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Folks, I can't find this one anywhere. Should WW2 German camouflage extend under the side skirts and behind the tracks?
Thank you.

German camo was mostly applied in filed workshops so it will be put in places where crew/worker will reach with brush or spray gun.

My guess is that early on they would have done a proper job, but late war they would have made less effort in small things like camo. Hope that helps

Thanks both, that gives me a plan.

When the 2nd World War began German Army Tanks would leave the factories painted in full camo but as the War progressed the usual practice was to deliver the Tanks in Red Oxide Primer to forward Workshops where they would be painted in the Camo most suited to the area and time of year,
The Tank would be issued to a company and amongst the equipment on board would be Paint blocks which the crew would break down using Petrol then apply it using rags, brushes, brooms and sometimes a spray gun or an old pump action fire extinguisher,
No soldier given the job of painting a 40 tonne Tank in the field using rags and brushes is going to pay attention to the underside of the Tank

That makes sense. I'm thinking just a few rough swoops with the upper colours.

jarndice wrote:When the 2nd World War began German Army Tanks would leave the factories painted in full camo but as the War progressed the usual practice was to deliver the Tanks in Red Oxide Primer to forward Workshops where they would be painted in the Camo most suited to the area and time of year,
The Tank would be issued to a company and amongst the equipment on board would be Paint blocks which the crew would break down using Petrol then apply it using rags, brushes, brooms and sometimes a spray gun or an old pump action fire extinguisher,
No soldier given the job of painting a 40 tonne Tank in the field using rags and brushes is going to pay attention to the underside of the Tank

With all due respect,
but German tanks have never ever been delivered only primed to forward workshops.
The tanks were always and at all times fully painted - there were no exceptions.
Initially in Dunkelgrau RAL 7021 with Signalbraun RAL 8002 ,
later in Dunkelgelb nach Muster RAL 7028 with Zimmerit,
then with 3 colour camouflage pattern Dunkelgelb RAL 7028 Olivgrün RAL 6003 Schokoladenbarun RAL 8017
and finally in 2 colours camouflage Resedagrün RAL 6011 and Schokoladenbarun RAL 8017.
For the african campaign, RAL 8000 Gelbbraun with Graugrün RAL 7008.
For Kreta Sandbraun RAL 8020 with Dunkelgrau RAL 7021.

AGKPeiper wrote:Folks, I can't find this one anywhere. Should WW2 German camouflage extend under the side skirts and behind the tracks?
Thank you.

Under the front glacis plate, and the whole of the rear panel, but I've assumed that once all the running gear (including tracks) is in place, painting behind it (and its 1/16 copy) is largely impractical.
Still, you'd expect to see the base colour- Dunkelgrau, or Dunkelgelb (from Spring 1943) behind the tracks, but no fancy tri-colour pattern. I could, of course, be wrong- and whatever the general rules were, you can always find (and folk do find) exceptional cases. Some extend camo patterns to the wheels. Personally, I can't be bothered. I've seen plenty pics of tanks with wheels in the base colour, and weathered. Side-skirts would be camouflaged, as they occupy large spaces sought out by enemy gun-layers!
In the end, if you're happy with your work, and it looks plausible, that's all that really matters.
In winter, I'm sure they were just content to throw buckets of whitewash over their steeds.

The Tank Museum has produced several videos on the topic of painting German tanks. It's safe-ish to assume that they've done all the necessary homework on the topic. The video on repainting the Tiger 1 is also worth watching because he goes into some detail about the types of paint used (plus RAL numbers). They even scaped some paint and had it tested with sophisticated gizmos, to find the precise formula for paints used. You'll also see a clip, early on, of a tank being painted in the field...

Here's an interesting and well-illustrated article, complete with comments and discussion. These appear to be interspersed with pics of a young woman, with very large breasts I don't know whether these are 'targetted adverts' (based on tracking), aimed at me and my assumed predilections, or whether we all get to see them. Anyway, ignore them if they're there.
https://mistertretiakpresents.wordpress ... gs-part-i/