Panzer II “Luchs” - Weeks 61-63

Week 61 through Week 63, continuing work on the Aufbau, engine covers and ancillaries, we finally received the wheels back from having the rubber put on, test fitting on the hubs and finishing some of the small things.

Original Luchs wheels from Saumur, these are the wavy contour ones.

Finally, our wheels have returned from having the rubber put on, they will go off to be milled to have a bevel on the edges, this helps as a track guide. These are our wavy made ones.

Another view of the wheels.

One of the offset wheels with the different disc pattern, these were cut via a CNC machine and welded onto the wheel, which is different from the originals.

You can see the weld, which will be cleaned up.

One of the unfinished wheels next to the recently installed swing arms.

Eddie, working on the wheels and hubs, to check the fit of the new wheels. We don't have a current video, but the wheels spin very very easy...

Rear Aufbau from Saumur.

Test fit of the wheels, before being finished. You can start to see the Schachtellaufwerk (interleaved) system.

Alpha's rear Aufbau with the gas mask (Gasmaskenbehälter) Mg34 double barrel carrier (Ersatzläufe), magnet lamp (Magnetlampe) and gas mask breather tubes (Atemschlauch) on the wall. Can anyone figure out what the purpose of the hole in the rear wall and the swing lever is for?

Schutzglas

Tow cable clamps for rear deck

Making the clamps.

Saumur's rear deck

Closer view of the rear deck. I think the rear strike marks make it look even better.

Michael, Mike and Joey checking out the rear deck with the new clamps installed. Omegas Aufbauf on the right, you can see the front visor ports and on the side, you can see the hole for the aerial mount. On the left of the picture is Alpha's Aufbau, you can see the welded whoops hole and the new one created.

Working on the Funkers visor (Sehklappe)

Sehklappe Installed, still have to cut out he holes for the Fahrerfernrohr, which is over the drivers visor, this device was a specialized, binocular periscope, which the driver would use to drive when the visor was completely shut, these were phased out after better armored glass was created. Plus a little sneak peak of the 80 watt transmitter carrier on the roof, will show more pictures when completed..

Bovington's front, you can see the holes for the Fahrerfernrohr.

Fahrerfernrohr in a Panzer with the visors closed.

Bovington's Luchs, you can see the bracket mount on the wall for the Fahrerfernrohr.