Newly-Discovered Photos of Tiger II 332

[Fightclub]

This Jagdtiger has absolutely nothing to do with our 332.


And again







You think this is an accident and the don******180;t care about any similar repaint, but here on the rear they try to copy exactly?

[michael kenny]

You missed that on the B/W photo the stripe ends before the rear tow hook but on the colour pic it clearly has spread on to it. The paint jobs on the Jagdtiger, Jagdpanther and Sturmtiger follow closely the original. They tried to match it exactly but you can see where they are not exact. This proves that when repainting took place that the original scheme was duplicated. It was not coincidence but a deliberate aim. The Jagdtiger pic is clearly a repaint(because the numbers are slightly out) but you can see how they followed the original pattern. It shows they copied from the original. So it is relevant to 332.

here is 332 much later and repainted again. Notice how the turret side cammo is like the original 1944 scheme.

[Fightclub]

It seems you guys don´t know exactly wich way you want to go.

Your main argument so far the last years was : the indoor pic of 332 have to be a repaint because it dos not fit in any way the original cammo.

Now you say the fact that the rear side looks similar to the original cammo is because they tried to copy it 1:1 and you come again with all the repaint stuff on Jagdtiger etc.

You seem not notice that your arguments going in two totaly different directions, just how it could fit better to the new pics or other arguments.

Looks not like you are open to see other possibilities and my resume so far is that more time is needed.

[michael kenny]

I say the camo stripes are different from the original. That is they do not match EXACTLY.
In the example you posted you can see that on the BW photo the dark strip ends BEFORE the tow hook extension.
In the colour photo the dark stripe is painted OVER the tow hook extension.

That is all that has to be shown.
If the line moves along the bracket then it must have been repainted

[Fightclub]

quote:

"I say the camo stripes are different from the original. That is they do not match EXACTLY.
In the example you posted you can see that on the BW photo the dark strip ends BEFORE the tow hook extension.
In the colour photo the dark stripe is painted OVER the tow hook extension."

Maybe some of following points are important :

1.This was a sprayed cammo made by troops in the field. The "lines" of the cammo patches are not appear like on a hard edge and so you have allways some plus and some minus in the shape/lines.

2.In this case its importend what quality the photo is and of course the angle of view. Here in the two pics we compare, we have two very different angles. Indoor shot is from the front to the rear view, but the new Spar shot is from the rear to the front view.

3. On all original pics of 332 in 45 we notice the Tiger is covered by something. May this is only dust and dirt, or may this is indeed a slightely winter white wash.


In your good scans of the indoor condition Michael, there are again many remnants and traces of white visible. Around all tool holders etc. you can see the rest of white. May this is a indicator for a light white wash before or this is maybe just the rest of the white colour from the stuff the americans painted on the Tiger.

However, this is another point why i believe this Tiger was just cleaned before going indoor. On a repaint you wouldn´t see any traces of white.

[michael kenny]

I am only giving an opinion here. I do not say my view is absolutely correct so it is not a something I would bet my life on. I think it is repainted but as you say until we get a good side view of 332 before it got to Aberdeen then we will just have to leave it as unproven.

[slade007]

Well I'll put my hat in the ring. I have studied this subject at APG for some time over the years living not to far away & I am of the opnion that it was washed off before being placed inside & that the 1951 paint scheme is most likely what is left of the original. First off the camo is close in most photos & only appears slightly different due to the different lighting/angles etc. If you study any of the "then & now" photos for example the camera lense & exsposure rates of different cameras or photo equipment all show variances in shapes of anything photographed. Especially camo paint schemes. Also if the Tiger was washed off it was most likely high pressure washed which may very well have removed some of the lastly applied paint color(s) and possibly the turret numbers enough not to be seen clearly in later photos. Most of the paint was an early water based (mixed paste) acrylic paint that had poor long term adhesion. Secondly look at the running gear or road wheels. Pretty good job getting any new paint to look that weathered & not be in places that it would be worn off. The entire tank in the 1951 photos shows a lot of weathering to the paint that I really dought was done after a repaint & would not be that far along if it was repainted in the 5 year time period prior to 1951. Those little (circle +) markings were not German applied and were only some American shipping markings that were applied several times & finally removed. Lastly the slight winter white wash that is left around edges does show in the indoor 1951 photo.
As far as the Jadgtiger, it & many other APVs at APG were repainted & show "very minimal" weathering when compared to the Tiger. Thats my 2 cents & like butts, everyone has one.

[Fightclub]

BTW,

from the list in P.Aktes book was Otto Blase commander of our Tiger 332 here. Your website say the same Greg.

But did he commanded Tiger 332 when he get lost around Petit Coo?

From the unit history it is written that Otto Blase had technical problems with his tank on the 16th dec., before he reached Tondorf and found contact to the unit again on 25th dec.

So he was obvisionly not near La Gleize, but who commanded Tiger 332 at this time?

[Greg]

Hi,

I don't have any information about Blase other than what Agte says, and the fact that he is shown as a tank commander in the III. Zug of the 3. Kompanie in a "Personal******252;bersicht s. SS Panzerabteilung 501 w******228;hrend der Ardennenoffensive" that's in the Bundesarchiv. I used Agte as the source of the tank commanders I listed because his list seems to be the most complete list. I don't have any indepenedent confirmation that Otto Blase was the commander of 332 when it was captured. In fact, Werner Wendt told me that he did not think that Blase was the commander of 332, but he didn't know what tank Blase commanded and didn't know who was the commander of 332.

Best,
Greg<O</O