Flakvierling 38 of Panzer-Grenadier Division Großdeutschland

Today's colourised image is a Flakvierling crew of the Großdeutschland Division in training, taken on 5th November 1943.

The Flakvierling 38 was a quad mount version of the 2cm FlaK 38 and was introduced in 1940. The single 2cm FlaK guns were planned to be phased out early in the war in favour of 3.7cm cannon, as the latter was able to engage targets at much greater range and with several times the explosive force. In order to keep the 2cm gun viable, the Flakvierling 38 (literally ‘quadruple anti-aircraft cannon model 38’) was introduced to increase firepower whilst utilising weapons and ammunition that were already in production.

Walter Krüger and 'Tiki'

For today's update we have a rather famous Tiger I by the name of 'Tiki', from 8./SS-Pz.Rgt. 2 (8th Company, SS-Panzer Regiment 2). The image was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Friedrich Zschäckel in Russia on 20th April 1943.

SS-Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger can be seen here giving a speech to the troops from the front of Tiki, shortly before he presented a series of awards to men of the Das Reich division for their actions in the Third Battle of Kharkov. The officer in the stahlhelm to the left of Tiki is believed to be Otto Kumm, who was promoted to SS-Standartenführer later that day.