Repairing the Panzers Vol.1 – a few corrections

Dear interested readers of RtP1

First, we need to apologize to Kevin Fish whom we forgot to put in the acknowledgements on page 6 even though he was among the generous donors of photos (see the photos on pages 121-123 marked correctly KF). He is an author himself (Panzer Regiment 8: In World War II – Poland-France-North Africa) and we are hoping to see more of his work in the future.

Also, the latest results of Holger Erdmann’s and Henry Hoppe’s research have brought to light that some trucks so far identified as Büssing-NAG type 4500 are actually of the earlier type 500 A (4×4) or S (4×2). In fact, the type 500 A and S do not have much in common with each other and seem to have been developed on different types. Later a type 4500 was designed that could easily be transformed from an A to an S version. So, the truck with the hood clearly sloping upwards towards the driver’s cab is a type 500 A, while the truck with a horizontal hood is the type 500 S.

In accordance with that new research, the truck on page 50 is a Büssing-NAG typ 500 A. The truck on page 51 is a Typ 4500 A or S. Contrary to the Büssing-NAG type 500 S, the type 4500 S had a hood which sloped slightly towards the driver’s cab. It differed from the Büssing-NAG type 4500 A by the missing differential gear on the front axle and the less massive wheel hubs of the front axle. The rims of the front axle were totally filled by the massive wheel hubs on the type 4500 A. The different hubs can be easily compared between the photos on page 50 and 51.

To save raw material and for further simplification of production, the rear fenders were dropped and the front fenders were widely simplified. Only four, later two, louvers were stamped into the side plates of the hood.

Visit Holger’s unique and ever evolving site to get more information: www.Kfzderwehrmacht.de

Of course the Tiger on page 177 Tiger has not been photographed in in Nov. of 1944 but of 1943. The correct designation then is 13./SS-Pz.Rgt. 1 LAH.

As expected, there are 3-4 spelling mistakes despite us three Musketeers working the text over and over again. But we leave them for you to find.

At this point we would like to thank again ALL our helpers and supporters for RtP1, of which many are helping us to turn RtP2 into another stunning book at this very moment. Stay tuned!

Lukas