Maultier Marking Questions

metalwar · Post by **metalwar** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:02 pm

I recently got the new Maultier and was wondering if anyone knows what the unit or divisional marking was on the front fender?

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:26 pm

was wondering if anyone knows what the unit or divisional marking was on the front fender?

The marking on the right fender (facing the vehicle) is a tactical symbol indicating PionierKompanie (motorized)... http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/kstn/ta ... ietact.htm
As best that I can tell, the marking on the left fender is the Divisional symbol for the 4th Panzer Division, France 1940, minus the crossed swords below the circle with the inverted "peace sign"... http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/_data/d ... mblems.htm
I can't be certain about this though, and if I had to guess I would say it might be a "reconstituted" (4th Panzer?) division symbol. Quite a few German divisions were decimated on the Eastern front and then "reconstituted", some more than a few times. I'll research this more as my time permits and see if I can find a more definitive answer for you on the divisional symbol on the 21C Maultier.
For anyone who is interested, the divisional symbol on the grey 3 ton standard truck is definitely that of the 4th Panzer Division, France 1940. The tactical symbol is a mystery to me, but the basic symbol is that of a motorized infantry sub-unit.

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:52 pm

Further research confirms that the symbol on the left fender of the 21C Maultier is that of the 4th Panzer Division... http://www.feldgrau.com/PzDiv.php?ID=4
This particular symbol was used from early 1944 on after Gen.Lt.v.Saucken received the swords to his RitterKreuz... http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/_data/d ... mblems.htm
The 4th Panzer was a distinguished Wermacht (not SS) Panzer Division that boasted some 64 RitterKreuz (Knights Cross) holders by wars end. It ended the war in East Prussia and surrendered to the Soviets. Hope this helps.

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:32 pm

blitz is 4th pz, motorized Infantry platoon(box with wheels), light supply (two bars in the box), and the pip is for the Panzer designation early in the war, used in 41/42

So what we have here is part of the Motorized Platoon/Light Supply of a Panzer Unit. The 4th Pz insigna is a variant used in 1940, in 1941 this was changed to a upside down Y with 3 pips to right
..|.||| that's the 1941 insig, ignore the periods used them for spacing.
/..\

hope that helps.

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:00 am

blitz is 4th pz, motorized Infantry.... pip is for the Panzer designation

Yeah, but I still haven't figured out what the squiggly line to the right of the pip is. 4th Panzer used a total of 6 divisional symbols from the units baptism of fire in the Polish campaign until surrendering to the Soviets in Prussia, January 1945, an outlined 3-pointed "star" with a circle in the middle was in use during the 1939 invasion of Poland, the yellow circle with inverted "peace sign" in France 1940, yellow inverted "Y" with 3 bars to the right for the Eastern Front, outlined "arrowhead" for "Zitadelle" (Kursk) 1943, the black shield with inveretd yellow peace sign and crossed sabres, (from early 1944 after Gen. Von Saucken was awarded the swords to his RK) and an as yet unidentified shield outline with black arrow and red arc, (see image here on far right)... http://www.feldgrau.com/PzDiv.php?ID=4 It's possible this might have been the last divisional symbol in use before the German surrender, but I can't find any references to it.

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:12 am

The Pip W/ squiggly = PanzerTruppe.

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:21 am

Here is a good site... http://niehorster.orbat.com/011_germany ... ls_41.html
Under "mobile units" the symbol on the blitz would equate to "motorized infantry platoon" and adding the bars would indicate the supply function as mentioned previously. This guy, Dr. Leo Niehorster has written several books on the subject and is something of an authority on German organizational topics, including symbols. One thing is for sure, there is a bewildering array of both tactical and unit markings throughout the German armed forces in WWII. The site has loads of information on German OOB and organization, well worth a look for anyone who is interested in this kind of stuff.