When a vehicle was too badly damaged to be repaired by the field repair shop it was sent back to Germany for homeland repair. The repairs were usually done at the factory making the vehicle. When the vehicle was received, one of four things could happen:

  • Repaired and sent to the Feldzeuginspektion (ordnance inspectorate)Look up term. These vehicles were not included in the Heeres-Waffenamt (office of armaments)Look up term production numbers.
  • Converted to a different type of combat vehicle such as a Pz Kpfw II being converted to a Marder II. These vehicles were were generally included in the Heeres-Waffenamtoffice of armaments
    Look up term     production numbers with a note that they were rebuilt vehicles.
  • Converted to school vehicles.
  • Scrapped, if the damages were too extensive.

Most armored vehicles were repaired at the field repair shops, as illustrated by these numbers for the months of October to December 19431Heimatinstandsetzung von Pz.Kpfw.. Gen Qu/Abt III - Nr. III/61 730/44 geh. BArch RH 10/52. :

Vehicle October November December Total
Field Home Field Home Field Home Field Home
  • Pz Kpfw III
  • Pz Kpfw IV
  • Pz Kpfw Panther
  • Pz Kpfw Tiger
973 62 911 90 1294 57 3178 209
Assault guns 652 22 698 19 873 41 2223 82
  • Self-propelled anti-tank guns
  • Self-propelled artillery
  • Pz Kpfw II
  • Pz Kpfw 38 (t)
200 60 195 43 224 33 619 136
Total 1825 144 1804 152 2391 131 6020 427

The table below gives an overview of the number of fully-tracked armored vehicles going through homeland repairs during first six months of 1944. The numbers include all variants of each vehicle type, and not just the basic vehicle, except assault guns that were counted seperately. In addition to the fully-tracked armored vehicles, the total for armored cars from 31 October 1939 to 30 June 1944 was:

  • Inflow: 2090
  • Repaired: 1883
  • Scrapped: 94
  • Stock 1 July 1944: 113

The number of scrapped vehicles listed in the table does not represent the total number of tank losses. Rather, they only count those that were scrapped after being sent for homeland repairs. Most destroyed tanks were scrapped without first being considered for repairs. For example, from September 1939 to March 1942, a total of 5055 German tanks were written off, compared to 498 scrapped by the homeland armor maintenance from 1939 to 1942.

Status Pz I Pz II Pz III Pz IV Pz V Pz VI Stu Gesch Pz 35 Pz 38 VK1VK 901, VK 1601, and VK 1801. School Russian Total le Pz Sp s Pz Sp
1939 to 31 December 1942
Inflow 2190 1201 1414 548 - - 222 316 602 - 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 50 6543 1645
Repairs 1957 909 910 354 - - 138 285 247 - 5 4805 1485
Scrapped 90 164 111 58 - - 8 18 49 - - 498 71
January 1943
Stock 143 128 393 136 - - 76 13 306 - 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 45 1240 89
Inflow 1 8 44 5 - 2 1 - 28 - 5 94 14 7
Repairs 2 12 24 11 - - 3 - 15 - - 67 28 6
Scrapped - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
February 1943
Stock 142 124 413 130 - 2 74 13 319 - 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 50 1267 76
Inflow 5 49 37 26 - - 9 - - - - 126 12 3
Repairs 26 17 20 - - 2 20 - 15 - - 100 19 6
Exported 16 21 25 2 - - 1 3 22 - - 90 - -
Scrapped 3 8 17 7 - - 3 - 5 - 30 73 - -
March 1943
Stock 102 127 388 147 - - 59 10 277 - 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 20 1130 66
Inflow 22 47 48 10 - - 15 1 49 1 - 193 11 7
Repairs 22 24 44 7 - - 5 9 85 - - 196 11 7
Scrapped - - 11 2 - - 1 - - - - 14 - 3
April 1943
Stock3The April 1943 report does not explain why the stock does not match what would be expected based on the numbers from the previous month. 101 148 375 148 - - 80 3 208 1 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 20 1101 54
Inflow 17 43 67 24 - - 14 2 24 - - 191 12 4
Repairs 28 21 31 26 - - 2 1 54 - 20 183 18 2
Scrapped - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
May 1943
Stock 90 170 411 146 - - 80 3 208 1 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1109 50
Inflow 8 8 55 24 - - 7 1 19 - 122 22 7
Repairs 12 23 113 70 - - 30 - 31 - 279 16 8
Scrapped 8 25 37 - - - 8 - 3 - 81 1 -
June 1943
Stock513 vehicles were moved from Pz Kpfw II to VK column. 78 117 316 100 - - 49 4 193 14 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 871 54
Inflow 8 27 29 7 - - 6 - 12 - 89 16 13
Repairs 25 42 50 36 - - 6 1 63 - 223 12 3
Scrapped 1 2 1 3 - - - - 11 - 18 1 -
July 1943
Stock 60 100 294 68 - - 49 3 131 14 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 719 67
Inflow 6 15 75 27 - - 29 - 15 - 167 9 1
Repairs 14 29 58 25 - - 7 1 47 - 181 28 9
Scrapped 1 - 1 1 - - 1 - - - 4 - -
August 1943
Stock 51 86 310 69 - - 70 2 99 14 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 701 40
Inflow 7 43 71 62 22 3 25 - 17 1 251 6Report missing.
Repairs 13 19 61 22 - - 18 1 33 - 167
Scrapped 1 7 2 8 - - 2 - 14 - 34
September 1943
Stock 44 103 318 101 22 3 75 1 69 15 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 751 18
Inflow 3 13 48 57 8 11 19 6 10 - 175 14 11
Repairs 12 32 67 15 - - 9 - 41 - 176 - 2
Scrapped - - 4 7 2 - - - - - 13 - -
October 1943
Stock 35 84 295 136 28 14 85 7 38 15 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 737 41
Inflow 25 47 74 72 31 12 44 - 23 - 328 9 14
Repairs 13 24 47 14 1 - 22 1 21 1 144 22 4
Scrapped - - 4 4 4 - 1 - - - 13 - -
November 1943
Stock 47 107 318 190 54 26 106 6 40 14 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 908 38
Inflow 6Report missing.
Repairs 6Report missing. 743 for Pz Kpfw II, Pz Kpfw 38 (t), and self-propelled guns combined. 90 19 6Report missing. 743 for Pz Kpfw II, Pz Kpfw 38 (t), and self-propelled guns combined. 6Report missing.
Scrapped 6Report missing.
December 1943
Stock 45 89 336 240 82 29 139 6 37 13 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1016 38
Inflow 4 31 81 86 18 21 47 - 17 3 308 33 21
Repairs 3 10 31 24 2 - 41 - 20 - 131 22 8
Scrapped - - 2 - 14 - 1 - - - 17 - -
January 1944
Stock 46 110 384 302 84 50 144 6 34 16 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1176 62
Inflow 3 50 63 95 63 18 98 1 37 1 429 15 3
Repairs 2 28 21 39 8 3 91 - 11 1 204 - 5
Scrapped - 2 - 6 5 4 1 - 1 - 19 - -
February 1944
Stock 47 130 426 352 134 61 150 7 59 16 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1382 75
Inflow 4 36 49 103 42 73 92 - 17 - 416 39 16
Repairs 16 37 24 33 14 24 69 3 3 - 223 6 4
Scrapped - 3 14 3 5 5 7 - 2 1 40 - -
March 1944
Stock 35 126 437 419 157 105 166 4 71 15 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1535 120
Inflow 12 21 16 50 31 12 29 - 16 3 190 25 14
Repairs 12 21 16 50 31 12 29 - 16 3 190 25 14
Scrapped 11 31 55 37 23 35 104 1 24 - 321 37 11
April 1944
Stock 28 102 338 417 163 82 79 3 61 17 87 4No longer reported. 1377 111
Inflow 20 27 19 22 31 7 35 - 11 17 22 211 19 10
Repairs - 23 85 65 11 9 66 1 19 - 14 293 15 6
Scrapped - 1 12 12 3 7 7 - 1 - - 43 - 3
May 1944
Stock 48 105 260 362 180 73 41 2 52 34 95 4No longer reported. 1252 116
Inflow - 12 78 36 18 28 29 1 8 8 10 228 23 8
Repairs 5 20 90 54 15 9 27 1 16 5 6 248 17 8
Scrapped - 13 25 8 - 26 12 - 3 2 - 89 5 -
June 1944
Stock 43 84 223 336 183 66 31 2 41 35 99 4No longer reported. 1143 117
Inflow 75 26 19 39 23 10 15 - 7 1 33 248 23 5
Repairs 10 15 90 59 11 7 10 - 8 3 19 232 27 5
Scrapped - 1 3 5 3 33 4 - 1 6 1 57 - -
July 1944
Stock 176 102 182 301 192 36 45 2 39 27 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1102 113
Inflow 17 16 42 64 15 19 71 - 26 2 272 17 7
Repairs 13 26 67 65 23 11 24 1 21 - 251 32 6
Scrapped - 3 7 11 2 7 9 - 1 - 40 - -
August 1944
Stock 180 89 150 289 182 37 83 1 43 29 2School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. 4No longer reported. 1083 99

Notes

  1. VK 901, VK 1601, and VK 1801. Back
  2. School vehicles included under each vehicle chassis. Back
  3. The April 1943 report does not explain why the stock does not match what would be expected based on the numbers from the previous month. Back
  4. No longer reported. Back
  5. 13 vehicles were moved from Pz Kpfw II to VK column. Back
  6. Report missing. Back
  7. 43 for Pz Kpfw II, Pz Kpfw 38 (t), and self-propelled guns combined. Back

References

  1. Heimatinstandsetzung von Pz.Kpfw.. GenQu/Abt III, 1944. Gen Qu/Abt III - Nr. III/61 730/44 geh. BArch RH 10/52. Back

Sources

  1. Rüstungsstatistik - Waffen und Gerät - Band 6. WaA/WaIRü (WuG 6), 1943. 507 p. NARA T78 R151 H 15/9.4.
  2. Heimatinstandsetzung von Pz.Kpfw.. GenQu/Abt III, 1944. 4 p. Gen Qu/Abt III - Nr. III/61 730/44 geh. BArch RH 10/52.
  3. Rüstungsstatistik - Waffen und Gerät - Band 7. WaA/WaIRü (WuG 6), 1944. 272 p. NARA T78 R151 H 15/9.5 b.
  4. Rüstungsstatistik - Waffen und Gerät - Band 8. WaA/WaIRü (WuG 6), 1944. 165 p. NARA T78 R151 H 15/9.5 a.