Sd.Kfz.223 3.Serie versus 4.Serie Aufbau – Side engine hatch - Inside Track | Renault TSF Tank Kent

The transfer of Panzerwanne production from Deutsche Edelstahlwerke (DEW) to the Austrian Company Schöller Bleckmann AG was heralded by a number of differences that the Foundation has experienced first-hand here in the reassembly of our leichter Panzerspähwagen. In earlier articles we have covered several of these differences – the plate visors of the 3.Serie versus the cast visors Einheitssehklappe (standardised vision port/visor) of the 4.Serie or the door hinge differences between the two. More differences were found inadvertently during the research into the hinge packer plate sizes required under the top and side engine hatches. The project surrounding the reassembling of the rear section of the hull of the 4.Serie for the Sd.Kfz.222 eventually arrived at the fitting and repair of the two side engine hatch plates. These side engine hatches for the 4.Serie cover the same sized opening in the hull as with the 3.Serie. We knew the hinges were different from previous research covered within Inside Track. The small armoured conical bolt hinges of the 3.Serie (see image) had been replaced by the Kegelsenkschraube (tapered countersunk bolts) of the 4.Serie. The small hinge bolt spacings of the 3.Serie had changed to the later large and wider hinge Kegelsenkschraube bolts. . Working out the packer spacing for the later hinge was a challenge as we have three different thickness varieties of such packers for the 4.Serie side engine hatches which are 10mm thick. A suggestion was to confirm what the packer thickness could be by examining the same hatch opening on the 3.Serie Sd.Kfz.223 Aufbau which still retained one of its smaller hinges in situ. Two new discoveries were made during this process. The first was that the hinge was made specially for this 3.Serie type – there was no packer. The hinge was cast thicker on the one side to allow for the raised hatch profile against the hull. The other takeaway was that the gap allowed for the hatch plate under the hinge was too small. A 10mm side hatch would never have fitted. Surely not?. We returned to the 10mm hatch with a vernier digital calliper to confirm this. The rear side hatch was always 8mm – the same thickness as the rest of the Aufbau armour. Not 10mm but 8mm – this was a great discovery as we were now able to use the previously rejected 8mm side hatches. Thinking they were too thin they had been consigned to the “left over” parts store. No longer! They will in due course be fitted. (last image). The correct sized packer was identified within the box of hinges and packers and was fitted to the hinges and the Aufbau of the 4 Serie Sd.Kfz.222 (see second image).

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