Wespe - Not SP-Artillery

The original 'Wespe' emblem was designed by Lt. Richard Marchfelder. So the Wespe emblem had the following course: II./ZG 1 - III./ZG 76 - II./SKG 210 - II./ZG 1. The three small wasps were used to III./ZG 76 in 1941, but I am unsure of when the single large Wasp was first used.

The Wasp insignia had its origins when the II/ZG 1 was known as III/ZG 76 in Norway. It was supposedly design to compete with the Sharkmouth of the II/ZG 76 unit. The group retained the insignia even when they later became III/ZG 76 and then part of E.Gr. 210 and in 1941 when they took part in the invasion of Russia as II/SKG 210. In 1942 the unit came full circle and was once again known as II/ZG 1 “Wespen” and sent to Italy. The unit flew Zerstorer missions until early summer 1943 when it returned to Germany to take part in the defense of the Reich. The Allies found the aircraft S9+FM intact and abandoned on Montecorvino Airfield near the Salerno beachhead.