hi im looking for some afrikakorps patterns, if they used any that is,

Storch

For the most part the D.A.K. vehicles were over painted in a sand shade only, although I have seen exceptions to this rule. The first German vehicles to arrive in Libya were still in Panzer Grey, and were hastily coated with local mud. Later arrivals recieved a coat of sand paint but even this was not overall, as patches of grey were left surrounding national and tactical markings. This sand coat also rapidly wore through due to the abrasive efects of the desert sand.

thanks, I didnt know that about the sand. I seem too have painted my models kinda correct if i hear what you say, so thanks alot
and do you know where I can find some example pics of the DAK pantzers or other vehicules in colour?

Storch

Hi Storch - Examples of the basic DAK color scheme.

Enlisted Man (Panzer, Afrika Korps)








- ralph

thanks ralph, but the photo of the vest doesnt seem to be the right colour, shouldnt it be more like a sand colour like the guys on the second photo have, or is that due to exposure to sun and sand?

Hi Storch

The uniforms for the AK started off in a light olive color, but faded to a lighter shade. The guys in that photo from the book cover are wearing shirts, not the jacket, and the shirts were a light tan.

I gather from reading various sources that the peaked cap was bleached almost white by the elements, wear and washing, so new guys would bleach the hats white to look "cool".

I have an old George Bradford book on Camouflage and Markings in the western desert. Lots of vehicles up to mid 1941 arrived in grey, then got a haphazard paint or mud camouflage as Geoff mentioned. Later vehicles arrived in a sand yellow (dark tan color). In Tunisia there is some discussion of pea green being used. Some folks suggest the Tigers there were a tan color with green stripes airbrushed on. Others suggest they were pea green all over, light olive, or just desert tan.

Again, the weather stripped off paint, faded paint, and made things look lighter than originally painted.

Do a google search or some other search for Afrika Korps and you should find lots of sites with photos. The problem with the color photos is that some are colorized, so you are seeing what someone thinks the colors were, and in other cases the old color prints provide odd looking colors.

Andy

thanks Andy

Hi Storch - The Jacket is from an authentic W.W.II militaria collection.
Many factors came into play ( such as the desert sun, and laundering uniforms ) that
would have faded & varied uniform colors. ( this regards all uniforms that were worn
in battle ).
If you are planning on painting, then most modeler's know that when it comes
to figure uniform colors - "close is good enough ".
.....Andy makes a good point about bleached uniforms and also about German
armor & also soft-skin vehicles seen with "olive-green " stripes over the base color in the DAK, and olive-green uniforms. ( Both of the latter as seen here ).


- ralph

Hi,

Here AFRIKA FILES you have some info about DAK and their markings.

The site is from G. Bradford, refered on herberta post and have things he find after publishing that book.

HTH