Sub badge

[Loggy]

Any ideas about maker??

Tim --- >>

[Loggy]

Reverse.

[Lorenzo Brown]

I believe that is BH Mayer. Sometimes marked "L/18".

[chris clark]

carnt really tell but has the symble been hacksawed out which was a common fact apparently by those that were awarded this award.a point of interest to myself as not until i got one did i realise that this had occured

[Philippe DB]

Hi Tim,


Thats an um L/52, C.F Zimmermann. Nice badge

@Chris, I believe with the symble you mean the cut out swas. On these badges it was a standard production feature just like on the Schwerins, no field modification.

KR
Philippe

[Frank Heukemes]

Well,

L/18 (B.H. Mayer) or L/52 (Zimmermann) that is the big question as Philippe´s and Lorenzo´s answers suggest. It is quite hard to tell with these two makers, because the design is basically the very same, even pin, catch and hinge (as long as we are talking Buntmetall Badges, not zinc).
But I think the silver colour metal of pin and catch give it away as a Zimmermann, the Mayers have golden finish hardware throughout (also pin and catch). In the state the badge is on that would still show.

Cheers, Frank

[chris clark]

this one has lost 99% of gold/bronze finish is this one of the same?? i feel the catch etc is sloppy made

[chris clark]

the top goes the other way than that posted if that makes sence.front pic anyway for interest

[Philippe DB]

Dear Frank,


Here is a picture of the same badge marked L52, I have in my files. Don't remember who this badge belongs to so if the current a owner has a problem with me posting it here just let me know and I'll remove it.

@Chris, the badge you posted is most likely an L/55 Rudolf Wächtler & Lange.
Would like to see better pics to be absolutely sure. I have never seen these badge with there LDO mark (L/55) but they exist marked with there Lieferant number (100)

KR
Philippe

[Michel]

Hello Philippe,

It's my badge and my pic, please to remove it.

If you don't want in the futur all my pictures with a logo, ask me a acceptation before a posting.

The Loggy's UKA is a Zimmermann, no cut-out swastika for the L/18.

Regards,

Michel

[Philippe DB]

Hi Michel,


Badge is removed, sorry. I'll mark the pics with your name.

KR
Philippe

[Gordon Williamson]

The L/18 Badge is totally different to the Zimmermann type. The eagles head/chest area bear no real resemblance to the Zimmermann.

[Gordon Williamson]

Like Friedrich Orth badges, Mayer pieces can be found with both solid and cut-out swastikas. This was factory done, not a modification by the owner.
Mayer badges can also be found in Tombak. Meybauer L/13 is a very close obverse match to Mayer but with some minor die differences around the stern area of the sub. They too came in cut out or solid swastika versions.

[Gordon Williamson]

Mayer badges can be found with the L/18 mark on the pin, or more commonly, like here, on the reverse.

By the way, the Badge Chris posted is a Klein & Quenzer. They always had very sloppily attached hinges, usually sitting at an angle, though the needle pin version they made was neater.


The only other U-Boat badge which perfectly matches the Zimmermann die characteristics is the Otto Schickle badge.

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Michel and Gordon,

For the moment, until you come up with an explanation of what I am going to show, I beg to differ with your views.

@Michel: I said on purpose in my post "as long as we are talking BUNTMETALL badges not zinc". The Tombak L/18 badges do have a cut out swaz! And look just like Zimmermanns except for the pin and catch colour. At least the example shown below does.

@Gordon: Look at that TOMBAK L/18 badge below, sold recently on the e-stand by Trevor Elliot. I have no doubts about this badge and the L/18 mark looks exactly like other "L/18 on pin" marks of other KM Mayer badges. The design is that of a Zimmermann though. How to explain that?

I know I am dealing with two KM experts here, but please explain because up to now I haven´t understood.

Cheers, Frank