Luftwaffe Erkennungsmarken

**StuG III** · 10-05-2010, 08:22 PM

Hi, Could you please tell me if this is a genuine item? Thank you for looking.
Tom

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 10-05-2010 08:22 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**StuG III** · 10-06-2010, 09:31 PM

I've tried to research this unit in the Lexicon, but don't really understand what I'm looking for.
Tom

**Matt L** · 10-07-2010, 03:53 PM

Hi Tom,

Well firstly it's not a Luftwaffe disc, it'd be a regular army since the unit is supposed to be Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 239- however I'm afraid I'm doubtful it's real anyway. Sans-serif text is rare on real discs, and common on fakes (this one is virtually identical to ones known as fake) plus it's a very desirable, rare unit type and worse still a field unit not a replacement unit- all of which really do beg one to be extremely dubious of its authenticity. Even more of a problem is that it's a very late-war unit that only existed with this title for less than 4 months- Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 239 was redesignated Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 239 on 14.2.1944 and then further to Heeres-Sturmartillerie-Brigade 239 in 10.6.1944- so the only discs it might ever have issued would be replacements for lost ones, and there's little chance 28 men of a single Batterie lost their discs in the field; for that reason, if there's a blood group letter on it then it's even more likely a fake. If it doesn't there's the possibility it was stock, but it's hard to believe the unit bothered to make up extra discs with the new name. Regrettibly, ground dug stuff is faked a great deal- it helps hide the 'newness' and most people figure with enough corrosion on, something must be real- and desirable units, which fakes virtually always are, make up for condition issues reasonably well.