Panzer III of the 4th Panzer Division, Barbarossa 1941

[SR603-Flowbee]

This is my version of a Panzer III depicted in the markings of the 4th Panzer Div.

Spoiler

 

I wanted to do this skin as my Grandfather, Oberst Walther Dumler, served with the 4th Panzer Division as a Battalion Commander of Schutzen Regiment 33. He was one of the first Panzer Grenadiers. He was a Major at the battle of Kiev and in the lead element when Schutzen Regiment 33 first established an encirclement of Kiev by linking up with 2nd SS Das Reich. His Battalion was utterly exhausted after 30 days of continuous combat and shortly afterwards he collapsed from a perforated stomach ulcer. He was rescued by his friend Albert Kesselring who provided his own aircraft to evacuate him to Odessa where he  lost 4/5th of his stomach after an operation to save his life. After recovering he worked for Albert Speer as an A1 section chief in the ministry of armaments. He fought in 2 World Wars and was badly wounded twice. I still have a letter opener made from a 4 inch long and razor sharp, jagged edged grenade fragment that entered his back. He died two years before I was born and served in the Wehrmacht from 1916-1945. He was due to be promoted to General on the 11th of May, 1945. However, this was 3 days after the war ended. He also served on the General Staff in Berlin.

 

 

The greyed out bits are not part of his belongings. His wound badge must have been on his uniform which was given by my grandmother to her window cleaner who showed an interest having seen it through a loft window.

 

Maybe someone can identify what the fragment came from...

 

 

And now the skin..

 

Credit goes to whoever made such a great template to work from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.mediafire.com/file/pyn21ze5fm2jadt/Pz.KpfwIII_4th_Panzer_Div._v24_%261.zip/file

 

(I realise that at this period of the war no Panzer III was fitted with skirts but added them for the sake of completeness. Also the IIIM model we have did not appear until late 1942 but I thought it was interesting to see it in early war grey camo.)

Edited May 24, 2021 by SR603-Flowbee
Update skin file

[Katowiz]

Thank you for sharing this skin and its background story.

Both are very impressiv.

regards

Kato

Edited March 26, 2020 by Katowiz

[Aliocha62Mordreddesurmia]

Thanks for sharing, but how did you get a foot soldier next to the panzer?

[SR603-Flowbee]

He was commandeered from a web page. I hope nobody misses him and comes looking for him. 

[Aliocha62Mordreddesurmia]

I figured it was more real than life ^^.?

[=gRiJ=Roman-]

Amazing story.