Aufklärungs........ Anyone?

Hoffman Grink · Post by **Hoffman Grink** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:07 am

Following on from a post in which JDR said his group did AA (Aufklärungs Abteilung) in order to avoid needing vehicles..... and a thread elsewhere which points out that Aufkl. is this year's black so it seems.......

To do Aufklärungs - just what DO you need?

SBG have just set up a wonderful AA consisting of Motorcycles, Motorcycle Combinations and Armoured Cars...... to add to its PzGr and FG as well as Sanitaats, Pionier, Panzer, PanzerJaeger etc.

Sdkfz Foundation is unveiling it's GD Aufkl. using original 250s, 251, Combis, Stower, Typ82, Typ161 - you name it......

Der Windhund is building a Panzer Aufklärungs unit based upon the 116PzAufkl and using halftracks, combis and Kubels..... as another impression alongside the 60 PzGr and 16 Pz Rgt that it has already done for a year or three

Jon's Das Reich chose golden waffenfarbe from the start a few years ago.... and have been designated Aufkl from the beginning as did

2Pz Aufkl GD - The Midlands based group not the Northern Group or the offshoot of 916..... formed in 2005 with a definite mission to portray Aufkl truppen......

So we now have to my knowledge FIVE groups doing a Reconnaissance portrayal. Admittedly some of them are secondary impressions but what do you need to do it justice? Is it a bit like Luftwaffe groups who display as a bomber crew with no Heinkel in sight? I might disturb the waters here a bit but that's not my intention. I'm just interested in finding out how the decision is arrived at to portray these guys and what people think is necessary to do it right.

I can speak for Der Windhund and the blame is firmly at my door. We went down the road of finally converting the Tatras and to do them justice I thought we ought to beef up our PzGr impression. During research, I came across the smartly dressed chaps of 116 Pz Aufkl Btn and thought this might be a good morale lifter for the lads..... Smart Stug Wraps, a mixture of insignia and still able to use infantry equipment with the halftracks..... A bit of variety. This was well received and so we made a bulk purchase of the uniforms...... The instant "look" was very pleasing and in doing this we added another string to our bow. We are also able to portray another aspect of the 116 which is not only visually interesting but offers new possibilities of research and display.... In effect a chance for a small group to have a definite unit identity and remain accurate.

But our advantage is that we have vehicles..... and that's what I though Aufkl was about - be it bicycles, motorraden or light cars.... I thought they were highly mobile troops - eyes and ears as it were..... Discuss.....

Jon Das Reich · Post by **Jon Das Reich** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:13 am

Any you choose really, most of all members

But if its Vehicles, then i would say pushbikes, motorcycles solos and combis, pumas,kubels, schwimmwagens 222,223,234,250,251 any soft skin vehicles. sdkfz 140/1 panzer 2 luch(think thats how you spell it) linx.
Also AA used shankys pony.

But if you are are going to do a display 100% accurate then there will be no display, no tents, no gun pits, cooking pots, tables, chairs all there would be is zelts but that isnt much for the mops to look thou at is it?

The thing is you have to work with what you have got and not worry what other groups have so far its worked fine with us. Ive seen this happen to groups in the past that they have had a fixation with what other groups have got and not concentrate on thier own group

Hoffman Grink · Post by **Hoffman Grink** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:23 am

Jon Das Reich wrote:
The thing is you have to work with what you have got and not worry what other groups have so far its worked fine with us. Ive seen this happen to groups in the past that they have had a fixation with what other groups have got and not concentrate on thier own group

That bit I like Jon. And also when you say - if we did it right there would be NO display.... Each man with his zelt and what he carried..... One weapon each..... but then we are back to infantry..... Vehicle mounted troops COULD cart a large square of canvas to use as a shelter (and a vehicle cover) they would have cooking pots stashed somewhere. They could have extra ammo and the odd toolkit kicking about. I remember when we did Detling with the Tiger - on of our (now ex) members consulted a Tiger vet. We took the amount of stuff he said we would have had and it still made a reasonable display..... But we ended up with a bloody great tank parked up, five blokes and a zeltbahn lean to attached to the side of the tank.... A box of grenades and ammo and a couple of MP40s..... we set up a rudimentary cook pot and made some stew..... The public were very interested when we explained that this was all they had and lived mainly off the land..... So I think you could say going down the road of less is more could work.

Back to the Aufkl "explosion" What do you think has caused this? I've already explained AFRA's reasons..... Is it vehicles? Is it boredom and a search for something new? Do people just like the long German word? It's like FG a few years ago - every man and his dog suddenly had a FG attached or whatever...... Mainly because someone liked the uniform and fancied summat different. I think only SBG actually run an FG unit to do marshalling and security... DP's FG Trupp 82 operates a very good comms set up but there are loads of "wand wavers" about elsewhere.
So is Aufkl. this year's black? and what do you predict will be in vogure next season?

Jon Das Reich · Post by **Jon Das Reich** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:27 am

Is AA the cheaper opition? no need for tanks etc maybe.
Is it a change that the normal grenadier something different for the mops to see answering questions like why you wearing golden reyllow and they have white etc.

Next year will it be Pioneer all those explosives to play with

Steve Das Reich · Post by **Steve Das Reich** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:31 pm

The German Wehrmacht of the period, is much overrated for vehicles by the average person, reports exist that the Germans were at times down to 300 to 600 serviceable Panzer's on all fronts during any given day, hard to believe the Germans still had vast transportation support from the humble horse.

An area that is neglected is the Artillery, don't know the reasons for this.. lack of guns... not enough glamour. I think that the sight of horse drawn pieces, setting up for a fire mission, firing and than saddling up to change location, would make for a wonderful display.

Gott Mit Uns · Post by **Gott Mit Uns** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:51 pm

Steve Das Reich wrote:The German Wehrmacht of the period, is much overrated for vehicles by the average person, reports exist that the Germans were at times down to 300 to 600 serviceable Panzer's on all fronts during any given day, hard to believe the Germans still had vast transportation support from the humble horse.

An area that is neglected is the Artillery, don't know the reasons for this.. lack of guns... not enough glamour. I think that the sight of horse drawn pieces, setting up for a fire mission, firing and than saddling up to change location, would make for a wonderful display.

Totally agree Steve, a decent artillery or nebel-trupp impression would be sweet.

Jon Das Reich · Post by **Jon Das Reich** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:59 pm

agreed one of the best displays i have seen ( that being on the net) was an American WH group that have an 88 how they set up was spot on not OTT.
this is the site i think

http://hometown.aol.com/greatpolarbear/ ... opage.html

Hoffman Grink · Post by **Hoffman Grink** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:31 pm

What colour was the Nebeltruppen Waffenfarbe???? was it Winerot? Hmmmmmmm ...... Hmmmmmmm..... Anyone know what the tactical sign was on the vehicles? I have a cunning plan......

We've got a PaK40 but it's getting the bloody thing to shows! Vehicles are alright but they are a logistical nightmare.....

Steve has a point about the horses but in today's Health and Safety mad society you can't have them without loads of special conditions and provisions..... as he says they had over 3 million horses pulling supply carts. infatnry carts, munitions, guns...... But we can't do that. Jon's dream of bicycles is also prohibitive due to bikes costing up to £600!

You could do Aufkl on horseback.....

Post by **Feldjager** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:16 pm

Jon Das Reich wrote:Next year will it be Pioneer all those explosives to play with

Come see me - been doing pioneer for about 5 years as a sideline, but it also incoporates into the Feld-Gend as well.

Jon Das Reich · Post by **Jon Das Reich** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:52 pm

Paul pushbikes you can get any 30'-40's bike off ebay they dont have to be army issue as the German army liberated many civvie bike. there were a couple the other day went for under tenner one didnt sell and that was for a quid.

les hearn · Post by **les hearn** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:23 pm

say no more(wink wink )

just picked up three from the tip making my tally to five now...hehehehehhehe

Gott Mit Uns · Post by **Gott Mit Uns** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:32 pm

les hearn wrote:say no more(wink wink )

just picked up three from the tip making my tally to five now...hehehehehhehe

Its my birthday at Beltring uncky Hearn, can I have a bike from the dump please?

Just joshin mate.

Post by **mario33** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:47 am

There's a very good group in poland: 7 Aufklaruns Abteilung der 4 Panzer Division. Arguably the best Axis reenacting group in Poland now.

Site:
http://www.abteilung7.org/glowna.htm (unfortunately only in Polish). Look at 'FILMY' and 'FOTOGRAFIE' for films and photos respectively.

They also have some films on youtube, including PanzerII replica on the move:
http://pl.youtube.com/results?search_query=aa7

During the latest 'Bzura 2007' September 1939 recreation event, they fielded near 10 sidecar BMW motorcycles, Opel Blitz truck, Pak37 anti-tank artillery piece and borrowed from local collectors: SdKfz 222, SdKfz 232, Pz II in proper panzergrau. They also have access to OT-810.

For 'Bzura 2007' photos see:
my own small gallery: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Mario33.72/Bzura2007

Professional photographers galleries at:
http://www.reenacting.eu/index.php?opti ... Itemid=102
http://www.poloniamilitaris.pl/?tryb=news&id_news=875
http://www.poloniamilitaris.pl/?tryb=news&id_news=874
http://www.poloniamilitaris.pl/?tryb=news&id_news=873

Franz repper · Post by **Franz repper** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:52 pm

The Good FWBL Wrote

What colour was the Nebeltruppen Waffenfarbe???? was it Winerot?

yes sir Bordeaux red sir it was also used by the SS legal service as A pont of note

Post by **Feldjager** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:58 pm

Franz repper wrote:The Good FWBL Wrote
What colour was the Nebeltruppen Waffenfarbe???? was it Winerot?
yes sir Bordeaux red sir it was also used by the SS legal service as A pont of note

Also by the Judiciary of the Heer, and when worn by Beamten as nebenfarbe, it denoted an official of a Courts Martial.

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Aufklärungs........ Anyone?

Aufklärungs........ Anyone?

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