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Hi,

Did you state that this tank had zimmerit? I don't see any in this photo, plus why would Dragon issue this boxing, which is a "one off" without zimmerit, if the actual tank had it, then release a new kit with zimmerit, without these markings??

Brad

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Rot Oxid primer as camo color will remain one of the most hotly debated points concerning camouflage. My personal take is it didn't happen.

But, regarding this, when the isue was given to sparingly apply camo over the Rot Oxid, tanks were finished in hard edge at the factories, no longer in the field.

Here is a very nice shot of 1+09 taken after the Battle of the Bulge:

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The Zimmerit pattern is hard to see when the photo is this small, but larger reproductions of this other other photos of the 506th Battalion in the Ardennes show the coating in place. Only a handful of tanks delivered in August and September, 1944, had the experimental new pattern tracks and 18 tooth sprockets, and apparently, all went to the 506th. Once field reports confirmed the success of the new track design, it was approved for production, but the stock of old tracks had to used up first, so it it doesn't reappear until March of 1945, and then only on a few tanks delivered just before the factory was surrounded in the Ruhr Pocket. These did not have Zimmerit, but did have some very late features (additional fuel tank vent lines, rain guard over the gunner's sight, and reinforcements on the curved front mudguards).

On the subject of Red Oxide, I have read in many books that late war armor was shipped out in just Red Oxide, it was then left to the units receiving this armor to Camo them.
Whether this apply's to Tigers in the Ardennes Offensive is a moot point.

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On the subject of Red Oxide, I have read in many books that late war armor was shipped out in just Red Oxide, it was then left to the units receiving this armor to Camo them.
Whether this apply's to Tigers in the Ardennes Offensive is a moot point.

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Hi Matthew

would you please list those books that state this, as I can find no evidence of this statement in publications I've read.

Alan