Weapons of WW2

[Stosch]

i guess not lol

[carl]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Good story Franken, not that the packer could expect a visit from the user if it didn't work :)"

i bet the packer always got a Christmas card!

[Dj]

Tanks, for the memories, and they are for sale.

https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoram...

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Honey I've just bought us a new vehicle...

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I don't think my retirement payout will stretch that far!

[Dj]

With an M1 you could have tactical superiority in your neighborhood.

[Manray9]

I read the section of Chris Chant's book --

Aircraft of World War II

on the Fieseler Fi-156, known as "Storch." Rommel used one extensively in North Africa. According to Chant, a Storch could take off in 65 meters, land in 20 meters, and maintain controlled flight a speeds down to 25 mph. In a 25 mhp headwind, it would virtually hover. Pretty amazing!

Here's a photo of a Storch airborne.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...

[Feliks]

Is there a table anywhere showing artillery shell mm/inch sizes and their accompanying ranges?

[Dj]

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/...

Tty this, not exactly a user friend list that you can run your finger down but very factual.

http://www.ghqmodels.com/pdf/pt2micro...

This second is weapon data that a friend of mine developed for a game. It is free now from GHQ, the ranges need to be adjusted from the game system, of 100 meters per inch, but that should give you a base to work from.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Thanks Dj for helping Feliks out with those links.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Here is a new Osprey release that may be of interest:


Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck by Gordon L. Rottman
Description:
These lethal man-portable anti-tank weapons enabled Wehrmacht infantry to destroy T-34 and Sherman tanks. Written by an expert on anti-tank warfare, this book reveals the fascinating development history of the Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck and accessess the tactics that were employed by the soldiers using these two feared weapons.

Two of World War II's most distinctive weapons, the Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck offered German and other infantrymen the ability to destroy enemy tanks singlehandedly at close range. While the Panzerschreck owed its origins largely to the US bazooka, the Panzerfaust was a revolutionary design that was unlike any previous weapon, and went on to influence anti-tank technology and tactics for decades after World War II.

Germany had begun World War II with several inadequate antitank weapons for infantry use, supplemented by improvised and captured weapons and, from 1942, a hand-delivered 3kg antitank shaped charge. As the fortunes of war turned against Germany, what was desperately needed was an antitank weapon that allowed the individual soldier to destroy a tank. The first effort to field such a weapon began with the Faustpatrone 43, a handheld short tube with a propellant charge and an over-caliber, shaped-charge warhead; it was the first of the Panzerfaust ("armor fist") series of anti-tank weapons. The warhead was propelled by a launcher cartridge. The sights were extremely crude, but more sophisticated sights were unnecessary owing to the short ranges and the fact that tanks were large targets. Panzerfaust models were designated by two- or three-digit numbers indicating their approximate range in meters. The reloadable Panzerfaust 250 was under development a the war's end, as was an anti-personnel high-explosive-fragmentation projectile.

The Panzerfaust was not manned by a dedicated crew but was issued to individuals. Training was extremely simple and given in the form of a lecture and demonstrations, often without even any live fire. German propaganda made much of the Panzerfaust capable of being use by Hitler Youth teenagers, old men of the Volkssturm and other civilians. Over eight million Panzerfauste of all types were produced, and they became as widely used as hand grenades. They proved to be comparatively effective against tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, as well as fortifications and buildings. Allied troops, notably Soviet forces, made widespread use of captured Panzerfauste, and they were also supplied to German allies such as Finland, Hungary, and Bulgaria. The Germans provided the Japanese with examples and plans for the Panzerfaust and they went on to develop their own reloadable and very different version called the 45mm Type 5 recoilless anti-tank weapon; it was to be used to defend the Home Islands.

[hunter]

Nick I share your passion for tigers but in the end I prefer the panzer 4 h because of the easy build like the Sherman, but is superior to the Sherman in fire powers and ruggedness.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

The Panzer Mk 4 was a great tank, very versatile and has to be considered the backbone of Germany's armoured forces during WW2.

[James]

As far as German tanks go I'd say the Pz IV is my favourite as well. It also had the distinction of being the only German tank produced throughout the entire war.
As for a the Pz IV being superior to a Sherman, well a Sherman Firefly would cut through a Pz IV like warm butter ;)

[hunter]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "The Panzer Mk 4 was a great tank, very versatile and has to be considered the backbone of Germany's armored forces during WW2."
actually the considered back bone for most of the war was actually the 50mm pz. 3 until the t-34 came in Stalingrad

[hunter]

James wrote: "As far as German tanks go I'd say the Pz IV is my favourite as well. It also had the distinction of being the only German tank produced throughout the entire war.
As for a the Pz IV being superior..." to true but that was a british improvement not american what we did was make the "easy 8" with a longer 75mm gun.

[James]

The T-34 tank came long before Stalingrad and at that time the Pz III was already being out classed as a main battle tank. The Pz IIIL did see considerable action at Kursk however the Pz IVG, H, and J were the mainstay of the German tank formations. Many Pz IIIs saw themselves in a close support role as the war progressed being armed with a shirt barreled 75mm, ironically the same gun that equipped the early Pz IVs. The Pz III was certainly the backbone of the Panzer arm early in the war but by the end of 1942 and early 1943 it was starting to be outclassed, not to say they weren't a useful machine however.

[Kris]

The panzer III biggest contribution was its conversion to the Stug for close infantry support and anti tank duty as well.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Kris wrote: "The panzer III biggest contribution was its conversion to the Stug for close infantry support and anti tank duty as well."

Very good point Kris.

[hunter]

good point indeed, but in the end my absolute favorite machine ever to exist and I really wish i had is a sdfk 251 german medium half track.

[hunter]

Kris wrote: "The panzer III biggest contribution was its conversion to the Stug for close infantry support and anti tank duty as well."

in your oppionion what is the best model of stug, mine isn't really a stug its a jagdpanther. using the panters chasey, and an 88 as a tank hunter

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

hunter wrote: "good point indeed, but in the end my absolute favorite machine ever to exist and I really wish i had is a sdfk 251 german medium half track."

I think a few in the group would like one as well :)

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

I'd like to offer a couple of weapons of war for WWII (in addition to my earlier posts) that are not as "heavy": first the anti-personnel mine for its ability to inflict fear, operational delay and casualties that need attention and logistics; second the British/Commonwealth 2 inch mortar which provided cheap, portable and effective infantry support throughout all theatres.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Good suggestions Geevee, the 2" mortar was a very handy weapon indeed!

[Dj]

hunter wrote: "Nick I share your passion for tigers but in the end I prefer the panzer 4 h because of the easy build like the Sherman, but is superior to the Sherman in fire powers and ruggedness."

Firepower yes, ruggedness no. The Sherman had one flaw in comparison to the German tanks (well other than firepower) in the ruggedness department. Tracks were not wide enough. Sherman breakdown rates were minute compared to its German counterparts.

Tiger was a brick.

[Colin]

I interviewed many Tiger crews/commanders, and their stories were quite interesting indeed. One of the best interviews was with a Soviet T-34 and later KV-1 commander, describing fighting Tiger I and II variants.

[hunter]

who agrees that having an enfeild no. 1 mark 3 in 30-06 would be lots of fun and useful?

[Manray9]

hunter wrote: "who agrees that having an enfeild no. 1 mark 3 in 30-06 would be lots of fun and useful?"

Do you have one? That's the so-called American Enfield of WW I fame.

[Manray9]

Although not about WW II, I just finished reading --

The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam by Martin Windrow

The French defense of Dien Bien Phu was much aided by a weapon developed in late WW II -- the M45 Quadmount. Four M2 .50 cal machines guns mounted on an electric turret were an awesome weapon. The original concept was for use as a close-in AA system, but it proved very effective against infantry. The French had four M45 mounts near the center of the garrison, which were useful in fending off repeated Viet Minh infantry assaults on the Eliane strongpoints. Of interest to me was the success the mounts had in long range indirect fire under centralized fire control. Against infantry, they were used as if they were artillery pieces.

Here's a photo

http://www.guns.com/wp-content/upload...

[Manray9]

Here is an interesting article on the alleged influence of Luftwaffe Col. Hans-Ulrich Rudel on the development of the USAF A-10 Warthog. Although the USAF may deny it, I believe they do denigrate the role of CAS and CAS aircraft and pilots just like the USN does for P-3, E-2, S-3 or helo pilots. To gain high rank you must fly a fighter or bomber. Just food for thought. I read Rudel's book many years ago:

Stuka Pilot

The link:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles...

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Interesting article Manray9, thanks for posting the link. I must confess to loving both the Stuka and the A-10, great looking war machines! I also read Stuka Pilot and it has to be considered a WW2 classic.

[happy]

Thnx Manray - good article. I agree that the USAF doesn't particularly care for the CAS role.

[Colin]

Manray9 wrote: "Here is an interesting article on the alleged influence of Luftwaffe Col. Hans-Ulrich Rudel on the development of the USAF A-10 Warthog. Although the USAF may deny it, I believe they do denigrate ..."

Yeo, Col. Robert S. Johnson who gained fame in the P-47 Thunderbolt was a Republic/Fairchild spokesperson and advisor, along with Rudel and Wolfgang Falck (night fighters, ground attack(. I knew Johnson and Falck, as well as Kurt Kuhlmey, who was also consulted.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

This May 2015 release may interest some members of the group:


Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II by Steven Zaloga
Description:
Armor expert Zaloga enters the battle over the best tanks of World War II with this heavy-caliber blast of a book armed with more than forty years of research.
•Provocative but fact-based rankings of the tanks that fought the Second World War
•Breaks the war into eight periods and declares Tanker's Choice and Commander's Choice for each
•Champions include the German Panzer IV and Tiger, Soviet T-34, American Pershing, and a few surprises
•Compares tanks' firepower, armor protection, and mobility as well as dependability, affordability, tactics, training, and overall combat performance
•Relies on extensive documentation from archives, government studies, and published sources--much of which has never been published in English before
•Supported by dozens of charts and diagrams and hundreds of photos.

Also posted in the New Release thread.

[happy]

For anyone interested, I finally got around to typing up my thoughts on Barret Tillman's Enterprise: America's Fightingest Ship and the Men Who Helped Win World War II

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

also posted in the Books on the Pacific Theatre thread

[Doubledf99.99]

Happy has good reads been acting strange at your location today?

[happy]

not really- it has been taking longer to post however

[Doubledf99.99]

Yours are the first new comments I've seen posted on here in the last 4 to 5 hours or so, same for a few other groups as well.

[Doubledf99.99]

happy wrote: "For anyone interested, I finally got around to typing up my thoughts on Barret Tillman's [book:Enterprise: America's Fightingest Ship and the Men Who Helped Win World War II|129866..."
Very good review, like your take on the XO's.

[Doubledf99.99]

Its my lucky day its available for the Kindle device as well.

[happy]

Doubledf99.99 wrote: "happy wrote: "For anyone interested, I finally got around to typing up my thoughts on Barret Tillman's [book:Enterprise: America's Fightingest Ship and the Men Who Helped Win World..."

tnx

[Feliks]

Gang,

Can I straw-poll you all on a weaponry question?

What do you feel were the best machine-pistols of WWII?

Either your personal fave, or 'objective best' overall?

Thanks

Dzerzh

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I love the MP38/40 but only because it was what I sort of grew up on in the war movies and comic books. I think the PPSh41 must rate highly for its durability an ease of function plus its magazine capacity. However one of the best and least recognized machine pistols of WW2 is the Owen:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Gun

[^]

Do find your way to the South-East of Britain; and head for the Royal Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey, (Herts/Essex border). There, in the Armoury, you'll find one man's remarkable collection of guns: see http://www.royalgunpowdermills.com/mu... and follow the embedded link to 'The Armoury Catalogue'.

The volunteer on duty the day I visited was extremely knowledgeable and helpful; allowing me to handle a number of firearms in the collection, incl. those of WW2 vintage. Whilst tactfully spotting that I knew nothing of the subject, he enlightened me at a level I could appreciate and understand!

[Feliks]

Thanks! That site looks like a blast...


(Sssssbadombomp)

[Manray9]

I am a fan of the Osprey books. I was thumbing through my copy of --

The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II by Richard Doherty

when encountering an interesting tidbit. The British 4th Reconnaissance Regiment had a distinguished history in North Africa and Italy. In '44 the regiment was re-equipped with the American T17E1 Staghound armored car. The U.S. Army didn't buy the T17E1, but the UK did. It was a successful design with a top speed of 56 mph, road range of 450 miles, a turret-mounted 37mm gun with co-axial .30 cal machine gun, and a hull-mounted .30 machine gun too. The problem? At 14 tons and almost 9 feet in width, the Staghound couldn't handle Italian roads and bridges very well. The U.S. didn't adopt it because it was deemed too heavy. We went with the M3 Greyhound which weighed 5 1/2 tons less and was narrower.

Here's a pic of Canadian Staghounds in Northern Europe. They performed well there due to more highly-developed road and bridge systems:

http://regimentalrogue.tripod.com/blo...

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I've always liked the Staghound, thanks for the link to the picture Manray9 and also the interesting tidbit on its selection by the Brit's.

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I've always liked the Staghound, thanks for the link to the picture Manray9 and also the interesting tidbit on its selection by the Brit's."

I saw the Aussies used it too.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Yes, we had a few for quite a while then we across to the Ferret Scout car along with the Saladin and Saracen AFV's:

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-a...

My dad use to own a Ferret and a Saracen, great fun to drive :)

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Yes, we had a few for quite a while then we across to the Ferret Scout car along with the Saladin and Saracen AFV's:

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-a...

My dad use to own..."

Sounds like fun.