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Ladies & Gentlemen

& you too Doug...

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

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?

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

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

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?

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

Tim,

Tim

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

Regards
Don

- 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

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

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 )
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

Michel

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?

- 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

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

Great pics!

- 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