Unknown emblem on destroyed Panther...

[Mister_X-2]

An extremely long shot (way past 2000 meters):

Could it be a combination of something French (the bugle) and the US VII Corps?? I know, it just MUST be wrong, but it's just as good a geuss as any other... right?

BTW Vance, where did you get that Dutch battalion pic??

[Christoph Awender]

Thanks to all for the input and help so far.. I really appreciate it!

It seems that the info goes around that I look for pictures especially color pictures from destroyed german equipment. Another US citizen sent me a image of a destroyed Panther with the info that his father was there and the date was August 1944 somewhere France, Belgium. I replied and asked for more info and if the image is from a original foto.
Here is the destroyed cat...

Christoph

[Simon H]

Hello Christoph,
Another intresting photo. This Ausf A looks in a sorry state. Looks as though the rear suspension has collapsed completely, or else the rear idler is missing. If there were any other photos taken at the same time by the guys Father it might help to idenify the location (little prospect of that at the moment).

[dmsdbo]

The OSS was the precursor to the modern day CIA.

[Vance Pollock]

The pic with the Dutch Jagers insignia which I first identified as a Chasseurs insignia came from section b of a history of that outfit:
http://home.wanadoo.nl/hans.boersma/27Jconcise1a.htm

[Simon H]

I received this from France:
"These two photos have been taken in Italy in 1944 near Radicofani, the Panther has been destroyed by M-10 Tank Destroyers of the French 8e regiment de chasseurs d'Afrique (8e RCA) of the Division Française Libre (DFL), Please not that these pictures are reversed, i.e the pavilion of the French horn on the turret should be facing left"

I'd be grateful if you can contact me offline when you can.

[Luca]

Searching for Radicofani i ve look this pic in this link.
http://web.tiscali.it/radicofaniproloco/ita/storia.htm
The tank photo NO appare reversed!
With friendly
Luca

[Christoph Awender]

Hi Simon!

Interesting information!
Could you ask him where he got the information from? The photos are definately not reversed.

As you know the hull machinegun of the Panther was on the right side of the tank. So the original photo is right and not reversed.

Thanks for the link, Luca.

Christoph

[Vance Pollock]

The 8 would appear the same no matter which way the stencil used to paint it was turned. I wouldn't be too concerned about that.
Was there any policy concerning marking of destroyed enemy tanks? Was it common? Did the Germans do much of it?

[Andy H]

Hi Vance

I have posed this question about the tanks being marked by Allied units for disposal and it seems to have got lost amongst the thread. It is entirely feasible that the markings on the Panther are a reference to the disposal unit etc rather than the unit that actually destroyed it. It was common pratice for Allied armies to mark vehicles for disposal in this way.

Andy from the Shire