Post your German panzer, STuG photos

[StuGIII]

Tiger's identity

Hi Akira,

I see your point. I also collect images of American Civil War soldiers. When I do get them, I like identified images and then researching the man and his regiment. So, you're saying it's the same sort of thing with these images.
First thing to do is identify whether it's an early,mid or late production model. This would give us a clue as to the time period the photo was taken. Then go from there. It looks like an early or mid model to me based on the rubber rimmed roadwheels. They look to be the rubber rimmed type to me.

[MarioL]

John,
that´s Tiger "1315" of the 13./SSPzRgt 1 LAH.

[StuGIII]

LAH Tiger

Hi Mario,

Thanks for your help. How can you be certain of the identity? I can't make out the number on the turret. Any idea whose tank this was, that is the identity of its commander? Also, what was the fate of Tiger 1315?

[MarioL]

Hi John,
look through this threads,there are some other photos of the same tank

http://tiif.de/thread.php?threadid=40&sid=
http://tiif.de/thread.php?threadid=53&sid=

[StuGIII]

1315

Hi Mario,

Thanks for the help. I'll go to the Tiger im Focus forum and inquire more about 1315. Still it's interesting that anyone can identify it as tank 1315, since as I said, the numbers on the turret aren't clearly visible.

[S Ballantyne]

Tiger

Hi John,

Only the the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte (LAH) had this style of marking, with the large 13 and then the smaller 15, which is well documented on the the website.

The symbol on the box is a rhomboid symbol for a Panzer Regiment, which is an odd place for it to be, and quite interesting. The LAH had a divisional symbol on the front plate, to the right of the driver's visor, but these were removed for security reasons before the Battle of Kursk, July 1943.

The cover over the barrel is simply to keep dust out, in southern Russia/Ukraine the dust in the summer was shocking - almost as bad as the mud!

A great photo. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Steve

[StuGIII]

Tiger 1315

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the information. When I first received the photo, I couldn't see the number on the turret and still can't. That is, I can't see the whole number. Since, then others have guided me to sites that showed my Tiger. You say the rhomboid symbol is that for a Pz Regt. Was it the symbol of the 1st SS Pz Regt. or just any Pz Regt.? The location on what I assume to be a tool box, you say is unusual and interesting. What was the normal location for that symbol? Thanks again for your help.

Regards,
John

[S Ballantyne]

more

Hi John,

The rhomboid symbol was the standard symbol of any Panzer Regiment or Abteilung, and was often seen on support vehicles (Regimental cars, trucks, etc) but not often seen on the tanks themselves - there are obviously exceptions to this.

The placement of this on the box is just a little odd - as it would not really be able to move on its own! What the box is actually for is hard to see in this photo, it does not look like an ammo box to me, so maybe some sort of tool box...

The divisional symbol of the Leibstandarte changed a lot in the course of the war, but by late 1942 had reached its 'final' pattern, which was a key in a shield with oak leaves underneath. Here is a link to a LAH Tiger in Russia in early 1943, which shows the symbol to the right of the driver's visor.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/61904...ger+early+1943

Cheers
Steve

[StuGIII]

Tiger 1315

Hi John,

The rhomboid symbol was the standard symbol of any Panzer Regiment or Abteilung, and was often seen on support vehicles (Regimental cars, trucks, etc) but not often seen on the tanks themselves - there are obviously exceptions to this.

The placement of this on the box is just a little odd - as it would not really be able to move on its own! What the box is actually for is hard to see in this photo, it does not look like an ammo box to me, so maybe some sort of tool box...

The divisional symbol of the Leibstandarte changed a lot in the course of the war, but by late 1942 had reached its 'final' pattern, which was a key in a shield with oak leaves underneath. Here is a link to a LAH Tiger in Russia in early 1943, which shows the symbol to the right of the driver's visor.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/61904...ger+early+1943

Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve,

So the rhomboid had to be put on the vehicle, in this case a tank, itself. Rather than on a piece of equipment that was attached to the vehicle? It looks to me like a tool box, but I could be mistaken. Wonder why the marking wasn't painted on a fender or something. Was Enderl killed in action?

[derka]

hello,

the tactical symbol on the box is for an infantry unit, IMHO.
maybe lended to the crew for whatever reason.
derka

[PzV]

here are a few more scans, two of a Pz Jäger IV

[PzV]

2nd of Pz Jäger IV

[PzV]

here are two photos of a Pz Kwg I Ausf. C of which 40 were built

[PzV]

2nd photo

[S Ballantyne]

the box

Hi there,

The box on the Tiger I '1315' is actually a box to carry 500 Light and signal cartridges, and can be seen on the Wehrmacht Kisten website. The white box is simply an area marked out on the box for a note to describe the contents of the box.

It seems unlikely that the box is actually full of 500 cartridges, as a single vehicle, especially not even a Zug commander, wouldn't need so many I would think. The crew have probably used an empty one for storing personal effects.

here's the link;

http://wehrmachts.kisten.free.fr/car...clairantes.htm


Cheers
Steve