hallo all i would like to know if the FORCES OF VALORS followig items are historically accurate in they overall representation
TIGER 505 battalion unit with charging lancer on turret e.front
KING TIGER 132 normandy 1944
PANZER 4 grey e.front
PANZER 4 white camo e.front
thanks for your help regards
stefano
fov tiger and king tiger accuracy
-
- Officer - Brigadier General
- Posts: 1576
- Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 3:38 pm
- Location: Rapid City, SD
short answer
Since my long complex answer was lost during some freak computer shut down, I'll give you the short answer.
The s.pz.abt 505 Tiger I you're referring to I believe is a 21st Century Toys tank, packaged in the Iron Horses 2-pack. Here is the pic of the real thing:

As usual, no zimmerit, so not entirely accurate, but the paint scheme appears correct.
The FOV King Tiger "132" is as far as I can tell not a real tank. The 1st Kompanie was issued 12 King Tigers. They were, as far as I can tell, all with the porsche turret. In late July 1944, after the 3rd Kompanie was destroyed by bombing near Caen, they were issued the King Tiger with Krupp turret. This was not in Normandy however, so the FOV description would still be wrong. A similiarity does show up however. I saw a picture of a tank "300", after this refit (and subsequent deployment to Hungary) of the s.pz.abt 503 that resembles the paint scheme and markings of the FOV tank, but again, it is not an exact match, so i'm leaning towards it still not being a real tank. It is the top one on this image:

The other two tanks I won't get a chance to look into tonight. I was just about to start before the computer thing happened. I think they are from the 5th Pz Div in Russia, but I haven't gone beyond that. I can't even get out my books to look because they're all packed up for a move. I will try and look into it tomorrow for you though
-Kevin
The s.pz.abt 505 Tiger I you're referring to I believe is a 21st Century Toys tank, packaged in the Iron Horses 2-pack. Here is the pic of the real thing:

As usual, no zimmerit, so not entirely accurate, but the paint scheme appears correct.
The FOV King Tiger "132" is as far as I can tell not a real tank. The 1st Kompanie was issued 12 King Tigers. They were, as far as I can tell, all with the porsche turret. In late July 1944, after the 3rd Kompanie was destroyed by bombing near Caen, they were issued the King Tiger with Krupp turret. This was not in Normandy however, so the FOV description would still be wrong. A similiarity does show up however. I saw a picture of a tank "300", after this refit (and subsequent deployment to Hungary) of the s.pz.abt 503 that resembles the paint scheme and markings of the FOV tank, but again, it is not an exact match, so i'm leaning towards it still not being a real tank. It is the top one on this image:

The other two tanks I won't get a chance to look into tonight. I was just about to start before the computer thing happened. I think they are from the 5th Pz Div in Russia, but I haven't gone beyond that. I can't even get out my books to look because they're all packed up for a move. I will try and look into it tomorrow for you though

-Kevin
-
- Officer - 2nd Lieutenant
- Posts: 420
- Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:52 pm
- Location: Greensboro, NC
-
- Officer - Brigadier General
- Posts: 1576
- Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 3:38 pm
- Location: Rapid City, SD
more anzers
I'll have to look into that, I never got any of the tigers beyond the action grade first release (which I redid with Cabe's help), but maybe it's that one with the log on its side? I remember seeing pictures of it when it came out, but I kind of half-heartedly looked for it this time b/c I didn't think it was a 505th one. I'll look again
And I guess if you were wondering about 21st's 505th tiger, I at least covered that one
EDIT: Found it!

I'll try and locate this tank, but without my books, there is only so much I can do. I really wish I had Jentz's Tigers at the Front, Schneider's Tigers in Combat I, or Restayn's Tiger I on the Eastern Front at my disposal... I'd go dig for them if they weren't at the bottom of huge pile of boxes
And the 2 panzer IV schemes are accurate, I think. The panzer gray one is a scheme similar to one the 5th Panzer Division had in France in 1940(which was the only plate I could find, and it was a panzer III, not a IV), but saying that the FOV version is an F1, I don't know exactly how likely they were to be in all panzer gray and be F1s. Starting in March 1941 (the F1 was produced from April 1941-March 1942) tanks destined for North Africa (and many of these ended up in Russia instead) were painted with green-brown and grey/green. I believe the dark gray was still authorized however, but I just don't have the info i need at my disposal to answer this one accurately. I'm 90% sure both the panzer IVs you asked about are accurate, with my only hesitation being the all gray F1. Because I don't know how likely it was that of the 487 F1s produced that some ended up in Russia with the 5th panzer div in all gray with the same scheme they had in France with no change in the division's original scheme.I just can't give it the 100% rating. This is all speculation unfortunately until I get the books out, which I'm sad to say won't be anytime soon.

And I guess if you were wondering about 21st's 505th tiger, I at least covered that one

EDIT: Found it!

I'll try and locate this tank, but without my books, there is only so much I can do. I really wish I had Jentz's Tigers at the Front, Schneider's Tigers in Combat I, or Restayn's Tiger I on the Eastern Front at my disposal... I'd go dig for them if they weren't at the bottom of huge pile of boxes

And the 2 panzer IV schemes are accurate, I think. The panzer gray one is a scheme similar to one the 5th Panzer Division had in France in 1940(which was the only plate I could find, and it was a panzer III, not a IV), but saying that the FOV version is an F1, I don't know exactly how likely they were to be in all panzer gray and be F1s. Starting in March 1941 (the F1 was produced from April 1941-March 1942) tanks destined for North Africa (and many of these ended up in Russia instead) were painted with green-brown and grey/green. I believe the dark gray was still authorized however, but I just don't have the info i need at my disposal to answer this one accurately. I'm 90% sure both the panzer IVs you asked about are accurate, with my only hesitation being the all gray F1. Because I don't know how likely it was that of the 487 F1s produced that some ended up in Russia with the 5th panzer div in all gray with the same scheme they had in France with no change in the division's original scheme.I just can't give it the 100% rating. This is all speculation unfortunately until I get the books out, which I'm sad to say won't be anytime soon.
