Creating the Battle of the Bulge.....Wacht Am Rhine (1 Viewer)
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Louis Badolato
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Great shots . . . looks like Clive can really handle a camera.
panda1gen
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Great shots . . . looks like Clive can really handle a camera.
He certainly can. Here is some back up from an 88mm.
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The Lt.
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An once again nicely featured Kevin......The Lt.
panda1gen
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Thanks Lt, been enjoying your posts too, they get better and better.
Important background to the Ardennes offensive was the way the Germans held the channel ports denied them to the Allies until the end of the war. This meant that the main supply was still off the beaches in Normandy.
Not until Antwerp was captured and opened to shipping on December 11 did the Allies have a port that was close to the front.
Meanwhile the “Red Ball Express” — mostly African-American drivers running a fast-moving convoy 24 hours a day — drove gas, ammunition and food to the front, sometimes under fire from German units holding the roads.
The British also had a challenging time and the Royal Army Service Corps units were also stretched to the limits.
Winter clothing was sacrificed to make more room for gas and ammunition so that when the offensive landed, not all units were properly equiped.
panda1gen
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Figarti winter 88mm pics.......................
8.8 cm FlaK 18/36/37/41
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8.8 cm FlaK 18 barrel on a FlaK 36 cruciform
88 mm display at Imperial War Museum Duxford, 2001
The 88 mm gun (eighty-eight) was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. They were widely used throughout the war, and could be found on almost every battlefield. Developments of the original models led to a wide variety of guns.
The name applies to a series of anti-aircraft guns officially called the 8,8 cm FlaK 18, 36 or 37. FlaK is a German contraction of Flugzeugabwehr-Kanone or Flugabwehr-Kanone (hence the capital K) meaning anti-aircraft gun, the original purpose of the eighty-eight. In informal German use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht (8-8), a contraction of Acht-komma-acht Zentimeter (German: "8,8 cm" - comma being used as the decimal separator in German).
The name could also describe newer and more powerful models, the FlaK 41 and 43, although these were different weapons. Compared to the British QF 3.7 inch AA gun or United States 90 mm gun models, the 88 was built in very large numbers,[citation needed] and when doubled in the anti-tank role, it was mounted on a versatile base from which it could be fired without unlimbering.[citation needed]
Its success as an improvised anti-tank gun led to a separate line of guns for anti-tank use, the Panzerabwehr-Kanone (PaK) 88 (German: "anti-tank gun") and as the main armament for tanks such as the Tiger I, the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the "KwK" abbreviation standing for Kampfwagenkanone ("fighting vehicle cannon").
8.8 cm FlaK 18/36/37/41
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
8.8 cm FlaK 18 barrel on a FlaK 36 cruciform
88 mm display at Imperial War Museum Duxford, 2001
The 88 mm gun (eighty-eight) was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. They were widely used throughout the war, and could be found on almost every battlefield. Developments of the original models led to a wide variety of guns.
The name applies to a series of anti-aircraft guns officially called the 8,8 cm FlaK 18, 36 or 37. FlaK is a German contraction of Flugzeugabwehr-Kanone or Flugabwehr-Kanone (hence the capital K) meaning anti-aircraft gun, the original purpose of the eighty-eight. In informal German use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht (8-8), a contraction of Acht-komma-acht Zentimeter (German: "8,8 cm" - comma being used as the decimal separator in German).
The name could also describe newer and more powerful models, the FlaK 41 and 43, although these were different weapons. Compared to the British QF 3.7 inch AA gun or United States 90 mm gun models, the 88 was built in very large numbers,[citation needed] and when doubled in the anti-tank role, it was mounted on a versatile base from which it could be fired without unlimbering.[citation needed]
Its success as an improvised anti-tank gun led to a separate line of guns for anti-tank use, the Panzerabwehr-Kanone (PaK) 88 (German: "anti-tank gun") and as the main armament for tanks such as the Tiger I, the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the "KwK" abbreviation standing for Kampfwagenkanone ("fighting vehicle cannon").
panda1gen
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Background
Most anti-aircraft guns of World War I were adaptations of existing medium-calibre weapons mounted to allow fire at higher angles. These weapons were useful, at least for deterrence, against the vulnerable and slow-moving aircraft of World War I. But when the performance of aircraft increased during the inter-war period, the usefulness of early AA guns decreased dramatically. They could not reach the higher altitudes at which new aircraft could fly, often flying over 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), nor could they fire rapidly enough to be effective against fast aircraft. Many military planners concluded that anti-aircraft artillery would no longer be effective, and only limited development was carried out by most countries. The exceptions were Germany, Britain and France, Sweden and later the USA and USSR, China, Japan, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Norway and Canada.
German planners instead developed more powerful guns with high muzzle velocity to reach high altitude, and much faster rates of fire. Since Germany had been forbidden to produce new weapons of almost every sort after World War I, the German Krupp company developed the new guns in partnership with Bofors of Sweden. The original design that led to the 88 was a 75 mm model. During the prototype phase, the army asked for a gun with considerably greater capability than the 75. The designers started over, using another common German calibre, 88 mm.
FlaK 18, North Africa 1942.
Flak 18, front view
Prototype 88s were first produced in 1928. These early models, the FlaK 18, used a single-piece barrel with a length of 56 calibres, leading to the commonly-seen designation 88/L56.
The FlaK 18 was mounted on a cruciform gun carriage that allowed fire in all directions, as opposed to split-trail designs, which allowed fire within a relatively narrow arc only. This makes sense given its anti-aircraft role.[clarification needed] The two "side" members of the carriage could be quickly folded up, allowing the gun to be lifted onto two wheeled chassis for high-speed towing. The weight of the gun meant that only large vehicles could move it, and the SdKfz 7 half-track became a common prime mover. A simple to operate "semi-automatic" loading system ejected fired shells, allowing it to be reloaded by simply inserting a new shell into a tray. The gun would then fire, recoil, and, during the return stroke, the empty casing would be thrown backward by levers, and a cam would engage and recock the gun. This resulted in firing rates of 15 to 20 rounds a minute, which was better than similar weapons of the era.[citation needed] High explosive ammunition was used against aircraft and personnel, and armour-piercing and high-explosive anti-tank against tanks and other armoured vehicles.
Widespread production started with the Nazi rise to power in 1933, and the FlaK 18 was available in small numbers when Germany intervened in the Spanish Civil War. It quickly proved to be the best anti-aircraft weapon then available. Further, the high muzzle velocity and large calibre made it an excellent long-range anti-vehicle weapon. This experience also demonstrated a number of minor problems and potential improvement opportunities.
FlaK 36 being mounted onto its carriage
More Figarti photos
View attachment 42511
View attachment 42512
View attachment 42513
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_FlaK_18/36/37/41
Most anti-aircraft guns of World War I were adaptations of existing medium-calibre weapons mounted to allow fire at higher angles. These weapons were useful, at least for deterrence, against the vulnerable and slow-moving aircraft of World War I. But when the performance of aircraft increased during the inter-war period, the usefulness of early AA guns decreased dramatically. They could not reach the higher altitudes at which new aircraft could fly, often flying over 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), nor could they fire rapidly enough to be effective against fast aircraft. Many military planners concluded that anti-aircraft artillery would no longer be effective, and only limited development was carried out by most countries. The exceptions were Germany, Britain and France, Sweden and later the USA and USSR, China, Japan, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Norway and Canada.
German planners instead developed more powerful guns with high muzzle velocity to reach high altitude, and much faster rates of fire. Since Germany had been forbidden to produce new weapons of almost every sort after World War I, the German Krupp company developed the new guns in partnership with Bofors of Sweden. The original design that led to the 88 was a 75 mm model. During the prototype phase, the army asked for a gun with considerably greater capability than the 75. The designers started over, using another common German calibre, 88 mm.
FlaK 18, North Africa 1942.
Flak 18, front view
Prototype 88s were first produced in 1928. These early models, the FlaK 18, used a single-piece barrel with a length of 56 calibres, leading to the commonly-seen designation 88/L56.
The FlaK 18 was mounted on a cruciform gun carriage that allowed fire in all directions, as opposed to split-trail designs, which allowed fire within a relatively narrow arc only. This makes sense given its anti-aircraft role.[clarification needed] The two "side" members of the carriage could be quickly folded up, allowing the gun to be lifted onto two wheeled chassis for high-speed towing. The weight of the gun meant that only large vehicles could move it, and the SdKfz 7 half-track became a common prime mover. A simple to operate "semi-automatic" loading system ejected fired shells, allowing it to be reloaded by simply inserting a new shell into a tray. The gun would then fire, recoil, and, during the return stroke, the empty casing would be thrown backward by levers, and a cam would engage and recock the gun. This resulted in firing rates of 15 to 20 rounds a minute, which was better than similar weapons of the era.[citation needed] High explosive ammunition was used against aircraft and personnel, and armour-piercing and high-explosive anti-tank against tanks and other armoured vehicles.
Widespread production started with the Nazi rise to power in 1933, and the FlaK 18 was available in small numbers when Germany intervened in the Spanish Civil War. It quickly proved to be the best anti-aircraft weapon then available. Further, the high muzzle velocity and large calibre made it an excellent long-range anti-vehicle weapon. This experience also demonstrated a number of minor problems and potential improvement opportunities.
FlaK 36 being mounted onto its carriage
More Figarti photos
View attachment 42511
View attachment 42512
View attachment 42513
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_FlaK_18/36/37/41
panda1gen
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Many of these were incorporated into the FlaK 36, which had a two-piece barrel for easier replacement of worn liners, and a new, but heavier, trailer that allowed it to be set up much more quickly, simply dropping the base while still mounted on the wheels. This made it much more suitable for fast-moving operations, the basic concept of the blitzkrieg. FlaK 36s were often fitted with an armoured shield that provided limited protection for the gunners.
The eighty-eight was used in two roles: as a mobile heavy anti-aircraft gun, and in a more static role for home defence. In this latter role the guns were arranged into batteries, groups of four directed by a single controller, and were moved only rarely. Targeting indicators were attached from the central controller to each FlaK allowing for coordinated fire. Indeed, with the automatic loading system, the gun layers' job would keep the gun barrel trained on the target area based on the signals from the controller. The loaders would keep the FlaK fed with live ammunition which would fire immediately upon insertion—all while the gun layer aimed the weapon according to the data.
Manhandling
Carriage removed
The later FlaK 37, included updated instrumentation to allow the gun layers to follow directions from the single director more easily. The parts of the various versions of the guns were interchangeable, and it was not uncommon for various parts to be "mixed and matched" on a particular example. Some sources mistakenly cite that the FlaK 37 was not equipped for anti-armour purposes. The fact is all 8.8 cm FlaKs were capable of the dual role.[citation needed]
During the initial phases of the Battle of France, when the French and British counter-attacked, the eighty-eight was pressed into service[citation needed] against their heavily armored tanks such as the Char B1 bis and Matilda II, whose frontal armour could not be penetrated by the light anti-tank guns then available. Anti-tank usage became even more common during battles in North Africa and the Soviet Union. The 88 was powerful enough to penetrate over 150 mm of armour at ranges of 2 km or more, making it an unparalleled anti-tank weapon during the early war, and still formidable against all but the heaviest tanks at the end of the war. It was arguably most effective in the flat and open terrains of the North African campaign and the Eastern Front.
By August 1944, there were 10,704 FlaK 18, 36 and 37 guns in service. Owing to the increase in U.S. and British bombing raids during 1943 and 1944, the majority of these guns were used in their original anti-aircraft role, now complemented with the formidable 12.8 cm FlaK 40 and 10.5 cm FlaK 39. There were complaints that, due to the apparent ineffectiveness of anti-aircraft defenses as a whole, the guns should be transferred from air defense units to anti-tank duties, but this politically unpopular move was never made.
The eighty-eight was used in two roles: as a mobile heavy anti-aircraft gun, and in a more static role for home defence. In this latter role the guns were arranged into batteries, groups of four directed by a single controller, and were moved only rarely. Targeting indicators were attached from the central controller to each FlaK allowing for coordinated fire. Indeed, with the automatic loading system, the gun layers' job would keep the gun barrel trained on the target area based on the signals from the controller. The loaders would keep the FlaK fed with live ammunition which would fire immediately upon insertion—all while the gun layer aimed the weapon according to the data.
Manhandling
Carriage removed
The later FlaK 37, included updated instrumentation to allow the gun layers to follow directions from the single director more easily. The parts of the various versions of the guns were interchangeable, and it was not uncommon for various parts to be "mixed and matched" on a particular example. Some sources mistakenly cite that the FlaK 37 was not equipped for anti-armour purposes. The fact is all 8.8 cm FlaKs were capable of the dual role.[citation needed]
During the initial phases of the Battle of France, when the French and British counter-attacked, the eighty-eight was pressed into service[citation needed] against their heavily armored tanks such as the Char B1 bis and Matilda II, whose frontal armour could not be penetrated by the light anti-tank guns then available. Anti-tank usage became even more common during battles in North Africa and the Soviet Union. The 88 was powerful enough to penetrate over 150 mm of armour at ranges of 2 km or more, making it an unparalleled anti-tank weapon during the early war, and still formidable against all but the heaviest tanks at the end of the war. It was arguably most effective in the flat and open terrains of the North African campaign and the Eastern Front.
By August 1944, there were 10,704 FlaK 18, 36 and 37 guns in service. Owing to the increase in U.S. and British bombing raids during 1943 and 1944, the majority of these guns were used in their original anti-aircraft role, now complemented with the formidable 12.8 cm FlaK 40 and 10.5 cm FlaK 39. There were complaints that, due to the apparent ineffectiveness of anti-aircraft defenses as a whole, the guns should be transferred from air defense units to anti-tank duties, but this politically unpopular move was never made.
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panda1gen
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Panzer-Bergewagen Bergepanther - (Sd. Kfz. 179)
On March 29th of 1943, it was decided to produce recovery version of Panther for use in the Panzer-Abteilungen.In June of 1943, MAN produced original 12 prototype series Bergepanthers which were turretless and modified Ausf Ds returned for repairs.
Production started in July of 1943 and Panther Ausf A and later Ausf G were used, although production was slow and various modifications were made during the production.
Early Bergepanther was armed with 20mm KwK 38 L/55 and later on with twin 7.92mm MG34 or MG42s.
Bergepanther was operated by the crew made up of commander, driver and mechanic.
It was fitted with a 1.5 ton lifting crane and other recovery/repair equipment (eg. large spade, 40 ton winch etc.), some of it especially designed.
Overall, only 347 (240 Ausf A and 107 Ausf G) along with 12 based on Ausf D were produced from June of 1943 to March of 1945.
Bergepanthers were produced by Demag(Benrath), Henschel and MAN.Bergepanthers equipped Panther-Abteilungens (starting in August of 1943), schwere Panzer(Tiger)-Abteilungens and schwere Panzer-Jager-Abteilungens (starting in January of 1944) along with some independent recovery and repair units.
Some Bergepanthers had their recovery equipment removed and were modified to carry ammunition, designated as Munitionspanzer Panther.
Bergepanther was the best recovery vehicle of World War II and after the war, some captured Bergepanthers were used by the French Army until mid 1950s.
see link http://www.achtungpanzer.com/panzerkampfwagen-v-panther-sd-kfz-171.htm
I would say that the bergepanthers from HB are amongst my favourite pieces, the winter version is shown here.
wayne556517
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This is great mate i always look forward to this thread when i see a new post from you cheers mate thanks.And i agree i have 2 bergepanthers (1 winter) is up there with my favourite pieces.
The Lt.
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From your first post creating the thread Kevin to your last you've continue to provide us with the events that took during the Battle of the Bulge bringing it to life with your photos and it's history. Sure glad you've continued with it.....The Lt.
Wraith
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panda1gen
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Nicely.
Just need another 5 of those and you're in business!
Another five...................mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
well, fiveish???????????????????
