Did I find rubber of Panther wheel in Luxemburg field?

[Huib]

Is anybody capable of identifying the rubber rim of a Panther rolling wheel? A few weeks ago I was in Luxemburg and did an odd find at the edge of a forest. I found a piece of rubber, more or less 1,5 m long. To make this piece a full circle I think about 3 to 3,5 m was needed. So not the full part was laying there, but it says something about the size of the wheel it was atached to. Furtunately there was an inscription on the rubber. It turned out that the manufacturer is "Fulda Gummiwerke": In WW2 an important producer of rubber parts for tanks.
Looking at the rubber surface, it is unlikely it ever touched the road itself.
A picture of a small piece is on my homepage. http://home.planet.nl/~versloot in the Ardennes 2003 section.
I would be very happy if anyone can help me identify this thing. Is it really from a Panther (or perhaps Hetzer or other tank with large rolling wheels) or is it something agricultural.

[Huib]

For anyone interested. From relic specialist Simon Lerenfort I got a confirmation today that this is indeed rubber from a Panther rolling wheel. When I get a picture from his archives, I will pos it.http://www.lerenfort.fsnet.co.uk

[mooster]

Nice website, Huib. I loved the 'virtual musuem.' Anyone who hasn't gone over there for a look, it's worth the time.

Peace,

Mooster

[Huib]

Latest and last news on the Panther roadwheel: After inquiry at the Diekirch Military Museum it turned out that a couple of Panthers from the Führer Grenadier Brigade were abandoned at the nearby town of Bourscheid after they ran out of gasoline during the retreat in january 1945. In 1945-1946 the Panthers were cut up and stripped. The rubber rim I found is probably from one of these Panthers.
I thank mr. Gaul from the Diekirch museum for this information.
Visit his vitual museum, it's worth it: Diekirch Military Museum