't know what they look like off the tank, but the spares rack has U shaped brackets with retention pins. It looks like they are hanging on a chain looped through the brackets and secured with the pins.

I have only seen one WW2 example of a jack wooden load spreader during my extensive research. It was of a hard wood but what type of wood exactly I don't know. As they would take the weight of the jack/tank pine or a like would would not last. The example I have seen had quite deep indentations on it from the foot of the jack.

On all of the photos I have seen (including the original example) they were made of two unequal pieces of wood held together by riveted metal bands. (There is a fair image on my Panther project in 'On the Workbench.')

I used wood for the load spreader and coloured by using dark wood stain before a slight degree of weathering (dust overspray.) Came out very well.

I think you mean ice grousers? The ice cleats are cast into the link crossbar. I have a drawing and also a photo of grousers. They were on average (so the book says) placed every 4-5 links. Send me an e-mail address to [email protected]. and I will digi them to you.

Best wishes.

Peter Mealing (Trackpins)

Sorry, I missed the final question. There is no place on the Panther to my knowledge purpose designated for grouser stowage (unlike for example, the Leopard).

In view of the war in Russia in particular, so much equipment was needed to be carried I don't see them being on the tank until needed. I may be wrong but I believe this to be the case. When they were needed (or just prior to) they would have been placed in any place they could be fitted.

As to fixings, they look to be quite small (offering no additional armour protection) and only fit into the centre portion of the link. There appears to be no holes or the like in them that could be used to thread then together. I would again suggest the crews used anything to hand to secure them, wires, rope etc. and to fix them to the tank where they would not interfer with the tanks operation, engine deck area springs to mind.

Hope this helps.

Peter Mealing (Trackpins)

In my experience, and my common sense agrees, jack blocks and chocks are usually softwoods, like pine. Hardwoods tend to crack and split/splinter. Softwoods aren't as prone to destructive failure, unless you really abuse them. Softwoods are easier to nail into, also...and easier to get the nails out of!