German Radio Aerials

[silversurfer1947]

I have a very basic question. Would German tank aerials have been painted to match the camouflage or just left a basic metal, please?

[Aussie]

Far from a basic question , a very interesting question though.
I highly doubt they were ever painted , to important for comms to risk it.
What the actual colour they were though , is a tricky question.

[Jake79]

I paint the base the same colour as the tank and the ariel black. Maybe wrong but looks good.

[Aussie]

Same , aerial is always black.

[HERMAN BIX]

I too make an assumption they were coated in some form of insulation similar to the long C.B/UHF aerials we have now.
The assumption is black.
Regardless of fact, a silver one looks dicky

[jarndice]

All I can say is that the British Army 3 piece Whip aerials of the 60s and 70s were painted Green as indeed were the 27ft telescopic masts,
I have memories of putting one up on the roof of an aircraft hanger at RAF Gatow, Berlin.
While doing it I discovered a wasps nest
You try climbing down a fixed vertical ladder on the side of an aircraft hanger chased by wasps without swearing and at the same time trying to retain some composure in front of half a dozen grinning soldiers,
Shaun.

[silversurfer1947]

Thank you gentlemen. Black it is for me.

[Jussek]

Hi all
The base was made from rubber so the paint would fall off easely
The aerial itself was painted either black or with the base color. I did some research a few weeks ago and found pics when you can see that they were not always black

[PainlessWolf]

Morning all,
I've done them both ways, depending on what the research photos for the tank being built indicated. On German armor make sure to use a rubber grommet or tube or a spring covered by rubber so that the aerial will bend over when the gun tube swings round. ;o)
regards,
Painless

[hawkeye3guns]

Hi
I asked a similar question a couple of years ago when I was at lulworth cove base. The opinion there was it was either black or the old bakelit brown colour, if that helps.