Just putting it out here. Why is it that Allied tanks are modelled with piles of stowage on them. But German tanks for the most part are clean. Even searching after market supplies, there is few stowage items.

Just an observation but seems like most occupying forces carry little gear as they are "home" where the liberators are on the road. Someone more knowledgable may disagree.

I see you were 1/101 CAV... I was a mortarman with Troop C 1/101 CAV when it was in Geneseo, NY. Early 80's. The armor was M48A3's back then... ah Camp Drum.

My bad...M48A5's

Jon pretty well nailed it. The longer the supply line usually means the greater amount of stowage. Check out pictures of German vehicles early in the war. You'll find plenty of them with all sorts of stuff piled on.

Agree with Jon & Bob. Also, the time period in the war is a good indicator. In 1939/40, the victories over Poland & France were so quick, it wasn't necessary to carry a lot of extras. In the first two years of Barbarossa, as well as in North Africa, German forces had to carry a lot of stuff since their supply bases were often quite a distance in the rear. After Kursk, and then Normandy, the Germans were in almost constant retreat while their supply chain was being smashed from the air. Again after Normandy, Allied forces had to carry extras since most of their supplies came in over the beaches until late 1944. So I'd search photos from 41/42 Russia or DAK.

I'm with you guys. I just can't find anything German for stowage except for a few Stug sets.

Oh, that's because Stug is German for "piled up crap".

Geneseo became E Co 101 Cav. Separate from 1/101 Cav (Armor). They were stationed at camp Liberty Iraq with us, but under a different command.

You can get plenty of generic wooden crates, bedrolls, tarps, and sacks. You can get German boxes from Plus Model and Verlinden.

For what its worth Zaloga commented on this in one of his books and attributed in part that all the gear on US tanks to the relative wealth of the US compared to the others. Makes sense I guess.

Black Dog resins do a number of different stowage sets for German vehicles, not just StuGs.