I am looking for some German WWII equipment to put on my Tiger I. I am looking for German helmets, Jerry cans, sand bags, and hopefully weapons in either resin or plastic. Any help on finding these would be greatly appreciated.

Tamiya has a great selection of personal weapons, jerry cans, and other equipment. Helmets and personal gear is available from Tank Models from Russia. As for sandbags, here is the only option of scratchbuilding then from milliput or other sculpting materials.

http://www.tank-model.ru

Don't overdo it like many modelers. Remember that a tank is a working, fighting vehicle. Any external stowage would need to be logically placed and secured. Often you see modelers dropping Lugers, gas mask cans, canteens, Panzerfausten, etc. all over the place -- nice if you want them to fall into crevices that jam your turret? Plus soldiers steal. No small arms would likely just by lying about.

Here's a starting point : http://www.hlj.com/product/TAM35111/Mil

search around there in ' Military ' - " detailing kits / accessories "
just a note -- any Tamiya product that may be out of stock , they get super fast ( right up the road ) --same with Fine Molds

Cheers,
Keith

for 72 AFV
http://www.fast-webstore.com/www-vt-models-cz/eshop/3-1-AFV-72/0/5/190-German-WW-II-equipment
MALVIN

Ken: I sent you a private message

I'd agree fully with Roy about 1) loose weapons and stuff "just lying around" on a moving or in-action tank pose real hazards for jamming turrets, etc., and 2) that your comrades will steal anything that they "need more than you do".

On the other hand, and as "hinted at" in above... (German, for sure) tanks NOT in actual action (combat right now) or on road-marches were indeed festooned with supplies and personal equipment. This is very well documented in the photo record. (German) Tank crew were issued a complete set of the almost all of the usual personal equipment every "landser" had - helmet, messkit, canteen, bread bag, gas-mask canister, shelter-half / poncho, field stoves, overcoats, spare boots, etc. - all save the cartridge boxes for K-98 rifles and perhaps the trench shovel and case (and even shovels were pretty typical for tankers - after all, these fellows rarely slept inside their tanks). German tank crew were issued pistols and sometimes SMG (MP-38/40 typically) for vehicle defense. They also likely "acquired" rifles and such... issued weapons had clips inside the vehicle, while acquired weapons may well have been hung outside.

Much or almost all of this stuff often hung on the turret sides, specially in smaller vehicles, as there was little room inside most vehicles. (But do note that even small panzer IA and B had some designated personal-equipment storage racks and points - generally actually stenciled for the specific authorized or intended item.)

The operative "term" here for stuff outside is "hung". It was either hung on available hooks or such or clipped onto cables or wires strung for this use - or, as seen in some pics, helmets were wedged into tow-cables and such. These items were attached and not left lying around loose, where they could fall off and get lost or possibly jam things. Like soldiers everywhere, the German tanker was accountable for his basic equipment issue, so he probably did not want it to simply roll away.

German vehicles (and likely those of other armies, as well) served as opportunistic infantry carrier and cargo vehicles, and tanks on the march could well have lots of stuff piled on by the accompanying infantry. This of course would not have been attached to the tank... but for a build I would like to see some infantry with it to depict the circumstance, if that is what you want to depict.

My suggestion to any modeler seeking to dress the tank is to check the picture record for your type and period and circumstance you may be depicting. What was "usual" on a StuG III in Russia in spring of '44 is not very useful as a reference for a Tiger I, there or anywhere (or when) else.

As to German personal gear... I always raid Dragon figure kits (and some of this stuff comes in various Dragon vehicle kits, as also in some other maker's kits) for helmets and bags and messkits, etc. Tents, on the other hand, will likely be good scratch items, by me. Boxes and cases will come from wherever you can source them, or make them yourself.

Just my thoughts - being a guy who thinks "German" often looks best when dressed!

Bob

What´s better than a person who´s thinking german?
A real German, who´s dressed and actually thinking

Bob nailed it. It was pretty much as he said... especially Stug III, 38(t) often had tonns of stuff on their engine decks.
The problem with Panzer IVs (and variants), Panthers and Tigers was that their air intakes covered the entire rear deck, so there was always the danger of parts getting sucked in.

I remember a story of a Panther, which gave girls with some bags a ride. They were were attacked by an aircraft, but nobody was haremd and the tank remained intact.
The girls decided to better walk and the tank drove on. After a few miles the engine broke down and the the crew found out that one of the bags opened and some clothing was sucked in and jammed the cooler, so they had to leave on foot, too.


FYI: In German the Stuff on the tanks is often called "Gerödel", cause it was often attached with "Rödeldraht" (which has both somehow no english equivalent )
Basicially it´s just a simple wire which was twisted instead of making a knot...