Posted on 10/10/2005 9:03:44 PM PDT by alfa6
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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling of a wheeled vehicle. In 1911 the French engineer Adolphe Kégresse converted a number of cars from the personal car park of Czar of Russia as half-tracks. From 1916 onward there was a Russian project by the Putilov plant to produce military half-tracks along the same lines using trucks and French track parts. Half-tracks were used extensively in World War II by all sides, especially the Germans and Americans, but fell out of favor soon after, replaced with fully-tracked or fully-wheeled vehicles. Half-tracks were used primarily as armored personnel carriers, but also saw duty as mortar carriers, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, self-propelled anti-tank guns, artillery haulers, armored fighting vehicles and many other tasks. One notable user of half tracks after WW-II was the Israel Defense Forces who used half tracks until just recently. The Sonderkraftfahrzeuge, or "special vehicle" series were invaluable multi-purpose vehicles used throughout the war as support vehicles. The SdKfz 250 and 251 models were used as troop carriers that accompanied tanks into battle and were armed with machine guns, mortars or rockets called Wurfrahmen. This made them an excellent mobile artillery unit but their weak armor made them easy targets for tanks, heavy machine guns, or even grenades. While Panzer Divisions were first being developed requirements were given for a personnel carrier that was armored and could carry the infantry into battle. In 1935 it was suggested that an armored body could be placed on a medium half track tractor. The SdKfz 11 became the basis for the chassis of the Sd. Kfz. 251 series Produced by Hanomag, but the hull and superstructure were built by Büssing-NAG. 22 different models made. A brief listing of some of the models follows. SdKfz 251/1 mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen: Crew of 11. Had 2 7.92 mm MG34s and 1 MG34 or MG42, with 2,010 rounds. SdKfz 251/1 mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen (Wurfrahmen 40): Crew of 7. Had 2 MG34s or MG42s. Had 5: 28cm Sprengranate (HE round) and 1: 32cm Flammgranate (incendiary round). After France in 1940 J. Gast KG, Berlin were ordered to create a projector for the Wurfgerät 40. The elevation was +5° to +40°. Firing took 10 seconds and the range of 1.9 km for Sprengranate and 2.2 km for Flammgranate. Nicknamed "Walking Stuka" or "Bellowing Cow"
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Morning, PE!!
Shoot you are way ahead of me, after "nien", "raus", "kaput" and "fliegerabwherkannoen" I am pretty much out of German!
Thanks for the compliment, although I think it could have been better.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
That reminds of the story that been attributted to Gen. Bradley. Bradley asked a GI in North Africa about the armor on the half tracks and the GI said, "Naw the bullets just go through one side and kinda rattle around the inside."
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Since the tag on the photo ID is of Blue Angles genre and the
Marine fly the Fat Albert support craft I would have to say it is a USMC Bulldog D.I. figure.
Plus I cheated and looked at the pic under a little bit higher resolution. he, he.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Thanks, Alpha6, for taking up the Foxhole...even if it's just occasionally. You did a great job!
Thanks for the kind comments, as I go thought todays thread I see a few things I wished I had done differently.
Oh well, Maybe next time I can get it right.
Y'all have a good day
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
A kewpie doll to whoever can name the Officer in this picture. ;-)
Schnell Heinz
Morning DD. I remember when comics were 10 cents, too. Of course back then I was buying "romance" comic books. LOL.
Hey there!
Good morning Gail. If it's Treadhead Tuesday then it must be Quilting Day for you. :-)
Neat f-o-g. Neat tagline too.
Don't forget Jeb Stuart and the Haunted Tank.
XOXO
Looks like Guderian
Liked that better than Sgt Rock. :-)
I hate when that happens
How'd I know you'd get it? :-)
Dodging flak? Morning PE.
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