Author: Melcher Stikkelorum
On the Right Track: Celebrating 10 Years of PanzerPlace
With my own birthday coming up, I was reminded of another milestone: this year marks 10 years since the start of PanzerPlace! In this post, we’ll look back on a decade of tanks, research and photography. It all began as a small experiment back in March 2015: posting photos from my previous museum visits with…
Dockside Mystery – Uncovering a Forgotten Stop of Tiger II V2
Some time ago, two grainy black-and-white photographs of an unknown Tiger II suddenly appeared in my inbox. At first glance, the features suggested it might be Tiger II V2, the well-known prototype. But the backdrop raised far more questions than it answered: French lettering, outlines of a harbour scene, and other details I had never…
Panther Scale Model – Propaganda Piece or Engineering Showcase?
A remarkable set of photos has surfaced, depicting a highly detailed scale model of a Panther Ausf. D. At first glance, it may seem like an ordinary display model, but closer inspection reveals something far more intriguing.
Australian Wasp
As the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum continues to disassemble their leichte Feldhaubitze 18/2 auf PzKpfw II (Sf), or Wespe for short, here are some images showing the very assembly process of Wepse.
Tiger 3 going on 2
Henschel’s attempt to design a chassis suitable for mounting the long 8.8 cm L/71 gun, did not get off to a flying start. In their tentative design, VK 4502, angled front armour was fitted to what was essentially a Tiger I (VK 4501) hull. Neither the gentlemen of the Panzerkommission nor those of the Army…
Sturmtiger at the Airfield
In recent years, a lot has been done to clear up the Sturmtiger’s combat history. With the publication of “Sturmtiger: The Combat History of Sturmmörser Kompanies 1000-1002”, we have for the first time a complete work in which all known Sturmtigers are extensively documented in both text and photos. You can imagine my surprise, when…
A Panther at Putlos
Last month, these photos of a Panther Ausf. D showed up on Ebay. According to the seller, the photos were taken in October 1943 at the Schießschule (shooting school) Putlos. They show a very clean example of an early production Panther, and are of particular interest because the chassis number is included, making it possible…
Militracks 2024 Ticket Pre-sale Started
Pre-sale of tickets for the 13th edition of Militracks has started this week. Militracks is the world’s largest event showcasing German World War II vehicle technology. Last edition was a blast, showcasing for the first time a unique driving Bergepanzer 38(t). There was also the late reveal of a rare Tiger I tank in the…
A Fresh New Look
When you’re reading this, you will probably have noticed the website a thing or two has changed on the site. In fact, the site has changed quite dramatically overnight. Over the past few days, the website has undergone a major update, introducing a brand-new look! In this post, I’ll quickly go over what’s changed and…
Militracks Mystery Tiger: What we Know
Over the last few days, the Militracks organisation have been hinting to the attendance of a very special guest, a Tiger I. As the first few photos began to surface on social media, people immediately began guessing as to the Tiger’s identity. Many suggested it must be either Saumur’s Tiger or the Tank Museum’s Tiger…
An Expensive Hobby: Tiger Maintenance Manuals
Recently, two manuals for the Tiger I and II turned up at an auction. I have never had much interest in auctions, but this time a special item caught my interest. It was said a copy of D 656/41 dated 2 September 1944 for the Tiger II was up for auction. To my knowledge, such…
24/25 December: Breakout
In the early morning of the 24th, Peiper was to break out of La Gleize on foot with his remaining men. The secret sign was the phrase “merry Christmas”. The wounded would stay behind, as would a small rearguard who had to intermittently blow up the remaining equipment, making it look as if the explosions…
