F&R hollow PAB. The copy and the original

[skip]

Hello all,

I´ve noticed that we´ve been having a little trouble identifying the original PABs from F&R. Theres an excellent copy of this PAB on the market, to be found in both the silver and bronze versions.
I have the good luck to possess a rather nice silver F&R buntmetal, hollow PAB so I went to the trouble of purchasing a copy of this badge from a well known fake peddler.The badge otherwise known of as

THE BLOB (unless you have a better name for it )

First of all a shot of what you should expect to see when you encounter the original.
Theres a series of 6 pics coming now, so please wait till they all are there before commenting.

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The back

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So heres the guy that you don´t want creeping around you collection and infecting your minty cupal Assmann with his blobiness!

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And his backside

Notice the wishy/washy effect on the back, especially in the track area. A complete difference to the clean looking rear of the original.
Hinge and catch have both been very carefully made and are nearly identical to the original.

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Not seen the differnces yet?
or just to lazy to scroll back and forth over the images?

OK for the lazy and shortsighted amongst you a question! were´s the first place you look when trying to ascertain the originality of a badge?
Yes! thats right........the good old eagle.
And what a difference we find here, the smooth crispness of the original die stamping against the rather poorly looking pidgeon amount the copys wreath.
The feathering on the chest is also completly different.

Also to be seen the feature that earned this guy his name. The carbunkel that purports to be a gun port next to the main gun.

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OK, OK so what if you are one of these unlucky people who can only find well worn examples were the eagle detail is all but disappeared. Well not to worry chaps because the fakers built in another drastic difference to help us spot their dastardly wares. Note the "barbell" effect on the tracks, the extra rod at the very top of the track and the hatch opening for the driver.

Well that about concludes this series of comparisons. Anybody with other opinions?
Maybe somebody thinks I got it the wrong way around

Skip

[Pascal H.]

Wrong, wrong, wrong Skip, I just compared your original F&R to the one Roman posted earlier and I have found out that they are identical. Even down to the same die flaws.
So yours has to be a fake.

[Pascal H.]

Sorry, only joking .

Great work Skip and thanks for sharing.

KR
Pascal

[Laurence Strong]

Looks like there is a difference in the transmission covers on the tank

[Adrian Stevenson]

Very informative Skip, thanks for taking the time to do this


Cheers, Ade.

[Greg]

Good show, Skip, thanks! No original German tankers would have accepted that "blob" to represent a good coax machinegun!

Best,
Greg

[Lorenzo Brown]

Excellent work, Skip! Thanks

Naughty Pascal!

[Jan Arne S]

Hi Skip !

GREAT Work !

But dont forget that the FAKE "Blob" can be found in packet of issue maker marked "Wilh. Deumer"

Jan Arne

[Jan Arne S]

Front of FAKE "Blob"


Jan Arne

[Dennis GT]

Thanks

Thanks, I have seen badges like this. Nice to see the driffance so clear.