► Photothread: Interesting eBay pics

[Maxschnauzer]

AMERIKANISCHE TRUPPEN IN BELFORT FRANCE. Very interesting...

[Alanmccoubrey]

Or perhaps just a Texaco Petrol Station ?

[SIS 5]

Hi Alan,

that´s great. So the right text would be: German troops in Belfort and a tanker of the American oil company Texaco.
Here an information from the net about Texaco in France:
1934
La Société des raffineries de pétrole de la Gironde absorbe la filiale française de Texas Cie et devient concessionnaire de la marque Texaco.

Best regards

Bert

[Maxschnauzer]

Hi Alan, ert,
Now that makes a lot more sense but is somewhat less interesting!

[Maxschnauzer]

MAN Type D1 with open standard driver's cab towing unidenified (8 ton??) heavy trailer.
According to http://www.kfzderwehrmacht.de/:

The MAN lorries of the type D 1 with the open standard driver’s cab of the Wehrmacht were extremely rare.

[Pz III]

Interesting Stug III Ausf F. Note the armored radio pannier is taller than standard, early drive sprocket and idler wheel, unusual storage box on right fender and non standard muzzle brake. Muzzle brake appears to me to be a late war variation. I would speculate that vehicle is a late war mutt made up from available parts but pic doesn't doesn't strike me as a late war pic. Vehicle also seems to lack a roof ventilator suggesting an Ausf E chassis. I would be interested to know others think. Possibly an upgunned Ausf E prototype for Ausf F.

Photo from ebay for discussion purposes only

[Maxschnauzer]

Heavy artillery traversing the Queen Luise Bridge, Tilsit, Ostpreussen. Can anyone translate the banner?

[Leo Niehorster]

The banner says "Nach 20-jähriger Knechtschaft führst du uns heim ins Reich" — loose translation: "After 20 years of slavery you lead us back into the Reich."

This is the Bridge across the Memel connecting Sowjetsk (Tilsit) with Pagėgiai (Pogegen). The photograph shows German troops "marching" into the Memelgebiet on 23 March 1939.

Leo
(And, just to nitpick, I believe it is heavy antiaircraft artillery (8,8cm), not heavy artillery.)

[Pz III]

Hi Leo and Max

Leo - you are correct it is an 88mm Flak 18.

Max - Interesting photo but I believe it has been manipulated or doctored slightly. The mist/smoke/dust does not seem to fit, the rear tires of the gun carriage do not look like they are actually in contact with the road surface and there is something going on the leftmost flag and roof of the guard tower. However it a photo I have not seen before.

Thanks
Richard

[peeved]

Hi Richard,

Excellent observations on the image manipulation of what is a period retouched Kauffoto:
http://collections.yadvashem.org/photos ... 53850.html

Markus

[Pz III]

Hi Markus
Seeing an original photo explains a lot. I see now that the swastikas have been covered per modern German law and that explains some of the things I saw.

Thanks
Richard

[Maxschnauzer]

Hello Leo, Richard, and Markus.
Many thanks to you all for your keen observations and for filling in the backround of this interesting albeit "sanitized" photo. As a footnote, I believe the trailer carrying the Flak 18 is an Sd. Ah. 201.

[Luftflotte2]

Interesting Stug III Ausf F. Note the armored radio pannier is taller than standard, early drive sprocket and idler wheel, unusual storage box on right fender and non standard muzzle brake. Muzzle brake appears to me to be a late war variation. I would speculate that vehicle is a late war mutt made up from available parts but pic doesn't doesn't strike me as a late war pic. Vehicle also seems to lack a roof ventilator suggesting an Ausf E chassis. I would be interested to know others think. Possibly an upgunned Ausf E prototype for Ausf F.

Photo from ebay for discussion purposes only

It's an Ausf A drive sprocket and idler though. Maybe it's an even earlier StuG than Ausf E?

[peeved]

It's an Ausf A drive sprocket and idler though. Maybe it's an even earlier StuG than Ausf E?

Isn't the return roller spacing for 360 mm tracks of Ausf. A and early Ausf. B?

Markus

[Luftflotte2]

Isn't the return roller spacing for 360 mm tracks of Ausf. A and early Ausf. B?

Markus

You are correct. I am curious as to what the back story on this is, since the ebay listing has no information.