The Battle of Bulge (1 Viewer)

[PanzerIII]

Just seen over Easter: The Battle of Bulge from 1965.
And I am confussed, as the Director says after the film in an Interview, that they went through great difficulty's to find the real Tanks to be used in the film.
But in my view none of the so called Tiger Tanks in the film, has ever been a Tiger tank, but look rather like a Russian T34, and the Shermans looks more like Chaffee's.
Can somebody confirm what the actual Tank's used in the Film were?.

 

[lancer]

Panzer III - the "Sherman's" used in the film were indeed Chaffees and the "Tiger's" were M-60's (standard U.S. tank of the period the film was made and used by many US allies as well). This is just one of the historical liberties taken by the producers that make the film difficult for me to watch. -- lancer

 

[binder001]

The "Battle of the Bulge" was primarily filmed in Spain and was supported by the Spanish Army. The "German" tanks are M47's with the turret-rear stowage boxes removed and some have a more "German-like" muzzle brake added. The German forces also use US M3A1 halftrack personnel carriers, US M135 (or M211) 6X6 trucks and a few German cars and trucks thrown in.

The US equipment is also from the Spanish Army and included M24 "Chaffee" light tanks substituting for Shermans (not only because they were available but because of the visual size difference between the M24s and the "German" M47s). The "Americans" also had M3A1 halftracks, M37 SP 105mm howitzers (subbing for M7's), post-war jeeps, M37 trucks, various 6X6s and some Spanish(?) WW1 style cannons. The bazooka with the shield in the initial tank attack is a French model.

The M24 tanks and M3A1 halftracks appeared in the real battle, otherwise everything else is NATO-era stuff.

Contrast this "good enough" approach with the film "Is Paris Burning" from about the same era. The French Army was still using a lot of WW2 equipment for their reserve forces so the movie has M4A1 Shermans (with 76mm guns, but one tank had its gun cut off to resemble the 75mm type), The French Army also allowed the producers to modify three M24s to resemble "Panthers" to be the German armor. They were small but the visual angles were still better than M47s.

Gary

 

[lancer]

My mistake. I am not a US armor expert and all I could remember was that the tanks were M-somethings so I took a shot at 60. I knew that if I was wrong the correct answer would show up. Anyway, those tanks still bother me and a little effort could have made a mediocre movie a lot better. -- lancer

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

The "Battle of the Bulge" was primarily filmed in Spain and was supported by the Spanish Army. The "German" tanks are M47's with the turret-rear stowage boxes removed and some have a more "German-like" muzzle brake added. The German forces also use US M3A1 halftrack personnel carriers, US M135 (or M211) 6X6 trucks and a few German cars and trucks thrown in.

The US equipment is also from the Spanish Army and included M24 "Chaffee" light tanks substituting for Shermans (not only because they were available but because of the visual size difference between the M24s and the "German" M47s). The "Americans" also had M3A1 halftracks, M37 SP 105mm howitzers (subbing for M7's), post-war jeeps, M37 trucks, various 6X6s and some Spanish(?) WW1 style cannons. The bazooka with the shield in the initial tank attack is a French model.

The M24 tanks and M3A1 halftracks appeared in the real battle, otherwise everything else is NATO-era stuff.

Contrast this "good enough" approach with the film "Is Paris Burning" from about the same era. The French Army was still using a lot of WW2 equipment for their reserve forces so the movie has M4A1 Shermans (with 76mm guns, but one tank had its gun cut off to resemble the 75mm type), The French Army also allowed the producers to modify three M24s to resemble "Panthers" to be the German armor. They were small but the visual angles were still better than M47s.

Gary

Excellent assessment Gary,
Another film that made a good effort was 'Night of the Generals' with a good mix of German vehicles and reasonable stand ins. There are some mock up 'Tigers' that appear to be on M24 chassis that could have been better, but at least there was an effort.
There is even a schwimwagan and some Pak 40s along the roadside in one scene.
Ken

 

[OzDigger]

Excellent assessment Gary,
Another film that made a good effort was 'Night of the Generals' with a good mix of German vehicles and reasonable stand ins. There are some mock up 'Tigers' that appear to be on M24 chassis that could have been better, but at least there was an effort.
There is even a schwimwagan and some Pak 40s along the roadside in one scene.
Ken

True, and 'The Bridge at Remagen', was also a good example of how some movie makers can get vehicles right, if not everything.