Where to find info on german armor used during normandy?

I looked in some of my concord books for you, and saw plenty of panther Gs that fought in Normandy. September 1944 is when the steel wheeled panthers were produced, so that is a no-go. Panthers during the action in Normandy would have had zim applied, and probably a lot of foliage on the tank to hide from the allied air threat. As far as painting, at this time panthers were being delivered in overall dark yellow. Adding any kind of camo you want over the yellow will probably do fine except I don’t think they had the ambush scheme going yet. Don’t forget plenty of scratches on the schruzen because your panther was probably constantly dodging allied planes or fighting in the hedgerows. Oh, and you want to make sure that you do not have the chin mantel because this was also not employed until September.

If you need some pictures, give me a description of the vehicle you would like to see (what kind of camo, type of zim pattern, markings, ect). I will try to find a few pics for you and email them. However, I will probably not have time to scan them until finals are over, that’s the 10th.

Hope this helped.

Try thishttp://www.britishpathe.com and just type normandy on the search bar, it should give you some info. Hope this helps

edog hi,
i'm doing the panther group build but need a scheme or some ideas...i would like to do something normandy related, but am currently limited to a panther g early (tamiya kit), as my others haven't arrived yet.
i have a couple of decal sheets (tamiya), so i can do most numbers/unit insignias, and i have zimm'd resin turret and upper hull...
unfortunately, the tamiya kit does not mention any of the options as being located in normandy ...
could you help me please?
i do not mind what the tank looks like, (i can do any camo scheme with my new iwata!!), but am keen to know as much as possible re unit/action/location...
hope i'm not taking liberties "jumping on" your offer to help someone else.
regards,
nick

edog hi,
i'm doing the panther group build but need a scheme or some ideas...i would like to do something normandy related, but am currently limited to a panther g early (tamiya kit), as my others haven't arrived yet.
i have a couple of decal sheets (tamiya), so i can do most numbers/unit insignias, and i have zimm'd resin turret and upper hull...
unfortunately, the tamiya kit does not mention any of the options as being located in normandy ...
could you help me please?
i do not mind what the tank looks like, (i can do any camo scheme with my new iwata!!), but am keen to know as much as possible re unit/action/location...
hope i'm not taking liberties "jumping on" your offer to help someone else.
regards,
nick

Here's one reference source that you might want to consider investing in or borrowing:

"The Panzers and the Battle of Normandy June 5th, July 28th 1944" by Georges Bernage, published by Heimdal Editions. All English text. Hardbound, 168 pages, 250 photos, 27 maps, 32 color pages.

The list price is $39.95. It is available at Amazon.com for that price, but also thru their "Used and New" feature I see copies available as low as $28.75. It's also available at Greatmodels for $35.95.

It's an interesting read. Lot's of b/w photos of actual units, tanks, involved with reacting to allied invasion. If you cannot afford to buy it, see if you can borrow it from a friend. I bought my copy when I joined the Military Book Club a year ago.

One way to go!

Glenn

Ok...ya don't want to spend $30 on a book. Well if you don't I'll give you one idea for a panther model. On page 157 there is a b/w photo of a Panther A . It has zimmy. It's a panther of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). This particular tank belonged to a regimental staff officer, a deputy commander. Below the b/w photo is an artist drawing of the tank. It appears to have the 3-color camouflauge scheme. Archer makes a dry transfer set of the very tank. Go to http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35163.html and you find the set I'm talking about.

Now if you don't care for SS stuff then by all means don't go any further. One of the Panzer Colors books also has a similar b/w photo of the same tank taken from a slightly different angle.

Hope this helps!

Glenn

theres some links in the Panther build thread for photos of Panthers in Normandy
there were the early Jagdpanthers in Normandy

Thanks to all of you. Since i have the tamiya jadgpanther late version and a steel wheel (parts for early?) i dont think my stuff will fit in the normandy campaigns. I do have tamiya's new tool willy's jeep and the tamiya m4a3 105 howitzer, but something.... I guess ill just stick with this forum's group build. I think i had more to say, but i have a massive headache from my sleep schedule not aligning with my school schedule, so im going to sleep for a bit so that i dont die.

you could use the Panther steel wheels kit but as you have mentioned leave the steel wheels off part C41 and the night vision kit plus add zimmerite and you would have a normandy panther

For whatever it's worth:

On page 156 of Bernage's book, " The Panzers and the Battle of Normandy", there are several artist depictions of a Panther G, as seen on the Champs Elysee when the 1st SS Panzer Regiment paraded thru Paris on it's way to the front. The camouflage consists of large green blotches (over dark-yellow base) and it carried no markings other than the German cross roughly painted on the front corners of the hull. From the drawings this Panther G looks to have rubber road-wheels. Apparently the Ist Regiment of the 1st SS Panzer Division was led by the then Oberststurmbannfuhrer Jochen Peiper. You will recall he will later lead a very prominent role in the attempted German winter breakout campaign that allied forces refer to as the "Battle of the Bulge".

More info to digest...urp!

Glenn

Another book that would be useful, if you can find a copy, is; Panzers in Normandy Then and Now by Eric Lefevre, ISBN: 0-900913-29-0. 212 pages, by the same folks that produce After the Battle magazine.

I have Bernage's book, " The Panzers and the Battle of Normandy". I love it. I got my book off E-bay. I would recommend it to help you out in your missing-lynx group build.
mark956

heres some links http://www.panzerv-panther.fsnet.co.uk/markings.html

this panther has the type of cammo fo normandy

Good link Jon!
I have that one on my favorites, but forgot about it!

Glenn

Thanks for sharing the link with us Jon.
mark956

nmayhew,

sorry i dont have time to do that search myself right now, but if you are looking for info on units and such, here are two good links to try:


http://feldgrau.com/
search under heer and you will find all kinds of stuff on units, and markings


http://www.panzerdiesel.com/
look under articles, and resources

also try looking through the links that these pages have listed. you should be able to find all you would ever want to know about units and markings. also look through the reference web pages provided on claymores group build site. there should be plenty of pictures to look at for examples. you could always try the library. If you can, find a copy of Panzer Trupen 2. it has all kinds of neet info on panzer units. you might be able to find a copy of it at the book store (dont have to buy it, just look through it).

if you still are haveing trouble, you can always go with a "generic" panther in normandy. that would be the 3 color camo, with no numbers or numbers (up to you) on the turret, zim, and a cross on each side near the front, and one on the back somewhere. strap foliage to the tank if you can.

good luck

According to my New Vanguard Osprey book "the new ambush camouflage was authorized on August 19, 1944".

Steel Wheel Panthers were extemely rare, so doubt you'd find any at Normandy.

guys thank you SOOOO much!!
you have all been most helpful!!

just one more tiny query, and it concerns the link by given by caveman ... www.panzerv-panther.fsnet.co.uk/markings.html
this was very cool to see so many panther schemes!!

but didn't they mix up their G's with their late A's?[:0]...i may be completely wrong, but panther G's # 331 das reich (falaise '44) and #321 panzer lehr (caen '44), are they not both LATE A's??? the rear hull over the tracks seems to indicate, right?

finally (sorry, this is the last bit i promise!), scrolling towards the bottom of that link, i think i found my #135 in my tamiya kit - the numerals are an exact match for the somewhat unusual typeface - only problem is they come from different units!![:0][:0][:0]
the link says it is a 12th SS hitlerjugend (betteville '44), whereas tamiya lists it only as being from the 9th panzer division. i did some research and found that whilst in the vague area at the time of the landings, this unit didn't see action until later.
so who's right??
anyway, you're all tired of me now!!
many thanks to all you guys who make my hobby that much more fun!!
regards,
nick

yeah some of the pictures are labeled wrong on some of them
some are ok