Small but tough quiz: Minesweeper Triplets?

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear all,

I thought this little quiz might bring you some fun. It is quite hard, don´t underestimate it. The question is:

"In which respect do these three badges differ from each other?"

Hint: the answer is on the reverse. Detailed guessing, please. Just "pin" or similar is not enough.

Cheers, Frank


First two: Twins???

[Frank Heukemes]

Third one: The third sibling? Triplets?

[MH184]

Frank,

Could it be what they are made from determines the catch etc.

That is a small hinge on the zinc and a catch plate, where as on the tombac badges a big block hinge and no catch plate.

Well I am a novice

Kind regards,

Marcus

[Frank Heukemes]

All three are zinc.

[Lorenzo Brown]

Ummm...I'll guess that one of them is semi-hollowback.
Never seen one before....but it would be a good climax to the quiz!

[Frank Heukemes]

Would be cool, Lorenzo, but no, it stays within the lines of the well known, well accepted.

Cheers, Frank

[George Stimson]

Different maker marks?

[Frank Heukemes]

warm...but which ones?

And the answer could also be "yes and no".

Cheers, Frank

[MH184]

They're F&B's and the maker marks are in different places, pin, back of badge and unmarked.

Marcus

[George Stimson]

"In what respect do they differ?"

"Which ones"??? That's a different question! If I won, send me my prize!!!!

[Frank Heukemes]

also warm, but F&B is not right and the marks do not just differ in placement.

[Lorenzo Brown]

First one has a steel pin; second one has a buntmetal pin with pin-mark; third one is hand-stamped?

[Frank Heukemes]

The combination of your answers is almost the solution.

All three were made by B.H. Mayer in Pforzheim.
One has a different pin, all pins are Buntmetall though.
One is marked 26 on the pin they also use for their EK1s
Second one L/18 on another pin
Third One L/18 on the badge below the pin (hardly visible, peel your eyes)

Cheers, Frank

[Philippe DB]

Hi Frank,

IMO these are very rare L/18 BH Mayer minesweepers. Don't tell me you found an other maker mark on them than this would be another case of designer sharing I guess.

KR
Philippe

[Frank Heukemes]

Third one: