Help to identify detail PZIIIs and SdKfz 222 & 223

[Hoth_902]

Can someone please tell me what the detail is, on front of the SdKfz 222 & 223?




Also, the PZIII Fs have something on the side as well, just like the PZIII E below.

[BurtWolf]

I think those are gas cans for the sdkfz 223s

[Hoth_902]

Thanks Burtwolf for your input. As you posted, I stumbled upon the axis history forum. They are actually smoke canisters if the site is right... I am on my phone so I can't copy a picture to a real photo.

Ok, one down, one to go. Maybe the PzIII is Jerry cans.

[Mortis57]

I must admit that my initial thought was that the details on the front of the armoured cars were jerry cans - although maybe containing water rather than fuel given where they are located.

As for the Pz III, given the location - above the engine vent - it maybe a field modification to protect that vulnerable area. Perhaps a length of track like on this Ausf F (Panzer Tracts No.03-2 p.39).

[Vergeltungswaffe]

The 222/223 is definitely smoke bottles.

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=235494

For the Pz IIIF, I've never known what that is and have never seen a picture of anything like it, but it doesn't appear to be spare tracks to me.

It looks a little like leather straps that would hold gear in place, but who knows?

[Mortis57]

It looks a little like leather straps that would hold gear in place, but who knows?

Here's an idea - welded bars (or some such) to prevent grenades / satchel charges etc. being thrown/placed directly on the engine vents?

[pmskaar]

My best guess is that the objects in a row on the Sdkfz 222/223 are smoke dischargers. I looked on the internet but could not find anything particular on them. The box cover on the 1/35th Tamiya model shows them with these things.

Of the many images I looked at, I only saw a few with these present. I don't know when they started using them or if they were discarded on later models. I also see pictures of 222s with jerry cans on the front as well but that is not what these are.

On the Panzer III E/F/G that GHQ makes, I am pretty sure that rack on the left side towards the rear are spare track links. The later model Panzer III J/L/M/N by GHQ have the spare track links mounted on the front of the vehicle.

That is all I am able to confirm at this point.

[pmskaar]

Here is a good picture of an actual Panzer III in North Africa. It shows the track links on the side of the tank. If you look at the rear of the tank you can also see track links as well. The links are shown bottom side up which might be the confusion here.

[BurtWolf]

Smoke canisters! Years ago this was in a thread - I now recall it. They don’t look like Jerry cans but it made more sense to me when looking at some pics online.

Thanks for the info on the panzer iiis. I thought these were some sort of vent covering.

[pmskaar]

My best guess is that the objects in a row on the Sdkfz 222/223 are smoke dischargers. I looked on the internet but could not find anything particular on them. The box cover on the 1/35th Tamiya model shows them with these things.

Of the many images I looked at, I only saw a few with these present. I don't know when they started using them or if they were discarded on later models. I also see pictures of 222s with jerry cans on the front as well but that is not what these are.

On the Panzer III E/F/G that GHQ makes, I am pretty sure that rack on the left side towards the rear are spare track links. The later model Panzer III J/L/M/N by GHQ have the spare track links mounted on the front of the vehicle.

That is all I am able to confirm at this point.

[Hoth_902]

Thanks everyone for helping me on this journey. this was fun, some great input and great pictures and data. I think its unanimous that the detail on the front of the Sdkfz 222 and the 223 are smoke canisters. Thanks to pmskaar, though it does not take away from others input, I think its official that the PZIII detail is extra tracks. . When I first saw the PZIII detail, I thought it was a set of tracks, but it looked to wide to be PZIII tracks.. So then I saw Jerry Cans there and thought they were just Jerry cans that were modeled too thin... So looks like i need to paint some rust on them.