E-Boat S-Boat Question

[Bob Hritz]

As I get older and my mind wanders, I have been pondering the question why the pattern changed. I cannot think of another combat or qualification badge (other than pre-war Pilot-Observer aka Air Crew Badge) that took such a radical change. I had always wondered if they were just for different types of assault watercraft. There are tombak and zinc versions of the so called 1st pattern E-Boat badge, which seems to indicate a relatively long (for the short-lived 3rd Reich) timespan for production of a supposedly early badge. Does anyone have any official orders or notification of change of pattern for the badge?

Thank you,
Bob Hritz

[Don D.]

Hi Bob. I remember reading somewhere (don't know if it is true or not) that the germans went to a larger e-boot as the war progressed and someone flt the badge should reflect this.

PS. my mind wanders alot too.

[Frank Heukemes]

That is correct, Don. A new model Schnellboot was the cause for the change.

[Steve Mezey]

Learn something new everyday

Well that is a new one for me! I never really pondered that before but everything is done for a reason. I still like the first pattern the best
Steve

[Don D.]

That is correct, Don. A new model Schnellboot was the cause for the change.

Proof that if you hang around here long enough some piece of trivia is bound to stick.

[Lucky Duck]

That is correct, Don. A new model Schnellboot was the cause for the change.

Actually there were three Schnellboot badges. Originally, qualifying S-boot men wore the Destroyer badge. That wasn't satisfactory, so they got their own badge showing an S-30 class boat.

On the first pattern badge, you can clearly see there is an upsweep over the torpedo tube loading doors and portholes, only the S-30 class had this combination of features.

I guess somebody complained about that too, because there were only a handful of S-30 boats. Then they went to a badge showing the heavier & most common S-38 class boat.

Makes me wonder why the S-boot guys got a new badge but the Panzer guys didn't get a new badge showing a Panther or Tiger?

Sincerely,
Ray