The A7V tank

[Robin Lumsden]

Gaffken & BrianS.

Sorry.....................you've given me yet another excuse to post a picture of this thing.

[Robin Lumsden]

Another rare A7V............................with 1918 camouflage.

[Robin Lumsden]

With crew..............

[regular122]

This just arrived today. It's a postcard, which is the same picture I believe Steve shows in post 25. Sorry for the pic, my scanner is down. Still a nice little item to have.

Fantastic picture Steve. Can't wait to see close ups when you get the scanner fixed! Steve

[Steve Campbell]

Fantastic picture Steve. Can't wait to see close ups when you get the scanner fixed! Steve

Thanks, I'm working on the scanner. I've got a batch of nice photos actually that I'll be posting when it's fixed.

[tinmantis]

and Don,
I've been looking for a copy of that book for way over 3 years! I just can't pay the $200 asked for on amazon and ebay. If you tell me you got it for under $100 it will make me feel SO more jealous!
regards
jon

[Don D.]

$120 with shipping from the UK.

[PANZERPIONIERE]

Great thread, I also have that book. Robin and Brian, great tank badge. This is at the top of my list to find an example.
Steve

Looking for anything pertaining to Pi.Btl.16 or Pz.Pi.Btl.16 for my book project.

[LToms]

This is a relly intresting thread. Thought I would share a photo I recently found in a local antique shop. Based on the infromation here it would be 542 Elriede. On the back of the photo is written: A German Tank in the Place de la Concorde in Paris! It also has a date April 8, 1919.

Phil

[rast]

Number of tank badges issued

Concerning the number of badges issued, I'd rather suggest a low number. There were 3 detachments of 5 A7Vs, thus 15 x 20 = 300 tank men, and six detachments of 5 captured tanks, thus 30 X 12 = 360 tank men, in total 660. Some of those would not have qualified because having neither 3 combat tours nor a wound received. (Abt. 15 and 16 had only one combat mission at all).
Additionally, the men had to apply for the badges and pay them out of their pocket - and quite a lot do not seem to have cared to do so.
There were some "ancient tankers" reunions in the 1930ies. Photographs show the majority of the participants (which were only about a tenth part of the eligibel lot) not displaying a tank badge.

[Don D.]

The point is that more tankers were elegible than the "100" initial awards which is always cited. Perhaps that 100 were the guys still on active duty at the time the award was announced. I can see how not too many guys would have shelled out the RM for a badge in the 20-30s because most had bigger problems at the time given the Great Depression etc... I would think more would have applied for and bought them after the campaigns in Poland and France (and the subsequent institution of the PAB) where the Panzerwaffee really showed their stuff. At that point the "old guys" would have wanted that recognition as being the forebearers of Germany's premier force.

Besides, I find the number 100 to be too neat of a round number. It is more like "Hey, go out and order some badges." "How many?" "The maker says the minimum order is 100." "OK, That is probably all we will need."

[Brian S]

Always look forward to a new period photo to this thread!

[Gregory Koepp]

Nice Thread!

Hey Robin, When are you going to hook me up with my badge your showing all the time?? You told me 5-6 years ago you'd sell me that badge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait any longer.....

Also here's the true Minitures of the WW1 badges, for the above badges.

greg koepp

[Gregory Koepp]

one of my others, this one I consider type 1, a very early form with open eye's and old needle twist.

greg koepp

[Gregory Koepp]

and type 2 of above.

greg koepp