Erroneous Equipment Names

For more information on German equipment naming standards see the German equipment names article.

Hetzer

The name Hetzer is usually used to refer to the Jagdpanzer 38. Hetzer was, however, the official suggestive name for the E-10, not the Jagdpanzer 38.12 The origin of the confusion may be a meeting between Amtsgruppe für Entwicklung und Prüfungdepartment for development and testing
Look up term 6 and BMM, during which the E-10 was also mentioned.3

Hetzer continued to be used informally by some units throughout the war and in 1 December 1944 meeting Hitler was informed that the word originated with the units.4

The word Hetzer is not easily translated. Often, the word is translated as baiter and the direct translation is rabble-rouser, i.e., a person who upsets a group of people to achieve a goal. The word also refers to the Hetzjagd (persistence hunting or cursorial hunting), a type of hunting during which the prey is hunted for a prolonged period of time, exhausting it and allowing it to be hunted down.

Brummbär

Brummbär was never an official suggestive name for the Sturmpanzer. It was most likely a nickname with certain German units, which was carried over into post-war from Allied interrogation reports.5

As with Hetzer, it is not possble to give an exact translation for the word Brummbär. The word means a person who is generally grumbling and unapproachable, the best approximation for which is growler.

Königstiger

Many books refers to the Tiger II as Königstiger. The name Königstiger was used both by German units and agencies. For example, it was used on the typed production reports from the Reichministerium für Rüstung und KriegsproduktionReich ministry for armament and war production
Look up term. However, it was never used in any printed manuals or official equipment lists.67

To add to the confusion, US authors translate Königstiger into King Tiger, while British authors translate it into Royal Tiger. Neither translation is accurate, though; they are attempts of direct translations of the constituent parts of the words. The German word Königstiger is the word for the Panthera Tigris Tigris, or Bengal Tiger. The word therefore has a deeper meaning than the US or British direct translations reveal.

Zwischenlösung

The word Zwischenlösung means interim solution. It was never a suggestive name for the Panzer IV/70 (A), but merely indicated that the vehicle was an interim solution. It was used in early post-war publications because the real name of the vehicle was not know, and never subsequently corrected.8

Saukopfblende

The cast mantlets for the Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G and other vehicles was called Topfblende (pot mantlet), not Saukopfblende (pig's head mantlet).9

Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. F2 and Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. G

The Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. F2 was not a separate vehicle from the Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. G. When the long-barreled Pz Kpfw IV was first made, it was designated Ausf. F2, but was later re-designated Ausf. G. The Ausf. F2 name was only used briefly, such as in the manual D 653/5 - Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. F1 und F2 : Gerätbeschreibung und Bedienungsanweisung zum Ausbau - Bescreibung1011

Name Change From Ferdinand to Elefant

While the name change from Ferdinand to Elefant coincided with them being re-built between January 1944 and March 1944, among other changes adding a machine gun, the events were not related. The name change was suggested by Hitler on 29 November 1943, preceding the modifications, and carried out by two orders on 1 and 27 February 1944.12

Tiger II Porsche Turret

Despite what is suggested by the commonly used Henschel and Porsche turrets, all Tiger turrets were designed and built by Krupp. The first 50 turrets were designed for Porsche's chassis design for the Tiger II, but Porsche and Henschel only worked on the chassis.13

Neubau-Fahrzeug

The three Neubau-Fahrzeug were never designated Pz Kpfw V or Pz Kpfw VI. The only Roman numeral used for the Neubau-Fahrzeug was the later designation Neubau-Panzerkampfwagen IV.14

Mythical Vehicles

Sturmgeschütz with L/33 gun

There never was a Sturmgeschütz with an L/33 gun. This was a misunderstanding by Allied intelligence, because muzzle brakes were often censored out of German press photographs.15

Pz Kpfw IX and Pz Kpfw X

The conceptual drawings of the Pz Kpfw IX and Pz Kpfw X, which are sometimes presented as proposed future tank designs, were published in the Signal magazine (roughly the equivalent of the US Stars and Stripes magazine). They did not represent actual designs, but were published to fool Allied intelligence.16

Porsche Jagdtiger

The number of Porsche Jagdtigers was 11, not one or two, as claimed in some books. The chassis numbers were 305001 (the Porsche prototype), and 305003 through 3050012.17

Schürzen

Schürzen armored skirts were not intended as protection against hollow-charge warheads, such as those fired by the Bazooka and PIAT. Rather, they were introduced to defend against Russian anti-tank rifles, which presented a significant threat to the side armor of both the Pz Kpfw III, Sturmgeschütz III, and Pz Kpfw IV18.

For more information on Schürzen armored skirts see the article about add-on armor.

References

  1. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 9 - Jagdpanzer : Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger. Darlington Productions, 1997. Page 1. Back
  2. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary L. Panzer Tracts No. 20-1 - Paper Panzers : Panzerkampfwagen, Sturmgeschuetz, and Jagdpanzer. Panzer Tracts, 2001. Page 40. Back
  3. JENTZ, Thomas L., DOYLE, Hilary Louis & BADROCKE, Mike. New Vanguard 36 - Jagdpanzer 38 "Hetzer" 1944-1945. Osprey Publishing, 2001. Page 4. Back
  4. Führer-Vortrag-Notizen. Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, 1944. Pages 30-31. Back
  5. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 8 - Sturmgeschuetz : s.Pak to Sturmmoerser. Darlington Productions, 1999. Page 1. Back
  6. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Germany's Tiger tanks - VK45.02 to Tiger II: Design, production & modifications. Schiffer Military History, 1997. Page 16. Back
  7. Entwicklung. GenStdH/Org Abt III, 1945. Page 28. Back
  8. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 9 - Jagdpanzer : Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger. Darlington Productions, 1997. Page 1. Back
  9. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 8 - Sturmgeschuetz : s.Pak to Sturmmoerser. Darlington Productions, 1999. Page 1. Back
  10. JENTZ, Thomas L., DOYLE, Hilary Louis & BRYAN, Tony. New Vanguard 39 - Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. G, H and J, 1942-45. Osprey Publishing, 2001. Pages 7-8. Back
  11. Koch. Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. F1 und F2 : Gerätbeschreibung und Bedienungsanweisung zum Ausbau - Bescreibung. Heereswaffenamt, 1942. Back
  12. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 9 - Jagdpanzer : Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger. Darlington Productions, 1997. Page 42. Back
  13. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 6 - Schwere Panzerkampfwagen : D.W. to E-100, including the Tigers. Panzer Tracts, 2001. Page 1. Back
  14. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 4 - Panzerkampfwagen IV : Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV. Darlington Productions, 1997. Page 1. Back
  15. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 8 - Sturmgeschuetz : s.Pak to Sturmmoerser. Darlington Productions, 1999. Page 1. Back
  16. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary L. Panzer Tracts No. 20-1 - Paper Panzers : Panzerkampfwagen, Sturmgeschuetz, and Jagdpanzer. Panzer Tracts, 2001. Page 1. Back
  17. DEVEY, Andrew. Jagdtiger : The most powerful armoured fighting vehicle of World War II - Operational History. Schiffer Military History, 1999. Back
  18. Punkte aus der Führerbesprechung am 6. u. 7. Februar 1943. Reichministerium für Rüstung und Kriegsproduktion, 1943. Back

Sources

  1. Punkte aus der Führerbesprechung am 6. u. 7. Februar 1943. Berlin : Reichministerium für Rüstung und Kriegsproduktion, 1943. 20 p. BArch R 3/1507.
  2. Führer-Vortrag-Notizen. Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, 1944. 190 p. BArch RH 10/90.
  3. Entwicklung. GenStdH/Org Abt III, 1945. 182 p. BArch RH 2/948.
  4. DEVEY, Andrew. Jagdtiger : The most powerful armoured fighting vehicle of World War II - Operational History. Atglen, PA : Schiffer Military History, 1999. 304 p. ISBN 0-7643-0751-7.
  5. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary L. Panzer Tracts No. 20-1 - Paper Panzers : Panzerkampfwagen, Sturmgeschuetz, and Jagdpanzer. Boyds, MD : Panzer Tracts, 2001. 60 p. ISBN 0-9708407-3-X.
  6. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Germany's Tiger tanks - VK45.02 to Tiger II: Design, production & modifications. Atglen, PA : Schiffer Military History, 1997. 169 p. ISBN 0-7643-0224-8.
  7. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 4 - Panzerkampfwagen IV : Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV. Darlington, MD : Darlington Productions, 1997. 60 p. ISBN 0-9648793-4-4.
  8. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 9 - Jagdpanzer : Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger. Darlington, MD : Darlington Productions, 1997. 60 p. ISBN 0-9648793-3-6.
  9. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 12 - Flak Selbstfahrlafetten and Flakpanzer : Sd.Kfz.10/4 to 8.8 cm Flak auf VFW. Darlington, MD : Darlington Productions, 1998. 56 p.
  10. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 8 - Sturmgeschuetz : s.Pak to Sturmmoerser. Darlington, MD : Darlington Productions, 1999. 60 p. ISBN 1-892448-04-X.
  11. JENTZ, Thomas L. & DOYLE, Hilary Louis. Panzer Tracts No. 6 - Schwere Panzerkampfwagen : D.W. to E-100, including the Tigers. Boyds, MD : Panzer Tracts, 2001. 60 p. ISBN 0-9708407-1-3.
  12. JENTZ, Thomas L., DOYLE, Hilary Louis & BADROCKE, Mike. New Vanguard 36 - Jagdpanzer 38 "Hetzer" 1944-1945. Oxford : Osprey Publishing, 2001.
  13. JENTZ, Thomas L., DOYLE, Hilary Louis & BRYAN, Tony. New Vanguard 39 - Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. G, H and J, 1942-45. Oxford : Osprey Publishing, 2001. 48 p. ISBN 1-84176-183-4.