Does anyone know whether the rear faces of schurzen panels fitted to German AFVs were painted in the vehicle's base colour, or simply left with a primer coat?

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H.P.

They were painted the vehicle colour

Many thanks ... question answered!

While I agree that the Schuerzen on those Pz III and IV versions were painted on both sides, it is less clear that the same happened on all types. On the Jagdtiger, for example, whose inner faces are not visible, we see evidence in the form of a primer strip when the plates were removed that suggests that they were fitted prior to camouflage paint being applied. Of course it is possible that they were supplied as pre-painted components by a sub-contractor but given that orders prohibited the application of paint to some visible surfaces and to the interior for a while, it’s not hard to deduce that painting invisible surfaces also stopped.

While your comment may contain some merit, I think you are comparing apples with oranges. The fenders of Jagdtigers were just that - fenders, and were not, and did not perform the same function as the Scheurtzen seen on Pz lll's to Panthers. I think the fenders on Tiger ll's and Jagdtigers were meant as a permanent feature, and were applied at the assembly plant before final base color painting (whether dark yellow or green) - hence the visible primer color strip when they are missing.