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André,

You win the prize (now I have to come up with a good prize). Maybe I buy you lunch on my way to St. Vith and the Twin Villages this coming winter.

The Mystery Movie Halftrack is the Opel Maultier Panzerwerfer 42 at the Victory Museum. A few good pictures of the vehicle can be found here:

Sd.Kfz.4/1 Opel Maultier Panzerwerfer 42

My conclusion is based on a number of pictures of the prop 251 from 3 movie productions in the late 70s, visual inspection of weld seams in the body of the Victory Museum Maultier Panzerwerfer 42, and some circumstantial evidence from a few contacts in the film services business. Most of weld seams in question can be seen by looking through the rear access doors of the vehicle at the “Victory�.

In order to carry out the conversion from 251 to Panzerwerfer 42, a series of hull modifications had to be made in addition to restoring the Universal Carrier running gear and mounting the 150mm rocket launcher. The hull and chassis had to be lengthened, the hull cut down in several places, and the rear of the vehicle completely rebuilt. Examining the welds, I believe evidence points to someone (Mr. Ahrend or hired hand from the defunct "Victory Memorial Museum") taking a torch to the old movie prop 251 hull, saving portions of the original plate work and then building a new Panzerwerfer 42 hull incorporating the salvaged components.

In the next few weeks, I plan to write up an article on the conversion on my Filmpanzer blog.

Hi Dubliner,

yeah, it seems indeed like that halftrack is actually based on a movie prop! *oh well*

Remember Mr. G.F.A.'s other museum in Bastogne? Before that one changed its owner (the local tourist office bought it), it had a very weird looking Sd.Kfz. 251 with plywooden bodywork on display, but here at least the chassis with running gear had been genuine. Fortunately, that '70s era creation is now gone...

Re: [Quotation] "... on my way to St. Vith [...] this coming winter."

Here's a good tip when you will be near St.Vith:

Ardennen Poteau '44 Museum

(Disclaimer: yes, I'm somehow affiliated! )

Regards,
André Flener

André,

I have to admit I have developed a soft spot for the "Victory" film prop based Maultier Panzerwerfer. It’s the rare case where Mr. G.F.A. actually improved the condition of a vehicle.

Best Regards,

Dubliner…