Jagdpanther - Department of Corrections - MNH Floor Plate - Part 2 - Inside Track | Renault TSF Tank Kent

Our previous article on the floor plate for the Jagdpanther examined whether we had made a error in using the diamond shaped floor plate pattern. This was covered in the Jagdpanther - Department of Corrections - MNH Floor plate article back on 30th September 2016. The original restoration had used the diamond pattern replacement floor plate sourced in Normandy a number of years ago. A chance look at the second Jagdpanther 3030 110 interior showed a different pattern floor plate. We went back to all of our original MNH interior images to determine what the correct floor plate should be. The conclusion was that the combination of diamond shaped plate together with what appeared to be a grid square pattern and an offset square pattern all appear to have made a showing in late MNH Jagdpanthers. To reproduce all with the exception of the diamond pattern we would have to record the dimensions of each of the missing patterns. The panels would simply be cut to size to replace the diamond pattern examples inside the JP. Drawing the grid square pattern was straight forward with only one complication. The base of the pyramid was a lot larger than the peak. The thickness of the floor panels all appear to be in the region of 1.5mm. The force of the stamping creates a higher profile and a newer stamp tool does so as well. The effect of 75 years of exposure to the elements makes the work that much harder. These obstacles have now been overcome with the grid square pattern. The next pattern – the diamond shaped pattern we already have in hand. An image of the original diamond pattern is attached together with a new rendition of the plate. The last pattern found in a late MNH Jagdpanther, the ex APG Jagdpanther, is slightly more challenging. There appear to be a number of variants within this pattern which we found misleading as they are all 8mm squares with a pitch of 20mm. The variance can attributed how firmly the sheet was stamped, how worn the dies were and to the thickness of the material. The predominant pattern is the diamond example. The exact placement of which sheet pattern goes where is the obvious next step and will follow in due course.

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