It seems like the kit manufacturers are taking more and more cues from the aftermarket companies and vice versa.  This release from ABER looks for all the world like it belongs in the box of one of DML's new 1/35 scale Tiger I kits (and are starting to show up in other kits, such as their update of the Henschel Jagdtiger).  I must be honest in that I don't actually know whether these parts were released by ABER before DML's ground-breaking Tiger I initial production kit or after; somebody seems to have been inspired by somebody, however.

This set consists of four very nice brass tow shackles, along with four pins to secure them to the lugs on the front and rear of a Panther Ausf. D or Ausf. A.  The pins are themselves drilled so that wire cotter pins (to be built by you - no wire is supplied) can secure them in place.  the shackles appear to be quite accurate compared to photos, although the pins lack the large eyelets that are present on many (if not all) of the pins I have seen in photos of Panthers.  I will probably either cut the eyelets from the DML kit pieces and secure them to the ends of these pins or use Grandt Line eyelets and integrate them, since the particular vehicle I am modelling (Panther 824 from Panzer Abteilung 52 at Kursk) definitely has the eyelets.  Speaking of the DML kit, these shackles and pins fit well into the relevant holes on the DML kit.

Overall, these are beautiful parts that would add a lot to a model that either has tow cables hooked to the shackles (there is no substitute for how a pinned shackle pivots when hooked to a tow cable - plus, they look great hooked up to my Karaya Panther tow cables) or in the ground adjacent to a vehicle in a diorama setting.  Of course, being metal, these parts don't have pesky mould seams to remove, and are much more durable than plastic shackles.  The downside would be that these are a little more complicated to assemble than simply attaching the plastic shackles, and they definitely must be primed.  Recommended, at least until DML starts pumping out Panther Ausf. D and Ausf. A kits with equivalents to these pieces included.

The contents of and the instructions for ABER's early model Panther shackles.