Photos of WW2 Vehicles

[Groundhog]

I was in Normandy last weekend and the place is awash with museums and the odd tank or ten as one would expect. Here's a few pics.




Stuart Light Tank



V 1

[Groundhog]

Cushman Airborne Scooter Model 53. It had a 262 cc 4-Stroke engine, weighed 260lbs and had a maximum speed of 45mph. It had automatic gears but no shock absorbers.

The Dakota in the background was flown on D-Day by Lt Charles Imschweiler with his crew 2/Lt Karl Ristvedt, 2/Lt Marshal Ryder, S/Sgt John Ginter and Sgt Charles Jensen.

[Groundhog]

A Churchill Tank. I'm guessing it was a Crocodile Flamethrower Tank because it has this pipe sticking out the back, presumably to feed the fuel from the trailer. But I'm open to correction.

[Groundhog]

A Sherman Tank. And below is an A10 Tank Destroyer, I think.

[Barry]

A Churchill Tank. I'm guessing it was a Crocodile Flamethrower Tank because it has this pipe sticking out the back, presumably to feed the fuel from the trailer. But I'm open to correction.

Aye, 'tis. Should have had a flame projector in place of the hull mounted Besa, similar to this one:

[Groundhog]

A Hetzer Tank Destroyer. his along with the Churchill, Sherman and A10 are outside the Battle of Normandy Museum in Bayeux. It has lots of goodies inside too but they won't let you use a camera.



Sherman M4. This and the American stuff above are in the Airborne Museum in St. Mere Eglise.

[Groundhog]

Aye, 'tis. Should have had a flame projector in place of the hull mounted Besa, similar to this one:

So it does.



Now can you explain the markings on the turret of the Centaur. The one below was resurrected in the 70s and stands at Pegasus Bridge.

[Groundhog]

Interior of a Waco Glider.

[Barry]

Now can you explain the markings on the turret of the Centaur.

Firing from landing craft. Allowed the tank to be used as a rather crude indirect fire weapon, instead of sitting idle on the landing craft. As used by the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group on D Day.

[hptmurphy]

Correct Barry,,nice to see you doing your home work

Nice piccies Groundhog.

[Groundhog]

Firing from landing craft. Allowed the tank to be used as a rather crude indirect fire weapon, instead of sitting idle on the landing craft. As used by the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group on D Day.

The armament is a 95mm howziter so the markings would have been used on land also. But it must have required some hot mental aritmethic to aim a weapon that way.

[Groundhog]

The Honey and V1 are located at The Atlantic Wall Museum in Ouistreham. The Museum was a fire control bunker for the area, contolling amongst others, the Merville Battery. Here are some pics from the museum.



The Museum entrance. The original bunker entrance is inside.



Diorama of a German sentry covering the bunker entrance with an MG42.

[Groundhog]

The bunker was captured on 9 June 1944 when Lt Bob Orrell, 91 Fld Coy, RE blew the entrance door open. The display above and below recreates the scene.

[Groundhog]

Inside the bunker are displays of the living quarters and duties of the garrison. There were 52 men inside when the allies landed.



Living quarters above. Armoury below.

[Groundhog]