Tonight I'm going to shoot my camo scheme on my Trumpeter Sd. Kfz. 7/2. But as I look more at the instructions, the single wavy lines that run the length of the vehicle just don't seem realistic. I've consulted my books, searched Google, and dug around the forums. But I can't seem to find any good reference photos for this vehicle.

Anyone have any they can point me to so I can see some options for camo pattern?

Thanks!
Jake

Panzer Tracts 22-5 is about the armored Sd.Kfz.7 that includes the 1 and 2 variant. The photos are in B&W but show the usual variety of patterns, including (green?) stripes going the length of the cab with splotches on the "mesh" sides. Another variant shows tri-tonal camo on the cab. HTH.

You could slop on your paint with a bristly old brush and still have a realistic and authentic camo job (not all camo jobs were done neatly with a spray gun), but not everyone would like it!

What about this one ?



Maybe one of our Russian-speaking members could help with the caption

H.P.

There isn't that much info in the caption really:
unidentified unit, Eastern Front, summer 1943, three-colour camo and a camo-net on the hood;

I actually think I've seen this drawing in one of the concord books, but can't remember which one.

And here are some links
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47207/thread/1065273359/10-SS+SdKfz+250+roll+call+-+bow+numbers+and+registrations

(scroll way down on this one - there's a single photo with a 7/2)

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/kruegerrossi/tags/aaa/
(this one is with a wavy horizontal camo, but has the later Flak43 mounted)

http://alexbenvenuti.blogspot.ru/2012/11/1945-german-colors-camouflage-profile.html

http://nicokubel.blogspot.ru/2011/08/le-sdkfz-72-de-jouy-en-josas.html

http://www.kolacha-militaryartgallery.com/Kolacha-military-art-gallery-galleries-color-profiles-tanks.asp

Hope this helps

Thanks for the help Alexey

H.P.

My pleasure

Jake: The camo patterns for these were not made at the factory but at the unit level. You'd see any sort of variation on the basic dark yellow with dk green and red-brown camo paints -- applied with brush or air gun -- likely, all at the whims of a lazy 19 year old assigned to some extra duty by his sergeant -- wanting to get done as quickly as possible to relax with his buddies.

You're free to choose. But I agree that the super long wavy, snaky lines don't cut it. It's simply too much work and the avg lazy soldier won't do that when large cloudy patches do just as well. Certainly someone will point out some elaborate camo scheme -- but they were the rarity vs reality. If you want to read an actual German tanker's recollections on camo application, read this. About 80% down, he takes questions from the audience about camo. His replies were hilarious. Even as the TC, he wasn't concerned about the camo job applied to his vehicles:

http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/BBS/bbsDetail.aspx?forum=5&ID=9882&page=0

Thanks, everyone! This really helps.

Roy, great insight that these patterns were applied in the field. I had assumed they were coming from the factory, so that changes things! Now I'm free to do what I want!

Jake