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.

 

Belgian C.47 on Carden-Loyd Mk. VI: Too Much On Too Little

A captured Carden-Loyd Mk. VI tank destroyer being inspected by German troops. The emblem for the 2e Régiment de Cyclistes-Frontière along with the Belgian roundel can be seen on the side of the vehicle, the roundel just behind the pivot for the gun shield. (Author's Collection)

     The Carden-Loyd Tankette, designed by Sir John Carden and Vivian Loyd, enjoyed commercial success both domestically in Britain as well as in foreign markets. Production commenced in 1927 and ran through 1935 with the most widely built model being the Mark VI. The Carden-Loyd Mk. VI was a small, lightly armored, two man tankette and it set the standard for future tankette designs. The Mark VI had a combat weight of 1.5 tons, was 8.1 feet long, 6.6 feet wide, and a height of only 4 feet. The typical weapon fit was a single .303in. Vickers machine-gun provided with 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The crew, driver and commander, was provided with 6mm to 9mm of face-hardened armor for protection. Power came from a Ford 4-cylinder, inline engine that developed 20 horsepower and was paired with a Ford 2-speed epicyclic transmission that gave the Mark VI a maximum road speed of 30mph and ten gallons of fuel was carried to give the tankette a operational range of 100 miles.

     The British Army was the largest purchaser of the Carden-Loyd Mk. VI, with some 325 of them in service as machine-gun carriers, reconnaissance vehicles, and gun tractors for light artillery among other uses. On the foreign market, sales were brisk with such countries as Bolivia, Canada, China, India, Greece, and more placing orders for the tankette. Thailand was the largest customer, having purchased 60 of the vehicles. Even Japan was a buyer, obtaining six examples with the Imperial Japanese Navy using them in service as the Type 6 Machine-Gun Car (Rokushiki Kikan Jū-sha or Ka-shiki Kijū-sha meaning Carden-Loyd Tankette). Another foreign buyer, among others, was Belgium and what they decided to do with the Carden-Loyd Mk. VI is the subject of the photograph here.

     The Belgian Armed Forces were looking for a way to fully mechanize a gun by fitting it to a tracked vehicle. This had the advantage of providing the gun with a self-propelled mounting that didn't need to be towed into combat and could be more rapidly deployed. By being fitted on a tracked vehicle, this also provided for better cross-country mobility. Given the popularity of the Carden-Loyd Mk. VI, Belgium submitted an order for six examples and received them in 1931. Two guns were chosen as the test weapons with the first being the 76mm Canon de 76 Fonderie Royale des Canons (FRC; Royal Cannon Foundry) infantry support gun while the second was the Canon Anti-Char de 47mm Fonderie Royale de Canons Modèle 1931, mercifully shortened to C.47 FRC Mod.31. Each gun was fitted in a fixed mount centered on the front of the Mark VI which meant that while the gun had some elevation capability, to effect traverse, the entire vehicle had to turn in place. A gun shield was fitted to a metal frame that provided some frontal protection for the crew but when the vehicle was not in action, the gun shield could be tilted up and backwards that gave a meager measure of overhead protection from the elements. When testing commenced, the problems with the design were immediate. The biggest problem was the recoil of both guns with the Canon de 76 FRC having the largest amount of recoil despite its hydro-spring recoil mechanism. The recoil forces caused the front of the Mark VI to kick upwards and once the front end hit the ground again, the gun was no longer sighted and the target had to be re-sighted or reacquired. In addition, the violent motion caused undo strain on the chassis and running gear. Another problem was that the addition of the gun to the Mark VI along with the ammunition brought the combat weight of the tankette to 3 tons, a doubling of the weight without any compensation in regards to a larger, more powerful engine. As a consequence, the maximum speed was reduced and both the engine and the transmission suffered from more rapid wear which required additional maintenance hours as well as decreased the service life of the motor and drive components. Other problems included the very weak armor, the lack of crew protection overall, poor off-road handling, too little ammunition carrying capacity, and the fact that two men had to operate guns that normally were crewed by 3 to 5 men. The Canon de 76 FRC equipped Mark VI was refitted with the C.47 FRC Mod.31 and the remaining four were also converted to use the anti-tank gun, turning the vehicles into tank destroyers.

     Despite the problems with the tank destroyer Mk. VI, all six were issued to the elite Régiment des Chasseurs Ardennais (Ardennes Chasseur Regiment), a mountain division formed in 1933 and which continues to serve to this day in battalion strength. The C.47 FRC Mod.31 was formidable anti-tank gun, the armor-piercing round having a muzzle velocity of 2,400 feet per second and capable of going through 1.9 inches of armor plate at 300 meters. This put it on par with many of its contemporaries and at the beginning of World War Two, it was a threat to many light and even medium tanks. Unfortunately, the tank destroyers were a disaster in service with the regiment where both the elevation and mountainous terrain degraded not only the mobility but the performance of the already overburdened engine as well. The Régiment des Chasseurs Ardennais hastily dumped the six tank destroyers on the Régiment Territorial des Cyclistes Frontière (border guard regiments) and the vehicle shown in the photograph specifically belonged to the 8e Compagnie, 2e Régiment de Cyclistes-Frontière under the command of Capitaine-Commandant G. Verjans.

     At the start of the German invasion of Belgium that commenced on May 10, 1940, 8e Compagnie had only four of the Carden-Loyd tank destroyers left and all four were in poor condition. The remainder of the unit was comprised of six more modern T-13 tank destroyers, also equipped with the C.47 FRC Mod.31 gun. Verjans deployed the four Carden-Loyd tank destroyers into fixed camouflaged positions as part of the third Position Fortifiée de Liège (Fortified Positions of Liège or PFLIII) and in support of the 6e Compagnie under the command of Lt. A. Parent. Their defensive line was situated between the village of Lixhe and a connecting canal between the Maas (Meuse) River and the Albert Canal. The unit went into action on May 11, 1940, sometime in the late morning, early afternoon when German troops were spotted along the banks of the Maas River. Sporadic fire erupted between the Belgians and the Germans but the Germans made no attempt to cross. However, by 3pm that day, German forces had crossed the Albert Canal and at 10:30pm that night, the order to retreat was given. 8e Compagnie abandoned the four Carden-Loyd tank destroyers along with a number of T-13 tank destroyers due to mechanical problems. By May 20, 1940, the company was down to only four T-13s with the last battle being fought by 8e Compagnie on May 24, 1940 when the remaining T-13 tank destroyers covered the Belgian retreat to the Leie (Lys) River where the troops set up a defensive line between the villages of Izegem and Ingelmunster. Interestingly, the Germans did not attack the gathered Belgian forces there but accepted their surrender when Belgium capitulated on May 28, 1940.

 

British Stuart: Ad Hoc 18-pdr Field Gun Portée

From British and American Tanks of World War Two by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis.

      Although the M3 light tank was U.S. designed and built, it was the British who first took it into action during Operation Crusader which commenced on November 18, 1941 in northern Africa. In British service, the M3 was known as the Stuart and for Operation Crusader, 170 Stuart I light tanks were included in the order of battle for the British 8th. Army. As the battle unfolded, units equipped with the Stuart suffered significant casualties. This, despite the fact the Stuart compared very favorably against two of the most common Axis tanks, the Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf G and the Italian Fiat M13/40. Against the former, the two tanks were evenly matched in terms of speed and armor protection and both the Stuart's 37mm M6 gun and the PzKpfw III's 3.7cm KwK 36 gun could knock the other tank out from over 1,000 meters. Against the Fiat, the M3 dominated the Italian medium tank and the Stuart was invulnerable to the 47mm Cannone da 47/32 AT gun from 1,000 meters and beyond whereas the Stuart could penetrate the M13/40 almost anywhere at that range. Analysis following the Allied victory against Axis forces on December 30, 1941 showed that the high casualty rate had more to do with the skill of German tank crews and superior tactics. The British also found that the two-man turret of the Stuart was problematic, to the point that some Stuart crews tried to squeeze a third man in to facilitate gun handling. The Stuart also did not have a high fuel capacity in comparison to some British tanks (such as the Crusader) which limited its range to only 75 miles. Still, the British appreciated the mechanical reliability of the Stuart and excellent speed. Nevertheless, by mid-1942, the British relegated the Stuart to reconnaissance tasks only, avoiding tank-vs-tank combat wherever possible. The British continued to use the Stuart throughout World War Two. Subsequent models were the Stuart II (Guiberson diesel engined M3), Stuart III (M3A1), Stuart IV (Guiberson engined M3A1), Stuart V (M3A3), and the Stuart VI (M5 and M5A1).

     The British also used a number of variants of the Stuart and two of the most common were the Stuart Recce and the Stuart Kangaroo. The Stuart Recce removed the turret which lowered the profile of the tank and lowered the weight of the vehicle which in turn, improved range. The Stuart Kangaroo also removed the turret and the vehicle was used as an armored personnel carrier (APC). There is debate on if the name “Kangaroo” was ever applied to the Stuart like it was to other similar vehicles derived from the M7 Priest, M4 Sherman, and Canadian Ram tank. These APCs were mostly used by British engineer units attached to armored brigades. A third, relatively common variant, was the Stuart Command which was also a turret-less Stuart but utilized by commanders and was equipped with additional radio equipment.

     This, then, brings us to the subject of the photograph. It depicts a one-off modification to a Stuart in which a British Ordnance QF 18-pounder field gun, sans wheels, was fitted to a simple bracket mount in place of the tank's turret. Although many of these guns were converted into the improved QF 25-pounder gun prior to World War Two, a number of the older guns (which entered service in 1904) remained in service and saw action during the opening stages of the North African campaign. Whether this ad hoc self-propelled gun (or portée) was ever used in action remains unknown but it was certainly constructed during the North African campaign in 1941-42. An examination of the mounting suggests that the gun was centered on the upper hull with the box trail extending over the opening left by the removal of the turret. This would allow the gun to be elevated to a maximum of 37 degrees and permit recoil. Of course, this assumes the gun is the Mk. III or Mk. IV model. If, on the other hand, the gun was an older Mk. I or Mk. II with a single, central trail, then the maximum elevation was only 16 degrees. The gun crew would have operated the gun without the benefit of all-around protection with the only measure of defense coming from the gun shield. It appears that two of the three hull machine-guns (one front hull mounted and one in each side of the upper hull) were removed, likely to make room for ammunition. This left only the front hull machine-gun. If the intent was to provide mobility for the gun and its 6.3 mile range was its defense from enemy attack, then having the additional machine-guns wasn't needed and if need be, crew small arms could also be utilized for close-in defense. How much ammunition the modified Stuart could carry isn't known though with the shell being a little over 1 foot long, an adequate supply could likely have been stowed if the machine-guns and the ammunition for them was removed. How the crew entered the SPG is also not known. It may have been possible for the crew to slip underneath the trailing arm or perhaps the trailing arm was not secured to the rear deck and the gun could be tilted upward to permit the crew to enter. Certainly in action, three men would likely have been crewing the gun from the deck while another remained in the tank, passing ammunition up through the opening where the turret had been. Some have said the modified Stuart was used as an assault gun, utilizing the gun for infantry support in the direct fire role. However, this is unlikely given the high profile of the SPG, the lack of armor protection for the gun crew, and the relatively light armor of the tank itself.

Private: Army Service Forces

     A studio portrait of an enlisted man with the rank of private following his graduation from basic training at Fort Monmouth in 1943. Fort Monmouth, once located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, was home to the U.S. Army's Eastern Signal Corps Training Center. The center contained the Eastern Signal Corps Schools for enlisted, officer candidate, and officer personnel as well as the Replacement Training Center. The latter was housed in Camp Charles Wood which, along with Camp Coles and Camp Evans, were encompassed within Fort Monmouth's boundaries. The officer candidate Signal Corps school was the “bread and butter” of the facility, graduating a little over 21,000 men as newly commissioned second lieutenants between 1941 and 1946. Also housed at Fort Monmouth during World War Two was the U.S. Army's Film Training Lab.

     The private excelled at marksmanship during his training as evidenced by the Marksmanship Qualification Badge worn on the left coat pocket. He achieved the lowest grade, that of Marksman, as evidenced by the plain award. Beneath it are three clasps, denoting what he earned the badge in. The top clasp is Rifle, the clasp below it is Machine Gun, and the third clasp is Carbine. To receive the clasps in each weapon class, he had to meet a specific number of target hits at various ranges and in different positions. Other common wartime clasps included Pistol, Bayonet, Grenade, BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), and Submachine Gun among others. As a note, the next highest grade of the badge was Sharpshooter which included a round target on the badge while the highest grade was Expert and that badge consisted of a Sharpshooter Badge encompassed by laurels. The patch on his shoulder is that of the Army Service Forces and a part of that organization included the six technical services of the Army: Corps of Engineers, Ordnance Department, Quartermaster Corps, Chemical Corps, Medical Corps, and the Signal Corps. The private is a part of the Signal Corps as evidenced by the branch insignia of the Signal Corps on the coat's lapels. The insignia is that of two key components of a wigwag kit that consisted of two wigwag flags and a torch (the rest of the kit contained kerosene for the torch and a signal flare). Wigwag, more properly known as aerial telegraphy, was a method of flag signaling developed by U.S. Army surgeon Albert J. Myer who would become the very first commanding officer of the Signal Corps which was established on June 21, 1860. Thus, the significance of using the flags and torch as the branch insignia.

     As for Fort Monmouth, following World War Two, the Pigeon Breeding and Training Center was added to the campus though it was closed in 1957. The Signal Corps itself left Fort Monmouth in the 1970s, making its new home at Fort Gordon, Georgia. What remained was the Communications-Electronics Command Life Cycle Management Command (CECOM LCMC), the 754th. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, Joint Interoperability Test Command, United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS), and the Patterson Army Health Clinic. Unfortunately, Fort Monmouth fell to the ax of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process and after all of the entities on the fort were relocated, Fort Monmouth was officially closed on September 15, 2011. Given the length of time the BRAC process took, then New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Act on April 28, 2006 that established the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Planning Authority in order to guide the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth and the land it sits on following its closure.

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf L: SS-Panzer Regiment 5

     The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III) was one of the most numerous, indigenous tank designs within the German panzerwaffe. The design of the tank was a result of efforts by then Lieutenant-Colonel Heinz Guderian to mechanize German tank forces and develop mobile armored warfare, to include how to support such forces while on campaign. This would become the foundation of blitzkrieg or “lightning war.” A part of that was having more modern tanks and so Guderian envisioned two types of medium tanks. One would combat enemy tanks while the other would support the infantry. In 1935, a specification was issued to manufacturers Daimler-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall-Borsig to tender designs to meet the specification for a medium tank to combat enemy armor. The Daimler-Benz contender was selected and in 1936, the PzKpfw Ausf A appeared. Subsequent models, the Ausf B and Ausf C, would be produced with new modifications to the design in 1937. But these models were only built in small numbers, with a total just under 40 tanks between all the makes. The Ausf D, introduced in 1938, would be the start of the model that would reach quantity production. On September 27, 1939, the PzKpfw III was officially accepted into service following a long period of troop trials. The tank would be baptized in battle with the commencement of the Polenfeldzug (Polish Campaign) which began on September 1, 1939. Only with the start of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Russia, on June 22, 1941 was the PzKpfw III the most numerous tank within German front-line tank forces. At the time, model depending, the PzKpfw III was armed either with a 3.7cm KwK 36 cannon or the short barrel 5cm KwK 38 gun. While these were effective against the majority of Soviet armor which consisted of T-26 tanks, as the combat wore on, the Germans encountered the T-34/76 medium tank and the KV-1 heavy tank more and more and both the armor and the armament of the PzKpfw III was coming up short. It was only through superior training, tactical deployment, and better crew ergonomics within the tank (that enhanced efficiency) which saw the PzKpfw III achieve a kill ratio of 6 enemy tanks destroyed of all types for every 1 German tank lost during the initial battles in 1941. Still, steps were taken to improve the protection and firepower of the PzKpfw III with the introduction of the Ausf J model which featured the long barreled 5cm KwK 39 gun. Earlier models were often retrofitted with the new gun as the tank designers had the forethought to build a turret from the outset that could accommodate larger armament. The next model, introduced towards the close of 1941, was the Ausf L and this had the same gun as the Ausf J but the front hull and turret armor was increased to 70mm. In addition, to further increase protection, the Ausf L featured 20mm of spaced armor on the mantlet and the superstructure front.

     The photograph depicts a PzKpfw III Ausf L belonging to one of the companies of SS-Panzer Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzerdivision “Wiking“ (“Viking”). The photograph was likely taken sometime in late 1942 or early 1943. This unit identification is observed by the divisional Sonnenrad (“Sun Cross”) emblem, seen on the tank's fender. This emblem was a representation of the Nordic Sonnenrad but it was “broken” by having four gaps rather than being closed. This makes it more of a Hakenkreuz, or swastika. The tank is an early model of the Ausf L and this can be told by the fact the turret sides still have the pistol ports, one of which can be seen next to the open side hatch. Later models would remove them. It would appear that the tank is behind the lines as the machinegun has a cover on it to protect it from dust and grit and the crew appears to be in just their service shirts rather than their panzerjacke (panzer jacket).

Jagdtiger "234": Scuttled in Zeiskam

GIs pose with the remains of "234" (Author's Collection)

      Leutnant Kasper Geoggler commanded three Jagdtigers from 3rd. Kompanie, Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653 (3/s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653). Geoggler’s mount was “331” while “323” and “234” made up the remainder of the unit. The kampfgruppe was situated outside Neustadt and on March 22, 1945, the unit engaged an armored column from the U.S. 3rd. Army. As was a common tactic, the Jagdtigers shot up the lead and rear tanks, sandwiching the remainder of the tanks between the wrecks. In the chaos, the Jagdtigers picked off the U.S. tanks with relative ease. In all, Geoggler’s three Jagdtigers claimed a total of 25 tanks destroyed, including M4 Shermans and M10 Wolverine tank destroyers. “331” and “323” suffered a total of 10 hits from U.S. tank rounds but not a one penetrated the thick armor of the Jagdtigers. 

     Geoggler withdrew the kampfgruppe into Neustadt proper. There, “323” broke down while attempting to get into a firing position within a garden. “331” was situated along Landauer Strasse, across from the immobilized “323,” which gave it a dominating field of fire along the road. In time, “331” was down to its last round and so Geoggler ordered the recoil cylinders drained and had the final round fired. This jammed the gun in full recoil, rendering it useless to the Americans. The crews boarded their SdKfz 251 half-tracks and along with Jagdtiger “234”, abandoned Neustadt and made for Zeiskam. 

     There, “234” went into action at a railway crossing until a shot penetrated the right front fender and broke the track. With no chance to repair the track or recover “234”, it was abandoned and blown up by its crew. The photograph shows “234” following the U.S. Army entry into Zeiskam. The internal fire caused the suspension to drop which is why the Jagdtiger appears to be “sitting” so low. Curious GIs, such as these men, spent many a moment clambering up onto “234” and taking photographs with it.

The Type 4 20cm Roketto: Japan's Rocket Mainstay

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

     The Germans, U.S., British, and especially the Russians made use of unguided rockets to augment standard artillery and provide for rapidly delivered, devastating bombardments against opposing forces. The Japanese, on the other hand, did not and by the time they realized the value of rockets, the effort put forward to deploy rocket systems was too little, too late. One such rocket system which did make it into service was the Type 4 20cm rocket launcher. 

     First issued in 1943, the Type 4 was actually a 203mm rocket, weighed just over 185lbs. and had a maximum range of 1.4 miles. The Japanese elected to not use fins as a means to stabilize the rocket and instead, it achieved accuracy by means of spin-stabilization. The Type 4 was fired from a standardized launcher which resembled that of a mortar (hence, the Type 4 weapon system often being referred to as a rocket mortar) but it had the advantage of being able to launch from something as simple as a dirt mound. Thus, it was not uncommon for Japanese troops to fabricate launchers in the field. This particular Type 4 was captured by the 4th. U.S. Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Unlike the more usual wooden launch rails (which were easier to construct), this Type 4 launcher was far more elaborate. The wheeled carriage made transportation easier as well as allowed for more rapid deployment and had a locking lever to adjust the elevation of the launch tube. The rocket would be loaded into the tube and launched by pulling the long lanyard. The length of the lanyard allowed the firer to be far enough away from the rocket to avoid being struck by debris kicked up by the rocket exhaust. 

     Of all the rocket systems developed, the Type 4 was produced in significant numbers though most of them were kept within Japan to be used to repel the expected Allied invasion of the Japanese home islands…something which never happened.
 

The Lloyd 40.05: Strange Solution for a Common Problem

     Until the introduction of Anthony Fokker's Stangensteuerung (literally Rod Control) interrupter gear in 1915 which allowed for a forward firing machine-gun to fire through the propeller arc with some measure of safety, the various combatants of World War One had to use other solutions to permit a machine-gun to fire forwards. At first, pilots and observers used pistols and rifles against enemy aircraft but soon after, machine-guns became the standard aircraft armament. A simple solution, used by the Nieuport 10 as an example, mounted a Lewis or Hotchkiss machine-gun on top of the upper wing, firing forwards. While clearing the propeller arc, the position of the machine-gun made reloading a difficult prospect for the pilot. Another solution was to put the engine in the rear of the fuselage. Pusher designs, such as the de Havilland D.H.2 and Farman F.40, permitted a clear field of fire for the gunner who was positioned in the front of the aircraft, forward of the pilot. Yet another relatively common solution was the use of wedge shaped deflector plates fitted to the back of the propeller that would deflect bullets away from the blades. One type of aircraft that used these deflectors was the Morane-Saulnier L scout plane. While somewhat effective, there was no guaranty that the deflected bullets wouldn't strike the aircraft. Perhaps the most bizarre solution in order to permit a machine-gun to fire forward and not destroy the propeller in the process was put forward by the Hungarian Lloyd Repülőgép és Motorgyár Részvénytársaság (Lloyd Aircraft & Motor Works, Inc.) company.

     The Lloyd Works (Ungarische Lloyd Flugzeug und Motorenfabrik AG in Austrian) manufactured the Lloyd C.II, C.III, and C.IV two-seat, single-engine biplane reconnaissance aircraft for the Kaiserliche und Königliche Luftfahrtruppen (K.u.K. LFT;Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops). The C-series of aircraft were quite conventional in design which made the appearance of the Lloyd 40.05 (it was also called the FJ for Flugzeug Jäger or Aircraft Hunter) all the more striking when it commenced development in 1915. A Lloyd engineer by the last name of Melczer decided that an optimum solution to permit a forward firing machine-gun a good range of fire and still retain a tractor propeller (meaning, a front mounted engine) was to position the observer/gunner above the upper wing. To accomplish this, the entire forward portion of the Lloyd 40.05 featured a fully enclosed position that consumed the space between the fuselage and the upper wing. On the left side of the enclosure were clear panels to give some measure of side vision for the observer when seated and performing reconnaissance tasks. At the top of the enclosure was the open gun station which had a short windscreen in the front and armament consisted of twin 8mm M.07/12 Schwarzlose machine-guns on a flexible mounting. Just beneath the windscreen, in the direct front of the aircraft, was a radiator for the motor. While the observer had a clear view when manning the gun station, the same could not be said for the pilot. Sitting directly behind the observer's enclosure, the pilot had no forward view unless he moved his head to look from side to side. To add to the pilot's situation, the exhaust stacks for the engine were positioned on the right side of the enclosure, directly in line with the pilot's head which meant the slipstream likely carried any fumes and smoke into his face.

     The Lloyd 40.05 was powered by a MAG-Daimler 6-cylinder, water-cooled, inline piston engine that developed 160 horsepower. It drove a two-bladed, fixed pitch wooden propeller. The aircraft stood at 10.2 feet high, was 22.8 feet long, had a maximum wingspan of 36.8 feet, and a total wing area (top and bottom wings) of 270 square feet. The fully loaded weight was 2,120 pounds. The maximum service ceiling was 16,404 feet and the maximum operational range was 310 miles.

     The first prototype of the Lloyd 40.05 took to the air in January 1916 and needless to say, the K.u.K. LFT was not impressed with the design and flat out rejected it. The reasons were many and included poor handling in the air, the difficulty for the pilot to land the aircraft, slow speed due to the friction drag produced by the large frontal surface area of the plane, and that by 1916, interrupter gears were being used more and more, removing the need for other solutions to provide safe forward weapon firing. Lloyd, in a desperate bid to try to interest the K.u.K. LFT in the aircraft, converted the 40.05 into a single-seat fighter, eliminating the observer and in place of the gun station, a Type-II VK (Versuchs Kompanie) gun container was fitted, firing forward, with a single 8mm M.07/12 Schwarzlose machine-gun. The shape of the container earned the Type-II VK the morbid nickname of “Kindersarg” or "Children's Coffin”. Since the 40.05 was relatively unchanged outside of the modification to fit the gun container, the K.u.K. LFT again quickly rejected the aircraft as all the flaws of the two-seat version remained. In all, only two Lloyd 40.05 aircraft were built.

Soviet T-35 Heavy Tank: Left Behind on the Stalin Prospekt

     Prior to the German invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa) which commenced on June 22, 1941, five T-35 heavy tanks from the 14th. Heavy Tank Brigade were in the city of Kharkov for refitting. One of these was this T-35 (chassis 220-28), the twentieth T-35 built, having rolled out of the factory sometime in 1936. Kharkov was a strategically important city because of its manufacturing and industrial complex. It was the birthplace of the T-34 medium tank but also was the site of numerous small arms and infantry weapon manufacturing plants as well as the location of the Sukhoi Su-2 reece/light bomber aircraft production plant. Thus, the city would be embroiled in four major battles between 1941 and 1943. 

     On October 20, 1941, LV. Armeekorps deployed the 101. Leichte-Division, the 57. Infanterie-Division, and Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 197 to commence the taking of Kharkov. Defending the city was the Soviet 216th. Rifle Division and the ad-hoc Separate Armored Unit which was made up of twenty-five T-27 tankettes, thirteen KhTZ-16 vehicles (improved tank built on a STZ-3 tractor), five T-26 light tanks, and four of the five T-35 heavy tanks. The Soviets were to defend the city and buy time for factory equipment to be evacuated. The actual assault on the city began on June 23, 1941 by which time the evacuation of the equipment was completed and the next day, the city was in German hands. The T-35 in the photograph was being driven along Stalin Prospekt, a main road leading out of Kharkov, when the tank either broke down or was abandoned. The crew had enough time to plant charges and scuttle the tank which blew the roof off the main turret, upended the rear facing 45-mm gun turret, and completely blew the two machine-gun turrets off the tank. 

     The tank would remain on the road, becoming a sign post and attraction for photographs. By May 1942, the tank had been pushed off the road and photographs taken by German troops show the tank as losing more and more pieces. Some of the last photographs were taken in 1943 and show that the T-35, despite being derelict, was mistaken for an active tank and sustained a penetrating hit to the rear. It is presumed that following the Fourth Battle of Kharkov (which ended August 23, 1943) in which the Russians reclaimed Kharkov for good, the T-35 was scrapped.

Unteroffizieranwärter: Heer Nachrichtenpersonal

     A studio portrait of an Unteroffizieranwärter. An Unteroffizieranwärter (Non-Commissioned Officer Candidate) was a soldier who was considered by his superiors to be a candidate for attending Unteroffizierschule (NCO School). His rank (for the moment) is Gefreiter which was equivalent to a Lance Corporal and this is shown by the “V” shaped silver tress on a triangular wool backing. His status as a NCO school candidate is denoted by the single loop of silver tress on his schulterklappen (shoulderboards). Of interest is his Nachrichtenpersonal (Signals Operator) proficiency badge. This proficiency badge was given to those soldiers who excelled in the tasks required to operate signals equipment but more importantly, how to service, maintain, and repair communication equipment. The color of the “blitz” (lightning bolt) followed the same regulation as the Waffenfarbe (corps colors) and so in this case, it would appear that the Unteroffizieranwärter is infantry and so the “blitz” would be white. Had he been, for example, artillery, then the “blitz” would have been red (the corps color of artillery). As a note, the soustache (the inverted chevron) on his feldmütze (field service cap) would also match the corps color. So, as another example, had this Unteroffizieranwärter been with a Kraftfahrparktruppen (vehicle troop), the piping on the shoulderboards, the soustache, and the “blitz” would all be blue.

     The Litzenspiegel (more often called Litzen; collar patches), prior to 1938, would have matched the Waffenfarbe. However, it was seen that logistically, creating collar patches in all of the Waffenfarbe colors was simply impractical and would have burdened unit tailors with having to sew on new litzen if a unit changed missions (for example, transitioning from a cavalry unit to an infantry unit) or soldiers from other units transferred in. So, after 1938, a universal litzen was introduced with silver-gray threading on a green backing. By 1940, this was changed to a feldgrau (field gray) to more match the uniform but it was never popular and troops, when they could, would wear the green backed litzen and those troops who had the pre-1938 litzen with the Waffenfarbe colors continued to wear them as a sign of pride.

Douglas B-26B Invader "Brown Nose": 731st. Bombardment Squadron

(Author's Collection)

     A Douglas B-26B Invader belonging to the 731st. Bombardment Squadron (BS), 3rd. Bomb Group (BG). Prior to 1948, the aircraft was designated A-26B. The 731st. BS (at this time, part of the 452nd. BG), a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Reserve unit stationed near Long Beach, California, was activated for duty in the Korean War. The squadron flew their B-26Bs across the Pacific, landing at Iwakuni Air Force Base (AFB) in Japan in November 1950. 

     Upon arrival, the unit was placed under the 3rd. BG. “Brown Nose” and other 731st. B-26B aircraft conducted 2,000 sorties amounting to 9,000 flying hours from November 1950 to June 25, 1951. After that date, the 731st. was inactivated and became the 90th. BS which moved to Yokota Army Airfield (also in Japan). The extensive sortie tally on “Brown Nose” while flown with the 731st. was removed after the transfer. The 90th. would eventually be rotated back to the U.S. but not before they amassed numerous missions with a specialty for targeting rail lines (especially with trains on them) as well as marshaling yards. “Brown Nose” would be later upgraded to the B-26K standard which featured more powerful engines but removed the wing mounted machine guns. 

     “Brown Nose” would see action in the early years of the Vietnam War and on May 1966, the USAF changed the B-26K designation to A-26A. The A-26A was retired from service in 1969 when their airframes reached their maximum airworthiness level.

Heisōchō Takeo Tanimizu: A Compassionate Warrior

(Author's Collection)

     Imperial Japanese Navy Warrant Officer Takeo Tanimizu poses beside his Mitsubishi A6M5c Model 52 Reisen fighter, tail code 03-09 (c/n 32374). At the time this photograph was taken, Tanimizu was assigned to the 303 Hikótai, 203 Kókūtai which was based at Kagoshima. The photograph was likely taken sometime in June, 1945. All told, Tanimizu was credited with between 18 to 32 kills, making him an ace. It was rare that Japanese fighters carried kill markings (as kill scores weren’t officially kept) but Tanimizu chose to put them on his aircraft as a way to boost morale among the many inexperienced pilots that predominated the ranks by 1945. 

     Tanimizu, during and long after World War Two, felt regret and sadness for the lives he took in combat. He did his duty nonetheless. After the war, he erected a small Buddhist shrine in his residence and every night, would offer prayers to those men whose lives he had cut short. Tanimizu, even during combat, was honorable and felt compassion for his opponents. In one example, his unit sparred with U.S. Marine fighters. The Japanese fliers won the contest and Tanimizu spotted a downed American pilot swimming in the ocean. Tanimizu struggled out of his life preserver (as worn by pilots operating over ocean), came down at low altitude, opened his canopy, and threw the life preserver to the pilot whose name was Captain Harvey Carter (who survived the war). On August 31, 1944, eleven B-24 bombers belonging to the 14th. USAAF which were operating out of Liuzhou, China were intercepted by Tanimizu and his comrades who sought to stop the bombers from attacking the Imperial Japanese Navy airfield in Takao. In the combat, Tanimizu was credited with downing one B-24 and severely damaging another. 

     Unbeknownst to Tanimizu, the crippled B-24 made it back to China but crashed into Maoer Mountain in Guangxi Province. Forward to 1996, the remains of the lost B-24 were discovered by farmers looking for medicinal herbs. Tanimizu learned of the find and knew he was the one responsible for the deaths of the crew. When asked about the discovery, he wished that the crew had found happiness in the afterlife. Tanimizu’s Reisen survived the war but was collected, along with other military aircraft, in Nagasaki and reduced to scrap in November 1945. Tanimizu himself passed on to the great beyond on March 12, 2008 at the age of 88.