paint scheme question (1 Viewer)

[redhugh]

This is more of a New model Army tank question..but nonbody looks at that thread anymore How representative was the kursk tank summer scheme they used ..

 

[Blowtorch]

very. At work now, but I think that scheme could easily fit into Das Reich and a GrossD unit

 

[Wraith]

Can't add anything to the accuracy comments, but of all the paint schemes released by NMA, this was the one that caught my eye and is one of the two I got.

 

[redhugh]

Can't add anything to the accuracy comments, but of all the paint schemes released by NMA, this was the one that caught my eye and is one of the two I got.

Dug up the NMA release notes..tried to get it myself at the time , but company folded...it is a striking scheme

"Summer Tiger well here is the history - 8th Kompanie of the SS Panzer Abteilung of SS Panzer Grenadier Division “Das Reich” was established as a heavy Tiger company in December 1942. The Tigers were originally painted dark grey, but in April 1943 the vehicles were ordered to be overpainted with the new colours of dark yellow, olive green and red brown as they became available. Tiger 842, like many of its stablemates received a spray of yellow and green over the grey.

Tiger 842 and it’s comrades took part in Operation Zitadelle, and the heavy fighting around Kharkov, in Spring 1943, knocking out hundreds of Soviet tanks, anti-tank guns and other vehicles. The 8th Kompanie at this time comprised 10 Tigers and 12 Panzer III Ausf M support tanks which were armed with a short barrelled 75mm gun."

 

[Blowtorch]

Yeah, looked at my stuff too. DR, GD & LAH Kursk tigers had schemes like this. Whittmann's tiger was still in grey iirc.

What's most important is that it is the correct version for a Kursk tiger, with the drum cupola, saucer road wheels & feiffel air filters.

 

[fmethorst]

The paint scheme is pretty good for "Kursk" although the green seems a tad dark to me.

The number is wrong for 8./SS.Pz.Regiment 2 "Das Reich" during the Kursk offensive. As is normal for German tank units the first digit of the three digit tank number represents the Company the tank belongs to. The second digit represents the platoon and the third digit is the actual tank number. 842 would thus represent 8th Company, 4th Platoon, Tank 2. This would indicate 8./SS.Pz.Regiment 2 "Das Reich". Unfortunately on May 20 1943 The unit numbers were changed and the first digit was replaced by an "S" in place of the "8". The S represents "schwere" (heavy).

Unit emblems for many of the units involved in the battle were altered to confuse the enemy. For "Das Reich" a single horizontal bar with two vertical bars projecting upwards was employed (see pictures). "Das Reich" also had a Gnome painted on both sides of the turret during this period.

This said, if you aren't fussy about unit emblems and numbering the overall color defintely works for Kursk. In addition the tank is an early model which is appropriate for this battle.

Vincent Wai's Tiger S33 from Kursk:

http://www.vincentwai.com/Das%20Reich%20Tiger%20I.htm

A picture of a 1/35 "Das Reich" Tiger:

 

[Blowtorch]

I read an interesting thing the other day regarding why they ditched the drum cupola in 1944...

In 1943 they found that Russian 76mm shells that went high & missed the tank proper would sometimes hit the cupola, shearing it right off along with the CO's head

 

[Alexdakar]

The number is wrong for 8./SS.Pz.Regiment 2 "Das Reich" during the Kursk offensive. As is normal for German tank units the first digit of the three digit tank number represents the Company the tank belongs to. The second digit represents the platoon and the third digit is the actual tank number. 842 would thus represent 8th Company, 4th Platoon, Tank 2. This would indicate 8./SS.Pz.Regiment 2 "Das Reich". Unfortunately on May 20 1943 The unit numbers were changed and the first digit was replaced by an "S" in place of the "8". The S represents "schwere" (heavy).

A picture of a 1/35 "Das Reich" Tiger:

Hey Frank is the placement of the S02 numbering correct on the tank I usually see it closer to the front.

 

[fmethorst]

Hey Frank is the placement of the S02 numbering correct on the tank I usually see it closer to the front.

Here are left and right side pictures. To me the number looks slightly further back behind the vision slit on the left side.

 

[nmrocks]

Frank,
So how about this placement?
Ray

 

[fmethorst]

The unit emblem confirms that this Tiger is from 1.SS.PzG.Div."LSSAH". This is from 13th company (13./SS-Panzerregiment 1). During Kursk "LSSAH" Tigers had their company number as the first digit of the tank number.

For example 1331 = 13th Company, 3rd Platoon, Tank 1 (Michael Wittmann's tank)

http://www.panzerace.net/english/pz_oob.asp?page=3

After Kursk the unit numbers were changed so the first digit was replaced with an S (similar to "Das Reich").

http://www.panzerace.net/english/pz_oob.asp?page=4

The placement is correct from the pictures I've seen. This would have to be the winter of '43 / '44

 

[Blowtorch]

Did 'S' stand for 'Schwere' by any chance?

 

[Alexdakar]

Yes which means "heavy" I think.

 

[OldCelt]

Hi Y'all check out the photo on the side of the current K&C vehicle boxes.
Tiger S11!
OC