Glen B

Does anyone have any good documentation on the correct colour for the spare track links carried on the turret of the Tiger I?

pattoncommander

Glenn, depends a lot on the tank and where it was deployed. Most tracks come mounted and the same base color as the tank. Camo is mostly applied in the field or at the distribution center and spare blocks in most cases would be painted over, dependant on the importance of camo in that location. .if the tank had to use a couple for a platoon tank your own, the replacement could very well be an issued Grau or Gelb color. Turrets painted camo then use a few spare blocks would show a big bloch in the camo, so some units may dismount the blocks, paint the turret and remount them...repaint????? Some tanks went through the whole life of the vehicle without a block removed, but then a few had to give up some due to mines or track breakage replacing with whatever was available. Best to pick a tank and paint it IAW the markings and color schemes of that particular tank. US tanks are easier in that respect.

Glen B

Thanks, I am looking for info on Abt 506, Russia, Spring 1944.

I have been squinting at the historic B&W photos trying to sort it out.

Some of the B&W's show cmo on the tank with the track beibng a solid, different colour, but it is tough to guess what shade it was.

Panther F

I would make sure they are at least the same color the tracks on the tank are. I don't believe German tracks could or would rust but maybe some shiny areas where contact could have occurred.

The spare tracks on my Panther will be all black with maybe some shiny wear areas on some of them.














~ Jeff

pattoncommander

Not too much out there that gets into specifics, only thing I see on 506 is a KT in 1944 with forest speckled camo and spares are also painted camo. Other Tiger Es I see in Russia are tri color with painted spares. Probably many others out there have more extensive photos of Tigers.
Jose, are you there?

Glen B

I have seen pictures with the spares in a single colour, it looks like the spares were not in place when the camo was applied, the tough question is, what is the single colour, I always thought it was a natural weathered black/brown of an alloy steel that did not rust readily, but this is just my speculation.

Green Amphibian

It seems to me that if you do not have pictures of a particular tank you are modeling that you can do whatever you want to and call it correct.

Herman

Baron Fel

Tracks from the factory where coated in a black pitch to protect them from rusting while not in use. So if your tiger is new they would be black. If you had a rush camo job then you would have overspray. If they are recycle track then it would be rusted as all the pitch would have worn off. 

Ronan87

Interesting... Anyone have actual photos of German tanks with rusted tracks? Both spare and in-use one's? And i don't mean wrecks/abandons.

FreakyDude

Glen