On German Tanks were the turret numbers Always three digits - can any one think of an exception??

While I'm not an expert on German tanks, I thought their system was similar to the modern US: first digit was company, second digit was platoon and third digit was the tank number within that platoon. In modern US, the first digit is actually a letter like A, B, C, D, HQ, but essentially the same system. 331 would be 3rd company, 3rd platoon, 1st tank.

There were some vehicles with numbers such as R01,whether they were command vehicles or what they were I have no Idea.Perhaps someone else can shed some light?
Pete

Check -that's what I thought. Thanks.

I remember seeing pictures of German armored vehicles (Pz III, PZ IV tanks and halftracks) with four digit numbers. I have not been able to find out what they meant!

R0x numbers were used by Panzer Regt. staff. I0x and II0x numbers were used by Panzer Abt. staff. Sxx numbers were originally used for Schwere Panzer Abt. numbering of Tigers. Late in the war, in an attempt to confuse enemy intelligence, Panzer and Mechanized Companys were issued random numbers to be applied to their vehicles---one reason for the appearance of 4 digit numbers. Another reason was numbering all vehicles in a Regt. or division starting at 100 and going up---not restarting at each Abt.. Thats how you could end up with a vehicle number of 2544---25th Company, 4th platoon, 4th vehicle, that I have seen pictures of on a Sd.Kfz 251/1 D.

Letter designations were often used for command vehicles on Panthers as previously stated.. On Tiger Is the Letters A, B, C, were used to designate the company and/or command vehicle in the "Grossdeutschland" Regiment.. I have also seen pics of TigerIs with single digit tactical numbers.