My First Attempt at Armour, The Panther Panzer KampfwagenV Ausf A....

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Here you go buddy...!

1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler

Lineage The pre-SS formations:


Stabswache (SA Control), 1923

Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler (SA Control), 1923

The formation of the SS:


Stabswache, 1925

Schutzstaffel, 1925

The Leibstandarte units:


SS-Stabswache Berlin, 1933

SS-Sonderkommando Berlin, (Also, SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and Jüterbog), 1933

Adolf Hitler-Standarte, 1933

Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, 1933

Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1934

Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (mot.), 1938

SS-Division Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler, 1941

SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1942

1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1944


Traditions This unit was given the title of "Adolf Hitler" in honor of the units standing and position within the politcal hierarchy of the Third Reich, and because of it long standing as Hitler's elite personal body guard, a function that the foundational elements of this unit served in the early days of the rise of the NSDAP, before it eventually evolved into a full sized division.
Campaigns Saar/Rhineland Occupation 1935
Austrian Occupation 1938
Czechoslovak Occupation 1939
Poland 1939
Western Campaign 1940
Balkan Campaign 1941
Eastern Front 1941-1942
Western Front 1943
Eastern Front 1943
Italian Campaign 1943
Eastern Front 1943
Western Front 1944
Eastern Front 1945

1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler

3.SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf
 
Hi Les,

I've tried to find some pics for you but unsuccessfully.However,according to my knowledge about german tanks it was very,very rare for Panthers to carry units emblems later in the war.I think that it was because of covering armour plates with Zimmerit.Besides many units were moved from Western front to Eastern one and back.So it was a good camouflage and a kind of disinformation.

Generally all unit symbols were painted on front plates on left side mostly. Like in the B&W pic with Panther ausf A of Totenkopf division.Other colour shots show also the position.I've found only one shot of a symbol unit on the turret sides but it was for Eastern front but not for Western one.The Panther in the last pic is from a museum and has a unit emblems on right what occured rarely as well.

I hope it will help a bit.
 

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You are welcome Dan.

And yes Wayne.It's true.Plenty of Tigers and PzKpfw III and IV with these symbols but no Panther with.But as I said it was really rare for PzKpfw V.Besides if these were painted by crews, mud and dust could made them unvisible.
 
I agree Wojtek, especially as they were mostly white.
I don't know if you guys are aware of this, but the majority of german tank unit markings were based on the German runes. I was always interested in runic symbols, but even I never clicked till it was pointed out to me by an Austrian man who was a soldier during the second world war.

The symbol of the 'key' is associated with good luck, will check my books at home though to see if there was a more specifc meaning.
 
Couldn't find my books yet, but looked at that symbol yesterday afternoon. It's not the 'key' I was thinking of, but Algiz, the rune of protection.
My friend's grandfather (the Austrian soldier) told me the horizontal strokes were added to represent the division number, in this case 3 strokes (3rd division) giving it that 'key' effect.

Interestingly, invert the rune (without the strokes) and put a circle around it - familiar?? One of the attributes of this rune.
 
So does this mean that the colors I am getting ready to use are wrong for a Panther A in Normandy??? What color is Rotbraun, red brown??? Instead of the Choc Brown???

Testors Panzer Dunkelgelb (Dark Yellow) 1943 TES2095
Testors Schokoladenbraun (Chocolate Brown) 1943 RAL 8017 TES2096
Testors Panzer Olivgrun (Olive Green) 1943 TES2097

Wayne, if u would be so kind, what colors am I going to be needing to do this right??? I already got the Dark Yel, Choc Brown and Olive Green figured in, what else am I gonna need???

For weathering??? I use aluminum on my aircraft to show wear and tear, what about the tank??? Steel???

Wait until I start asking about how to make fake mud...
 

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