I am building a very early tiger in panzer gray. My question is: does anyone know or better yet have pictures of the inside colors on the hatches? Particularly handles, hinges, padding, ect… Thanks.
So anyone have a picture of the hatches inside early Tiger 123 of the 503?
The inside is the same as the outside, due to being not as easily spotted as they would be if there was a white spot in a field, defeating the reason for camo. So, grey inside the hatch. The padding was leather, either black leather or brown leather. Nothing to shiny, though.
I,ve seen real pic’s and even builds with them some painted white color and some in gray are the panzer yellow. So you wouldnt be wrong with wich ever one you picked. I did my inital tiger with the hatches in gray but i had pic to back it up on the model i built. padding was a leathers color black would be fine.
“you wouldn’t be wrong with which ever one you picked” I’d hesitate with that statement. White hatch interiors were seen in some early war AFVs but I’m not aware any on an AFV manufactured after 1941. Don’t base your pick on other models or artists’ color plates but with good photo documentation to be most assured. Just back yourself up to be safe! HTH
Ok anyone got a picture of the interior of the hatches on (very early) tiger 123 of the 503? Thanks.
Here is a shot of 233 of sPzAbt. 503 in Panzer Grey, taken in late 1942;
Clearly the color of the hatch is not white or Elfenbein, but appears to be the same color as the exterior, in this case, Panzer Grey.
Thanks Kykeon. This helps. I am leaning to panzer gray. Still looking for a pic of 123 though.
The only shot of 123 that I know of is in Tiger I on the Eastern Front. Plus there is a color plate of it on page 65 of Panzer Colors Vol I.
There aren’t any photos of it in The Combat History of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503.
I actually have two photos of it in summer 43 around Kursk out of "Tiger 1 Heavy Tank "Doyle and Jentz. But both photos dont have clear shots of the hatches inside.
Armor number27 squadron/signal publications Tiger in action.Has a pic of 123 of 503 on page20 in gray and winter camo .Another on p24 at kurks where its been repainted in yellow and green camo. But you cant see the inside hatches. I would go with the gray since pics from other tigers this early have gray hatches.
Well thanks for trying. I really appreciate everyones help. I think I am going with gray. Unless anyone can come up with a photo showing otherwise then Panzer Gray it is.[dinner]
this is a little off subject, but i think the hatches were in the base color, gray or dark yellow, so the crew could see the ‘exit’ area more easily from the inside-- a dark spot amidst the basically white and possibly smoke filled interior-- and it did help to not be seen as a ‘white spot’ by enemy recon when open— treadwell[:P]