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Description
Here is an example of a Pzkpfw-IV Ausf-B from the 1st Panzer Division in the Spring/Summer of 1940. It has an inordinate number of balkankreuz, five in total, with two placed in unusual locations: one on the front superstructure plate and the other, in solid white, on the turret roof. The rooftop balkankreuz was used exclusively for aerial identification and only found on German tanks during the first two years of the war (later it became practice to simply place the Nazi flag on vehicle’s turret roof or engine deck). The vehicle displays its divisional symbol, a white oak leaf, on its turret front and superstructure rear. During the Polish Campaign the division used a simple ‘X’ shaped symbol for representation, while this version of the oak leaf was only displayed during the French Campaign in 1940. In 1941 the divisional symbol changed again to an inverted ‘Y’ and then in 1943 switched back to an oak leaf, although this time with a redesigned shape. The camouflage pattern is an early war style that is composed of a base coat of dark gray (Nr. 46) with dark brown (Nr. 45) cloud-like patterns painted over it. (Note: although all German tanks at this time had this two tone early war camouflage pattern, the actual pattern of this vehicle is speculative since it is impossible to distinguish the difference between dark gray and dark brown in black and white photographs from which the plate is based.)

Description
Here is an example of a Pzkpfw-IV Ausf-B from the 1st Panzer Division in the Spring/Summer of 1940. It has an inordinate number of balkankreuz, five in total, with two placed in unusual locations: one on the front superstructure plate and the other, in solid white, on the turret roof. The rooftop balkankreuz was used exclusively for aerial identification and only found on German tanks during the first two years of the war (later it became practice to simply place the Nazi flag on vehicle’s turret roof or engine deck). The vehicle displays its divisional symbol, a white oak leaf, on its turret front and superstructure rear. During the Polish Campaign the division used a simple ‘X’ shaped symbol for representation, while this version of the oak leaf was only displayed during the French Campaign in 1940. In 1941 the divisional symbol changed again to an inverted ‘Y’ and then in 1943 switched back to an oak leaf, although this time with a redesigned shape. The camouflage pattern is an early war style that is composed of a base coat of dark gray (Nr. 46) with dark brown (Nr. 45) cloud-like patterns painted over it. (Note: although all German tanks at this time had this two tone early war camouflage pattern, the actual pattern of this vehicle is speculative since it is impossible to distinguish the difference between dark gray and dark brown in black and white photographs from which the plate is based.)