Modern 11th Panzer Division?

[GAF]

Nah, no worries about me blowing you up as elite for your studies. I do find your thesis location to be most unusual. Not exotic, but due to the time and place definitely not the usual.

A lot of those places that you named have changed so much. Rhein Main AFB in Frankfurt was being turned back over to the Germans when I last passed thru there coming off R&R in 2005. It was not the same as when I went thru there in 1984 in and out of Germany during REFORGER.

I have been finding more and more websites with all sorts of stuff about the Cold War and Germany. Those names you mention (and so many more) are heavy with history to many a GI for generations and decades. And thank God that it never did go hot there…

But it makes for great modeling subjects.

You have reminded me of a story my brother told of his time in Germany in the late 60s while serving with the 3rd Armored Division of seeing German vehicles while on maneuvers sporting a black pennant with twin white lightning bolts on them. It was only later, he said, that he realized what they were.

No pictures or proof. Just an old service story. [:D]

Gary

[GMorrison]

Went out to Buchenwald when I was in Weimar. I tripped onto a big railroad yard where MBTs were being offloaded from railroad cars. Dozens of the things.

NO WAY was I getting out the Nikon though.

[stikpusher]

Yeah, railheading armor is lots of fun. Especially in Germany with their electric trains. Watch out for those overhead lines.

[GMorrison]

Lucky you were in the West. In the DDR in 1977 it was mostly steam power. I actually got pretty close and got the look from quite a few crew. But I’m guessing I had a follower anyhow and they knew who I was.

[Marcus_McBean]

The Zusatzsymbol on those tanks is not a Nazi symbol so it is allowed. The ‘ghost’ was acquired by the 15th Panzer Regiment in 1940 and carried over to the 11th Panzer Divison when the 15th Panzer Regiment was transferred from the 5th Panzer Divison to make up the armoured core when the 11th was formed in August 1940. They carried it on their vehicles from 1941 to 1945.

By the way it was against the law in Nazi Germany to be a member of the Nazi party if you were in the Heer until late in the war. Only the SS were members.

[Marcus_McBean]

I thought that about Rommel myself Tankluver. But then i remembered that Rommel commanded the 7th Pz Div. It was called the Ghost Div because of the way he commanded it. This insignia was used by the 11th Pz Div.

It got called the ghost division because neither the allies or the germans knew where the 15th panzer regiment was during the French campaign when it was with Rommels 7th Panzer Division. It seem to everywhere it wasn’t supposed to be.

[JohanT]

Hello,
Interesting thread. have seen the pictures before but in a completely different context.
Anyone who could help me with some references to WWII pictures where the insignia can be seen?

Best Regards
Johan

[stikpusher]

You are looking for that insignia in WWII German tanks in photos?

[JohanT]

Thanks, Stikpusher;
A friend was looking at that first picture and said he wanted to do a T1 T2 and the Leopard 2 all with the same insignia.

And thank you for these new reference pictures, very usefull!

Very Best Regards
Johan

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