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Winter Panther color profiles showing characteristic suspension, with front drive sprockets and large rear idlers, 8 double-interleaved rubber-rimmed steel boggie wheels on each side, all suspended on dual torsion bar design with 2 torsion bar per each swing arm. Although costly and time-consuming to manufacture, it gave Panther excellent cross-country mobility. Both German Tiger, Tiger II, Jadgpanther, and Jadgtiger also utilized this interleaving design. Panzer Page German Armor in WW2 - www.wargamer.com/Hosted/Panzer/panzerpage.html
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Samples of Panther winter white-wash camouflage shown above. Panther "326" is Ausf D  version during winter 1943/1944, previous drum-style copula replaced with upgraded variant giving commander greater field of vision, spare tracks hung off rear engine deck and served as defacto applique armor protection. Panther "II 02" is a 2nd battalion Befehlpanther (command panther tank) with three radio antennae, 1st antenna next to copula, 2nd behind turret, 3rd in armor ring next to exhaust pipes. This Panther Ausf A with Schurzen (armor side plates for additional hull protection) belonged to SS-Wiking division during its counter-offensive against Soviets in Kowel-Poland, April 1944. BTW, German word "Befehl" (order) was wrapped into WW2 propaganda phrase "Fuhrer Befehl, Ich Folgen" (Leader Instructs, I Follow. Leader in this case referred specifically to German Chancellor Adolf Hitler). Waffen SS Panzer Divisions 1943-1945 - www.achtungpanzer.com/articles/wpzdiv.htm
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Kowel (also written Kovel) close to Ostfront Pripet Marshes was critical Ostfront transportation hub, Soviets encircled city in March 1944. SS-Wiking, still reforming after being decimated by Soviets in Cherkassy Pocket battles (Germans called it Korsun Kesselschlachten, aka Korsun cauldron battles) of Dec 1943 to Feb 1944, assisted in breaking siege by 10 April 1944. Kowel changed hands many times in past 50 years, city was part of prewar Poland when country was created after WW1 end. During WW2 Germany annexed majority of Polish territory, remainder including Kowel placed under direct German control called "General Government". WW2 end Soviets annexed large swap of eastern Polish territory, thus Kowel passed to Soviet Union control. With 1991 collapse of Soviet empire, Kowel now part Ukraine. Allegedly, name Kowel derive from one of the earliest Runic symbols now lost to history, as recounted by discovery of the "Kowel Spearhead" in 1858. RUNES FOUND IN THE EASTERN VIKING - www.arild-hauge.com/ru-e-rusland.htm
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Inset 1 : Photo of Panther II 02 of which color profile above was derived. Roman numeral II was 2nd Abteilung (battalion) commander unit, "02" is 2nd vehicle in unit. Panther also mounted extra radio sets with three antennae on rear turret and engine deck. Although not depicted in the model, Panthers operating in winter climate from Sept 1943-onwards had Mittelstollen (middle chevron, or ice sprangs) tracks installed for better traction. Every 5th or 7th track would be a Mittelstollen, but to prevent excessive wear on roadwheels and suspension, Panther max speed limited circa 10 mph.
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German winter white wash camouflage used concentrated industrial paint paste, mixed with water, brushed or sprayed onto vehicles. They were suppose to mix paint paste with petrol for more camouflage resiliency, but with petrol a premium combat asset, German crews ignored this standards and opted for make-shift application. How to paint "Winter White Wash Finishes" - www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=36
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Rollover : Winter white-washed Panther 511 and 713, for most part winter camouflage applied only to hull and turret, roadwheels were generally not painted since mud and dirt would usually cake-up the works, hence they would possess a brownish hue or retain their original camouflage patterns. For depicted Panthers, vehicle numbers were not over painted to save some effort, Panther 511 was Ausf A version on Ostfront 1943-1944, note its barrel was retained in forest green since heat from gun fire would quickly flake white wash paint. Panther 713 was actually a Ausf A built on Ausf D hull (note long slit MG port on glacis left side), tank had thrown its track either from hitting a mine or excessive mud churned up in the advance was thick enough to dislodge its track alignment.
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One postwar confusion was Panther models deployment, Ausf D model was actually delivered first  to frontlines before Ausf A models. In 1942, Germans decided to standardize Panther steering mechanism based on Einradienlenkgetriebe (fixed radius steering gear), but since this was yet to be even designed, hence decided to install less cumbersome Kupplungslenkgetriebe (clutch-brake steering gear) for initial batch of 23 Panther Ausf D tanks.
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Inset 2 : Panther crew huddle around turret for a group photo shot, tank has layer of Zimmerit (ceramic paste) applied in parallel lines along upper tank hull and turret. Introduced in 1943, zimmerit used to negate magnetic satchel charges placed by Soviet tank hunting infantrymen. By late 1944, it was no longer applied but surviving armor vehicles still carried to war's end. Panther Ausf G model has ball machine gun port, small plug plate in position replacing the machine gun. Zimmerit - www.panzerworld.net/zimmerit.html
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For modeling projects, German Zimmerit patterns can be manually applied with modeling puddy filler, all be it requiring time and patience to apply. Hence some modeling kits (ex. Italeri) and after-market Zimmerit sets are on the market made from plastic, resin, photo-etch parts. Zimmerit Tank Patterns - www.zimmerit.com/main/pagineweb/varie/zimmerit-ing.htm
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