I dont know what to do .was Wittmanns Tiger S04 white wash over panzer grey or white wash over dark yellow?seen some models portraying both colours.
Looking at the b+w picture it looks more like panzer grey.Whats your views.any help would be greatly appreciated.thanks.karl

From what i can see of the tank I would speculate it is a mid-production or later version. I base this on the AA gun and the TC hatch top opening sideways as opposed to the drum versions being hinged. I would go with the panzer yellow, but it is indeed very dark. The original Tamiya kit featured the decal to put on the gun tube and they showed the tank as gray. (Now that I muddied up the waters for you)

It is Dark Grey

If you think about it, if you compare White with Dark yellow there isnt that big a of a difference ( well there is but you know what im talking about )but in thei black and white picture the base coat sticks out more under the white wash so its Dark Grey.

Plus teh S04 was Dark Grey.

Karl, SS Panzerregiment 1 was totally re-equipped in August and September of '43. Therefore the Tigers would have had the dark yellow base. They were camo painted with green, brown, and dark olive green wavy lines of different thicknesses in a random pattern before being sent back to the eastern front. This info is from "Tigers In Combat II". The contrast of the colors in the pic you posted is probably due to several factors; lighting, film used, the age of the pic etc.

HTH,
Mike

At the time they started putting turret MG's all tanks were painted Dunkelgelb. This colour looks very dark against white. If you have doubts, the easiest way to check is to make a photo of the two colours using the B/W function of a digi cam. Take into account that when that photo was taken, the wheather was not very good and the lack of sun only enhances colours while white does not change.
Cheers.

I disagree with Blaster and Kelley. This is an early model Tiger. What Blaster identifies as an AA gun mount is actually the hinged hatch of the drum cupola. The hatch is angled so that we're seeing it on it's edge. The hatches on early Tigers were hinged on the right-hand side and opened towards the center of the vehicle. The projections and semi-sircular piece are all part of the spring-loaded hinge mechanism. Also this Tiger lacks zimmerit. I'm not sure, but I think this pic was taken during the winter of '42 - '43, on the Russian front.. This is a relatively famous photo so someone should be able to positively i.d. the date. Base color is panzer gray.

Biggles2, please re-read my post. No place did I say it wasn't an early Tiger. I gave the approximate dates the unit was re-equipped, in which I was somewhat wrong. The actual dates of delivery were August 15-25, 1943, (none delivered in Sept '43) which was before zim began to be applied. Your right, it is a well documented photo, Wittman was reccomended for and given the Knights Cross in January of '44. So no, it wasn't the winter of '42-'43, and unless they went back and repainted the tanks in gray when they arrived on the eastern front (very highly unlikely) they were base colored dark yellow.

Regards,
Mike

Kelley - re-read my post! I didn't say you said it wasn't an early Tiger. I was merely disagreeing with both your and Blaster's opinions collectively. I may be wrong, but if as you said the unit was re-equipped in August, wouldn't they have recieved the newer version turret with cupola periscopes which was introduced in July '43?

OK, my bad, I was shuttling back and fourth between a chatroom and here, and just read too fast. Anyway enough with the excuses. Wittman's unit turned over all of their old Tigers to Das Reich (9), and Totenkopf (8) on July 26, '43. They then made their way to northern Italy where the refit and reorganization took place. Even though the change over to the new turrets with the cast cupola was initiated in July, the German factories didn't change over immediately. They would use up what they had left, and I guess these were some of the tanks (with the old turret and cupola) that the unit received. There are some very good pics in "Tigers In Combat II" of these tanks before they were given their white wash and you can plainly see the dark yellow base and the camo pattern. I'm looking at one of the pics taken during the ceremoney when Wittman received the Knights Cross right now, it is much clearer than the one Karl posted above, and again you can see the big cat has a base coat of dark yellow. If you have access to a copy of "TIC II" check it out.

Cheers,
Mike

good pm,
photo between page 128 and 129 clearly shows that it is the tc hatch-michael wittman und die tiger der leibstandarte ss adolf hitler by p.agte.
date 14 jan.44
hope this helps
cheers
c6o
carpe diem

Thanks. I stand corrected. Now I know not to make this mistake if I decide to model Wittman's Tiger.