German Tank Maintenance Company, 1942

Famo 18-ton prime mover of the recovery detachment.

The German Wehrmacht Panzerregiment had a Panzerwerkstattkompanie maintenance and repair company capable of repairing damaged vehicles and recovering immobilized tanks from the battlefield. The recovery platoon was equipped with Famo 18-ton prime movers which could extract bogged tanks from soft ground. Two or three Famo tractors were required to pull a Tiger tank. The Famo tractor was unarmoured and it could not be used to recover tanks under enemy fire. Later in the war, a number of obsolete or damaged tanks were converted to armoured recovery vehicles which offered better crew protection.

Panzerwerkstattkompanie, 1942

  • Offizier, Kompaniechef
  • Kompanietrupp – Company HQ
  • Funktrupp – Signals Section
  • Fla-Trupp – Air Defence Section
  • 1. Werkstatt-Zug – Workshop Platoon
  • 2. Werkstatt-Zug – Workshop Platoon
  • Berge-Zug – Recovery Platoon
    • Offizier, Zugführer – Platoon Commander
    • Kraftwagenfahrer – Driver
    • leichter gl. Pkw, Kfz.1
    • Berge-Trupp – Recovery Squad
      • Unteroffizier, Truppführer – Squad Leader
      • Kraftwagenfahrer – Driver
      • Kraftwagenschlosser, 2. Kraftwagenfahrer – Asst. Driver
      • s.Zugkraftwagen 18 t, Sd.Kfz. 9
      • Kraftwagenfahrer
      • Kraftwagenschlosser, 2. Kraftwagenfahrer
      • s.Zugkraftwagen 18 t, Sd.Kfz. 9
    • Berge-Trupp (same as above)
    • Berge-Trupp (same as above)
    • Berge-Trupp (same as above)
    • Berge-Trupp (same as above)
    • Berge-Trupp (same as above)
    • Tiefladeanhänger für Panzerkampfwagen 10 t, Sd.Ah. 115 trailer
    • Tiefladeanhänger für Panzerkampfwagen 22 t, Sd.Ah. 116 trailer
    • Tiefladeanhänger für Panzerkampfwagen 22 t, Sd.Ah. 116 trailer
    • Tiefladeanhänger für Panzerkampfwagen 22 t, Sd.Ah. 116 trailer
  • Waffenmeisterei – Weapons Repair Section
  • Funkmeisterei – Radio Repair Section
  • Ersatzteilgruppe – Spares Section
  • Tross – Supply Section

Wargamers and diorama builders may model recovery sections of the Panzerwerkstattkompanie maintenance company of the Panzerregiment using 18-ton Famo prime movers with or without tank transporter trailers. Panzerwart AFV mechanics are available from C-P Models.

German Miniatures of World-War Two