I’m currently slowly building the Tamiya Möbelwagen kit (the new one with 3,7 cm Flak) in the background of other objects. Nice kit but the crew hatches seems a bit basic. Does anyone have pics or could explain the real deal?
Were the hatches slided or swinged to open? The hatch handles in the kit are just stumps. Were they like that or like normal handles of bent pipe?
Thanks
Mats
Hi Mats,
Wehrmacht is usually not my cup of tea. But I checked Spielbergers “Der Weg zum Flakpanzer Gepard”. The book has several propaganda pics of the vehicle in firing position. You don`t see the hatches clear. but I guess the hatches open up sideway toward the gun shield. And the hatches are very simple, not more than steel plates.
HTH
a search on Bing images will show you a drawing of the outside of the hull. I checked mine against it, and was left wanting more. I hear people talking about the radio side being off in location, but can’t see it. The gun mount looks wrong to my eyes, but what is right? The actual turret looks wrong, but once again I may be wrong. I’m now going to wait for the Border kit to see what they say is right. The hatch covers are probably just generic PZ. IV issue
gary
The hatches are standard Pz. IV hatches, opening with hinges toward the front of the vehicle, and the handles are round bar stock loops.
Are we talking about the same track?
Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen
Oh! That one. Sorry. My brain read Mobelwagen and brought up a picture of a Wirbelwind. Getting old.
On the Mobelwagen, the hatches pivot on the front inside corner. The outside handles are flat recessed loops. This is to provide clearance for the gun shield.
Are the hatches on the inside of the front box shield? Why even bother with hatches, or even a roof at that point at all? Just make it one big open space within the armored box. And yes, I realize the box sides are hinged and open downwards.
Yes, the hatches are behind the front box shield. I’m not sure why there are hatches. The rest of the crew has no overhead cover.
Many thx for the info. Interesting solution to have them pivot since it’s very cramped and narrow to the gun mount. My swedish logical brain would have had them slide inwards. Do you perhaps even where to get pics of the installation?
Regarding the why there even is hatches my guess is weatherprotection. Clearly there is no turret basket underneath so there should be some space ”leftover” and most likely used for something. Ammo storage perhaps?
/Mats
I’ve only seen technical line drawings. The hatches are below the edge of the outer shield so they are impossible to see in photos.
Okay, thx.
Maybe I need to take a trip to Saumur and make a stealthy climb 
You can also go to Auto+Technik Museum Sinsheim, Germany. They have a Möbelwagen but with a 4cm Bofors gun attached.
https://www.fahrzeugbilder.de/bild/museen-messen-und-ausstellungen~deutschland~auto-und-technik-museum-sinsheim/170008/ein-flakpanzer-iv-moebelwagen-oder-sdkfz.html
Thanks
Yes I know, that museum is also on my bucket list. Unfortenatly both existing Möbelwagen seems to have the sideplates folded in up or semi-up position så I guess it will be hard to see the hatches anyway.
A bit peculiar there is no pics of the inside avaliable on the internet with at least two examples still in existance
Sinsheim is like many museums. Example are cramped together and arranged in “dioramas”. Another chance missed.
Military stuff at Sinsheim.
https://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/de/militaria
When your in the vicinity, go to the sister museum at Speyer. More on aircraft, but located at the old Pfalz Airplane production hall.
But still worth a visit.
Well I have a thing for old aircraft as well so thanks for the tip
I accidently came across a copy of Panzer Tracts No 12-1 (Möbelwagen) and on page 17 there were finally some pics of the hatches! The very interesting part is that they clearly shows that the hatches are SLIDED towards the middle. It is also mentioned in the text that this was a modification implemented so the hatches wouldn’t interfere with the gunshield. The hatches were also enlarged during this modification.
Hello,
Would you be able to scan and share these pictures Mat??? I have been dealing with this dilemma also, except I wanted to make the hatches open and have something visible inside.