Dragon Armor Panther G - w/ Steel Road Wheels

No. 60548, Vintage year - 2012, Scale - 1:72

Unit - unidentified but possibly Pz.Abt. Kummersdorf, Pz.Div.Munchenberg - this was a German panzer division that primarily saw action on the Eastern Front and around Berlin in 1945. It was formed on 8 March 1945 in Muncheberg, Germany. The majority of the division's staff and panzer troops were drawn from the 103rd Panzer Brigade, which had been dissolved three days before. Major General Werner Mummert was put in command of the division. The Division received several Panther (G) tanks equipped with Sperber Infrared (IR) systems. As the advancing Soviet forces neared Muncheberg, the partly formed Muncheberg division was ordered to move east as the mobile reserve for the Ninth Army, which was part of Army Group Vistula. 

Campaign - Germany 1945 (Berlin/Oderfront) - Kummersdorf fought at the Kustrin counterattack in March but the Soviets would not be stopped. The Division first had around 11 Panthers and then were provided with new Panthers in the end of March with Infrared. Many of the Panthers not lost at Kustrin were destroyed at the Battle of Seelow Heights which raged from 14-17 April. The Division was pushed back across the Spree River and made a last defense on May 1 at the Tiergarden/Zoo Flak Tower. 

Markings - striped, brown, green and yellow camouflage 

Model - Only 28 or so were built by MAN in Mar/Apr. 1945 and then production discontinued. The steel wheel may have represented an attempt to improve roadwheel life in order to reduce wear in the area between the track and the idler. The use of steel was done in order to prevent "stripping" of the rubber (it also saved rubber) but they apparently did not work as designed on the Panther. Design deficiencies noted by some included issues with the steel rims working off and breaking issues with the track guide horns. 

Condition - new with minor wear on box. 

Thank you for your interest