I'm considering adding a Panzer II L (Luchs) to a Normandy diorama that I'm planning. But I don't know too much about the kits available or the tanks service histoy, appart from the fact that they served on the Eastern and Western Fronts from Sept 1943 onwards and not many were built.

First of all could someone please give me some much needed info as to whether any served in Normandy and if so with which divisions.

Secondly I heard that Techmod and Airemodel both make a version of the Luch. Has anyone built either of these kits, if so could you let me know what they're like. (I did try and look at Bret Green's Techmod Luch article on Hyper Scale, but it doesn't seem to be there any more).

Finally if anyone knows of any books, or info on the net about the subject could you please point me in the right direction.

Thanks for reading

Hey Oz,
Will leave the tech answers to the serious tread-heads, but you can find Brett's article on the Spanish language site 'Panzer Net'.
The site address for Brett's article is http://www.panzernet.com/articulos/luchbg/luchbg.htm
You can also find PanzerNet listed in the links section here at Missing Links and go to the articles section. Since I don't speak Spanish, I used AltaVista's Translator. The translation will be a little choppy, but you'll get the main points.
Bryan

For the who, where and why stuff see Tom Jentz's "Luchs" title - No.22 in the Museum Ordnance Specials Series.

On p.5 he says of the Luchs production number debate:

"...By 1 July 1942 the assembly contract had been extended to an order of 800, with delivery to begin in August 1942. The first 100 were to be completed as "Luchs 2cm". Plans had been made to convert to installing the 5cm Kw.K L/60 with the 101st vehicle as the "Luchs 5cm", with delivery starting in April 1943. By early February 1943, the decision had been made to discontinue production after completion of the first 100 Luchs." So in fact only 100 Luchs were assembled, all of them by M.A.N. and all 2cm versions.

Units to get them he lists as follows:

* 2.Panzer-Späh-Kompanie/Pz.Afkl.Abt.9. of 9.Pz.Div. who got a full company allocation of 29 vehicles on May 27 1943, assigned as follows: 1 for Kompanie C.O., and 7 Luchs' in the 4 platoons (28) operating in the East.

By 26 Sept. this unit had been disbanded and by Oct. 1 all the Luchs' had returned to Germany for rebuild, due to defective triple steering radius units which had plagued them.

This disbanded Luchs Kompanie was re-raised only a week later and moved back to the west as 1.Kompanie/Pz.Afkl.Abt.9 of 9.Pz.Div. and begun to be issued 25 refurbished and newly assembled Luchs' piecemeal, between 30.Sept.'43 and
11 March '44. They were now organised into 4 platoons of 6 vehicles with 1 for the Kompanie C.O. Though they somehow appear to acquire another one by July 1 '44 as they oddly list combat strength at 26 not 25 on this date just prior to their employment against the Normandy Bridgehead in July/August'44.

* 2.Kompanie/Pz.Afkl.Abt.4. of 4.Pz.Div. also got full a company strength issue of 29 on Feb. 5 1943 and from other sources appear to operate only in Russia. They received 5 replacements which arrived on March 7 '44, followed by 3 on Sept. 3, 3 on Sept. 10, and 6 on Oct. 7.

* The only other units reported in possession of them are 4.Kavallerie-Brigade who had 5 (with only 1 operational as at Dec.30 1944).

* Plus "HG" Div. with 1 Luchs.

* 3 were reported as being in the training and replacment units on march 1
1945

There is obviously a fair bit of overlap due to the rebuilt vehicles muddying the numbers so they sadly can't just be toted up to 100, but a lot of spurious units are now eliminated, especially any rumours of the SS recon bttn. coys running them.

Its an excellent book crammed with info and useful detail photos, also very affordable at only $8.95.

Heres a link to Darlington's site http://www.darlingtonproductions.com/.

Highly recommended (as is their Sd.Kfz.234 AC title which has similar info on their deployment).

Its great to finally have a current, reliable source the production and allocation for this vehicle.

For good sources of pics, get hold of both of Concord's 4.Pz.Div. books or the 4 Polish Militaria titles on 4.Pz. and the one specifically on the Luchs, as well as Groundpower No.21

Hope this is of some use.

James

Icm and Techmod both do kits of the Luchs.
I am not sure about the Airemodel kit .
I have the ICM kits although I have not built it it looks good in the box.
I believe there are some differences between the Techmod and The ICM kit.

The ICM kit has an incorrect lower hull. On the front lower hull, the front plate is supposed to be two parts before it connects with the floor plate. On the ICM kit the front plate connects direct with the floor plate. On the Techmod kit it is correct,front plate connected to an angled plate then connected to the floor plate.

One of the kits is based on the Bovington Luchs, the other based on the Saumur Luchs. There was a good article somewhere on kit bashing the two kits to get the best Luchs.

One of the kits had the wheels wrong, think it was the ICM kit.

Best bet would be the Techmod Luchs. ABER has some very extensive Luchs pe sets.

Bob

Kitbashing is the best bet. Cris Mrosko did a killer article on building the ICM kit in a back issue of MMiR. There is a later article on the build-up of the Techmod kit also in MMiR. Tamiya Modelling Magazine (I think) did a side by side article on the contruction of both kits.

Have Fun.

Rhodes