Lets see your Panzer crew member Soldbuchs

[Ian Jewison]

Clearer photos of the Stabsmusikmeister of 7 Pz.Div.

[Ian Jewison]

...

[Ian Jewison]

This has been shown before.....not by me however!

[Ian Jewison]

Nice photo after being awarded the Ritterkreuz. Note he is missing a Totenkopf!

[christof]

FANTASTIC thread and so great document Ian, I like them so much...

[christof]

2 others : Up SS-Pz. Rgt. 5
Down Sturmg. Rgt. "H. G."

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By judex232

[christof]

By judex232

[christof]

By judex232

[christof]

By judex232

[christof]

By judex232

[christof]

By judex232

[christof]

By judex232

[Panzer Rob]

Beautiful pieces, Christof and Ian!




Rob

[Panzer Rob]

Here’s something a little different that I think should make a nice addition this thread (and should also look a bit familiar to Mr. Jewison


This is a Soldbuch to a Luftwaffe member who in 1944 was transferred to the Heer, serving first in Heer-Flakartillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung 276 and then Festungs (Pantherturm) Kompanie 1209, a unit that manned pillboxes made from turrets of damaged/disabled Panthers which (from what I can gather from the limited information I have found on this unit) was formed on 19.November 1944 and stationed in La Futa, Italy, on the Gothic line guarding the Futa Pass (or “Passo della Futa”) in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.


Here’s a map showing the approximate position of where Patherturm Kompanie 1209 was stationed, marked with a yellow circle (map taken from here):





There were two types of Pantherstellung produced between 1942-45:

Pantherturm (Stahluntersatz): produced with a steel box base, reinforced with concrete
Pantherturm (Betonsockel): produced with a concrete base (regelbau 687)

Supposedly there was a third version, Panther-Turm A (Schnelleinbau) made from a heavy log/wooden bunker base, but I have yet to find any confirmed examples of this version actually being constructed and used.

These turrets came from all three versions of the Panther; ausf.D, .A and .G models. In some cases the turret was simply removed from the tank and placed onto the structure with little to no modifications, other turrets had the commander’s cupola removed and replaced with a new flat hatch and visor block.

Here are some shots of the Soldbuch. Notice on page 08 that he was issued a flare pistol, a pistol and a pair of binoculars:














Here are some photographs of actual Pantherstellungs…

First up is a Pantherstellung (Regelbau 687) which shows an unmodified Panther ausf.D turret with original commander’s cupola:




Second is a Pantherstellung (Stahluntersatz) which illustrates how the turret was modified by completely removing the commander’s cupola and replacing it with a modified circular hatch (shown here in the open position) with vision block, no doubt reducing the silhouette and producing less of a target:






Now for a few Pantherstellung wrecks:

The first two were taken in Italy, 1945. The first one shows a US GI standing next to heavily damaged and burnt out Regelbau 687 Pantherstellung, where the turret has been blown clear off it’s base:





The next one, also taken in Italy, shows a Pantherstellung being examined by a British soldier and shows a turret which equipped with the later style asuf.A/G commander’s cupola:






And three more Pantherstellung wrecks, again - all taken in Italy:

[Daniele C]

Wow Rob!
This is a rare bird!
To be honest i didnt even think such units existed but were jut made "on the field"
Great!

Daniele