Matrose: Marine-Artillerie-Einheiten

     The Kriegsmarine maintained shore-based forces and coastal artillery (Marine-Artillerie-Einheiten) was one of those components. Typically, these artillery units were positioned at vital ports and harbors but could be redeployed to defend any coastal region from attack. 

     The soldier shown here holds the rank of Matrose (Seaman), the lowest rank in the Kriegsmarine. The shoulder boards have the coastal artillery cypher in gold colored threading which is that of an anchor over which is a stylized winged artillery shell. The collar litzen was identical to that used by the Heer (Army) except that the litzen was gold in color with a white center stripe. Likewise, the eagle insignia over the right breast pocket was similar to the Heer but was gold in color as well and used a dark green backing. The feldbluse was also similar to the Heer M1936 but the differences included the lack of the M1936's distinctive dark blue-green collar and the use of internal skirt pockets rather than patch pockets. Speaking of buttons, they were gold in hue and featured an anchor motif on them. The belt buckle was also much the same as the Heer, to include the motto "Gott mit Uns" ("God with Us"), but had a gold hue finish. His cap, called a schiffchen ("Little Boat"), was similar to the Heer feldmutze but used gold in the national roundel and the inverted chevron (called a soustache) was gold in color rather than the Heer's practice of using a soldier's corps color (waffenfarbe). 
 

Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand: Shot Up at Ponyri

     The settlement of Ponyri would see occupation following the advance of the German XXXXVIII Motorized Corps through the area in October 1941. It would remain in German hands until elements of the Soviet 48th. and 13th. Armies pushed the Germans out of Ponyri on February 9, 1943. Ponyri would feature in the greatest armored engagement of World War Two, the Battle of Kursk, which commenced on July 5, 1943 when the Germans launched Unternehmen Zitadelle (Operation Citadel). 

     On July 9, 1943, elements of the XXXXI Panzer Corps moved on Ponyri. Included in those elements was Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 (654th. Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion) which was equipped with the Sd.Kfz. 184 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) tank destroyer, better known as the Ferdinand (later Elefant). Boasting a maximum of 200mm of frontal armor and armed with the potent 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71 anti-tank gun, the Ferdinand was well able to withstand Soviet anti-tank fire. Still, the Ferdinand was able to be beaten. In and around Ponyri, the Soviet 307th. and 1023rd. Rifle Regiment, bolstered by the 3rd. and 4th. Guards Airborne Division and elements of the 3rd. Tank Corps, bloodied the Germans severely and ground down their advance to the point it stalled with most of the German objectives unattained. 

     Littered around Ponryi were the wrecks of several Ferdinands of Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 of which this vehicle was one. With the tactical number 712 and belonging to the 7th. Company, the vehicle had suffered numerous strikes to the superstructure front armor with no penetration and a glancing blow can be seen in the armor on the hull front as well as on the gun tube. The Ferdinand is also pock-marked from machine-gun fire. The disabling hits came from two rounds into the gun, one cracking the gun mantlet and the other the barrel itself. Due to the 65 ton weight of the Ferdinand, recovery of damaged vehicles was a very difficult task during combat operations and more often than not, they had to be abandoned even when the damage received was quite repairable.

Convair B-36D Peacemaker: No Match for Mother Nature

(Author's Collection)

     At 6:42pm on September 1, 1952, a tornado tore through Carswell Air Force Base (AFB) which was located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. Among other units, stationed at Carswell was the 11th. Bombardment Wing, which had been activated back in February 1951 and under the 8th. Air Force. The wing flew the enormous Convair B-36 “Peacemaker” bomber which had the nickname of the “Aluminum Overcast” and to which Lt. General James Edmundson once described flying the massive aircraft as “sitting on your porch and flying your house around.” The tornado, boasting sustained wind speeds of over 90mph, struck the B-36 flight line directly and commenced to tossing the huge bombers about with ease. Two-thirds of the entire B-36 fleet was put out of service with some 72 bombers being damaged. 

     The only complete loss was B-36D “2051” (Serial No. 44-92051) shown in the photograph. The tornado easily lifted the bomber from its parking spot so that it came to grief off the tarmac. The encounter with the tornado snapped the tail off, broke a wing, and stripped off engine cowlings and other pieces of the airframe. Around the clock repairs would see the 11th. Bombardment Wing back to full strength by October 1952. The remains of “2051” were removed from Carswell AFB and utilized as a ground target for nuclear weapon testing. Of note, the 8th. Air Force badge can be seen on the tail. Also of note, Carswell AFB was closed in 1994 and is now the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

Rheinmetall-Borsig 8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone 41: Improving the Best

(Author's Collection)

     Despite the tremendous success of the 8.8cm Flak 18/36/37 (best known simply as the “88”) gun in both the anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles, the Luftwaffe knew its success would wane and so it asked both Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig to come up with the successor. Krupp’s Gerät 42 design lost out to Rheinmetall-Borsig’s 8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone (Flak) 41 and the new gun entered service beginning in March 1943. The initial design of the Flak 41 was completed in 1941 and the first 152 guns taken into service featured a complicated sleeved, three bore sectioned barrel within a jacket with a locking collar to hold the sections together. When steel cased ammunition was used, it would often swell and the cartridge would not extract. This was solved by using brass and so those original weapons in service carried a yellow band around the barrel and a yellow “M” painted on the breech so that crews knew only to use brass (Messing) ammunition. The next 133 Flak 41 examples used a 2 bore sectioned barrel but the extraction problem persisted. The final 271 production guns used a heavier two section barrel and jacket. Despite the ammunition problems, the Flak 41’s capability exceeded that of its predecessor with a higher rate of fire, higher muzzle velocity, higher ceiling, and a longer range (when engaged in direct fire). In addition, the gun sat on a 360° rotating turntable rather than the “88’s” taller pedestal mount. This, coupled with a rear set gun trunnion, meant the Flak 41 had a low profile which made concealment easier when serving in the anti-tank role. The Czechs thought enough of the Flak 41 to keep captured examples in service into the 1960s.

     This particular Flak 41 appears to have been caught while limbered and the back portion appears to have burned or been scorched to some degree given the blackened appearance and missing tire. Although somewhat faint, a sharp edged camouflage pattern can be seen on the gun shield and on the visible folded stabilizer leg. Foliage had been draped on the gun as a means to add additional camouflage while stationary but that appears to have done little good. It is difficult to tell for certain but this Flak 41 is likely from the last production batch.