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Dontos · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:15 am Post subject: StuG III In the Light of Day

Ladies & Gentlemen

& you too Doug... Mr. Green

Today (13 April) The StuG III which still bears its original WWII paint scheme, was pulled out of the Maint Storage Bay and staged for departure on Friday.

I took the opportunity to take a whole bunch of detail photos of this vehicle.

Enjoy

Regards
Don

Garry_Redmon · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:16 am Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

This is the only StuG III G that still has its original factory camo. This same pattern is seen in war-time and post-war photos of of StuG III and StuH 42. Not sure which factory did it. Alkett maybe?

JWB2 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 25, 2006 Posts: 199

Any info on the wide weld bead in pick #2 from the bottom?

Dontos · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:14 am Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

I always assumed that weld mark, which is on both side of the forward hull, was some sort of production/ assembly welds.

Here are a few more detail photos interior & exterior items

On the Back Engine Deck, there is this marking / designation. Not sure what this is, but I'm guessing some sort of unit or Vehicle ID marking

Data Plate on shock(suspension) housing:

Drivers Compartment:

Main Gun Mount Stamped SNs

Gun Shield / Guard writing

On Loaders Position rear fire wall:

Above Gunners Position on the cieling, perhaps component number of steel plate:

Regards
Don

Pzkpfw-e · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jul 21, 2010 Posts: 1202

Excellent, that & the "Saratov" must be the only, intact, Stugs (WW2 German armour full stop?) with their original paint.
I see it has brackets for Schurtzen, are they still with it?

TimRoyall · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:02 am Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

Sorry, I may have missed something but where is this and where is it departing to?

Tim,

Dontos · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:14 am Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

Tim

Currently at Ft Knox (KY)and tomorrow will be relocating to Ft Benning Georgia and the future National Cavalry & Armor Museum.

Regards
Don

Dontos · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:21 am Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

- Pzkpfw-e

Excellent, that & the "Saratov" must be the only, intact, Stugs (WW2 German armour full stop?) with their original paint.
I see it has brackets for Schurtzen, are they still with it?

No the Schurtzen didn't make the trip (to Ft Knox at least)

I have archival photos of the vehicle from the late 40's thru the 90's and it seems it never had them folling shipment to the US in 1946.

This vehicle was operational and run ocassionally during Museum hosted demonstrations or Exhibits. In the late 90's it developed some mechanical problems and was parked.

Regards
Don

panamadan · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 174

Don,
In your old photos, does it show the stug with zimmerit?
Thanks, Dan

Michel_Krauss · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

the text at the rear wall of the loader is about the torsion bar suspension

It could be translated with:

Stabfederanordnung = torsionbar line up

There is a row of numbers, that would match the position of the roadwheel and the line below how much it should be adjusted (or something Confused

)
so Laufrolle (road wheels) 1 till 3 would be 55mm, wheels 4 till 6 are 52mm

It looks like a factory setting only applicable for this vehicle (production tolerance perhaps), because the text ends with:

Bei ersatzbestellung angeben:
Fahrgestell Nr, Laufrolle und
???? der feder

When ordering spare parts, give following information:
vehicle number, roadwheel and ??? of the torsionbar.

Wonder if there would also such plate at the commander position, because the left and right side of the vehicle don't have to be the same Confused

Michel

JWB2 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 25, 2006 Posts: 199

Michel_Krauss that is an important and interesting bit of information. It describes how German equipment was semi custom built. Were any US afvs constructed in the same fashion?

Dontos · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:15 am Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

- panamadan

Don,
In your old photos, does it show the stug with zimmerit?
Thanks, Dan

Dan

No this StuG never had Zimmerit.

The StuG which is to remain in the Museum, which was recovered from the Bog in the early 90's does have a considerable amount of Zimmerit still covering mist of the front of the vehicle.

Regards
Don

panamadan · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 174

Thanks Don. I think that I had the two confused.
Dan

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:57 pm Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

Great pics!

Michel_Krauss · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 5:38 pm Post subject: Re: StuG III In the Light of Day

- JWB2

Michel_Krauss that is an important and interesting bit of information. It describes how German equipment was semi custom built. Were any US afvs constructed in the same fashion?

To bad I can't figure out what else is written, on the plate.

There is also a line that seams to be handwritten

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