Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
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Great stuff Kevin!^&cool^&cool^&cool^&cool Love the Honour Bound Winter vehicles. I was just playing with mine yesterday.{sm4}
Creating the Battle of the Bulge.....Wacht Am Rhine (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter panda1gen
- Start date
panda1gen
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panda1gen
Major
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The USA M24 Chaffee was a new light tank with improved armour and a 75mm gun compared to the vehicle it was intended to replace, i.e. the M5 Stuart light tank.
The first 34 M24s did not reach Europe until November 1944, when they were issued to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) in France.
Troop F, 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and Troop F, 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, each received seventeen M24s.
During the Ardennes offensive in December 1944, these units and their new tanks were rushed to the southern sector.
Two of these M24s were then detached to the 740th Tank Battalion of the U.S. 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Army.
The M24 started to enter more widespread use from December 1944, but they were slow in reaching the front-line combat units and most were still using M% Stuarts at the end of the war.
Crews were generally positive about the M24, they especially liked the 75 mm main gun, which was a vast improvement over the M5’s 37 mm, it also had improved off-road performance and reliability.
Like almost all Alllied tanks, with the amount of armour protection it had, it remained vulnerable to all German tank and anti-tanks guns, as well as shaped charge weapons like the panzerfaust. The 75mm gun did give it a much better chance of hitting back however.
Too few arrived in time to make any significant contribution to the war in Europe. It served in Korea, initially unsuccessfully against better armed and armoured T34s, later in a more successful reconnaissance and fire support role.
It was also exported to many countries and so fought in many small wars post WW2 until the early 70’s, including with the French in Indochina. !0 Chaffees served at Dien Bien Phu.
It was most perhaps most famous for its appearance in two war movies, The Bridge at Remagen and The Battle of the Bulge. In each case the Chaffees were used to represent the heavier M-4 Sherman. The tanks used in The Battle of the Bulge were borrowed from the Spanish Army.
The first 34 M24s did not reach Europe until November 1944, when they were issued to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) in France.
Troop F, 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and Troop F, 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, each received seventeen M24s.
During the Ardennes offensive in December 1944, these units and their new tanks were rushed to the southern sector.
Two of these M24s were then detached to the 740th Tank Battalion of the U.S. 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Army.
The M24 started to enter more widespread use from December 1944, but they were slow in reaching the front-line combat units and most were still using M% Stuarts at the end of the war.
Crews were generally positive about the M24, they especially liked the 75 mm main gun, which was a vast improvement over the M5’s 37 mm, it also had improved off-road performance and reliability.
Like almost all Alllied tanks, with the amount of armour protection it had, it remained vulnerable to all German tank and anti-tanks guns, as well as shaped charge weapons like the panzerfaust. The 75mm gun did give it a much better chance of hitting back however.
Too few arrived in time to make any significant contribution to the war in Europe. It served in Korea, initially unsuccessfully against better armed and armoured T34s, later in a more successful reconnaissance and fire support role.
It was also exported to many countries and so fought in many small wars post WW2 until the early 70’s, including with the French in Indochina. !0 Chaffees served at Dien Bien Phu.
It was most perhaps most famous for its appearance in two war movies, The Bridge at Remagen and The Battle of the Bulge. In each case the Chaffees were used to represent the heavier M-4 Sherman. The tanks used in The Battle of the Bulge were borrowed from the Spanish Army.
panda1gen
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This is epic. An 85-year old World War Two veteran sniper from Missouri who fought in the Battle of the Bulge was given a chance by the US Army to show off the skills he learned during the war.
He showed everyone he’s still got it. Watch the video below.
From the Guardian:
He showed everyone he’s still got it. Watch the video below.
From the Guardian:
Before he could get his hands on the modern day equipment, the Army presented him with a 1903 A4 replica sniper – the same he used in the war and had not seen since 1944.
Despite a 66-year gap without using the gun, he had no ease picking off a target at 300 yards, with all three shots hitting the target.
It was then that the officers taught him how the Army’s custom made Remington 700 works and explained how a 1,000 yard shot can be achieved.
It involves a second sniper, called a spotter, judging the wind direction and any other conditions that could affect the bullet’s trajectory.
Mr Gundy, who lives in Memphis, Missouri, said before the shot: ‘I couldn’t even dream in a thousand years how you would even see the target, yet alone hit it.
‘I hope that I can hit the target but if I was betting money I’d bet nine to one that I don’t. That’s a long, long way.’
But his modesty was greater than his skills and he managed with ease to pick off the target, with three impressive head shots all within five inches of each other.
He said afterwards: ‘I couldn’t believe I could have hit anything that far away.’
Despite a 66-year gap without using the gun, he had no ease picking off a target at 300 yards, with all three shots hitting the target.
It was then that the officers taught him how the Army’s custom made Remington 700 works and explained how a 1,000 yard shot can be achieved.
It involves a second sniper, called a spotter, judging the wind direction and any other conditions that could affect the bullet’s trajectory.
Mr Gundy, who lives in Memphis, Missouri, said before the shot: ‘I couldn’t even dream in a thousand years how you would even see the target, yet alone hit it.
‘I hope that I can hit the target but if I was betting money I’d bet nine to one that I don’t. That’s a long, long way.’
But his modesty was greater than his skills and he managed with ease to pick off the target, with three impressive head shots all within five inches of each other.
He said afterwards: ‘I couldn’t believe I could have hit anything that far away.’
villagehorse
Lieutenant General
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Always inspiring stuff Kevin. Robin.
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
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Its nice to see you back on the Wacht Am Rhine!:salute::
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
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I am no where near the photographer you are, but here are a few shots to keep it going:
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
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A few more . . .
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
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And some more . . .
Desertkiwi
1st Lieutenant
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Mate, keeping giving it a good poke as it’s an excellent thread!
