paul hocking

Hi Bob,

Am amazed that I got such a quick reply, after some time people often disappear from a forum, however sorry to hear of your medical problems, and whatever else gets in the way of modelling.

So best of luck for the future in all aspects.

cheers PAUL 

Hi Bob,

Often wondered if you completed your model and which of the M-Benz's you decided to model eventually .

cheers Paul

Hi,

Interesting, but was it the car that he was in when attacked by an aircraftt, as I thought it was very badly damaged in the crash at the time.

Any photos ?

cheers

Not Rommel, That is Waffen SS General Sepp Dietrich on the left of the photo and its his Horch Kfz 21 Kommandowagen that was damaged in this air attack, the fire was put out and he drove away. 

anybody ?

Hi,

Saw one just like yours at a show in Blandford Forum, Dorset a year or so ago, it was shown in an old MVT magazine and had the registration 954 XVD, or something like that, I remember its number because it was just a few numbers from that on a friends vehicle.

Sorry do not know anything else about it.

cheers 

Its the post war kettenkrad owned by Bob Fleming that featured in September 2021 Classic Military Vehicle magazine.

cheers Paul

Hi,

So has anybody got the correct information as to what car Rommel was in that day ?

cheers PAUL

Hi,

Photo that match the above comment about it being an M-B 230, the close up of the drivers position is in reverse to match the Rommel photo.

cheers PAUL  

The photo of Rommel in a car with driver shown above, is a Mercedes-Benz 230 4 door convertible, its also grey and the driver is not his usual " Daniel" but a Luftwaffe Unterfeldwebel, so very likely a Luftwaffe vehicle just being used on the day of the photo.

So it unlikely to be a Normandy photo  or of the vehicle he was in when attacked,  

cheers PAUL

Hi,

As this Panther was shown at a Cairns Museum open day immediatly after the above news video was taken, has anybody got a video to show of the weeked events ??

Good video, lovely to see it moving, but why the incredible story, Normandy and Norrie on the 9th June (that makes it 12 SS), then again in the Ardennes, really how incredible to happen to have a panzer with such a history !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers paul   

Hi Kevin,

Ok, no problem.

cheers Paul

Hi 11th Armd,

Sorry but yes, you do not know any details, so why take such a pessimistic view of the StuG and its owner, in fact there are no strings attached, its freely loaned to Bovington, and all they have to do is put fuel in it, it is availabe when and wherever they want to use it, can use their own qualified drivers. All other costs are bourne by the owner.

No other costs other than fuel, but have shown very little interest, really do not want it, and they have had this attitude long before Covid 19 was around.

cheers paul  

Hi Bob,

Maybe just model a 320, you will not be far wrong, or maybe even correct. You have some dimensions for a 320, its wheelbase is 2880 mm, that is always a good start for scaling a vehicle, wheels are 6,50 - 20, which gives an overall diameter 33 inches (840 mm) another useful dimension, (happens to be the same as the 340 wheel size)..

The rear boot layout of these Reichwehr Kubels often varies , on some the bodywork ends just behind the rear seats and two strapped down storage boxes are then added, some have a single box, with room either side, maybe thats what you have here with jerrycans being located at the side of the single box, some later versions have bodywork  that extends beyond the rear seats to become a "boot" with a lift-up or drop-down rear door.  

These Reichwehr Kubels can vary a lot over time, even the same make and model, they were built in small order numbers, and for each small order, maybe was only for 50 vehicles at a time, so the next 50 would not necessarily be exacly the same in details. The other point is that these Kubel bodies were hand built, a wooden frame covered in steel, not mass produced pressed out identical metal bodies.

Remember there were only 41 of the 340 model made, thats no more than a pre-production run quantity for most auto companys, basically almost prototypes, variations could be rife across the 41.

cheers PAUL,  

Ho Bob,

Like I said a couple of notes above, if you are happy with a 320 then make a 320, but also like you, I think your Caiffiers photo is slightly different, it looks longer and slimmer that a 320, hence my suggestion that it was a 340, but again not all detail points match. 

So maybe its a hybrid of some description,...................?? so if you really want a model of the Caiffiers vehicle, just make your model exactly as what you see in the photo, and forget what its M-Benz number might me.

cheers Paul 

Hi Bob,

If you really want to construct a M-Benz Kubel it might be an idea to do a 320 WK, as there are a lot more photos arond of them with some 1700 built as opposed to just 41 of 340 WK.

Yes, you might have to buy several kits to get all the parts you want, and then modify or scratch some more.

So best of luck, cheers PAUL  

Hi Bob,

That kit is a Stoewer, Hanomag or BMW manufactured lEpkw which has a wheelbase of just 2400mm as against a 320 at 2880mm and the 340 at 3300mm, and of course LxWxH are different again. But modelling can change anything if you wish. .

Also found out that only 41 M-B 340 WK were built, so your Luftwaffe photo vehicle may or may not be one, being so rare makes it difficult to identify properly, but your two photos should help.   So I have to say I am hedging my bets about your original photo be a 340, needs more investigation.

M-Benz had a large range of Kubelwagen like the 340 so telling them apart can be tricky, let alone how similar they also were to the Wanderer, Horch, Adler, Stoewer etc, Kubelwagens of the time.,  but we try.............!!

cheers PAUL. 

Hi Bob,

I meant that Nick's M-Benz 320WK is the second photo down below your initial photo. ☺️ 

Am looking for a photo of a 340, they are rare and not always that easy to tell apart from a 320 photo.

Not at all familiar with what model kits are out there, but you never know, might be one.

cheers PAUL

hi,

Would say that the Luftwaffe Kubelwagen is a M-Benz 340 WK, almost identical to the 320 WK but a bit longer and slimmer looking, the 320 wheelbase was 2880mm whereas the 340 was 3300,mm.. The second photo down from Nick is the 320 WK,. different gaps between rear doors and rear mudguards, slightly wider doors, slightly more of a gap bwteen the two step in plates, and so on.

The 320 and 340 are hugely different to the mEpkw in most areas, apart from the wheelbase again, 3100mm for the mEpkw, tyre size,  LxWxH and so on are all different..

Not sure there is a kit out there of a 320 or a 340, so this could be a real challange, something like a 100% scratch build.

good luck, cheers lennard, 

I believe that just a few years ago there were no examples of StuG IV in existance, and now apparently five, thats great and good to know.

Calling it a "bitsa" is unfriendly,  does anyone expect to find 80/90/100% complete German tanks just sitting around, slightly rusted for somebody to find.  Reconstruction is a major part of any collection and AAAH are doing a fine job and ought to be congratulated.

And whatever mechanicals are used to power this vehicle is fine by me.

cheers lennard

Hi Goran,

The only military vehicle type that I am aware of that this curved heater screen could fit is any of the Kfz 21 Kommandeurwagens types, mHorch, sHorch, Skoda etc., which had curved one piece windscreens,  but as it does not look at all military with shiny metal parts,  its most likely for any civilian car with a one piece curved windscreen.

cheers PAUL

Hi Bassetts,

So is it real or repro, have to admit there are many odd details on this Kubel, have you any more information to give it some authenticity?

cheers PAUL H

Hi John,

Bad luck, so you never went at all even by car ? 

Am still looking for photos and film of the NOTEK Colume runout, must be out there somewhere, any ideas..

cheers PAUL

Hi John,

Live near Portsmouth, I think I know a George out that way but with a KS750, so did you eventually take a bike to Normandy or were your problems all happening at home?

Photo attached of the two high mileage bikes.

cheers PAUL