Explication on panzer markings...

[Wittman]

A friend of mine search for some explications for the markings put on panzer...

sometime it is black marking with white around, sometime it is red or even blue...

he looking for also for codification of the number printed on the tank one for the reg, an other for ... what about tank commander ...

thanks for your answer...

[John Hilly]

Oh Jesus!
This object had been handled in all Sites ever been...
But, repetition is the mother of learnig. So, backt to business:
The overall numbering of German tanks were as follows:
The 1st digit was that of the Company, the second the Platoon, the 3rd individual tank. 332 - meaning 3. Coy, 2. Platoon, 2.vehicle. 301 meant that it was the Company commanders tank.
Number Colours varied accarding the unit. At first, when the tanks were painted "German gray", numbers were usually white. Afterwards each panzer unit used their own coloring methods, which variyed from time to time. For example the 101st sSS-Panzer Abteilung used, in June 144 the following sysytem:
Stab: White, 1st Coy: Black with white framing, the second: Red with white frames and the 3rd Blue.
These systems weren't permanent, they were changed and motified due to the overall circumstances. The only unit that I know, who kept its markings continatially same, was the Great s.Pz.Abteilung 503 with black-white system. Hope this helps even a bit...
Exhaustedly Yours
Juha