designator for that unit as assigned by the army post office. Discussions: 6,021 Messages: 59,481. Covenanter tank with Guards armoured insignia on locker, 3rd senior AoS 53 (on wrong side) in white on red, tactical HQ diamond sign with 2 in centre, bridge plate with 16 modified to outlined in yellow, tank name ULSTER, WD number on side below turret, British Armoured Divisions - origins, development and deployment (1920-1945). the front plate being curved to fit the contour of the fender. By 1942 the system had changed with blocks of numbers of four to seven digits being issued. was printed before the advent of the panzer division and well before the outbreak of war, white. The star was normally 8-12in and should be stencilled with a point upwards. However, despite this fact they are still largely misunderstood or misinterpreted by vehicle owners and re-enactors alike. Some battalions and regiments used non standard Description: Varies with application and fading. These numbers were e.g. The American bumper codes are in three sections. That is, no matter what the system at any given time there are large variations permitted (or tolerated) across the global operations of the Army with its hundreds of thousands of vehicles. The first part for Army, Corps / Division. As an aid to operating in formation, a system of vehicle The use of markings on British military vehicles expanded and became more sophisticated following the mass production and mechanization of armies in World War II. an exception to this in that GD's divisional insignia was in white). The letters U.S. or US appeared on vehicles during World War I, the United States American Expeditionary Forces units began arriving in France in June 1917. [2]:11 Some units stenciled the independent brigade sign on their vehicles whilst keeping their own divisional sign. Some vehicles used a circular disc painted white. from a series, and a prefix identifed the branch of service. The Balkankreuz, or German national insignia, denoting these designations on their vehicles as an additional form of Groups were eventually designated Panzer Armies. in 4 inch red letters on the front of vehicle. Military police, Royal Navy-RN, Royal Marines-RM and NAAFI signs were painted on their vehicles and trailers. field kitchens were found to be marked with divisional markings. Le nombre #23 provient de la liste des couleurs du Bureau of Yards and Docks de l'U.S. mechanized units. This appears more prelavent on workshop vehicles than others, buit it is not limited to them. There were no formal instructions before the war, but experiments included: In January 1942, an RAF style roundel was introduced. Gas detection panels were painted as an 18-inch square patch on AFVs and on the rear of headlamps of softskins until October 1943, thereafter as a patch on bonnets of softskins, close to the windscreen and not on AFV's. Two or three colour horizontal stripes in a rectangle were sometimes painted next to the number, being specific to a vehicle movement order. During the invasion of France, two formations named for their The sole modern British sheet has company, with the first sheets of a (probably extensive) WW2 British and Commonwealth range having at last appeared. After Poland, the "correct" national A unique set of markings was used by the 2e DLM’s 71e Régiment d’Artillerie to identify its batteries. front and/or rear instead of a single plate. Veterinary ambulances carry a green cross. Headquarters were designated by flags of specific shapes, Markings usually use stencils, accordingly war time markings are not generally as neat as a hand painted pre-war mark, and being done in the field are sometimes in mirror image and often in the wrong location on the vehicle. digit of 0 to indicate headquarters. In late 1941, an 18 inch square patch with three vertical stripes (white, red, white) was added to AFVs in the western desert. designating the battalion. The size is adapted to suit the vehicle and space available.[2]:23. Not supposed to be carried on motorbikes, but sometimes painted on sides of their fuel tank. There are 6 star marking used during WWII, ... (reversed Army Air Force marking) were in use at the same time when the US entered WW2. —Front and rear markings are identical and consist of four groups in consecutive order, from the left to right when facing the vehicle, separated by a dash 1 inch long. Infantry formations insignas . In January 1943 this source was The words BOMB DISPOSAL or B.D.S. widely heralded in the press, led to an optimistic plan for a major offensive from the Many vehicles & tanks today driving by in liberation events or in museums or are seen in (new) movies … Unfortunately are marked and stenciled with for example post-war NATO / DIN font lettertypes. Photos of vehicles where they died. Vehicle Markings in 21st Army Group 1944-1945 N.B. See also WW2 Books. amended and many changes and additions were instituted. The standard German Other units avoided the use of the R, as it gave away the status of [2]:31, AFVs, mainly tanks, sometimes had names painted on their exterior to aid identification to other tankers. Unit marks were sometimes amended at the front to make them less visible when in view of the enemy. The markings serve not only to identify a particular vehicle, but also to identify the unit and formation that it was serving in. To start with, I’ll be covering the tactical markings and camouflage for German vehicles, though like other nations, to really cover every, single little detail, variation, or controversy would require an extremely large tome and more exhaustive research than I currently have the ability to perform (not to rule it out in the future). Vehicles in Europe after D-Day would wear 'TAF' followed by the group number ( 2, 83, 84, 85)[5] Vehicle numbers were RAF – followed by up to six digit number, usually on the front and rear, but sometimes following army practice. If two lines are used, the first and third groups will be on the top row. There were between one and six per vehicle, in assorted places. Some panzer divisions and units A very dark drab when new with a green hint, fading brown or grey in use. on military paint schemes should also be taken into account … The vehicle also displays the red/white/red recognition flash of the Royal Armoured Corps. Temporary 5 or 6 digit number chalked or roughly painted prior to shipping overseas. Light blue was used on air­borne ve­hi­cles a… massive change in German fortunes, the victorious fight to retake Kharkov in early 1943, Discussions: 1,660 Messages: 27,419. company) were used, as was the number 0 (ie 001, 002, etc.). Vehicle may show a red flag. Upon expansion to divisional status, GD panzer battalions would have used 1/56 (28mm) Scale Vehicle Markings. Independent battalions within a division had a black cross across a Formation signs and War Department vehicle identification numbers were painted on the sides. Or are marked with “wrong” formats five point stars. It is not unusual to find other markings and names on vehicles. and hull sides, in the main, and the style of numbers used changed throughout the war. rectangular on the front of vehicles and square on the rear, sometimes with two used on [2]:32, A small light shining on the rear axel, the centre of which was painted white, assisted night time convoys. During the Polish campaign, the Africa from 1941 on) by painting the centre of the crosses black. Attempts were made to standardise the size, colour and location of marks, with varying degrees of success. However, vehicle collector Colin Macgregor Stevens notes that on a jeep he owned (MB155796, DND 61-261) he found original markings on which the maple leaf may have been green, with the 7 and C in gold (with the "7" inside the "C" in the manner of a C-broad-arrow). Would you like Wikipedia to always look as professional and up-to-date? The gas detection paint was a khaki yellow colour. The subject of vehicle colours is a difficult one to discuss via electronic means due to the variance in monitor settings and a lack of consistency regarding the actual subject matter. No tactical signs were used. German destroyed AFVs (from a Russian site). [clarification needed][citation needed]. was used to identify Wehrmacht vehicles from before the outbreak of war. Introduction; Les véhicules du Corps des Marines et une partie de ceux de l'US Navy sont généralement peint avec la teinte " Marine Corps Green #23 ". in a base colour referred to variously as Dark Yellow or Ordnance Tan. The Balkankreuz, or German national insignia, was used to identify Wehrmacht vehicles from before the outbreak of war. Vehicle size and weight were chalked on a square painted black panel with a white edge. Saved by Dennis Ovens. the officer commanding the tank. A typical tank company would thus appear as: Company command vehicles would have a second The markings were found to be too highly visible, especially by enemy first digit indicating the Company the tank belonged to, the second the Platoon, and the From 1943 a 4 digit type number would be painted on the door, or side of the cab. Instead, "fake" company numbers, Not to be placed where the star would be covered by equipment, canvas, fuel cans etc. some 3-ton trucks including petrol, wireless and command, 7 ton truck, 6 wheeled light recovery trailer, AEC 6-ton lorry, some 6x4 vehicles, Valentine bridgelayer, Diamond T transporter tractor, 1941 (1) A 2in white border around the turret top of, 1941 (2) A yellow fabric triangle to indicate an AFV radio vehicle, 1941/2 A white St Andrews cross on lorries in North Africa. manner of vehicles, including tanks, halftracks, trucks, motorcycles, even horse drawn The same sign was worn by soldiers on their sleeves.[2]:12. Bridge classification markings indicate the vehicle weight in tons and are usually a black number on a yellow circle usually on the hull front. You could also do it yourself at any point in time. Independent Brigades could be allocated a special formation sign, used by vehicles not within a division. The 21st Army Tank Brigade in North Africa painted the Infantry Division sign (4th) they were supporting, alongside their own. The lead vehicle flew a blue flag, the rear vehicle a green flag. These markings were worn on the front doors of its tractors. staff officers. They also wore a code consisting of a letter indicating the Command and a number indicating the group, in white. Arm of service marks began with the use of service initials, such as S. & M. (Sappers and Miners), which pre-dated RE (Royal Engineers). A 15cwt truck with a trailer could have 5/4, 6/4 or 6/5 or 7/5, dependent upon the vehicle load and trailer size and load. similar unofficial markings. Where the vehicle normally has a trailer, the writing showed two numbers, the upper being the loaded vehicle with the loaded trailer, the lower just the loaded vehicle. Gun detachments also wore special insignia. The location is normally offside front, sometimes attached to radiators. rank) and Generals had authorized rank pennants; until April 1941, this pennant was as [2]:30, The number equated to the bridge category, very roughly based on weight with adjustments for axle loading and impact factors, rounded up. This page will be developed over time and the emphasis will be on CANADIAN military vehicle markings and paint schemes from all periods. The unit listing pages on this site will show the divisional the right (passenger) side. The system used coloured stars to identify each of the groupes (battalions) with a letter, number combination to identify each of the batteries. narrower arms on the cross, etc. RAF roundel instead of formation sign on right front and right rear bumper or mudguard. 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). source suggests that only three Army divisions used the insignia (6, 7 and 19 Panzer directly on the body. The commander of the first battalion of a panzer regiment There were many, many variations of the "standard" German cross seen on Prior to 1943, there was no formal British identification, however, BEF vehicles carried a white vertical rectangle patch 12 inches by 15 inches on the front of AFVs, on the front left mudguard of softskins and on the sides of carriers. but on the Panzer III and IV was about 10" or 25 cm tall. As well, numbers were sometimes The plates were white, being Colour photography was not widespread in the Second World War, and accurate reporting of shades and hues has been difficult to obtain. That's it. executive officer, R03 the regimental signals officer, and higher numbers designated other After the invasion of Russia, other formations sometimes wore Many older standard colour that divisional markings were painted in standard panzer divisions (GD was British vehicle markings are under the microscope this time as we look at understanding late war British Armoured Division markings. Articles and photos, etc. British tanks rarely had stars on the front or sides, normally just one on the rear turret. these officers/units. Vehicles used by officers and commanders were rosa (pink), artillery red, signals lemon yellow, pioneers black, reconnaissance golden Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) sometimes adopted personal names. Red for the senior regiment, yellow for the 2nd regiment, blue for the junior regiment, and green for the motorised infantry battalion.[5][2]:27. might thus have tank I 01. identification. AFVs often carried stars on the sides and rear. Or fonts that are designed 40+ years after WWII. numeral to indicate a staff vehicle. © tacticalwargamer.com 2008-present    The size varied from vehicle to vehicle, On a horizontal surface a point faced the front of the vehicle, on a glacis a point faced upwards. A Diamond T transporter tractor with a trailer with a Sherman should carry 70/18 on its plate.[2]:31. Hundreds of contemporary photographs are paired with precise color diagrams to show exactly how markings appeared on vehicles, including the exact measurements, and explain all the different variations in use. [5], A letter designating the type of vehicle followed by a number painted white with 3½ inch high, 2 inch wide stencil on the sides of the bonnet and on the tailboard of softskins, if no bonnet, then on cab door. The Tactical Wargamer. M7 Priest SP Gun belonging to the divisionnal artillery of the 3rd Infantry Division during training in the UK. Navy. To install click the Add extension button. Not just for Sturm Tigers. The Broad arrow used by the British Board of Ordnance to mark government property dates from the 16th century. [6], A Jeep, if it had a trailer, would have 3/2. The speed 4 inch high above MPH in 2 inch letters, (not put on Bomb disposal vehicles or motorbikes).[2]:33. insignia design was finalized, being an open white cross, with no black authorized for supposed to have in France in 1940 and also Russia from 1941 on. North Irish Horse vehicle markings 1944.jpg 244 × 228; 53 KB Porte ouverte 18RT-15 juin 2009 véhicule débarquement01.jpg 2,325 × 1,273; 1.84 MB Porte ouverte 18RT-15 juin 2009 véhicule débarquement02.jpg 2,068 × 1,614; 2.19 MB (especially panzer regiments), and independent units like heavy tank battalions or Assault Markings for use with 28mm / 1:56 scale models. Each vehicle had to carry a formation sign, normally the formation they are permanently attached to. decking, roof or hood of the vehicle. Divisional Badges Each division had a badge or insignia which was usually displayed on front left and rear left of the hull or fender. pennants were carried on the left (driver) side of the vehicle, and officer pennants on . Army, Corps, Independent Brigade and Divisional marks generally use symbols. These variations had black borders, longer arms than normal, Service units, postal, provost, ambulance etc. border, and a gold eagle replacing the white eagle. Since most of the early Regulations do not really apply to E.T.O. Markings may be on a single line or on two lines, but in no case will groups be broken nor order of groupings be changed. The sign was affixed to the front nearside (left) bumper, or close to it, such as a forward facing wing, and in a prominent position at the rear, also on the nearside. These markings could be found on all The roundel comprised a 6in yellow surround, a 10in blue band, a 10in white band, and a 5in red centre. 1/150 WW2 Vehicle Markings (10/12mm) Rule & Scenario Books ; Sign in. These numbers were painted on turret In the spring of 1942, most UK AFVs were painted with a horizontal rectangular patch 18 inches by 10 inches with the same striping pattern as the desert design. Discussed in detail from May 1939 the system was summarised in a War Office letter of 12 April 1940[4] updated in 1941, 1942 and 1943. Some had the RAC mailed fist flash instead, in a rectangle. [2]:33, Requisitioned vehicles, before they received their full markings, displayed WD in 6 inch letters on the nearside front and back. There were many variations on this insignia; one The source code for the WIKI 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Apple. generals received their own pennant, with a more elaborate gold border replacing the white The second battalion commander would have II 01, etc. The effect of sun, age, precipitation, mud, etc. the roof of vehicles, or more commonly the use of a cloth flag strapped to the rear officers were designated with higher numbers; in general vehicle 02 designated the If the vehicle has no indicators, the words NO SIGNALS was added. German soft-skin vehicles and armoured cars or APCs were given WWII Unit Identification Markings for U.S. Military Vehicles, Jeep and Truck Bumper Markings (LoneSentry.com) Small business web hosting offering additional business services such as: domain name registrations, email accounts, web services, FrontPage help, online community resources and various small business solutions. The circle was sometimes complete, sometimes broken at the star points. the Kursk insignia in late 1943. sometimes combined with the symbols above. In April 1941, and expanded on after the outbreak of hostilities. Battalion command vehicles would have a Roman numeral These markings were usually reserved for armoured vehicles, though occasionally some softskins (especially captured ones) used them. email: vehicles; they were often applied in the field, whenever new field-applied paint schemes R01 was the regiment commander, R02 the The circle was for most vehicles on an attached plate, 7½ inches to 9 inches diameter. In general, the system involved use of 3 digits numbers; the Within an armoured brigade each regiment used a different colour which indicated their seniority. In general, the prewar system consisted of three These markings A let­ter des­ig­nat­ing the type of ve­hi­cle fol­lowed by a num­ber painted white with 3½ inch high, 2 inch wide sten­cil on the sides of the bon­net and on the tail­board of soft­skins, if no bon­net, then on cab door. The official air recognition symbol for RAF vehicles was the roundel, which was normally placed on the sides of the body. for these types of units. special formation markings replacing the standard insignia used by German armoured and commanders, Panzer Group von Kleist and Panzer Group Guderian, wore capital letters They sometimes included a number identifying the individual vehicle. This insignia had different pennants; a Divisional pennant was triangular, black over white over red. There may also be the landing craft number marked on the vehicle, such as "LST 368". 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