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boeman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jun 16, 2007 Posts: 28

While browsing a few photographs of German tanks being loaded off a train cart, I noticed all of them had fractions chalked on the undersides of their hulls.

What do the fractions denote? Was this a feature for all tanks being transported by rail?

Thanks.

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

Doesn't sound familiar - can you post a picture?

boeman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jun 16, 2007 Posts: 28

I tried looking for an equivalent photo online without much success.

The fraction numbers are seen on the undersides of panzers being offloaded off train carts if that helps narrow things down.

I'll keep looking...

JG300-Ascout · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 1:50 am Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

Can you give examples? I wonder about pieces of a shipment...like "1 of 4" or "4 of 16"....(1/4, 4/16, etc...)

Jens_O_Mehner · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:14 pm Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

An era might also help... Wink

boeman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jun 16, 2007 Posts: 28

The photos date back to WWII in the eastern front.

The tanks in question were Panzer IVs I believe.

One hull fraction was 5/8 I think. I don't have access to the photo right now.

MarkHolloway · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:27 am Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

What JG300 says makes sense to me. The 'supply dudes' did it.

Joe_D · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:33 am Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

Either that of movement control numbers,

Much like we had to chalk on or stuff when traveling.

Hope you can display the picture eventually.

Joe D

Dontos · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:59 am Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

- Joe_D

Either that of movement control numbers,

Much like we had to chalk on or stuff when traveling.

Hope you can display the picture eventually.

Joe D

Perhaps travel/transport manifest numbers (ie Pzkw IV: 3 of 4 in shipment....)

Remembering the days of chalking the 'Convoy Serial Number' on all vehicles (Wheeled &/or Tracked) during a roadmarch / alert rollout in FRG in the 80's.

Don

bsmart · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:22 am Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

Back in the Air Force each plane load of people and equipment in a mobility exercise was known as a 'Chalk Number' (Chalk 3 was always the quick reaction flyaway load that would stop at any location aircraft in the unit diverted to because of maintenance problems during the movement)

No one could ever tell me why they were called 'Chalks' but I always figured it was because the equipment used to have the load number marked on the mobility bins in chalk (We used masking tape with magic marker on it)

JG300-Ascout · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:09 am Post subject: Re: German Hull Fractions

- Dontos

- Joe_D

Either that of movement control numbers,

Much like we had to chalk on or stuff when traveling.

Hope you can display the picture eventually.

Joe D

Perhaps travel/transport manifest numbers (ie Pzkw IV: 3 of 4 in shipment....)Don

Why didn't I think of that?! Laughing

boeman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jun 16, 2007 Posts: 28

Here is a photo of something similar:

Given that the operators are in civilian clothing, I would surmise this Tiger is undergoing trials.

In this case, the numbers chalked on the hull would probably represent something entirely different from the ones found on tanks traveling along train carts.

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