Captured Jeeps

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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USAFpj
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Captured Jeeps

Post by USAFpj » Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:45 am

When German forces captured US vehicles either through European, Russian, or African battlefields, was it common for them to then repaint the entire vehicle? I've seen quite a few images of captured jeeps and Dodges, but because the images are black/white, its hard to tell if they're now Panzer Grey?

Here's an image for example. Either Russian lend lease or German captured? And what color has it been painted

Image


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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Michael O. » Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:35 pm

It’s hard to say from the B&W photos if some were repainted but I’ve seen many photos of German Forces driving captured Allied vehicles with the national insignia intact and some with German battle flags draped over the hoods.

There are also some photos of captured/recovered American aircraft with the Balkan cross painted over the US national insignia.
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Farrell Fox » Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:03 pm

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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by dpcd67 » Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:08 pm

Just based on all the photos I have seen, as well as the impracticability of painting a vehicle in the field, I think that none were repainted; just add a cross, or a flag so your own side doesn't shoot you, and drive the hell out of it.
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Chuck Lutz » Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:44 am

In the African campaign, both the British and the Germans used captured vehicles, used captured paint to paint them that desert sand-type coor and the Germans even used British uniforms out there as supplies dwindled due to shipping losses in the Mediterranean Sea.

However, if the question is about MARKINGS, there are photos from several theaters of German vehicles with their battle flags on the hood to let friendly air crews know who they were...when the Germans has air superiority. When German forces captured vehicles/tanks from US or Russian or British forces, it was not so easy to repaint the entire tank with the current color scheme but removing the stars and adding the Cross on them was important.

So...to answer your initial question...did either side completely repaint vehicles they captured...probably not very many.
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by mgizinski » Sun Apr 01, 2018 7:21 am

There is a scene in the movie "The Young Lions" where the Germans drive up in a captured Jeep while in North Africa. "Beutefahrzeug" is painted on the side of the Jeep. It means "booty vehicle". I thought that was an interesting detail in the movie.

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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by 17thAirborne » Sun Apr 01, 2018 7:47 am

mgizinski wrote:
Sun Apr 01, 2018 7:21 am
There is a scene in the movie "The Young Lions" where the Germans drive up in a captured Jeep while in North Africa. "Beutefahrzeug" is painted on the side of the Jeep. It means "booty vehicle". I thought that was an interesting detail in the movie.

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Good eye. Saw that just two weeks ago.
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by JD136 » Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:50 am

I have a picture that my dad took during WW2 of a captured American B24 bomber with the cross's painted on it.
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by GSS » Tue Apr 03, 2018 12:05 pm

There is a description in this great WW2 book by Birdwood of an allied convoy in North Africa getting attacked by an axis plane. Soldiers got off the vehicles but did not fire back.....pilot disengaged thinking that it was shooting at axis troops driving allied vehicles.....apparently was not uncommon to be using captured equipment.

https://www.amazon.com/Sikh-Regiment-Se ... 1781519994
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Ingo » Tue May 01, 2018 1:02 am

Here are a few

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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Ingo » Tue May 01, 2018 1:03 am

more
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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Mark Jesic » Tue May 01, 2018 2:06 am

Thanks for posting, these are really interesting, did we ever use captured German vehicles ?

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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Ingo » Tue May 01, 2018 2:36 am

Remembering a film when a german OPEL rove through cologne with US markings on.

and for sure, lot of captured Schwimmwagen

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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by Mark Jesic » Tue May 01, 2018 11:43 pm

Thanks Ingo, you learn so much on this site.

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Re: Captured Jeeps

Post by David » Tue May 01, 2018 11:54 pm

Image

Image

Image

The grass is always greener on the other side? :lol:


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