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| Subject: | Re: Primer Red Hetzers? some info |  |
| Date: | May 14, 2002 |
| From: | Neville Lord | |
Hi
Here is the text from my article o nthe topic whic hanswers your Qs. . It
may pay to have a look at Jentz' Osprey NV book cover to see his preferred
scheme.
> 4.) Would the roadwheels be left in the primer coats or actually painted?
Depends on who you beleive. Jentz and Kliment differ a little on this.
Cheers
Neville
>
Hetzer Kits, Variants and Paint Schemes
Reseaching the Hetzer
Article by Neville Lord
History of the Hetzer
The Hetzer was a late WWII German light tank destroyer based on the chassis
of the Czech Skoda designed 38(t) tank. Approximately 2000?? were built and
they were assigned to panzerjager units in both armoured and infantry
divisions. Towards the end of the war some Hetzers were assigned to
Hungarian units and the Russian Liberation Army (ROK) which was recruited
from Russian POWs.
After the war, the Hetzer was used, with slight modifications, by the Swiss
and Czechoslovaks and known as the G-13 and ST-1 respectively.
There has been quite some debate over the most appropriate name for this
AFV. Hetzer appears to be the nickname given to it by the troops, a fact
according to Kliment and Francev was confirmed by General Guderian in a memo
to Hitler dated 4 December 1944. The official title is also a source of
confusion. Originally the WaffenAmt called it "Sturmgeschutz neuer Art mit
7.5 cm PaK 39 L/40 auf Fahregestell PzKpfw 38(t)" while the Panzertruppen
used 'Leichte Panzerjager 38(t). In November 1944 'Jagpanzer 38 (Sdkfz
138/2)' became the common official name.
Until recently there was no comprehensive English language reference
available on the Hetzer. Most early references, only consider two production
versions of the Hetzer (early and late) and several limited production
variants (e.g. flame-thrower & recovery vehicle). DML/Dragon's release of a
"mid" had confused me. I now hope to clarify the matter.
Hetzer Variants and Dragon's Hetzer Kits
In the "Leichte Jagdpanzer" German language book by Spielberger there are
five sets of line drawings for production Hetzer. These depict the changes
introduced over time and how vehicles made by Skoda differed from those made
by BMM another Czech firm:
May 1944 version with all the features of an early Hetzer from either plant.
This is Dragon's early kit with the exception of the toolbox. Most (I dare
not say all) early Hetzers had toolboxes with perforated sides.
July 1944 version that has extra bolt heads on the mantlet. It is not
available from Dragon. The muffler no longer has a perforated sheaf.
September 1944 version made by BMM. This has the early rear idler, driver's
visor and exhaust, but the late toolbox, mantlet and engine deck. Dragon
calls this a "command" version. This is a mid-production version. September
& October saw the phased introduction of several changes.
December 1944 version made by BMM until the plant was captured. It has all
late details including flame-retarding exhaust, revised road wheels, and
simplified rear idler with 6 holes. This is the Dragon kit boxed as a "Mid"
production; in reality it is a late production vehicle.
1945 version as made by Skoda with all late details and 4 holes in the rear
idler. The purpose of this drawing is to illustrate that the rear idler of
Skoda's late version differed from BMM's. This is not available from Dragon.
In summary, Dragon has released the early, mid and late Hetzers as made by
BMM.
New Connection makes several resin conversions for the Hetzer including the
recovery version, Starr prototype which had a rigid mounted gun and several
concept designs intended for reconnaissance roles. Eduard and Show Modelling
both offer etched metal sets which include the perforated tool box, improved
exhaust muffler, MG shield and other enhancements, although the Eduard set
is designed for the older Italeri Hetzer kit. Elefant, New Connection and
Jordi Bubo produce aluminium barrels for the Hetzer.
Dragon's Early Hetzer can only be built as a May to June version. The
command kit is a September version as described above with a crow's foot
aerial. In reality it is the early Hetzer kit, less the etched metal exhaust
sheaf, but with improved road wheels and many (not all) late style parts
included, plus a bonus set of 5 crew men. This kit is quite flexible as to
what version you can make.
The late Hetzer (kit 6037) is typical of Hetzers used in the Ardennes and
the final defence of Germany. This kit offers a Flammpanzer option. It may
only be built as a BMM Hetzer produced after October 1944.
The 20 Flammpanzers were used in the Ardennes and Nordwind offensives and
several captured vehicles were well photographed. Neither of the
photographed vehicles I've seen had the combination of exhaust, toolbox and
rear idler as represented in the Dragon kit. However some probably did.
Building Dragon's Hetzer
The three Hetzer kits were amongst Dragon's first to receive praise for
their high quality. All three can be assembled into pleasing kits out of the
box.
The Hetzer kits fits together well and are accurate in both outline and most
small details. However caution is required at times, as at times they are
not particularly forgiving. Separate link tracks are provided, as is a fret
of etched metal and water transfer decals. The instruction sheet provided is
easy to follow.
Construction Tips
* The chassis suspension arms may be set at any angle, but lack locating
pins to centre them. Take care when positioning these pieces.
* The rear fenders will fit well, but again take your time and follow the
instructions. Look at photos of the Hetzer's rear - the fenders have a
slight slope, some Hetzers more so than others. The fenders appear subject
to production variation and would have been easily damaged.
* The chassis to the superstructure fits well but needs careful alignment
when joining.
Enhancement & Correction
* Some tools, although good, would benefit from enhancement with etched
metal or replacement by parts from Tamiya's Panzer IV OVE set.
* The jack block on the front fender is poor. The straps that held the block
in place are missing necessitating scratch-built straps. Dragon seems to
have copied the block of an incomplete Hetzer in a German museum.
* Add fuse wire for electrical cable from Notek lamp on front fender.
* All Dragon kits come with early Hetzer tracks. These were discontinued
around September 1944 by a new design, which had notches where they
contacted the ground. The difference is fairly subtle. A 1/35 version of
these late tracks is available from Model Kasten.
* A small wing nut (not at all that obvious) was on both the jack strap (in
the centre top) and the air filter (held the removable frame in place and is
located on the left side of the slot in the mesh screen).
* Dragon's command and "late/mid" Hetzers have the air filter frame fully
extended. Most photos only have it partly extended in no particular
position. The etched metal can easily be split in two by repeatedly bending
it.
Paul Owen has a comprehensive article on this site detailing how he improved
his Hetzer kit, (see DML Hetzer Construction Notes).
Hetzer Camouflage
The paint scheme applied to Hetzers changed over time and much controversy
exists over the colours applied from September 1944 onwards. Photos of
Hetzers are limited because many German photos taken in late 1944 were
destroyed in 1945. Newer books and research that access Czech and German
sources are throwing more light on the subject. As far as I can I can tell
Skoda and BMM did not always apply the same camouflage patterns at the same
time.
There is no dispute that up to August 1944 Hetzers were painted yellow in
the factory and any camouflage paint was applied in the field. The Polish
language Wydawnictwo Militaria book on the Hetzer vol. 1 has colour
illustrations interpreting some interesting field applied camouflage
schemes.
September 1944 saw the introduction of the "ambush" scheme being applied in
the factory as per official policy. Photos show that this scheme was applied
as a hard-edged mix of yellow/green/brown in even ratios with contrasting
dots. The assembled kit on the side of the Command version kit box is
painted as per the factory photos.
From October-November the official policy saw primer red (RAL 8012) being
used as the base colour with hard-edged camouflage. This was quite likely
done judging by monochrome BMM factory photos. Close examination of photos
revealed these Hetzer's factory hard edged camouflage markings were applied
using at least four patterns:
* Large painted areas with curved edges, often used as the basis for the
ambush scheme.
* Large painted edges with edges of linked semi-circles, which would have
required a template to achieve, often used as the basis for the ambush
scheme.
* Small painted areas of irregular shapes.
* Thin brush painted vertical camouflage stripes sometimes known as the
"Hetzer" scheme.
Use of Green as the Primary Color
In late December 1944 the Germans changed the official base colour of AFV's
in from red-brown primer to green, and judging from photos the "Hetzer
scheme's" base colour changed in line with official policy. One photo of an
abandoned late war Hetzer with the mantlet cover removed shows a clear
contrast between the painted panzerhaus (armoured body) and unpainted, but
primed areas normally hidden by the mantlet. This suggests that the base
colour was not primer red.
There is uncertainty over exactly which green paint was used. Officially the
colour was dunkelgrun (dark green), but pre-war Czech army green may also
have been used. The Czech colour was *** and is lighter than the German
dunkelgrun.
I support the view that Czech green was at one stage the base colour, given
that it is close to the official late war German policy of a dark green
base, and from my examination of photos. One clue when examining b/w photos
is that the green paint lustre is often of a final coat in a light colour.
One way to examine whether Hetzer's were painted in pre-war Czech colours is
to compare factory photos of late war Hetzers to factory photos of St v35 an
d ST-28 (Panzer 35(t) and 38(t)) in the Czech army colours. It is also
interesting to note the similarities in the camouflage pattern used.
The "Hetzer" Scheme
From about October-November 1944 the hotly debated camouflage scheme with
thin brush painted vertical camouflage stripes emerged. There are several
schools of thought on this scheme:
1. A primer red-brown primer base with thin yellow and green camouflage
stripes. This is a variation on the hard edged scheme introduced in
October-November 1944 as detailed earlier.
2. The scheme presented by Tom Jentz at AMPS 1998 and supported by a colour
photo of a Hetzer of a base red brown primer with yellow and WHITE
hard-edged camouflage. A colour plate of a Jagdpanther with this scheme is
in Jentz's Panther Variants. No German Command order has been cited
supporting the white in this scheme and I've only read of it in relation to
Jagdpanzers.
3. Green with red-brown and dunkelgelb (dark yellow) camouflage stripes. The
colour plate of the Hetzer Flammpanzer 38(t) in Jentz and Doyle's New
Vanguard Flammpanzer book wears this scheme. This scheme is consistent with
contemporary King Tigers (see Jentz's King Tiger books) and seems a good fit
with many black and white photos.
4. Green base coat with brown and (off) white camouflage stripes. This
scheme is seen in a colour photo of a captured Hetzer, which is freshly
painted and located in front of a warehouse/workshop and also in Wydawnictwo
Militaria's Hetzer vol. 1.
5. Field gray with red-brown, white, dunkelgelb and green stripes as per
Dragon's box art on the mid-production version. This interpretation is based
on some older publications that rely on b/w photos. The official German
policy dated *** was that grey was only to be used sparingly as a camouflage
colour and only if other colours were not available (as opposed to being
used in conjunction with all 3 standard colours).
Examining Photos for White Stripes and Other Interesting Effects
I am unsure on the extent that white was used and have been told that there
is no solid evidence that Hetzer's with primer red bases and yellow and
white stripes were assigned to German combat units. I personally haven't
seen the photo citied at AMPS 1998.
While revising this article I was shown several very interesting high
quality photos from private collections of abandoned, late production
Hetzers. One Hetzer abandoned on a country road had a striped camouflage
scheme where the lightest stripes overlap the outline on the tactical
numbers and appear as light as the numbers' outline. This off-white
appearance, made me think carefully about the theory that "elfen" (the ivory
white used to paint panzer interiors) was used for camouflage. Unfortunately
as the photos are monochrome they are not conclusive.
Although I give the fourth scheme credence, I consider that the frequently
cited photo was taken after the vehicle had been repainted in Britain. The
Hetzer looks recently painted with no signs of usage, visible rust or paint
deterioration over time, even on areas that are subject to rust (e.g. bent
panels) or wear. The Jagdpanther behind it has heavy rusty on the armoured
body suggesting that the photo had been taken sometime after the war. My
other reason is that there are subtle differences in the camouflage stripes
position and width as seen in the colour photo and the monochrome photos of
the vehicle at the time and place it was captured (Belgium 1945). These
include the stripes on the underside of the barrel, dark lines on the edge
of the camouflage stripes, front plate near the mantlet and rear side
armour. Areas of damage are consistent between the two photos confirming
that both photos are of the same vehicle.
Another feature I've seen in photos of 2 late war Hetzers is possible
over-painting of camouflage markings. The "overpainted" area appears as a
fourth colour shade in the camouflage and are very similar in colour to
darkest colour in the paint scheme. The "overpainted areas" had hard edges
that lined up with the contours of the lightest colour in the camouflage. A
possible explanation is that the crew repainted these areas to suit changes
in the season. Both of these vehicles were photographed from side on in
clear weather and were not burnt out.
Conclusion
Dragon's Hetzers are all excellent kits, which can be made into impressive
models out of the box. Several small points can be improved on fairly
easily. Current references provide the modeller with the choice of some
quite interesting and complex schemes. Contradictory advice may make you
check your colours twice. Whichever scheme you choose, enjoy it!
References
* "Leichte Jagdpanzer" by Walter Spielberger (German Language),
* "Czechoslovak Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1918-1948" by Charles Kliment and
V. Francev. This is the most recent and comprehensive English language
discussion on the Hetzer and is base on source documents.
* "Flammpanzer" Osprey New Vanguard No 15 by T. Jentz and H. Doyle.
* "MMiR" Fall 1997 vol 14 has museum photos of a Hetzer.
* "Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer part 1" in the Polish language Wydawnictwo
Militaria Series
* "German Tanks 1945 to the Present" in the tanks illustrated series vol 7
by Peter Gudgin has 3 photos of a captured Hetzer.
Thank you
I particularly wish to thank Thomas Machnikowski for providing rare
information on late war Hetzers and many useful observations.
Footnote
On the red/yellow/white scheme a good way to form your own opinion is to
compare the Jagdpanther plates in Panther Variants to that on p 38 of
Schiffer's Jagdpanzers by H. Scheibert. Both are Nov 1944 MNH vehicles used
in the Ardennes with identical features (e.g. relocated vent on roof, early
grille, late barrel).
Useful Accessories
Friul makes correct early Hetzer drive sprockets (number AW-11).
Model Kasten make workable tracks for early and mid Hetzers.
Elefant makes an accurate aluminium barrel with thread protector for the
Dragon Hetzer kits.
Hetzer Kits, Variants and Paint Schemes
Reseaching the Hetzer
Article by Neville Lord
History of the Hetzer
The Hetzer was a late WWII German light tank destroyer based on the chassis
of the Czech Skoda designed 38(t) tank. Approximately 2000?? were built and
they were assigned to panzerjager units in both armoured and infantry
divisions. Towards the end of the war some Hetzers were assigned to
Hungarian units and the Russian Liberation Army (ROK) which was recruited
from Russian POWs.
After the war, the Hetzer was used, with slight modifications, by the Swiss
and Czechoslovaks and known as the G-13 and ST-1 respectively.
There has been quite some debate over the most appropriate name for this
AFV. Hetzer appears to be the nickname given to it by the troops, a fact
according to Kliment and Francev was confirmed by General Guderian in a memo
to Hitler dated 4 December 1944. The official title is also a source of
confusion. Originally the WaffenAmt called it "Sturmgeschutz neuer Art mit
7.5 cm PaK 39 L/40 auf Fahregestell PzKpfw 38(t)" while the Panzertruppen
used 'Leichte Panzerjager 38(t). In November 1944 'Jagpanzer 38 (Sdkfz
138/2)' became the common official name.
Until recently there was no comprehensive English language reference
available on the Hetzer. Most early references, only consider two production
versions of the Hetzer (early and late) and several limited production
variants (e.g. flame-thrower & recovery vehicle). DML/Dragon's release of a
"mid" had confused me. I now hope to clarify the matter.
Hetzer Variants and Dragon's Hetzer Kits
In the "Leichte Jagdpanzer" German language book by Spielberger there are
five sets of line drawings for production Hetzer. These depict the changes
introduced over time and how vehicles made by Skoda differed from those made
by BMM another Czech firm:
May 1944 version with all the features of an early Hetzer from either plant.
This is Dragon's early kit with the exception of the toolbox. Most (I dare
not say all) early Hetzers had toolboxes with perforated sides.
July 1944 version that has extra bolt heads on the mantlet. It is not
available from Dragon. The muffler no longer has a perforated sheaf.
September 1944 version made by BMM. This has the early rear idler, driver's
visor and exhaust, but the late toolbox, mantlet and engine deck. Dragon
calls this a "command" version. This is a mid-production version. September
& October saw the phased introduction of several changes.
December 1944 version made by BMM until the plant was captured. It has all
late details including flame-retarding exhaust, revised road wheels, and
simplified rear idler with 6 holes. This is the Dragon kit boxed as a "Mid"
production; in reality it is a late production vehicle.
1945 version as made by Skoda with all late details and 4 holes in the rear
idler. The purpose of this drawing is to illustrate that the rear idler of
Skoda's late version differed from BMM's. This is not available from Dragon.
In summary, Dragon has released the early, mid and late Hetzers as made by
BMM.
New Connection makes several resin conversions for the Hetzer including the
recovery version, Starr prototype which had a rigid mounted gun and several
concept designs intended for reconnaissance roles. Eduard and Show Modelling
both offer etched metal sets which include the perforated tool box, improved
exhaust muffler, MG shield and other enhancements, although the Eduard set
is designed for the older Italeri Hetzer kit. Elefant, New Connection and
Jordi Bubo produce aluminium barrels for the Hetzer.
Dragon's Early Hetzer can only be built as a May to June version. The
command kit is a September version as described above with a crow's foot
aerial. In reality it is the early Hetzer kit, less the etched metal exhaust
sheaf, but with improved road wheels and many (not all) late style parts
included, plus a bonus set of 5 crew men. This kit is quite flexible as to
what version you can make.
The late Hetzer (kit 6037) is typical of Hetzers used in the Ardennes and
the final defence of Germany. This kit offers a Flammpanzer option. It may
only be built as a BMM Hetzer produced after October 1944.
The 20 Flammpanzers were used in the Ardennes and Nordwind offensives and
several captured vehicles were well photographed. Neither of the
photographed vehicles I've seen had the combination of exhaust, toolbox and
rear idler as represented in the Dragon kit. However some probably did.
Building Dragon's Hetzer
The three Hetzer kits were amongst Dragon's first to receive praise for
their high quality. All three can be assembled into pleasing kits out of the
box.
The Hetzer kits fits together well and are accurate in both outline and most
small details. However caution is required at times, as at times they are
not particularly forgiving. Separate link tracks are provided, as is a fret
of etched metal and water transfer decals. The instruction sheet provided is
easy to follow.
Construction Tips
* The chassis suspension arms may be set at any angle, but lack locating
pins to centre them. Take care when positioning these pieces.
* The rear fenders will fit well, but again take your time and follow the
instructions. Look at photos of the Hetzer's rear - the fenders have a
slight slope, some Hetzers more so than others. The fenders appear subject
to production variation and would have been easily damaged.
* The chassis to the superstructure fits well but needs careful alignment
when joining.
Enhancement & Correction
* Some tools, although good, would benefit from enhancement with etched
metal or replacement by parts from Tamiya's Panzer IV OVE set.
* The jack block on the front fender is poor. The straps that held the block
in place are missing necessitating scratch-built straps. Dragon seems to
have copied the block of an incomplete Hetzer in a German museum.
* Add fuse wire for electrical cable from Notek lamp on front fender.
* All Dragon kits come with early Hetzer tracks. These were discontinued
around September 1944 by a new design, which had notches where they
contacted the ground. The difference is fairly subtle. A 1/35 version of
these late tracks is available from Model Kasten.
* A small wing nut (not at all that obvious) was on both the jack strap (in
the centre top) and the air filter (held the removable frame in place and is
located on the left side of the slot in the mesh screen).
* Dragon's command and "late/mid" Hetzers have the air filter frame fully
extended. Most photos only have it partly extended in no particular
position. The etched metal can easily be split in two by repeatedly bending
it.
Paul Owen has a comprehensive article on this site detailing how he improved
his Hetzer kit, (see DML Hetzer Construction Notes).
Hetzer Camouflage
The paint scheme applied to Hetzers changed over time and much controversy
exists over the colours applied from September 1944 onwards. Photos of
Hetzers are limited because many German photos taken in late 1944 were
destroyed in 1945. Newer books and research that access Czech and German
sources are throwing more light on the subject. As far as I can I can tell
Skoda and BMM did not always apply the same camouflage patterns at the same
time.
There is no dispute that up to August 1944 Hetzers were painted yellow in
the factory and any camouflage paint was applied in the field. The Polish
language Wydawnictwo Militaria book on the Hetzer vol. 1 has colour
illustrations interpreting some interesting field applied camouflage
schemes.
September 1944 saw the introduction of the "ambush" scheme being applied in
the factory as per official policy. Photos show that this scheme was applied
as a hard-edged mix of yellow/green/brown in even ratios with contrasting
dots. The assembled kit on the side of the Command version kit box is
painted as per the factory photos.
From October-November the official policy saw primer red (RAL 8012) being
used as the base colour with hard-edged camouflage. This was quite likely
done judging by monochrome BMM factory photos. Close examination of photos
revealed these Hetzer's factory hard edged camouflage markings were applied
using at least four patterns:
* Large painted areas with curved edges, often used as the basis for the
ambush scheme.
* Large painted edges with edges of linked semi-circles, which would have
required a template to achieve, often used as the basis for the ambush
scheme.
* Small painted areas of irregular shapes.
* Thin brush painted vertical camouflage stripes sometimes known as the
"Hetzer" scheme.
Use of Green as the Primary Color
In late December 1944 the Germans changed the official base colour of AFV's
in from red-brown primer to green, and judging from photos the "Hetzer
scheme's" base colour changed in line with official policy. One photo of an
abandoned late war Hetzer with the mantlet cover removed shows a clear
contrast between the painted panzerhaus (armoured body) and unpainted, but
primed areas normally hidden by the mantlet. This suggests that the base
colour was not primer red.
There is uncertainty over exactly which green paint was used. Officially the
colour was dunkelgrun (dark green), but pre-war Czech army green may also
have been used. The Czech colour was *** and is lighter than the German
dunkelgrun.
I support the view that Czech green was at one stage the base colour, given
that it is close to the official late war German policy of a dark green
base, and from my examination of photos. One clue when examining b/w photos
is that the green paint lustre is often of a final coat in a light colour.
One way to examine whether Hetzer's were painted in pre-war Czech colours is
to compare factory photos of late war Hetzers to factory photos of St v35
and ST-28 (Panzer 35(t) and 38(t)) in the Czech army colours. It is also
interesting to note the similarities in the camouflage pattern used.
The "Hetzer" Scheme
From about October-November 1944 the hotly debated camouflage scheme with
thin brush painted vertical camouflage stripes emerged. There are several
schools of thought on this scheme:
1. A primer red-brown primer base with thin yellow and green camouflage
stripes. This is a variation on the hard edged scheme introduced in
October-November 1944 as detailed earlier.
2. The scheme presented by Tom Jentz at AMPS 1998 and supported by a colour
photo of a Hetzer of a base red brown primer with yellow and WHITE
hard-edged camouflage. A colour plate of a Jagdpanther with this scheme is
in Jentz's Panther Variants. No German Command order has been cited
supporting the white in this scheme and I've only read of it in relation to
Jagdpanzers.
3. Green with red-brown and dunkelgelb (dark yellow) camouflage stripes. The
colour plate of the Hetzer Flammpanzer 38(t) in Jentz and Doyle's New
Vanguard Flammpanzer book wears this scheme. This scheme is consistent with
contemporary King Tigers (see Jentz's King Tiger books) and seems a good fit
with many black and white photos.
4. Green base coat with brown and (off) white camouflage stripes. This
scheme is seen in a colour photo of a captured Hetzer, which is freshly
painted and located in front of a warehouse/workshop and also in Wydawnictwo
Militaria's Hetzer vol. 1.
5. Field gray with red-brown, white, dunkelgelb and green stripes as per
Dragon's box art on the mid-production version. This interpretation is based
on some older publications that rely on b/w photos. The official German
policy dated *** was that grey was only to be used sparingly as a camouflage
colour and only if other colours were not available (as opposed to being
used in conjunction with all 3 standard colours).
Examining Photos for White Stripes and Other Interesting Effects
I am unsure on the extent that white was used and have been told that there
is no solid evidence that Hetzer's with primer red bases and yellow and
white stripes were assigned to German combat units. I personally haven't
seen the photo citied at AMPS 1998.
While revising this article I was shown several very interesting high
quality photos from private collections of abandoned, late production
Hetzers. One Hetzer abandoned on a country road had a striped camouflage
scheme where the lightest stripes overlap the outline on the tactical
numbers and appear as light as the numbers' outline. This off-white
appearance, made me think carefully about the theory that "elfen" (the ivory
white used to paint panzer interiors) was used for camouflage. Unfortunately
as the photos are monochrome they are not conclusive.
Although I give the fourth scheme credence, I consider that the frequently
cited photo was taken after the vehicle had been repainted in Britain. The
Hetzer looks recently painted with no signs of usage, visible rust or paint
deterioration over time, even on areas that are subject to rust (e.g. bent
panels) or wear. The Jagdpanther behind it has heavy rusty on the armoured
body suggesting that the photo had been taken sometime after the war. My
other reason is that there are subtle differences in the camouflage stripes
position and width as seen in the colour photo and the monochrome photos of
the vehicle at the time and place it was captured (Belgium 1945). These
include the stripes on the underside of the barrel, dark lines on the edge
of the camouflage stripes, front plate near the mantlet and rear side
armour. Areas of damage are consistent between the two photos confirming
that both photos are of the same vehicle.
Another feature I've seen in photos of 2 late war Hetzers is possible
over-painting of camouflage markings. The "overpainted" area appears as a
fourth colour shade in the camouflage and are very similar in colour to
darkest colour in the paint scheme. The "overpainted areas" had hard edges
that lined up with the contours of the lightest colour in the camouflage. A
possible explanation is that the crew repainted these areas to suit changes
in the season. Both of these vehicles were photographed from side on in
clear weather and were not burnt out.
Conclusion
Dragon's Hetzers are all excellent kits, which can be made into impressive
models out of the box. Several small points can be improved on fairly
easily. Current references provide the modeller with the choice of some
quite interesting and complex schemes. Contradictory advice may make you
check your colours twice. Whichever scheme you choose, enjoy it!
References
* "Leichte Jagdpanzer" by Walter Spielberger (German Language),
* "Czechoslovak Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1918-1948" by Charles Kliment and
V. Francev. This is the most recent and comprehensive English language
discussion on the Hetzer and is base on source documents.
* "Flammpanzer" Osprey New Vanguard No 15 by T. Jentz and H. Doyle.
* "MMiR" Fall 1997 vol 14 has museum photos of a Hetzer.
* "Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer part 1" in the Polish language Wydawnictwo
Militaria Series
* "German Tanks 1945 to the Present" in the tanks illustrated series vol 7
by Peter Gudgin has 3 photos of a captured Hetzer.
Thank you
I particularly wish to thank Thomas Machnikowski for providing rare
information on late war Hetzers and many useful observations.
Footnote
On the red/yellow/white scheme a good way to form your own opinion is to
compare the Jagdpanther plates in Panther Variants to that on p 38 of
Schiffer's Jagdpanzers by H. Scheibert. Both are Nov 1944 MNH vehicles used
in the Ardennes with identical features (e.g. relocated vent on roof, early
grille, late barrel).
Useful Accessories
Friul makes correct early Hetzer drive sprockets (number AW-11).
Model Kasten make workable tracks for early and mid Hetzers.
Elefant makes an accurate aluminium barrel with thread protector for the
Dragon Hetzer kits.
"Yuchung Wang" wrote in message
news:3ce0b54d$1@dev.routehero.com...
> Hello T-L,
>
> I am new to Hetzers. I usually build Panzers, and only recently took
> interest in Sturmartillarie and Panzerjaegers. I have a DML Jagd/Flamm
> Hetzer (mid) sitting around, and I wish to build it. There is recent
> controversy that the mid-production Hetzers were painted in bright red
> primer. What gives?
>
> The DML recommendation is that these Hetzers should be painted more or
less
> with a base coat of panzergrau. I personally would prefer the Hetzer
painted
> in panzergrau, as it looks better.
>
> 1.) How would one mix a good representative of German red primer?
> 2.) The green over-sprays on the base coat on these Hetzers look kinda OD
to
> me. Do Germans use captured allied paints?
> 3.) Are the lighter stripes cream/white or actually dunkelgelb (dark
> yellow)?
> 4.) Would the roadwheels be left in the primer coats or actually painted?
>
> These are alot of questions. But thanks for helping out (in any ways
> possible)!
>
> --
> Cheers,
> -=Yc. Wang=-
>
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