Picture of the day

[Dark Alley Dan]

Hartmann had a very impressive career as a pilot. There was the war (1,404 sorties, which helps explain the 352 kills) then 10 years in Siberia, then upon his release, another 20 years leading a squadron.

Meanwhile, closer to the ground...

 

[Recce21]

Sweet Lord. To own that Motorrad.
That blackout light is kick ass.

Hartman had a very impressive career as a pilot. There was the war (1,404 sorties, which helps explain the 352 kills) then 10 years in Siberia, then upon his release, another 20 years leading a squadron.

Meanwhile, closer to the ground...

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I know remarkably little about motorcycles, but I always wanted either a wartime Zundapp or a BMW. Such great looking bikes. But I assume my ignorance and lust has blinded me to their limitations. What are they like to ride?

 

[Sharps '63]

Both got bogged down in the Russian mud and were not great x-country machines. The concept of the bad azz 'dirt bike' had not yet been realized.

My Panzer Grenadier father-in-law had nothing but praise for the VW Kubelwagon. Why? Because when you needed it, it worked! When it was allowed to freeze up, they lit a helmet of fuel underneath the engine to warm up the oil and drove off. He said the Kubelwagon got him out of Stalingrad before the complete encirclement.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

"C'mon, your gutless beeyotch. Ivan ist commt!"

Happier times:

 

[Sporting Lad]

IIRC the later Sidecar rigs were 2WD, which made them capable off-road machines.
Of course, there's never been a "getting stuck-proof" vehicle... (8:0|

 

[XRCD011]

"C'mon, your gutless beeyotch. Ivan ist commt!"

Happier times:

And the bogged Murdercycle rider is wonder where that circus elephant got off to after pulling the Krupp Protze out of its bog.

 

[MarkCNP]

 

[purple]

Allied pistols and motorcycles; effective German secret weapons during WW2.

 

[XRCD011]

Man if I was a German soldier in WWII and saw those guys on scooters coming along I would not have the heart to shoot them and would be laughing to hard to actually get a aimed shot off.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

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

Neat concept, but yeah, a bit like those bears at the circus...

 

[MarkCNP]

Waiting for his moment to escape . . .

 

[ipscgraz]

I see a throttle cable but no brakes?

 

[camster]

I see a throttle cable but no brakes?

Boots in Flintstone style

 

[XRCD011]

I see a throttle cable but no brakes?

Foot actuated on right hand side.

 

[purple]

Waiting for his moment to escape . . .

It might be one of those "Barenjude" from "Inglourious Basterds".

 

[Bacon Sandwich]

You can buy a Ural here in Canada. Soviet knock-off of a BMW, virtually unchanged in the past seventy years apart from modern brakes, I understand.

http://www.uralcanada.com/

 

[Sporting Lad]

Their cavalry had no need of "horses or bayonets" once the scooter was discovered.
"The Terror of the Western Front!"
Well, at least if they ever got stuck in the mud, they could just hop off, pick them up,
and walk to higher ground. :^]

 

[Sporting Lad]

OK, either that's a Ukrainian Steppe Sasquatch, or a sniper wearing a misguided attempt at a
ghilly suit. "Intelligence" reported that lurking in the woods dressed as a bear was not one of their
best ideas. Due to a number of 'friendly fire' casualties, and a lack of volunteers, the programme was
cut in early 1943.

 

[Cdn303]

You can buy a Ural here in Canada. Soviet knock-off of a BMW, virtually unchanged in the past seventy years apart from modern brakes, I understand.

http://www.uralcanada.com/

I hate you