tiger 1 grossedeutschland suitability question

[stefanuccio]

hallo
i would like to ask the following
Was tiger 1 tank n.23 of the pz.reg. GDin panzergray with turret white numbers?
http://tiif.de/thead.php?threadid=903si ... 7599c08ab6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
thank you for your reply
stefano

[Saxondog]

The first group of Tiger received by Grossdeutschland were early model Tigers,rubber lined road wheels,tropical air cleaners.
While still designated a motorized infantry division in early 1943, GD had Tigers assigned to its Panzer Abteilung (tank battalion), as the 13th Company of the battalion.
In February 1943, 9 Tiger Is were delivered to the battalion, and none were lost between then and Kursk (even during the fighting around Kharkov). They were painted in dark (panzer) grey with white outlined turret numbers. These Tigers along with 10 PzKpfw IIIs) came from No. 3 Company, Panzer Regiment 203.

My First Tank is modeled as Tiger S13 (S-SCHWERE HEAVY) (S13) stands for 1st-platoon 3rd-Tiger my Tiger is an Early version with rubber lined road wheels,air cleaners,copula,twin headlights, grey paint with the Grossdeutschland white helmet marker on the Commander side front with the Tactical sign for Schwere tracked vehicle on the loaders side front. On the back air cleaners are these same markers.

Below are three links with all the information explained I have posted,the first link is specifically about the Tigers. I only Model Grossdeutschland Tanks,no specail reason other than their elite statis and they primarally were deployed on the Eastern front. I have several books on the Division and will be willing to help you with your project. cheers Saxondog

Early Model Tiger 1st row 1st tank

http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/tigers.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/overview.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.members.shaw.ca/grossdeutsch ... ehicle.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Saxondog]

My Tiger S13 still missing front spare track rail,spare tracks,ball mounted machine gun,some touch up painting.This has been an on going project and is a Asiatam lower hull, the gun system is a custom barrel with recoil but airsoft not I/R/

Beside the Tiger S13 is a Night fighter/ Urban combat Jagdpanther 313 form FUHRER Grenadier Battalion Dec.1944-Feb.1945 This unit was assigned to Grossdeutschland division.

I am still working on this tank,as with all my 4 tanks their is always some detail to add or correct. The Urban paint work is from a Drawing of a late model Jagdpanther.Their is a 1/35 kit of this Jagdpanther in FGB Dec.1944, my research finds that the 10 Jagdpanther's were not delivered until Feb.1945 So my paintwork like the dates is unconfirmed, but who can say they did not exist? cheers Saxondog

[Saxondog]

One more link about Grossdeutschland Vehicle marking, also the differences in the markings when base color changes were phased in. Saxondog

http://www.members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/vehicle.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[stefanuccio]

Hi Blacky
thanks very much for the incredibly precise overview on the GD
for the informations and links
I am a keen followers of the GD and i also model tanks and vehicles for this regiment of high status
i have both tamiya and HL tigers and i am happy with them as they are good models and perform well
thanks again for your help i am very happy on this forum and looking forward to grow and cooperate as well in the name of the hobby i love
regards
stefano

[Saxondog]

Stefano, My name is Blake. But oddly my nick name is Blackie. Long story . I sent a PM about the decals, also the current book I am reading is PANZERKORPS GROSSDEUTSCHLAND. It has some interesting pictures and chapters on all Five major units.
Their are some mistakes on the photo captions but the text seems very well organized and very detailed.and the author is Helmuth Spaeter and I have yet to find other books by this author.It is a pictorial History and most photos are period correct. Saxondog

Panzer-Grenadier Division Grossdeutschland
Panzer-Grenadier Division Brandenburg
Fuhrer Grenadier Division
Fuhrer Begleit Division
Panzer-Grenadier Division Kurmark

[stefanuccio]

Hi Blake
I have one question
I have noticed that on some pics i have posted on ww2 zone the tiger tanks of the GD dont seem to have a S for the numerical system on the turret
Infact only appear the number so instead of tank S 23 only appear 23 in the sommer 1943
Do you know why this is?
thanks for your reply
\stefano

[Saxondog]

Most likely those were the few weeks when the Battalion was being re-oeganized and the first 15 tigers were to become a new unit. So during the late summer they were photographed while being repainted and serviced as they became the expanded Panzer Battalion. Also the were shifted to Army Group Centre during this time.

During the war Grossdeutschland fought mainly on the Eastern Front,and became known as the"FIRE BRIGADE" always being throw into the heaviest fighting and always the highest kill ratio's.

Notice th picture below,that was the right Gray or Schwarzengrua tone for the Early Tigers, but the camera will play tricks.
Same Tiger S13, But looks like a different color, the only difference is pic2 is further along but the paintwork has not been altered between the photo's and the first picture is outside. As time went by the MATTE COAT VARNISH seems to fade out the blue tone in the paint and turns more of a lighter gray.

[DavidByrden]

Sorry to jump in after all these years, but there is new research on GD and this seems to be the place to put it.

The links posted above are all broken now, but looking at my saved copy of the GD page, it is all wrong where colours and markings are concerned.

e.g. it says that the first 9 Tigers of GD were grey. Truth is, GD never owned a grey Tiger. Refer to the excellent "DW to Tiger 1" by Doyle and Jentz. Those first Tigers were brown RAL 8000. Most of them had dark grey turret bins, and the contrast with the brown is obvious.

The numbering is also wrong. The web page says that the highest number was S23, but we have three clear photos of S40 and a photo of S32.

I'm still investigating GD, but it looks like the original numbering scheme was

S01
S10, S12
S20, S22
S30, S32
S40, S42

The other numbers were assigned to Pz.3.

Sometime about March the Tigers were renumbered in sequence 1 through 9. I think the reason was that the Pz3 were removed from the organisation.

Soon after the tanks were painted with camouflage, apparently with the new standard three colours. But the turret bins look odd. I think their dark grey was incorporated into their patterns.

Then, an extra 6 Tigers arrived. The tanks were organised into platoons and got 2-digit numbers. I don't have the complete list yet.

Not all of these changes were applied to all of the tanks. For example, one Tiger carried no number at all for a long time. It eventually became "21".

Only two of these nine Tigers had the standard turret bin.

David

[Ad Lav]

Thanks for the added info David!

Always good to hear extra info on these