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Proper designations of WWII machines

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  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Thursday, January 25, 2018 4:42 AM

Hello!

First - excuse me saying that - but being a little cooler could help you some, IMO. It's also worth noting that teaching people for free isn't good for anybody. If you offer your advice to somebody who doesn't want it then it's just wasted energy.

As for the designations - there are always mistakes and the likes, so usually the official designation has many variants, that get corrupted and we end up with multiple designations many times.

As for the fighters, it's Bf 109 and Fw 190. At lerast Wikipedia says it this way, but other books also. If you want to be so correct, please note that only the first letter is capital here, and there is a space adfter the letters.

Of course there were many people on both sides of the front who called the Bf 109 a "Messerschmitt" or Me 109. When the Fw 190 first appeared over Britain the allied flyers didn't know the name of the machine either.

As for the tank, the Wikipedia (I just love it, can't help it!) lists it as Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Tiger II (Sd.Kfz. 182). Of course no normal human being would use that name in a conversation, so the inoficial German term for it was Königstiger. Then you have the allies translating this in English. So which designation is "correct"? No designation ever is used by "everybody". With the exception of when you think "everybody is me"!

So I'd say do your research, keep on learning, and don't waste your time teaching people who don't want to learn. I hope it helps you, have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Thursday, January 25, 2018 4:19 AM

The Bf and Me designations were both used. The aircraft was first designed by Willy while working for the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, so early versions were simply Bf. When he set up his own company, the designation Me came into use but the Germans still used Bf on offical documents through out the war.

This may be of some interest.

http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/articles/bf-me/bf-me.htm

 

The tank was designated Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Tiger II. The Germans did not use the term Konigstiger in offical documents but at least one General made referance to it. So on that your both correct and incorrect.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    June 2013
  • From: Bay Area, CA
Proper designations of WWII machines
Posted by Reaper420 on Thursday, January 25, 2018 3:46 AM

So the other day I got into a heated debate with a buddy of mine over designations of a couple WWII "machines". He insisted I was wrong and I insisted I was right. First off was the BF109. He insisted it was the ME109 and that was it. I told him no, it's actual designation is the Messershmitt BF109. I went on to explain that the designation was interchangeable, depending on who was talking about it and that both were correct and often used, both ME109 (we all know ME is the abbreviation for Messershmitt) AND BF109 as well as just 109. He did not agree and insisted it was only ME109. He went on to continue and strengthen his case using the FW190 as an example. I told him Focke-Wulf was an entirely different manufacturer and their system of designation obviously differs from Messershmitt.  Am I wrong in my argument? 

The next was in reference to the King Tiger. I explained to him that it' actual designation was the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B or Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Konigstiger  and that it was never really ONLY referred to as the King Tiger or Tiger II by Germany. I stated that those monikers were given it by the the allies and depending on who was talking about it, would determine the designation, i.e. King Tiger or Tiger II (mostly the US) and Tiger Royale (British). Again he insisted that it was only referrd to as the King Tiger by everyone. Again, am I wrong in my argument? 

Would like to hear your input, especially if I AM wrong. Don' want to run around sounding like a know it all idiot and not actually know anything at all!

Kick the tires and light the fires!

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