John Kettler

Friends of the Tank Museum posted this great pic on FB. Too good not to share.



Regards,

John Kettler

Grab a copy of "Panzers in Berlin" for most wrecks in the city, with locations and TO&E. That and "Bloody Streets" (in reprint!) are two books that have rounded out the military aspects of the battle.

A few weeks ago, I believe, I posted some BoB video, with a specific mention I'd found a Panther pillbox in the footage. While trying to find a still of a dug-in T-34, I found a still of that pillbox from the film and thought I'd share it. Now that I can see it better, would say it's a dug-in disabled Panther, rather than the Italy Panther turm design. Regardless, it's been in heavy combat and appears to have had its cupola shot clean off, something recorded in a number of German accounts of various Panzer types in battle. Also, looks as if there may be some additional armor on it via a shield slid onto the gun barrel about a meter in front of the mantlet, an installation akin to that of the Super Pershing.This would make a great diorama, I think.



Regards,

John Kettler

MOS:96B2P,
You're most welcome. Note that they didn't talk at all about the failed IS-1, which had this annoying habit of being penetrated when shot at frontally from considerable range. Nor was there any coverage of the KV-85, arguably the lineal ancestor of the IS tank family.
Regards,
John Kettler

Though there are some problems with visuals), in 9 minutes it covers a lot of ground, including some directly CMRT applicable material on combat tasks, positioning in the attack and tactics. Has lots of IS-2 footage I'd never seen before. This is an episode from a Russian channel called Thread of History.
 
Regards,

John Kettler

LukeFF,
It's the best quality one I've ever seen. AsI indicated in the OP, I have seen others, but the image quality was poor. Even as thumbnail, this one is very good and shot from close range. Ironically, my understanding is that these screens really didn't help, other than give the crews a certain amount of comfort. My understanding is that the distance was helpful to the HEAT threats, rather than imeding them. Certainly, the air gaps are considerably less than for German skirt armor. Nor did either the Panzerfaust or the Panzerschreck projectiles use the RPG style inner and outer gapped nose cone construction wherein fuze defeat could result from hitting chain link fencing other than directly nose on. 
Regards,

John Kettler


 

The default projectile in the breech of the 100 mm ought to be HE frag, for that is its go to round. And the tactical drill should be to fire  that immediately, then reload with the ATGM. That's faster than unloading the HE round, clearing it away from the breech, then loading the ATGM.
Regards,
John Kettler

High tech TP delivery to a friend in need. Has embedded video, too.

https://trendingviews.co/video/man-sends-friend-roll-of-toilet-paper-across-town-via-drone-11746.html?fbclid=IwAR0bhxlw83u8EF5aRsU3d3suLX-SIVDowKXuIN1-UaCuzTh6cnlkSdTk4rc

Regards,

John Kettler

Was trying to find some GPW or right before Russian training films and struck gold, when I found Part 2 of a restored  1940 one called "Rear of a Tank Battalion". Am only slightly joking about people needing spare underwear on hand, for the content is staggering in depth and breadth. More like total immersion. This film apparently was a silent film and uses a mix of film and animation to convey the required info. Tanks are T-26 single turret and the command tanks as well with radio. This is how the Rear operates in the overall context of the Tank Battalion, whose combat actions most definitely are shown.

https://www.dailymotion.com/search/rear of a tank battalion

Regards,

John Kettler

Aragorn2002,
In the long LL thread, I produced a direct quote from Khrushchev: "Without Lend-Lease, the Red Army would've starved." He was in a position to know, since he was Stalin's special envoy to the Front commanders. Zhukov said the Red Army wouldn't have been able to produce the weapons it needed without US explosives, steel, machine. tools and other things I don't presently recall. Again, here is a person who would know.

Regards,

John Kettler

Vergeltungswaffe,
Impressive theorizing, theoretically! Appreciate the info.

Regards,

John Kettler

Aragorn2002,
In the long LL thread, I produced a direct quote from Khrushchev: "Without Lend-Lease, the Red Army would've starved." He was in a position to know, since he was Stalin's special envoy to the Front commanders. Zhukov said the Red Army wouldn't have been able to produce the weapons it needed without US explosives, steel, machine. tools and other things I don't presently recall. Again, here is a person who would know.

Regards,

John Kettler

tagge,
That was CMBB, which was absolutely staggering in forces included and time span covered.

Regards,

John Kettler

Have seen still and moving imagery of all sort of AFVs in Paris in this period, including a CV-33 and a recaptured Char B heavy tank with FFI stenciled on it in huge size, but this is one I never knew of before today. This is the blown up version of the pic. Wonder what the locals thought as these ground shakers came through. Note the guy on his bicycle based cart between the two monsters.

Regards,

John Kettler

Friends of the Tank Museum posted this great pic on FB. Too good not to share.



Regards,

John Kettler

Here's some eye-popping video of RPG-29 use in Syria, Was unaware Russia kept none, but it seemed reasonable to posit it was too big and awkward for BMP and BTR type vehicles, never mind heavy to carry. It turns out, though, it can be disassembled like the airborne version of the US WW II bazooka. This I was completely unware of until I watched the extremely informative English language video, which revealed a great deal about this weapon, which has a tandem charge and numbers among its intended prey the US M1A2. Range is 500 meters. Empty weight is 11 kg, and the projectile adds 6 more, 17 kg, so not light. For forces consisting of mostly infantry and open bed technicals, they make much better sense, and there's no denying their potency. 
 
The Houthis in Yemen apparently have them, too, for I've seen video of a guy schlepping the monster across rocky terrain there. To say that big pipe on his shoulder stands out like crazy against a background fill of highly irregular in form low rocks doesn't begin to state how instantly detectable he was.

Regards,

John Kettler

Wart 'n' all,
You're most welcome. Hadn't seen it myself, so decided to share my discovery. 

Regards,

John Kettler
 

Friends of the Tank Museum posted this great pic on FB. Too good not to share.



Regards,

John Kettler

Friends of the Tank Museum posted this great pic on FB. Too good not to share.



Regards,

John Kettler

Friends of the Tank Museum posted this great pic on FB. Too good not to share.



Regards,

John Kettler

LukeFF,
It's the best quality one I've ever seen. AsI indicated in the OP, I have seen others, but the image quality was poor. Even as thumbnail, this one is very good and shot from close range. Ironically, my understanding is that these screens really didn't help, other than give the crews a certain amount of comfort. My understanding is that the distance was helpful to the HEAT threats, rather than imeding them. Certainly, the air gaps are considerably less than for German skirt armor. Nor did either the Panzerfaust or the Panzerschreck projectiles use the RPG style inner and outer gapped nose cone construction wherein fuze defeat could result from hitting chain link fencing other than directly nose on. 
Regards,

John Kettler


 

Though you'll probably be immensely frustrated you can't follow what's being said, other than generally, the visuals will get you through, and they cover much more than the ostensible subject. Stills, live fire, forward recon (if you can believe it), use as artillery proper, tank descents, lots of Panzer wrecks, firing range impact results vs a number of Panzers, plus lots of other goodies. Image quality compared to usual GPW offering is superb. SU-152, ISU-152, ISU-122, Emchas, ZIS-2, etc. Tons of German pics I'd not seen before, too.Imagery not confined to Eastern Front, either, since discussion apparently contextualizes the ISU-152. Visual reference par excellence!
 

Regards,

John Kettler

LukeFF,
It's the best quality one I've ever seen. AsI indicated in the OP, I have seen others, but the image quality was poor. Even as thumbnail, this one is very good and shot from close range. Ironically, my understanding is that these screens really didn't help, other than give the crews a certain amount of comfort. My understanding is that the distance was helpful to the HEAT threats, rather than imeding them. Certainly, the air gaps are considerably less than for German skirt armor. Nor did either the Panzerfaust or the Panzerschreck projectiles use the RPG style inner and outer gapped nose cone construction wherein fuze defeat could result from hitting chain link fencing other than directly nose on. 
Regards,

John Kettler


 

LukeFF,
It's the best quality one I've ever seen. AsI indicated in the OP, I have seen others, but the image quality was poor. Even as thumbnail, this one is very good and shot from close range. Ironically, my understanding is that these screens really didn't help, other than give the crews a certain amount of comfort. My understanding is that the distance was helpful to the HEAT threats, rather than imeding them. Certainly, the air gaps are considerably less than for German skirt armor. Nor did either the Panzerfaust or the Panzerschreck projectiles use the RPG style inner and outer gapped nose cone construction wherein fuze defeat could result from hitting chain link fencing other than directly nose on. 
Regards,

John Kettler


 

Have been seeing accounts, plus the rare and blurry pic occasionally, for years, but here is a crisp clean pic of a T-34/85 (shot at Brandenburger Gate in 1945) with two different kinds of protection: one for the turret and another for the upper hull. Below pic expands when clicked.
Regards,
John Kettler