Panzer II Colours 2

ART BY Carlos de Diego Vaquerizo

31- Pz. Kpfw. III Ausf. F (Sd. Kfz. 1941), Pz. Rgt. 2, 1. Pz. Div., France, June 1940. In 1940 this division took the oak leaf as their distinctive, a motif that was usually drawn in the front and rear of the armored vehicles' turret. The armored vehicles of the Pz. Rgt. 2 could be told apart from those of the Pz. Rgt 1 thanks to a painted dot after the formation numerals. Some units had a white cross for aerial ID purposes on top of the turret, a marking that was sometimes accompanied by a rectangle in the same color painted on top of the motors' cover.

32- Pz. Kpfw. III Ausf. E (Sd. Kfz. 141), Pz. Rgt.
31, 5. Pz. Div., Balkans, May 1941. The emblem that the OKH gave to this division in 1941 was an "X" which the armored vehicles had painted in the front, on both sides and on the back of the frame. The Pz. Rgt. 31 had a particular insignia named "Rot Teufel" (Red Devil) painted on both sides of the turret. This armored vehicle has its tactical numerals painted only on both sides of the frame; on the back of it we see a stencil with five small digits; these are the vehicles' frame number, in red.

33- Pz. Kpfw. III Ausf. G (Sd. Kfz. 141), Pz. Rgt. 5, 21. Pz. Div., Sidi Rezegh, Libya, November 1941. Under the brief and worn Gelbbraun RAL 8000 coat, we can see the factory painted Dunkelgrau RAL 7021 of this Panzer III. On both sides of the turret and on the "Rommelkiste" (Rommel box) screwed to the back of it, we can see painted white the numerals that tell us that this is the third armored vehicle from the first section of the first company. The Afrikakorps palm tree can be seen on both sides of the frame, and on the back of it we can see this motif right by the division insignia. Both motifs are also painted on the frontal armored plank, between the drivers' sight and the machine gun, although partially concealed by some spare track links set there to "increase armoring".

34- Pz. Bef. Wg. III Ausf. E (Sd. Kfz. 267), Pz. Rgt. 5, 21 Pz. Div., Bir Hakeim Libya, May 1942. This Panzerbefehlswagen (commanding armored vehicle) repainted Gelbbraun does not have its division emblem, but it does have the DAK palm trees. These motifs have been painted with the same color used for camouflage, while the crosses and numerals are white with hollow (unpainted) inside. This type of vehicle was equipped with several pieces of radio equipment, and because the lack of room, its turret was fixed (not moveable) and the gun was a decoy as well; after having lost the fake weapon on a fight, crews have placed a piece of wood to accomplish the function of the previous one.