I'm analyzing pics of a KOd late war M4A3 76W (April '45). In 2 photos taken shortly after it was KOd, no visible white stars appear anywhere.

Yet in another photo (99% likelihood) of the same vehicle in a scrap park after the war, a white star is clearly on the left side of the turret. Given that the tank was killed so late and the scrap yard photo shows the chassis in poor shape, I'm pretty sure the turret wasn't swapped out.

Here's my question: would the dark paint or distemper applied to hide previously applied white stars been done in a water soluble paint? It seems counter-intuitive but that's the conclusion I'm drawing.

I know that German paint formulae were made so either petroleum products or water could be used -- was this the same for US products issued to maintenance crews?

Roy,

Is the tank burned?

I can't recall any reference to a water based paint used by the US Army in WWII. Except for the white wash used during the winter.

Can you post the pictures? That would really help us investigate.

Interesting discussion regarding white stars on vehicles during WWII. I have some formation in that regard-- When I was a young 2lt in Germany in 1976-80, I had a landlord who was an 88 gunner in the Luftwaffe and served in France, Holland and Germany in 1944-45. His name was Weber, and he had been in a flak unit in Upper Bavaria until late 1943 when he was transferred to France and the Channel Front to serve in a towed 88 unit supporting beach defenses in Normandy. Weber told me his unit transitioned to anti-tank duty in early 44, and was assigned thereafter to support Whermacht units, leaving the air defenses to smaller, faster-firing low-altitude weapons because a towed 88 unit in an air defense role in France had no chance for survival from the "Jabos". His unit moved from Nomandy to Calais and then into Holland and northern Germany proper in late 1944 where he was captured by British forces, eventually spending two years in a British POW camp, not being released until late 1946. He took great pleasure in telling me that the white stars, and especially white stars within a circle, made excellent aiming points on hulls and turrets. He found it interesting that it took allied forces quite a while to recognize this. He said eventually, by fall of 1944, most front line American and British forces took to applying camouflage in the form of mud or netting over the stars, or painted them out altogether. Given this information, it's probable that the tank in question might have had the star covered with mud, axle grease, paint, or anything else available. Or, if it went back into rebuild from the depot the maintenance folks may have cleaned or repainted it.
VR Russ

Here are the pics. You can see the turret white star on 3rd pic (given the similarity of the German painted cross on the left hull wall and the sand shields, I believe it's the same M4A3). But on examination of the pics with the turret, nothing is apparent. You see my dilemma? Your thoughts?

I would say it is the same tank. Look at the left side of the turret in picture 1. I think the star is there, with added lines to form a cross over it by the German's, blocked partly by the hatch and the GI. In the second picture the big white blob looks like the same star with crosses, but blurry. In the last picture the white lines have been washed away by the elements. Maybe because the white paint was white wash, not permanent?

I think picture 2 is the first view of the tank, dead German, still has the muzzle brake.

Thanks. Pics 1 & 2 are absolutely the same tank. In my hi-def version of pic 1, the german applied marking there is prominent and I've strained to see if there is a white star below it. I don't see it. I'm left concluding this: the white star was covered by water soluble paint by US fitters. Then the Germans applied various markings, including over where the covered turret white star on the left turret cheek. Over time, whatever was used to cover this star, washed off, along with the German applied cross over it.

BTW: Pic 1 shows the actual crew that KOd the German manned tank. Thus, the posed, well composed picture. One of the crewman hailed from a small town in my state, since passed away. I printed out a copy and sent it to his family

I found a big size copy of the picture online. I think there is a large star painted on the turret side. The top point looks like a triangle between the 2 thin lines added by the Germans. All the other crosses are narrow with thicker lines. Too bad the GI's in the way.

Are those batteries on the hull front?

How do we know the US painted it out? perhaps the German crew did-- that would make sense. The stars on the tank that knocked it out are still visible. It would be interesting to know what the Germans used for paint-- looks pretty temporary to me.
VR Russ

I'd second this balkenkreuz over the US star. Borrowing a graphic from the site
http://beutepanzer.ru



Of course it would have been a white star on that Sherman.