US Infantry Weapons and their Effects - 1943 Training Video

Today's post is a departure from the usual in that it is not in colour, though it should be interesting nonetheless. It is a US Army training film from 1943 entitled 'Infantry Weapons and Their Effects' (T.F. 7 1266). It depicts the use of many types of ammunition being fired from most of the standard US infantry weapons of the period. Films like this have always fascinated me as they show live ammunition in use, with the associated recoil and realistic damage to targets.

Of note is the penetration power of the .30-06 round fired by the M1 Garand, and the effect of the M1 Bazooka on a pillbox and sandbagged emplacement. The potential penetration from rifle rounds is always something Hollywood and TV studios seem to disregard. That and the recoil produced by such weapons, though I can understand it is difficult to grasp the true recoil of a weapon when it is only firing blanks.

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.

Panzerbefehlswagen Panther in Italy

For your viewing pleasure today we have Panzerbefehlswagen Panther tactical number I02 from I/Pz.Rgt.4, and her driver. The image is part of a series taken by Kriegsberichter Bayer of this vehicle and others from Pz.Rgt.4 near Florence in Italy in the summer of 1944.

Panzer rollen in Afrika vor

Today's image is a Panzer IV Ausf. E, taken in March or April 1941 in Libya. These dates match the first offensive against Tobruk so it is quite likely this vehicle was knocked out during one of these assaults.

It has taken hits to the muzzle  mantlet and turret front, and although none of the rounds seem to have penetrated, the crew would have been subjected to extensive spalling from the rounds striking the turret.