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Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:48 am
by cjg476
Why were tactical markings omitted from late war Panther tanks? I asked in the reference room but I know some of you guys never go there so thought I would ask here where there is more traffic.

Any info would be helpful.

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:29 am
by normandy
CJG, I saw your post in the Reference Room.....

Image

One thing I have noticed in many of the photos I've looked at, many of the Panzers not just the Panther
do not have tactical markings.
I'll keep looking, I never gave it much thought.

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:40 am
by MG-42
* I cannot find an accurate answer for you but all I can do at this point is suggest a logical presumption as to why they did this.


............ Perhaps someone else may know some facts about it. :? :?:


- MG

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 1:08 pm
by cjg476
In another forum they said it may have been because they were rushed straight from the factory to the front, but wouldnt it cause confusion to have no markings at all to identify they were German and not part of the allies?

And yes Normandy it seems its not just panthers, its all late war vehicles and armor. I figured one of you experts would know something.

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 1:18 pm
by MG-42
............. we're all experts here . :lol: :P



- MG

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:14 pm
by Vonberne
My two cents is that late in the war, the German units were too busy trying to survive or turn the tide against the Allies.
They may not have had time to paint the markings on the tanks, or maybe they were losing tanks in battle faster than they
were getting replacements. Also paint would have been in short supply -- better to use the transport space for ordinance than cans of paint. Anyways, identifying the Panther from Allied tanks would have been by silhouette, and less from markings, I believe.

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:55 am
by Grognard
Another possibilit is that by late war, unit identification would not have been desirable. The wehrmacht was thin on armor, so tanks would be moved between ad hoc organization. why waste time remarking vehicles. Secondly, without markings, it became difficult to ID units in a sector. Beyond the OPSEC value, most of the armor was in a defensive position, so staying organized in battle was less important. also, operating in daylight was suicidal, and markings do no good in the dark.

If you remember US markings, white Stars on Green backgrounds, then Black Stars on camoflage backgrounds, then a single 4 inch black star on the back side of the vehicle, to no stars on a vehicle....

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:18 am
by MG-42
........ ya' see "cjg476" , those are just logical presumptions.



- MG

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:30 am
by cjg476
I guess I thought there was something bigger at play, but it makes sense I guess.

Re: Help with Panther Tanks??

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:38 pm
by Jnewboy
the numbers guy got killed :lol: