Couple photos

[Compass Rose]

Very nice find, Jobu88.

[Laza]

A few more photos from some of excellent colourization artists on the net

1. A German Fallschirmjager at Anzio showing off the spoils of war


2. US Captain Willard V. Horne, Communications Officer hands the BC-603 receiver of the SCR-528 mobile radio to Lt. Stanley James.
They are an M4A3 Sherman B-17 from 'B' Company, 25th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division in the Alsace town of Ohlungen. March 24, 1945.

(Note the M-1 Carbine leaning against the Sherman turret)

3. On May 10, 1945, in a field near the Dutch town of Soest, the remnants of the German 6. Fallschirmjäger Division well  formally surrendered to the Allies

Among the men photographed that day was this Luftwaffe’s veteran. His clothes and awards tell an interesting story:

On his pilot’s leather jacket, above the zipper, is pinned a Kampfflieger clasp (operational flight clasp for bomber crewmen), and below it, on the left, a pilot’s badge. This combination seems to indicate that this man was at some point a bomber pilot with at least 20 missions to his name, the minimum required to be awarded the bronze clasp (60 for silver, 100 for gold).

As for the other awards, besides the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge (at least silver for 3 or 4 wounds), he also has the Ground Assault Badge (the one with a lightning below the eagle), awarded to all Luftwaffe personnel who took part in ground military actions.

All put together, it seems to suggest that this man not only saw action as a bomber pilot, but after transfer to the Fallschirmjäger, also saw combat as an infantryman

[johnsilver]

Everything about that Shermie picture is sweet. stared at it for several minutes taking in the details

Just how long did it take the crew to construct those rails to hold all that sand bag armor? Was it worth covering up the bow MG for just a couple extra on the front? beautiful picture.

[Weasel]

And all those sandbags will do nothing; they may (may) cause the panzerfaust to detonate early, acting as spaced armour, but I wouldn't put my life on it. But then again, anything is worth a try when you are driving around in a death trap.

Good pics.

[johnsilver]

Agree. Screck/heat only thing could have helped with and those racks appear to be metal. Wouldn't that have required welding at some point, weakening the armor? Didn't some units have memos strictly against that? Just asking, going from what think might have read somewhere long ago regarding welding on the high strength armor.

[Laza]

LOL well first thing I thought when I saw that Sherman was, "Gee that would make a good model diorama"
I guess we all see different things : )
Anyway a few more B/W photos given a colour makeover


1. Despatch rider Private Harry McDowell of the 48th Highlanders of Canada, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, delivering a message to the battalion’s advanced headquarters.
Regalbuto, Sicily, August 4, 1943



2. T-26E tanks and a DKW NZ500 Motorbike (1939) of the Finnish 3rd Armoured Company near the Juoksiala village on the Aunus Isthmus, September 5 1941.
(Nb. 3rd Company insignia - 'Skull and Crossbones' seen on the tank and bike)


3. A British soldier with a young German prisoner sitting on the bonnet of an ambulance jeep, near Lorenzo in the Lazio region of central Italy. 21 January 1944.

[Hedgehog]

Thanks for sharing the pictures lads.....Real good ones there

[Jobu88]

And all those sandbags will do nothing;  they may (may) cause the panzerfaust to detonate early, acting as spaced armour, but I wouldn't put my life on it.  But then again, anything is worth a try when you are driving around in a death trap.

Good pics.

I've found photos on Pinterest in which Sherman crews went to the time to frame up a mold and pour concrete on the hull front !!   Also just taking plate steel and welding it into the front and sides......sandbags.......logs.......basically anything to slow down the shell trying to get through your armor.   Plenty of Russian tank photos with bed springs placed on the sides to protect I guess against magnetic mines?    Getting shot at is a great motivator for thinking of ways to increase your protection.


Concrete armor:







Sand / wood/ whatever armor:








Lumber armor:

[Laza]

A couple more colorization photos


1. A snow camouflaged M4A3 76w Sherman tank with a 76mm gun, belonging to the 709th or 750th Tank Battalion, supporting the 75th Infantry Division, driving through the village of Riedwihr in the Colmar region of France, 31 January 1945

2. IWM caption - "New Zealanders take prisoner the crew of a Matilda tank, captured by the Germans and used in an attempt to break through the Allied lines, during which it was knocked out by an anti-tank gun, 3 December 1941."

[Weasel]

All of these colourized photos are pretty cool.