Army Tank Brigade Diabolo
 

Does anyone have any information regarding the regulation (sealed pattern) size of the 1st (red) and 21st (yellow) Army Tank Brigade diabolo Brigade Formation badges? 👍

An interesting question. There are no sealed patterns for formation signs as they were acquired by the formation concerned from wherever they thought best and were never supplied by the Ordnance system like other things such as cap badges and shoulder and arm titles for which sealed patterns exist.

Interestingly I have also never come across anything that states the size of a formation sign although that was obviously dictated by the space on the arm where it was worn.

I would be interested to know if anyone has found any further information on the size of signs.

Jon

The only information I have is derived from genuine examples in my collection. Height (mm) x Width (mm), excluding any khaki backing material:

25 Army Tk Bde: 52 x 32
31 Tk Bde: 51 x 26
33 Armd Bde: 44 x 24
35 Tk Bde: 44 x 34
36 Tk Bde: 47 x 24

The triangles are rarely equilateral.

Mike,
That's really helpful, thank you.
Howard Cole, Page 126, talking about the 33rd (and 35th) Armoured Brigade states "This Brigade's badge varied from the triangular badges of the other armoured formations inasmuch as the triangles were equilateral".

Jon, in this instance, considering the commonality of the sizes and shapes, essentially two intepretations of the diabolo shape, do you think there may have been some form of semi-official guidance on their size? Possibly at Army District/Command level in the UK?
John

I don't dispute what Howard Cole said, but he was probably basing his statement on examples that he had examined. The sizes I listed were based on actual signs. More dimensions of diablos from Members' collections would be very helpful. The skill of the regiments' tailors will also have been a factor - I has seen some genuine examples where the two triangles have been conjoined.

Here's a superb example of 35 Tk Bde - as worn by 155 Regt RAC (DLI). It forms the cover of a photo album assembled at the CO's command when 155 Regt RAC disbanded.
Attachment 192651

I fully agree Mike. Fingers crossed some more members come onboard and we can try and find some commonality, or otherwise. The 35 Tk Bde image you posted in stunning. A privilege to see it. Thank you. ��

Mike/Jon/John,
Please check out mcgregor.uk.net for a 33rd Tk Bde badge (Lot 291) for sale. Definately not equilateral triangles.
I'm finding this quite confusing ��.

1 Tk Bde
 

Here's an unusual one from my collection. Mike
Attachment 192683

Mike,
Another super badge.
I went to Bovington today but didn't pick up much in the way of formation badge info.

Here’s my solitary example....

I think the problem is that they are probably made in unit
Lee

Just the one, never measured the triangles.

Marc

Here's an interesting take, Bruno Boulanger in his WW2 British Formation Badges lists a few bdes with both isoceles and equilateral triangles noting them as 1941 (isoceles) and 1944/45 (equilateral). Anyone have any evidence to confirm that?
John