Kriegsmarine U-Boat Badges

[paul w]

[attachmentid=57337]Gents, I would appreciate it if you could clear up some confusion I have over these two badges. I have always believed the tombac badge to be a Zimmerman but on looking at other posts on this forum I now believe it is a B H Mayer (solid top to the swastica) is this correct?The zinc badge I believe is a Schwerin made badge. I know Deumer made a similar badge but the hardware on the back is different,is that also correct?Many thanks,

Paul

[paul w]

u-boat back

[paul w]

Zinc front.

[paul w]

[attachmentid=57340]zinc back.

[Gordon Williamson]

Paul,

You are quite right on the first one, definitely a Mayer badge. Easy to overlook the solid top to the swas (I did for ages until Michel pointed it out to me) , otherwise they are identical to Zimmermann.

I've yet to see a zinc badge that I'd be convinced was a Schwerin. Hardware often varied between examples of the same badge by one maker so I wouldn't take hardware alone as being sufficient to identify a maker ( unless it was a pretty much unique set up, like Foerster & Barths or "Wernstein".)

It is typical for Deumer to have a pin which projects down lower than the bottom edge of the badfge.

[paul w]

Thanks for that Gordon,I'm surprised about the Zinc badge though.The characteristics are so similar to the tombac Schwerin and the hinge and catch are identical to the set ups on a first pattern u-boat clasp and schwerin blockade breaker I have.I've noticed on the zinc badges with the 'Deumer' hardware on the back that most seem to be with solid swastica,is that significant at all? All the best,

Paul

[Gordon Williamson]

Paul,

Suprisingly, quite a few makers offered both cut out and solid swas on their U-Boat badges (f.o. is another for example).

Its also interesting that the Steinhauer catalogue shows a U-Boat badge style which also matches Schwerin's badge, though I have never seen an original maker marked Steinhauer either.

For quite a long time people were identifying the Deumer's as unmarked late war Schwerins. There have been several "candidates" for zink Schwerins but I have never seen one that I'd accept wholeheartedly.

[Jan Arne S]

Hi Paul !

Nice U-Boot Badges !

Jan Arne

[paul w]

Hello Jan,thanks very much mate!

Paul