Query for treadheads

[Weaver]

On my Marder (modern MICV) kit, there's a small shield-shaped plate with a white cross on it that goes on the back door. What is it? It looks like some kind of tactical marking: if so, is it unique to Germany or is it a NATO thing? I can't find a pic of a British vehicle with it, but they all seem to have a painted rectangle with black and white vertical lines in approximately the same place.

[Hobbes]

The one in the middle of the rear hatch?

[Weaver]

Yep, that's the one. You can see it on all kinds of German armour, not just Marders. here it is in close-up on a Leo I:



It seems to be a feature of German produced vehicles, not just German service vehicles: you can see them on the back of Belgian Leos or Dutch Gepards, for example.

In any case, I've just answered my own underlying question: I still don't know what the thing is, but I've found a pic of one fitted to the back of a Fuchs NBC recce vehicle in British service, thereby proving that if Britain had bought the Marder, they'd have kept the shield.

You know, I suspect it might be low-intensity convoy light: the raised doobrey in the middle could be a shielded light which shines back onto the white cross to make it fluoresce just enough for the driver behind to see it, but not enough to give the game away if they're running without normal lights.

[pyro-manic]

IIRC, British Army Land Rovers and trucks have a series of stripes painted on the rear axle diff, so that the driver behind can see it in the dark using night vision goggles. This could be the same sort of thing.

EDIT: Yep, you mentioned it in your first post.

[Mike Wren]

You know, I suspect it might be low-intensity convoy light: the raised doobrey in the middle could be a shielded light which shines back onto the white cross to make it fluoresce just enough for the driver behind to see it, but not enough to give the game away if they're running without normal lights.

spot on!   

[Weaver]

Cheers Mike!  

Since a slightly glowing white cross is just as good as some slightly glowing stripes, I'm going to presume then that if the British Army bought the Marder they'd keep the shields, rather than replace them with the standard stripes. It looks like they've taken this pragmatic approach with the Fuchs. Of course, the fact that this is easier has no influence on my decision......