Track wheel relic condition with its tyre used post war, nice maker marked tyre from German sdkfz 7 half track of the 116th Panzer Division recovered from near Houffalize in the Ardennes forest 1944-1945
THIS ITEM IS COLLECTION ONLY NO SHIPPING BUT DELIVERY MAYBE POSSIBLE BY ME BUT MUST BE ARRANAGED PRIOR TO SALE OR COLLECT FORM ME AT A SHOW I AM ATTENDING
This is a wheel from the back tracks used by German sdkfz 7 half track found many years ago then used post war on a local Farm. The wheel which still has most of its tyre left which the rubber is very solid not braking up and has most maker markings and numbers that can be seen a well used wheel it still has some original paintwork. On it the metal centre has a drive shaft attached it has extra bolt holes drilled possibly by the Germans themselves or done post war while being re used it is still its nice round shape no impact marks and has no paintwork remains left that can be seen it is in relic condition rusty but still solid and has been very nicely cleaned perfect for any display or collection. The wheel which is available for the first time since the war outside of the Ardennes Forest ware it had been for nearly 76 years .This wheel along with other parts were taken from a abandoned German vehicles after the war in the village of Mont which is just North of Houffalize all the vehicles belonged to the 116th Panzer Division. It was taken from the halftrack in around 1946-1948 by a local farmer and was used on his farm for many years until it was found by a local collector who had it in his private collection until 2018 when it left the Ardennes area for the first time since the war. This is a very rare relic from the Ardennes Forest campaign during the battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-1945.This real bit of tank history from this famous battle which was Hitlers last offensive in the West comes with 2x A5 laminated information sheets with pictures.
The 116th Panzer Division, also known as the "Windhund (Greyhound) Division", was an armoured formation that was constituted in the Rhineland and Westphalia areas of western Germany in March 1944 from the remnants of the 16th Panzergrenadier Division, and the 179th Reserve Panzer Division. The 16th had suffered heavy casualties in combat on the Eastern Front near Stalingrad, and the 179th was a second-line formation that had been on occupation duty in France since 1943.
The 116th Panzer Division participated in the failed Ardennes offensive. On the 10th December 1944 in the days before the offensive started it was partly refitted, with 26 Panzer 4 Tanks and 43 Panther Tanks and 25 Jagdpanther tank destroyers (of which 13 were combat ready). However, it was still missing much of its organic transport. Initially stalled by the resistance and then poor bridges in attacks to cross the Our River at Luetzkampen and Ouren it back-tracked to march through Belgium from Dasburg to Houffalize. The division then fought its way as the middle spearhead of the advance on the Meuse from Samree to La Roche. It was then involved in heavy fighting at Hotton and Verdenne, where it was turned back at its furthest advance in the Ardennes. It later held the Allies at bay for other units to retreat, before being withdrawn over the Rhine in March 1945.Its commander was General Siegfried von Waldenburg for the Ardennes offensive and until the 18 April 1945 when the majority of the division was forced to surrender to the U.S. Ninth Army, having been trapped in the Ruhr Pocket.
