Hi folks, I'm just wondering, do WWII Wehrmacht tank crew have the same uniforms as halftrack crew, i.e. can I get a tanker to crew a halftrack in a dio?

While it is not completely impossible that a tanker be found operating a half-track, HT's were typically operated by infantrymen, i.e. Heer, SS or Luftwaffe ground staff.

IMO it would probably be 'safer' to stick to an infantryman as a HT crewman.

Thanks mate.

That's exactly what I was looking for - didn't want to put a tanker in there and be off the mark, I'll play the safety shot on this one!

Stuart,
Depending on what period you were wanting to depict.
It would be possible to put troops in panzer uniforms in an half track. For instance, very late war Jan 1945 . The order of battle shows for a Grossdeutschland Pz jager Abt (Company) wth a command half track. for a Stug company, bear in mind the troops would wear field grey wraps under there winter parkas.

Have a look at Panzer Grenadiar Division Grossdeutschland, by Horst Scheiber for more information.

Hope this helps

Jerry

well yes it would have been operated by the SS or normal ground soldiers, this was because apparently it had the same gearing-driving system as a normal road car. I found this image on google, it's a renactment of ww2, obviusly but i hope it answers your question.

Thanks folks, much appreciated

I now have options, I'm looking at mid-late 1943 with a touch of muddy autumn/fall, so I could really use a tanker or a grunt.

Hi there , DML make a half track crew that i have just ordered. Im not sure what period of ww2 they come from but they look just like infantry and are in a range of poses from driver to machine gunner the model number is Dragon 6193 German halftrack crew.

There was an interview with a German tank driver that talked about driving half tracks as well as tanks. He also drove SP's. No mention of his uniform in the interview unfortunately. Drivers were a skilled position at the time just like today. He was driving what he was told to drive.

Thanks Mike and Randall - I think I'll get some infantry to crew the beast!

Just to add to the confusion a bit, there is a very famous photo taken in 1940, of Guderian in a half track radio car, the wireless operators are wearing black panzer uniforms. This is because armoured signals units wore the black panzer uniform, presumably with yellow piping, since they operated armoured cars & half tracks. Also from late 1943 - on there was an attempt to issue the field grey armoured clothing, as worn by SPG crews, to the armoured infantry units in panzer division; and this definitely took place in 130th PD (Panzer Lehr), since there are numerous photos of panzergrenadiers in Normandy wearing this suit with infantry equipment. this is why some of the DML half track kits come with a panzer suited driver. So it's not actually wrong, but you need to be selective with half track usage, unit & time frame.

Just remembered, I've also got a photo in a book somewhere of a Luftwaffe driver belonging to the HG PD, proudly standing in front of his truck, which is loaded with assault boats. He is wearing immaculate black panzer garb & a tin hat! So presumably armoured engineers in HG also got the black panzer clothing! Confusing isn't it?

Whoa it certainly is. Mine is going to be from 1943 approximately, so do I understand correct that I'm still ok to have maybe a grey-suited panzer driver and a crew of infantrymen?

halftracks belong to grenadier units would have crew wearing normal infantry uniforms. But halftracks belong to panzer/stug/PzJgr units (a part of reccon, HQ section, ect.) would have crew wearing black or field grey panzer uniforms.

Brilliant!! Thanks Taesung!

So I now need to check my unit markings versus crew type!! Thanks to all for their help!

Stu