Lone Sentry Blog

Grille Self-Propelled Artillery

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

The Grille (“Cricket”) was a German self-propelled, heavy artillery vehicle armed with the 15 cm sIG 33 infantry gun in a fixed superstructure. The official German designation was 15 cm schweres Infanteriegeschütz 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) (Sd.Kfz. 138/1).

Grille Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery WW2

A Grille nicknamed “Fire Devil” in a firing position in Italy. The crew has chosen a position next to a haystack and heavily camouflaged the vehicle with foliage. (Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-716-0010-26, Dreyer, CC-BY-SA-3.0-de)

Another view of Grille “Fire Devil” in camouflaged firing position. (Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-716-0010-27, Dreyer, CC-BY-SA-3.0-de)

Grille SP Gun Artillery 150-mm Italian Front

Camouflaged Grille advances along a dusty road on the Italian Front. Note the large quantity of supplies carried on the rear. (Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-479-2194-28, Brünning, CC-BY-SA-3.0-de)

Posted in armor, photos, weapons | Tagged armor, artillery, cricket, grille, italian front, self-propelled gun, weapons | 1 Comment

265th Engineer Combat Battalion

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

A collection of photographs of the 265th Engineer Combat Battalion by Pfc Ben Fox is available on footnote.com at the topic page: 265th Engineers WWII

For pictures of the 265th training at Camp Shelby with the 65th Infantry Division, see the 65th Infantry Division Yearbook, pages 46 and 47.

Posted in miscellaneous, photos | Tagged 265th engineers, 65th infantry division, ETO, photos | 3 Comments

German Rifleman Uniform

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

The Handbook on German Army Identification was printed in 1943 by Military Intelligence Training Center, Camp Ritchie, Maryland. The handbook was designed to provide a reference manual for intelligence personnel in combat operations. The handbook included the following illustrations of a typical German army rifleman uniform.

German Rifleman – Deutscher Schütze:

Helmet, brim type, belt (Koppel), leather, buckle showing (Koppelschloss). Ammunition pouches, 3 each side, bayonet, short, sharp spade.

Gas mask over right hip, canteen (Feldflasche) and rations bag (Brotbeutel). Long trousers tucked into half-length boots.

Posted in publications, uniforms | Tagged german, illustrations, rifleman, uniforms | 1 Comment

New Concord Books

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Concord has announced two new books covering Axis forces in World War II.

Early Panzer Victories
by Frank V. De Sisto

Concord 7064
ISBN 962-361-145-5
72 pages, 16 color plates, 167 photos

Warriors of Imperial Japan in World War II 1941-45
by Claudio Antonucci

Concord 6532
ISBN 962-361-171-4
52 pages, 10 color plates, 34 color and 68 b/w photos

Posted in miscellaneous | Tagged book, concord, panzer | 2 Comments

607th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Nice set of photographs of the 607th TD Battalion in the ETO during WWII showing U.S. and German equipment including destroyed Panther tanks: 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion

The unit history of the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion is also online on the website of the 90th Division Association: History of the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Posted in photos | Tagged panther, photos, tank, tank destroyer | 3 Comments

Camp Shelby, Mississippi

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Scenes from the WWII booklet “Camp Shelby, Mississippi” by the Public Relations Office at Camp Shelby.

Cover of Camp Shelby Booklet

Called to the Colors — Mississippi selectees inducted into the services at Camp Shelby.

The best in the world pass in review.

For more on Camp Shelby during WWII, see 65th Infantry Division, Camp Shelby, Mississippi, 1944 (Cover, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, Back)

Posted in photos, publications, training | Tagged booklet, camp shelby, mississippi, training | 3 Comments

Tank Gun Trajectories

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

The U.S. WWII field manual FM 17-12: Tank Gunnery illustrated representative trajectories of the 37-mm, 75-mm, and 76-mm guns. Low velocity guns with more highly curved trajectories require very accurate range estimation. As shown in the figures below, even small errors in range estimation reduce the effectiveness of the opening shot and increase the number of rounds required to achieve a hit.

Original Caption: Trajectory 37-mm, M6, firing APC, M51B1. This is illustrative only. The 37-mm should not be fired at tanks at ranges shown.

Original Caption: Trajectory 75-mm gun, M3, firing shot, APC, M61.

Original Caption: Trajectory 76-mm gun, M1, firing shot, APC, M62.

Posted in research, training, weapons | Tagged antitank, gunnery, training, trajectory | 3 Comments

Osprey Duel Series

Posted on June 12, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

		Duel No. 1 — P-51 Mustang vs Fw 190: Europe 1943-45 Author(s): Martin Bowman Published: September 2007 ISBN: 9781846031892 American and German fighter pilots duel over Europe in the P-51 and FW 190, two of the most advanced fighters of the period
		Duel No. 2 — Sherman Firefly vs Tiger: Normandy 1944 Author(s): Stephen A. Hart Published: September 2007 ISBN: 9781846031502 The German Tiger heavy tank faces the Allied Sherman Firefly on the battlefields of Normandy in the summer of 1944
		Duel No. 3 — U-Boats vs Destroyer Escorts: The Battle of the Atlantic Author(s): Gordon Williamson Published: October 2007 ISBN: 9781846031335 Allied naval destroyers duel German U-boat Wolf Packs in the Battle of the Atlantic
		Duel No. 4 — Panther vs T-34: Ukraine 1943 Author(s): Robert A Forczyk Published: October 2007 ISBN: 9781846031496 The German Panther and Russian T-34—two of the deadliest tanks of WWII—duel on the Russian Front
		Duel No. 5 — Spitfire vs Bf 109: Battle of Britain Author(s): Tony Holmes Published: November 2007 ISBN: 9781846031908 The legendary British Spitfire dogfights against the Luftwaffe Bf 109 aces over Britain
		Duel No. 6 — USN Carriers vs IJN Carriers: The Pacific 1942 Author(s): Mark Stille Illustrator(s): Howard Gerrard, Ian Palmer Published: November 2007 ISBN: 9781846032486 U.S. and Japanese carrier fleets battle for dominance of the Pacific in 1942
		Duel No. 7 — Sopwith Camel vs Fokker Dr I: Western Front 1917-18 Author(s): Jon Guttman Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Harry Dempsey Published: March 2008 ISBN: 9781846032936 The deadly Sopwith Camel biplane duels the Fokker Dr I triplane over the Western Front in WWI
		Duel No. 8 — P-40 Warhawk vs Ki-43 Oscar: China 1944-45 Author(s): Carl Molesworth Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier Published: March 2008 ISBN: 9781846032950 Heavily armed and armored P-40 fighters battle lighter, nimbler Japanese Ki-43 fighters over China in WWII
		Duel No. 9 — Victory vs Redoutable: Ships of the Line at Trafalgar 1805 Author(s): Gregory Fremont-Barnes Illustrator(s): Ian Palmer, Giuseppe Rava Published: May 2008 ISBN: 9781846031342 Warships of the British and French/Spanish fleets clash at Cape Trafalgar off the Spanish coast
		Duel No. 10 — M3 Medium Tank vs Panzer III: Kasserine Pass 1943 Author(s): Gordon L. Rottman Illustrator(s): Ian Palmer, Giuseppe Rava Published: May 2008 ISBN: 9781846032615 The Wehrmacht’s Panzerkampfwagen III duels against the American M3 Grant tank at Kasserine Pass
		Duel No. 11 — P-47 Thunderbolt vs Bf 109G/K: Europe 1943-45 Author(s): Martin Bowman Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Chris Davey, Gareth Hector Published: August 2008 ISBN: 9781846033155 Over Europe the U.S. P-47 Thunderbolt fighter battles the Luftwaffe Bf 109 G/K fighter
		Duel No. 12 — F-4 Phantom II vs MiG-21: USAF & VPAF in the Vietnam War Author(s): Peter Davies Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Tom Tullis, Gareth Hector Published: September 2008 ISBN: 9781846033162 In the skies over Vietnam, the American F-4 Phantom II battles the North Vietnamese MiG-21
		Duel No. 13 — Panther vs Sherman: Battle of the Bulge 1944 Author(s): Steven J. Zaloga Illustrator(s): Howard Gerrard, Jim Laurier Published: September 2008 ISBN: 9781846032929 The American Sherman duels the German Panther in the ferocious fighting during the Battle of the Bulge
		Duel No. 14 — Confederate Ironclad vs Union Ironclad: Hampton Roads 1862 Author(s): Ron Field Illustrator(s): Howard Gerrard, Peter Bull Published: November 2008 ISBN: 9781846032325 The ironclads CSS Virginia (Merrimac) and USS Monitor duel during the American Civil War
		Duel No. 15 — Russian Battleship vs Japanese Battleship: Yellow Sea 1904-05 Author(s): Robert Forczyk Illustrator(s): Tony Bryan, Howard Gerrard, Ian Palmer Published: February 2009 ISBN: 9781846033308 Russian and Japanese battleships battle in the Yellow Sea during the Russo-Japanese War
		Duel No. 16 — Seafire vs A6M Zero: Pacific Theatre Author(s): Donald Nijboer Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier Published: April 2009 ISBN: 9781846034336 The British Seafire F III duels the Japanese A6M Zero in fighter-to-fighter combat
		Duel No. 17 — SPAD XIII vs. Fokker D VII: Western Front 1916-18 Author(s): Jon Guttman Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Harry Dempsey, Mark Postlethwaite Published: April 2009 ISBN: 9781846034329 The Fokker D VII duels the SPAD XIII over the Western Front in World War I
		Duel No. 18 — M1 Abrams vs T-72 Ural: Operation Desert Storm 1991 Author(s): Steven J Zaloga Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier Published: August 2009 ISBN: 9781846034077 The United States’ M1 Abrams faces the Iraqi’s T-72 tanks during the Gulf War in 1991
		Duel No. 19 — Constitution vs Guerriere: Frigates During the War of 1812 Author(s): Mark Lardas Illustrator(s): Peter Bull, Giuseppe Rava Published: August 2009 ISBN: 9781846034343 Royal Navy and U.S. Navy frigates duel in the War of 1812 including the famous battle of USS Constitution vs. HMS Guerrière
		Duel No. 20 — SE 5a vs Albatros D V: Western Front 1917-18 Author(s): Jon Guttman Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Harry Dempsey Published: October 2009 ISBN: 9781846034718 The SE 5a battles the Albatros D V in the quest for aerial superiority during World War I
		Duel No. 21 — Centurion vs T-55: Yom Kippur War 1973 Author(s): Simon Dunstan Illustrator(s): Howard Gerrard, Ian Palmer, Griff Wason Published: November 2009 ISBN: 9781846033698 The British Centurion and the Soviet T-55 face-off on the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War
		Duel No. 22 — USN Cruiser vs IJN Cruiser: Guadacanal 1942 Author(s): Mark Stille Illustrator(s): Howard Gerrard, Paul Wright Published: October 2009 ISBN: 9781846034664 USN and IJN cruisers clash during at Guadacanal including the Battle of Savo Island and the Battle of Cape Esperance
		Duel No. 23 — USN F-4 Phantom II vs VPAF MiG-17/19: Vietnam 1965-73 Author(s): Peter Davies Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector Published: November 2009 ISBN: 9781846034756 American naval F-4 Phantom II duel Vietnamese MiG-17 and MiG-19 over Vietnam
		Duel No. 24 — Fw 190 Sturmböcke vs B-17 Flying Fortress: Europe 1944-45 Author(s): Robert Forsyth Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector Published: November 2009 ISBN: 9781846039416 Luftwaffe Fw 190 fighters battle the USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers over Europe in WWII
		Duel No. 25 — Fw 200 Condor vs Atlantic Convoy: 1941-43 Author(s): Robert Forczyk, Tim Brown Illustrator(s): Tony Bryan, Howard Gerrard, Ian Palmer Published: March 2010 ISBN: 9781846039171 The German Fw-200 Condor long-range bomber battles the Atlantic Convoys
		Duel No. 26 — P-38 Lightning vs Ki-61 Tony: New Guinea 1942-43 Author(s): Donald Nijboer Illustrator(s): Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector Published: March 2010 ISBN: 9781846039430 The twin-tailed P-38 Lightning faces the Japanese Ki-61 Tony heavy air superiority fighter over New Guinea

Posted in miscellaneous | Tagged book, duel, osprey, publications | 8 Comments

Destroyed SdKfz 251 Ausf D

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

German SdKfz 251 Ausf D halftracks destroyed by the U.S. 9th Air Force near Gavray, France in August 1944. The foreground SdKfz 251 is an unknown variant with extended top armor plate over the passenger section.

German SdKfz 251 Ausf D (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Posted in photos, weapons | Tagged german, halftrack, normandy, photos, sdkfz 251 | 3 Comments

SdKfz 251/9

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Photograph of a destroyed German SdKfz 251/9 halftrack in France in August 1944 showing the gun mount and vehicle interior. The SdKfz 251/9 mounted the short 7.5cm KwK37 (L/24) to provide a support weapon with antitank capability to panzergrenadier units. The nickname for the SdKfz 251/9 was “Stummel” (Stump).

SdKfz 251/9: Destroyed German SdKfz 251/9 Halftrack

Destroyed German SdKfz 251/9 Halftrack (U.S. Air Force Photo)

SdKfz 251/9 Characteristics:

Weight	8.5 tons
Height	2.1m
Crew	3
Armament	7.5cm KwK37 L/24
Ammunition	52 rounds
Traverse	12° left/right
Elevation	-10° to +12°
Secondary Armament	2 7.92mm MG34 or MG42
Designation	SdKfz 251/9 mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen 7.5cm, Gerät 909
Nickname	Stummel (Stump)

Posted in photos | Tagged 75mm, halftrack, photos, sdkfz 251, sdkfz 251/9 | 1 Comment

Grille Self-Propelled Artillery

265th Engineer Combat Battalion

German Rifleman Uniform

New Concord Books

607th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Camp Shelby, Mississippi

Tank Gun Trajectories

Osprey Duel Series

Destroyed SdKfz 251 Ausf D

SdKfz 251/9

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