Playing around some stugs. A, C/D, and E. I figured out no radios on the rear wall, despite Dragons instructions. But what is the rack along the wall with what looks like 2 1/2 foot long potato mashers? Also, The photos I've found of the interior ... I think from a museum in Finland show the walls / ceiling in ivory ... good. Floors, dark grey/ green. Good. Gun breach / safety cage .... medium green ...???? Switch boxes ..... that funky silver grey the Russians use on radios. I'm thinking the gun should be ivory. What about switch boxes and radios?

In my limited experience (looking into Bovington's tanks) transformers and radios were a medium steely grey, smaller junction boxes, socket boxes etc. in the Ivory areas were black for contrast.

But the written rules for German interior painting were not very specific, and they changed over time and between factories. In particular, from mid 1943 onwards, they paid less attention to painting the small details black.

David

Hi, David. I've been using your web site again. (The Tiger 1 into was like a bible when I was working on mine. Did you ever see the photos of it I posted? ) That was why I questioned the photos when compared to what I'd read. Still stymied by the "potato mashers" along the back wall though.

On the early short 75mm Stug the box seems to be storage for main gun ammo. There was a row of grenades attached to the front of the box with an open square base and clips for the handles.

I'll see if I can un-borrow my book on the Stugs and confirm.

The Ausf D - F/8 had clips for 12 stick grenades mounted on the front of the ammo box attached to the engine bulkhead (May 1941 - December 1942). The G had 10-20 stored at the loader/gunner's position (December 1942 - end of production).

The Ausf A-F also had an MP 38/40 stowed on the rear wall, and the Ausf F-G had two. These were just above the ammo storage.

For transmitters and receivers, broadly speaking:
- 1937 - 1942: green faceplates
- 1942 - 1944: dark grey faceplates
- Both green and grey versions can be found as "yellow stripe" or non- "yellow stripe" versions. "Yellow stripe" versions were roughly made from 1940-1945
- For a period after the switch to grey faceplates you can still find green tagplates used, later examples are typically grey tagplates on grey faceplate.
- 1944: simplified grey faceplates - tagplates replaced by engravings directly on the faceplate; "Rasten" removed or no longer installed. Later faceplates no longer have holes for the "Rasten".
- 1945: simplified ordnance tan faceplates - engravings on faceplate; no provision "Rasten"

For the various boxes, (kasten), as David said, but also many variations of green, grey and tan. The same goes roughly for vehicle Umformers etc. although many "Panzerkasten" got overpainted in the interior colour of the tank (like "Elfenbein").
Remember that any paint tone changes in time. So if you take an official RAL scheme the radio was painted in the factory and compare it with the same radio 70+ years later those tones just don't match - the paint on the radio has meanwhile been introduced to the heat, sun, oil, moisture, dirt, so has gone through chemical changes etc.
A Google search will show the many variations.

Thanks, Guys. I thought those looked like grenades on that rack but the size looked off. (Mia culpa on that. Was looking at the part on the sprue and thought it went all the way to the floor, not just to the drive tunnel. Oops!) As for SMGs, only one on the rear bulkhead on the early versions? I would have thought one for each hatch. (Course I guess the loader's s'pose to be loadin', not shooting a people from the hatch!) I presume on the commander's side.... And where did they squirrel away the MG-34 when they got those?

Ian, thank you for that.

Would you happen to know where I can get dimensions of the German radios?

David

The interior view of the Stug E in Spielberger shows two m.p. 40's on the back plate

Hi David,

yes I do. Any in particular?

Ian

Those were stored upright in the right rear corner next to the ammo box.

Ian:

I'm going to produce drawings of the various radio sets that were used in a Tiger E; Fug5, Fug7, Fug8 and their accessories.

Photos I can find, dimensions not.

David

David,

check your inbox.

Ian

David,

I'm trying to establish whether you received my emails.

Ian

Ian:

I just found your mails and replied.

Thank you !

David