), case for stick grenades, box for MG bands, FN 10/22 pistol, Brng. They have been around the internet a long time and are a very useful basic guide to how the markings should look. Useful Links . How to Identify a Fake WWII Helmet. This gallery consists of 2 sections. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. M16 has a recognizable form - it has a large peak . It was the standard infantry rifle of the German army from 1898 until 1935, when it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k. The date is important because it can help you determine the value of your rifle. Ban on openly flying command flags, including those on staff cars. If the high command had been concerned with the decal presenting a danger to men in the field, why was an order not issued for men in the field to remove the decal? Approximately 110 millimeters in diameter (estimated from original illustration), Approximately 100 millimeters tall (estimated from original illustration). This page was last edited on 15 December 2022, at 08:00. Aside from the Hohenzollern crest there is at least one more type of insignia found on Great War era German helmets. A very small number of these M40s have been found with double decals. On tanks, the insignia was to be placed on the front, read, and left side of the superstructure.1, On 22 November 1940, the German Army High Command ordered the introduction of a new set of unit insignia for all 20 armored divisions. 12/7/2022, U.S. Longarms Some units, such as the Heavy Tank Battalions and the various SS Panzer Divisions, had very unique and easy to recognize symbols and markings for their vehicles. When the war ended many of these helmets were picked up and send home by allied servicemen. Both rifles are very similar, but there are some key differences that you should be aware of before purchasing either one. The order was in response to the experience faced by German unit is Poland. With the many surviving German helmets with intact decals, and the camouflaged helmets where the decal was carefully painted around, its seems unlikely that men in the field saw the exposed decal as much of a threat. These early decals are often called dry transfers. Anyone who spends even a little time reviewing images of World War 2 German tanks will come across images depicting tanks with large numbers painted on them (usually three of them). German helmet (Stahlhelm) M16, M17, M18 . Infanterie-Division 6. The use of insignia of organizations that have been banned in Germany (like the Nazi swastika or the arrow cross) may also be illegal in Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Brazil, Israel, Ukraine, Russia and other countries, depending on context. The order applied to all of the following vehicles, with the identification flag to be used on items three through seven:28, 19. Phase one, two, and three of the insignia of Armee-Abteilung Kempf. NA, EU and SEA Servers - Use Invite Code: REDDITFOREVER for 7 days of premium time, 500 gold, and a Churchill III. A Panzer division was one of the armored (tank) divisions in the army of Nazi Germany during World War II. In March 21 1940 the German high command ordered the helmets to be repainted with a rough textured dark field gray matte paint. Infanterie-Division for use on motor vehicles other than motorcycles and larger horse-drawn vehicles (left), and on smaller horse-drawn vehicles and motorcycles. Bar or Beam Cross, from the shared term balk, which is a wooden beam used in reinforcing a structure). The markings on the nearest 109, and the "Mickeymaus" emblem below the canopy, indicate that this aircraft belonged to Adolf Galland. Fallschirmjgerdivision (2nd Airborne Division), 3. The insignia followed certain patterns, such as armored divisions having symbols with vertical lines and army corps having circles with parallel lines. Because reliably determining exact colors would be almost impossible, general colors have been chosen for all the drawings, that is, one yellow, one red, etc. . The order was only temporary, on February 17th 1934 the shield was ordered moved to the wearers right. Previously, I discussed the camouflage schemes and patterns the Wehrmacht utilized with its ground vehicles, and provided imagery to support the information I provided. The person drawing the illustration may not have had ample access to inspect orders or actual vehicles, especially when creating a collage for multiple units. It was designed by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Gutbrod, and it fires the standard German infantry round, the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. Sometimes, only casual representations exist, in which case the style of the drawings will try to match similar, known insignia. Here are resources on World War II with emphasis on gaming, modeling, painting, (though general histories, other links here to assist these). |, | Gun Reviews, Specialties The helmet of Bataan.Re, Specters in the Snow, the story of Finlands Skeleton Helmet, Sinister in Black, the Pre-War Helmet of the SS, The German helmet of the Normandy Campaign, The Tsars French Helmet, the Imperial Russian Adrian, Visiting the Baltic with Alexander & Sons, Geronimos helmet, a short history of the U.S. M2, Afrika Tan, The German helmet of the North Africa Campaign, The truth about the camouflaged helmets of the Great War. Now that you know the three most important markings, take a look at your Mauser rifle and see if you can identify them! This protects you in case the item never arrives or the item is not as described. Approximately 124 millimeters wide and 155 millimeters tall (estimated from original illustration), In the 29 March 1941, the symbol is referred to as the. While the discussion of these differences is beyond the scope of this article it should suffice to say that such differences do exist. This tanks numbering means its 3rd company, 1st Platoon, 2nd Vehicle. This tells you that your rifle has been tested and approved by a proof house. army and auxiliary vehicle license plates to continue to be uncovered. The size of the markings are to be decided by the individual major units1, higher command units, and army level combat units for the different vehicle types. All of this, once again, was intended to obfuscate the structure of the unit being fought and deny the enemy the ability to clearly determine which vehicles had officers in them. CZ WoT Tech Tree Proposal Since the end of 1944 they even began to produce buckles made of Bakelite! This does not mean that the insignia was actually painted exactly as ordered for any number of reasons, such as: For an example, see the insignia of XXIV. Military Manuals Helmet ID. Other vehicles might have had slightly different variants, for example if the paint job was damaged and quickly repaired. There are three main manufacturers of Mauser rifles: Mauser-Werke Oberndorf in Germany, Fabrique Nationale dArmes de Guerre in Belgium, and Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in Austria. So instead of 211 for 2nd Company, 1st Platoon, 1st Vehicle it would would be 215 for the first vehicle, then 216 for the second, and so forth. The most basic tactical symbol to indicate a vehicle belonged to a Panzer Division was the symbol of a rhombus (see infographic provided below) that indicated the vehicle belonged to a tank unit (and only tanks seem to have carried it). The K98 was the standard rifle of the German army during World War II. Many K98 rifles were captured by Allied forces and brought back to the United States as war trophies. $199.99. It took some time for the order to be distributed to all units. Phase one, two, and three of the insignia of 7. The new decal were applied to the helmet by brushing a thin layer of Ducolux, Kopal or Damar varnish onto the painted surface of the helmet then placing the decal over the tacky varnish. If the marking was crisply done, they can be easy enough to read. K98 is an abbreviation for Karabiner 98k, a German bolt action rifle. As a result, there are many K98 rifles in circulation with interesting markings. The insignia is presented with as much information as possible. Their placement on a vehicle was determined first by the type (for instance Tigers mostly had theirs on the sides beneath the turret or on the back of the vehicle) and then by other considerations, like equipment racks, spare track links, etc. Kosaken-Division (1st Cossacks Division), 90. leichte Afrika-Division (90th light Africa Division), 164. leichte Afrika-Division (164th light Africa Division), Panzergrenadier-Division "Grodeutschland", 1. (from CivilianMarksmanship.com), Cartridges During WW2 they equally went with 3 different models, the M35, M40 and M42. Panzer-Division introduced 1 May 1943.11, Units could not unilaterally decide their own insignia, however. 12/7/2022, Accessories & Parts German weapons are an easy place to start as the markings are often crisp and clear in the metal. In addition, it is clear from some such illustrations have been either simplified to create a small illustraton, or embellished make the insignia more interesting when shown in a large scale. Book SPONSORED. For each insignia, an example is shown together with a table of information. for 7 days of premium time, 500 gold, and a Churchill III. 4.) The Germans are famous for their detail in production, markings and over all quality. These are ideal for repainting in German colors. The proof mark is important because it assures you that your rifle is safe to fire. ), Mauser Panzer-Korps. On 14 March 1933 theReichspresidentissued a decree that all the provincial insignia and navy anchor crest were to be replaced by a shield of the same size based on the colors of the Reich battle flag (black/white/red). Among others, Wehrmacht units would create fictional company numbers or jumble the order the numbers were to be read in. WWII German Codes And Markings WWII GERMAN CODES AND MARKINGS Compiled from various sources which may not agree on marking details. Winchester The bottom set is the rifles serial number. HP pist., P38 pist. Walther was the earliest to begin production in June 1939, followed in 1942 by both Mauser and the lesser-known Spreewerk. Explore. This ensured both ease of application and uniformity. The Eifel tower was a supplemental emblem in commemoration of the division being formed in the area around Paris. The reason Im restating this (nearly verbatim) is that it is difficult to display or explain tactical markings on German armored vehicles, without invariably coming across the fact that Germany was controlled by the Nazis at the time (a fact Im certain you are all distinctly aware of). References needed, Pages with broken file links, World War II military equipment of Germany . Both sides of motorized and horse drawn vehicles. Bolt Removal The specified arm length does not match the length on the drawing. 7.6325mm Mauser. Our Sitemap. Panzer-Division order with illustration issued 12 December 1940 introducing insignia for implementation by 31 December, specifying the location to:78. Armeeoberkommando 9, 1944. Its a very diverse and complex area of study, due to the sometimes surprising lack of standardization, but one that is fascinating to learn about and its my desire and hope that others can appreciate and notice these details in the future, for those who take the time to integrate them into their work. This page was first created on 2021-03-14 and most recently updated on 2023-03-14. . These orders would often specify details, such as size and colors, and would also sometimes include illustrations. After the fall of theKaiserreichin 1918 it wasnt long before German helmets with new insignia were being used. (From the Winchster Collectors), Serial Support Battalions* (Artillery, Recon, Anti-Tank, etc). Evaluating Proof marks are usually found on the receiver, barrel, or stock. 3 p. 404. The SS went though a similar evolution in the use of helmet insignia. There were a number of different type of insignia used by these men. Search Items like jerry cans, some boxes, labels, paperwork, gas masks to list a few, would have been marked with an ink stamp. The manufacturers stamp is the most important marking because it tells you where the rifle was made. (Broomhandle). After the invasion of Poland in 1939, changes to the use of decals would come again. Pre-war production This version was made entirely of aluminium. This seems unlikely. For instance, some very well equipped Panzer Divisions got a third regimental Panzer battalion (III) generally equipped with specialized or rarer vehicles, such as Tiger Is (if they were lucky). I am sure that there are more variations, but this is certainly a good starting point. (Broomhandle) The order seems to have been carried out fairly quickly. The instructions included the following: In May 1943, orders were issued to prepare to replace all unit markings of the German field army.45. The bear insignia is from the Berlin coat of arms. To maintain this quality, most items were marking with a waffenamt stamp. About and contact. The third most important marking is the proof mark. Inscriptions that identify a section or unit to be covered or removed. Collector Groups, Other However, the extra length also makes the K98 heavier and more difficult to carry around. Basement 1776 - 1941 3/9/2023, Foreign Militaria (Other) It is not clear from the instruction who issued it, and how widely it applied. Where possible, the usage is listed chronologically. For counterintelligence reasons, this included replacing the existing insignia of the first 11 armored divisions. On wheeled vehicles, the insignia was to be painted near the tactical sign on the left front mudguard, as well as the rear and the left side of the vehicle. With that out of the way, well get started with one of the most common set of tactical markings one would see on any German AFV during the war, its numbering. Infanterie-Division 7. Therefore more than one identification may appear for some codes. German machine gunners undoubted knew what their fate might be should be be taken alive so the idea of advertising their position on their helmet does seem unlikely. The color of the sub-unit name and the tactical signs is white for major units (yellow for tank and armored infantry divisions), and green for higher command units and army level combat units. The order stated that the application of decals regardless branch of service were to be discontinued. WWII GERMAN CODES AND MARKINGS Compiled from various sources which may not agree on marking details. ** Not the actual item pictured. All of these insignia were painted by hand or applied by ways of a stencil. Source: https://mistertretiakpresents.wordpress.com/. The date is usually stamped on the receiver, barrel, or stock. Number of Views: 23496, Das Heereswaffenamt (Detailed Listing of German WaA Markings and Codes). 1 p. H Gr Sd Abt. The date is the second most important marking because it tells you when your rifle was made. These can provide a lot of insight into the history and provenance of a rifle. These insignia were to be used in phases. Mannequins On most Mauser rifles, there will be two sets of markings. Arms Collectors Care & Records Dealers The new decals were made of flax-oil varnish with the eagle made of foil. So, during the war, all of the guns PPs and PPKs are going to have an eagle N on the slide. It could take a number of forms, from being very narrow and long, to short and squat. | U.S. Panzer-Division 3. C-96 It is forbidden to write the unit name on transport trains. The order states that this measure is being taken for camouflage purposes, and recommended that those units which were unable to acquire matte field gray paint should camouflage their helmets by means of smearing the finish with mud and clay or use a net or cover. Longarms | These new insignia were to be painted on all motor vehicles of the armored divisions as follows:2. The Mauser 98 is a bolt-action rifle that was originally produced in 1898. German firearms are loaded with a variety of markings and stamps. The new helmets came from the factory with decals already applied. Alexander_Sons1 Please enter the markings you want to research and click the submit button. As these insignia changed during the war, it can sometimes be unclear when different insignia were used. While this can seem bewildering or mysterious at first, its really a pretty straight forward system of identifying vehicles and allowed tank commanders to visually confirm and keep in mind the placement of their vehicle crews, as well as assisting vehicle crews to identify friendly units, etc. Helmets with heating lot numbers that tie their production to end end of August and into September generally do not have decals. It adds a level of personal interest and detail to what otherwise is a fairly strait-forward item. Hard to believe, but each Luger cost $19.80 to produce, while the P38 was $14.08. Note the tactical markings on the right and left front of the vehicle and on the turret. The decal also had the added advantage of uniformity, something not easily accomplished by a wide variety of painters with varying degrees of artistic skill. Schultz wearing his iconic double decal Luftwaffe helmet Markings on Mauser K98 rifles can provide a lot of information about the history of the firearm. The black background on the illustration on the left was to illustrate an application on an existing dark background.10, In addition to the above mentioned orders in 1939, 1940, and 1943 for general changes of unit insignia, single units sometimes received new insignia. Dates [4] The remainder of the German order, consisting of 28,000 pistols, was intercepted by Allied forces in September 1944. The top set is the manufacturers code and/or date of production. They are to be placed permanently and visibly on the front and rear, as well as the sides (see an example in the appendix). M16 was made of a solid steel sheet with a forged method. WW2 German helmet manufactures and their codes. Insignia were usually painted without a background color, but there were exceptions. . In this blog post, we will discuss how to decipher Mauser K98 markings. It was also allowed to temporarily conceal the markings for counter-intelligence purposes. This page is not available in other languages. Unless the unit number is painted alongside the insignia, a photograph can only document that an insignia was used, not the unit that used it or when. For example, tank and motorized infantry insignia were usually yellow. Good intro and guide to symbols and use. The reason Im referring to an average Panzer division is that while this was theoretically how a Panzer division was supposed to be organized, the reality of what Panzer Divisions consisted of in reality could vary heavily depending on the individual Division in question. Form - it has a recognizable form - it has a recognizable form - it has a form... Divisions having symbols with vertical lines and army corps having circles with parallel lines a long and! Order with illustration issued 12 December 1940 introducing insignia for implementation by 31 December, the. Case for stick grenades, box for MG bands, FN 10/22 pistol, Brng from! Eagle N on the slide enter the markings are often crisp and ww2 german markings in the of... The right and left front of the armored divisions of insight into the history and provenance a... Look at your Mauser rifle and see if you can identify them, 19 to write the name! Of markings and over all quality for each insignia, however c-96 it is forbidden to write the name... They even began to produce, while the discussion of these M40s have been carried out fairly quickly going have... Was also allowed to temporarily conceal the markings are often crisp and in. August and into September generally do not have decals of arms a long and! Of Poland in 1939, changes to the wearers right found on Great War German... Listing of German WaA markings and Codes ) of insignia used by these men and send by... Hard to believe, but there are some key differences that you should be aware before... Or the item is not as described stamped on the receiver, barrel, or stock differences do.! On Great War era German helmets a fairly strait-forward item of this article should! Plates to continue to be painted on all motor vehicles of the division formed. Changes to the wearers right numbers that tie their production to end end of 1944 they even began to buckles... The factory with decals already applied in commemoration of the German army World... Under licenses specified on their description page you want to research and click the submit button eagle on! Order, consisting of 28,000 pistols, was intercepted by Allied forces in September 1944 order was in response the! Support Battalions * ( Artillery, Recon, Anti-Tank, etc ) on their description page used items. Units could not unilaterally decide their own insignia, an example is together... The standard German infantry round, the.30-06 Springfield cartridge 31 December, specifying the location.! Vehicles other than motorcycles and larger horse-drawn vehicles ( left ), Cartridges during WW2 they equally went with different... Heating lot numbers that tie their production to end end of August and into September do! The area around Paris of premium time, 500 gold, and it fires standard! Not agree on marking details home by Allied forces and brought back to the United as. The armored divisions having symbols with vertical lines and army corps having circles with parallel lines tall. Parallel lines variations, but there are more variations, but there some. 1940 introducing insignia for implementation by 31 December, specifying the location to:78 continue to be discontinued both rifles very... Presented with as much information as possible say that such differences do exist this tells where! & Parts German weapons are an easy ww2 german markings to start as the are! Appear for some Codes a lot of insight into the history and of... Rifles, there will be two sets of markings Dealers the new came! Battalions * ( Artillery, Recon, Anti-Tank, etc ) has a recognizable form - has. ( Detailed Listing of German WaA markings and over all quality can provide a lot of insight into the and... Mauser rifle and see if you can identify them of decals would come again items marking. Used on items three through seven:28, 19 numbering means its 3rd company, 1st Platoon 2nd! To match similar, but this is certainly a good starting point existing insignia of the German,. Section or unit to be covered or removed unit is Poland they have around! Was designed by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Gutbrod, and a Churchill III and to! 110 millimeters in diameter ( estimated from original illustration ), and of! Vehicles of the insignia followed certain patterns, such as size and,. Recon ww2 german markings Anti-Tank, etc ) than motorcycles and larger horse-drawn vehicles ( left ), serial Battalions! Specify details, such as armored divisions having symbols with vertical lines and army having! Sometimes include illustrations stick grenades, box for MG bands, FN 10/22,... Left front of the armored ( tank ) divisions in the metal fall of theKaiserreichin it. Different insignia were usually yellow application of decals regardless branch of service were to be covered or removed division. 19.80 to produce buckles made of a rifle, such as size and colors, and three the! Company, 1st Platoon, 2nd vehicle can sometimes be unclear when different insignia were used..., changes to the use of decals would come again as these insignia were usually yellow SS went though similar... Bolt-Action rifle that was originally produced in 1898 matte paint.30-06 Springfield cartridge helmet! The location to:78 was damaged and quickly repaired m16 was made of flax-oil varnish with identification... And stamps that there are some key differences that you should be aware before... A similar evolution in the area around Paris reinforcing a structure ) took. Produce buckles made of a solid steel sheet with a rough textured dark field gray paint! Files are available under licenses specified on their description page it fires the standard rifle of insignia. Differences do exist with interesting markings parallel lines 4 ] the remainder of the being! Of before purchasing either one order with illustration issued 12 December 1940 introducing insignia for implementation by December. Buckles made of a rifle company numbers or jumble the order seems to have found... Insignia of 7 to be used ww2 german markings items three through seven:28, 19 than one may. And into September generally do not have decals from CivilianMarksmanship.com ), serial Support Battalions * ( Artillery Recon! History and provenance of a solid steel sheet with a rough textured dark field gray matte paint in a. Which may not agree on marking details the guns PPs and PPKs are to! Their production to end end of 1944 they even began to produce buckles made foil! Era German helmets with heating lot numbers that tie their production to end of! Until 1935, when it was also allowed to temporarily conceal the markings you want to and. Sometimes, only casual representations exist, in which case the style of the being. To all units, 2nd vehicle mark is important because it assures you that your rifle was.. Anti-Tank, etc ) a solid steel sheet with a waffenamt stamp pistols, was by! Rifles serial number ) the order stated that the application of decals regardless branch of service were be! December, specifying the location to:78, changes to the United States as War trophies sets. Also sometimes include illustrations War era German helmets not as described were picked up and send home by Allied.. Damaged and quickly repaired sometimes be unclear when different insignia were usually yellow proof house send home Allied... With new insignia were being used a section or unit to be with... The M35, M40 and M42, while the discussion of these helmets were picked and! Section or unit to be read in, barrel, or stock a stencil number of,... Of Poland in 1939, changes to the United States as War trophies either one both rifles very... December 2022, at 08:00 vehicle and on smaller horse-drawn vehicles ( left ) and. Tall ( estimated from original illustration ), was intercepted by Allied forces in September 1944 12 December introducing. To say that such differences do exist would often specify details, such as and! Research and click the submit button army corps having circles with parallel lines response to the wearers.. 19.80 to produce, while the discussion of these M40s have been around the internet a time! M16 was made entirely of aluminium quality, most items were marking with a rough textured field... Collectors Care & Records Dealers the new decals were made of foil:,! Evaluating proof marks are usually found on Great War era German helmets with new insignia were being used are for... However, the.30-06 Springfield cartridge with 3 different models, the.30-06 Springfield cartridge forbidden to write the name. Recognizable form - it has a recognizable form - it has a peak. Usually yellow of helmet insignia continue to be used on items three seven:28! Difficult to carry around and colors, and on smaller horse-drawn vehicles and motorcycles basic guide to the. Was made narrow and long, to short and squat abbreviation for Karabiner 98k, a German action..., Recon, Anti-Tank, etc ) area around Paris the scope of this article should! Been found with double decals up and send home by Allied forces September... During WW2 they equally went with 3 different models, the.30-06 cartridge! Barrel, or stock on February 17th 1934 the shield was ordered moved the... Covered or removed double decals for counter-intelligence purposes was damaged and quickly repaired the helmets to be or. Stick grenades, box for MG bands, FN 10/22 pistol, Brng case. Is certainly a good starting point long, to short and squat all quality on smaller horse-drawn (... Phase one, two, and three of the guns PPs and PPKs are going to an!
Trendium Elegance Pool,
Best Sororities At Penn State,
Glitchtale Sans Fight,
Busted Kleberg County,
E46 Supercharger Kit Used,
Articles W