Panzer Wheel Colors

Pretty sure that with the last Tiger I built, I had found references which indicated that the inner portions of the roadwheels was left in red oxide primer, so that was the way I modelled things. I don't recall if it was for the specific tank I was portraying (Kurt Sowa's mid-production, turret 222 during June of '44 outside Villers Bocage) or if I had read that it was pretty much standard practice at this time period.

Theoretically, subassemblies like wheels, sprockets, etc. were prepainted before assembly. So paint them the same as your base color, especially if it is an early production. That said, everyone by now has seen the color photo of the Panzer III coming out of the river with red-oxide spare wheels mounted on the fenders. If you look on other forums, you will find evidence of both sides of the discussion.

EDIT: lemme check on this....

Wait a minute...are you talking about a Tiger originally painted dark grey, then repainted dark yellow in '43 and whether the inner wheels would be repainted as well?

If this was a field repaint, surely they didn't bother repainting the inner-facing surfaces of the wheels.

I am building Dragon's Early Tiger I from July 1943.  I don't know enough history to know whether that would be a field paint with the dunkelgelb and green stripping or if it was factory.

John

1331 was Wittmann's tank, Whether it was one of the first 10 delivered to LSSAH in Dec 42, I don't know....yet. (I would think so, as Wittmann was already a star by then). It would also have been repainted from grey. 5 more were delivered in May 43, (which would be factory yellow). The 5 delivered in July came in too late for Zitadelle.

I'm going off the grid for the next 4 days, so I have to bow out here.

hi John

i would paint them the base coat color with maybe a dark rust powder rub for some color and contrast but i tend to be a bit artsy with my builds. if i were overspraying in the field i would just paint the outers. and don't do multi color on the road wheels. i know there are pics out there of real vehicles BUT a rotating multi color wheel creates a kaleidoscope  effect that attracts the eye.

There is one thing I find odd about the Germans not painting the inside of road wheels the exterior colour. The Germans painted the underside of the hull the exterior colour, a couple of years ago someone poste a pic of a Panther hull on a huge jig which rotated it to be painted. If they go to that much effort to do the hull, why not the wheels.

If I remember correctly during restoration of the Bovington Tiger it was found that interior of road wheels were gray and red oxide primer. Remember this tank was gray until repainted for Africa.

Waynec;

I never thought about that until now.  Yes, that would seem to due anything but help hide the thank.  Good point.

John

Bish;

That is a good point also.  I am going to paint them the base color.

John