Schnellboot-Kriegsabzeichen

[Redcap]

Don't know if anyone else has ever noticed, but the 2nd Type S-Boot is the only Kriegsmarine War Badge with a large swastika. All the others have relatively small ( some even quite tiny ) swastikas compared with say, the Luftwaffe badges or the Army Infanterie Sturmabzeichen/GAB/PAB etc.
The 2nd Type S-Boot is also the only war badge where the men from that branch of service themselves had an influence on the design.

So it looks like the professional artists/graphic designers responsible for the badges went for a more "subtle" use of the swastika whereas the men themselves looked for something a bit more "brash".

As for the First Type, just look at any photos of an S-Boot at speed, the stern does sit very low in the water with the bow lifting quite high. I think the First Type is quite an accurate rendition of a real S-Boot. I prefer the First Type, but maybe I'm just influenced by how gorgeous a First Type Schwerin S-Boot in Tombak is.

[Adrian]

Don't know if anyone else has ever noticed, but the 2nd Type S-Boot is the only Kriegsmarine War Badge with a large swastika. All the others have relatively small ( some even quite tiny ) swastikas compared with say, the Luftwaffe badges or the Army Infanterie Sturmabzeichen/GAB/PAB etc.
The 2nd Type S-Boot is also the only war badge where the men from that branch of service themselves had an influence on the design.

So it looks like the professional artists/graphic designers responsible for the badges went for a more "subtle" use of the swastika whereas the men themselves looked for something a bit more "brash".

As for the First Type, just look at any photos of an S-Boot at speed, the stern does sit very low in the water with the bow lifting quite high. I think the First Type is quite an accurate rendition of a real S-Boot. I prefer the First Type, but maybe I'm just influenced by how gorgeous a First Type Schwerin S-Boot in Tombak is.

That's a very interesting observation. I've obviously always noticed the swastikas but never given a second thought to the size being influenced by the 'men' and the design they submitted.

No argument about the desireability of a tombak 1st type Schwerin, I would love to own one, I just find the 2nd type more visually appealing and dynamic.

[Woolgar]

I didnt realise there was a split in the organisation with the the S boats leaving Destroyer Command and forming their own arm. This badge therefore replaced the Destroyer badge for which they had been eligible.
Does this mean that some S Boat crew wore both badges ? I suppose it does

Nick

[Adrian]

I've never seen both being worn together, I would be interested to but it does mean that some personnel would be eligible for both badges. I guess regulations may only entitle them to wear one though.

[Redcap]

Broadly speaking those who served in S-Boote who had received the Destroyer badge before the introduction of the S-Boot Badge were to exchange their Destroyer badge for the new S-Boot Badge and only wear the new badge. Not sure if this meant they physically had to hand over their Destroyer Badge in exchange for the S-Boot but certainly had to stop wearing the Destroyer and start wearing the S-Boot.

If however they had served on e.g. a Torpedoboot - (and a "Torpedo Boat" in German parlance wasn't an MTB but a small destroyer -more equivalent to a US destroyer escort (DE) rather than a larger fleet destroyer (DD), and then served on S-Boot operations they would legitimately earn the S-Boot badge in addition to the Destroyer Badge and could, technically, wear both.

[Woolgar]

Thanks Redcap

Yes I used to think a Torpedoboot was an S boot. Misleading.

Nick

[StuG III]

Thanks Redcap

Yes I used to think a Torpedoboot was an S boot. Misleading.

Nick

You're not alone on that score.

Tom