I'm currently working on the Marder lll. There are a bundle of 3 poles clamped to the left side of the engine compartment roof. Are these poles painted with red/white bands similar to the poles found on self-propelled artillery? Approxamately how wide are the bands ( 3 or 4 bands per pole? Or are they something completly different and painted vehicle color (with camo over-spray), or bare metal in color? The painting directions don't specify and I haven't found conclusive information in any reference material. Can anyone help?

Are you refering to parts # G44 and G45 ? If so these are the cleaning rods for the main gun tube . From what i see in the instructions these were painted the same as the rest of the tank . I think they are made of wood with metal ends that screw together . I too am building this kit and I'm going with the wood color to just be different .

Thanks Turrettoad;
That thought occurred to me this morning. The poles look like they have soccetted ends to be extendable. It should have been obvious they were the gun cleaning kit as all German AFV's had one stowed somewhere.

No problem glad to help and welcome to the site glad to have You here

If you see the barber pole type items on an indirect fire system they are "aiming stakes." Used to establish reciprocal agreeing interior angles between a given line and the gun line. They are red and white and placed in line to the front of the vehicle. One of the artillery guys can help me out here. I am speaking from a somewhat dated knowledge of 81mm and 106mm mortar systems. We also used them on M-48s and M-60 with lights at night to mark the left and right boundaries for a range card engagement. They are definitely not cleaning rods.
DJ

I looked at the Marder again and believe the red and white poles are the aiming stakes described in my last post. Can anyone comment on whether I am correct or not?
thanks
DJ

yeah there cleaning rods
ive looked in Nuts and Bolts vol 17 and Warszawa book on the Marder 3s and all the photos are dark aswell

if you look at the box its wood colour too

Well, I am sticking by the barber pole reference. I am going to try and dig something up on it. Kencelot (if you are out there) can you comment?
thanks
DJ

Well since the Marders were PanzerJagers that use a flat Trajectory and aren’t howitzers they don’t need/use aiming sticks that are used by the Wesps and Hummels, they use gun cleaning rods as used by Tigers, Panthers and Nashorns

but its your kit and you can paint it Pink with red spots for all i care :-)

I thank you for the input and can assure that I will paint the items as cleaning rods. As an aside, tanks are also "flat" trajectory systems and have aiming stakes. But, I digress.
DJ