German Armored Forces & Vehicles

Famous 1241

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Panzer IV "1241" of german 24. Panzer-Division in Northern Italy, November of 1943. The tactical number "1241" means 12th squadron, 4th platoon, tank 1. The 24th Panzer-Division was originally the 1st Cavalry Division, that's why the tank companies were still named "squadrons" out of cavalry tradition. Also the division's color of arms (on shoulder straps, collar tabs etc.) was not the common pink of tank forces but still cavalry's golden-yellow. Tank 1241 became "famous" because a well-known japanese company published it as a 1/35 scale model. The tank's driver/machine gunner, Prof. Dr. Armin Böttger, wrote down his war time experiences in the excellent book "Im Panzer - Ich kam durch" (Inside the tank - I made it through), after the war Böttger became a renowned dentist.