Tactical markings and symbols

Tactical markings were used from the beginning of the war on vehicles and tanks. The symbol showed to which kind of unit the vehicle belonged. Numbers with the symbol showed depending on the type of unit the battery, company etc...

The first relevant Heeresdienstvorschrift is from 1938 and was updated by H.Dv.272 24.3.1941 and H.Dv.272 23.5.1943. Usually the units were responsible to apply the tactical markings on their vehicles according to the manuals. Of course slight variations were possible. Basically the symbols stayed the same throughout the war with minor additions and alternations. The markings were painted in white or black depending on the vehicle colour. 1939/1940 and in some cases also later tactical markings were in a surrounded by a rectangle which was cancelled later. Like the unit emblem section the tactical markings are also sorted by shape to make it easier to identify markings on photos etc...

Choose the basic shape of the symbol:

Weapon symbols	I.G./Artillerie/ Flak/ Pz.Jg.	Infanterie	Panzerspäheinheiten	Panzereinheiten	Kradeinheiten/ Radfahrer
	Stabseinheiten	Stabseinheiten	Nachrichtentruppe	Others/ misecellaneous

BACK        HOME