Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
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fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The Sheridans in S.E.A. had a main gun technically capable of firing the Copperhead missile. It was never used in theatre due to problems with the integrity of the breech mechanism. Thus they only had access to H.E. caseless electrically primed ammo. If the Sheridans were hit with AT fire, the ammo was an extreme fire hazard.
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I once had had an opportunity to fire the 152mm HE round from a Sheridan at Ft Knox. The recoil made it buck like a mule.
fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I once had had an opportunity to fire the 152mm HE round from a Sheridan at Ft Knox. The recoil made it buck like a mule.
I guess a Churchill it was not. Cool experience! You have led a storied life Cap'n.
That would have been the MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank guided missile launched from the Sheridan's 152mm gun, not Copperhead.
The M712 Copperhead was an 155mm laser guided artillery round that didn't enter service until the 1980s.
In Southeast Asia, the Sheridan had access to M409 HEAT-T-MP, M625 canister, and M657 HE-T ammunition.
The ammunition is often described as caseless, but it did have an aluminum base and a non-metallic case body.
Edit: Leaving the Shillelagh missiles (and their guidance systems) at home likely had more to do with a lack of suitable tank targets in SE Asia rather than the issues with the original M81 gun/launcher.
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It was the folk who were resisting during hostilities who had had to use whatever equipment they could unofficially procure.
By the end of hostilities, the Canadian Army had hauled an impressive amount of gear into the Netherlands and didn't want to have to bring it all back home, especially with the Dutch Army needing to re-equip. There's been a particularly close relationship ever since.
fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
He is not wrong. In Belgium for example, SMLE rifles were provided in some numbers to Belgium as soon as it was feasible after WWII. At least my dad harboured a hate for any German arms and it did not end there. If he was around today all these Wehr - aboos would be regarded by him similarly to how he would regard racks of yard tools at Sears. Unlike some today, he did not consider the SMLE as the fowling piece of an impoverished habitant.
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Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Many of us will be aware of the "Tank Destruction Badge", issued to German (and aligned) troops for the individual destruction of a tank using hand weapons.
Some guys took the job pretty seriously, apparently.
That's Gunther Viezenz, who eneded up with four Tank Destruction badges in Gold (indicating five destroyed tanks each) and one in Silver (indicating an individual). Incredibly he survived the war, joined the Bundeswehr in '56, and didn't retire until 1980. The man sure found his niche.
Until a couple days ago, I had no idea there was an "Aircraft Destruction Badge" (same deal - hand weapons, all by your lonesome) issued (or not) in 1945. Looks like this:
Apparently it was awarded but never issued, what with the German Bureaucracy operating at full "war emergency power" in 1945. But in 1957, Souval, a manufacturer of awards, issued them to vets who'd won them during the war for wear at social events. These went out the door with other "denazified" awards - Knight's Crosses sans swastikas, etc. They show up in post-'57 pictures. This fellow wears his as part of his medal bar:
Some guys took the job pretty seriously, apparently.
That's Gunther Viezenz, who eneded up with four Tank Destruction badges in Gold (indicating five destroyed tanks each) and one in Silver (indicating an individual). Incredibly he survived the war, joined the Bundeswehr in '56, and didn't retire until 1980. The man sure found his niche.
Until a couple days ago, I had no idea there was an "Aircraft Destruction Badge" (same deal - hand weapons, all by your lonesome) issued (or not) in 1945. Looks like this:
Apparently it was awarded but never issued, what with the German Bureaucracy operating at full "war emergency power" in 1945. But in 1957, Souval, a manufacturer of awards, issued them to vets who'd won them during the war for wear at social events. These went out the door with other "denazified" awards - Knight's Crosses sans swastikas, etc. They show up in post-'57 pictures. This fellow wears his as part of his medal bar:
- Location
- Leduc County, Alberta
Excellent! I actually never knew of the Individual Plane Destruction Badge. Neat!
The ‘57 awards are an interesting niche to dive into as well.
The ‘57 awards are an interesting niche to dive into as well.
fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I was not aware the Finns captured a T 28. Essentially it was an almost direct copy of the Vickers Independent. A British Army lieutenant is said to have provided the entire technical package he had access to to German spies.
Not nearly enough machineguns though.
M2A4 tank with five mg's on maneuvers at Fort Belvoir, 1941.
The ammo load for the mg's on the M2 was over 8000 rounds. Assuming 220 rounds per box thats about 37 boxes stowed inside.
Not nearly enough machineguns though.
M2A4 tank with five mg's on maneuvers at Fort Belvoir, 1941.
The ammo load for the mg's on the M2 was over 8000 rounds. Assuming 220 rounds per box thats about 37 boxes stowed inside.
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