7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

Discussions on the vehicles used by the Axis forces. Hosted by Christian Ankerstjerne
User avatar
Franzl Rider
Member
Posts: 1126
Joined: 21 May 2005, 10:46
Location: Netherlands

7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#1

Post by Franzl Rider » 15 Sep 2008, 12:33

Not much can be found on the nine 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton "Diana". They were active within the PzJgAbt 605 at the Battle of Gazala and El Alemein. About eleven pictures I was able to find on the net and in my own library. One picture (from exp ebay) I had not seen with other sites is this one. It shows a Diana on display in Caïro after the second Battle of Alamein where it was captured by the British. You can see the limited room for turning the gun. For sideelevation one hed to turn the vehicle it self.

See also this site with pictures of the same vehicle in Caïro
http://www.geocities.com/firefly1002000/605.html
Attachments
7,62mm FK36r PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5t in Cairo - ebay.jpg
7,62mm FK36r PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5t in Cairo - ebay.jpg (70.69 KiB) Viewed 5140 times

User avatar
Sm3ag0L
Member
Posts: 20
Joined: 28 Nov 2004, 23:59
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#2

Post by Sm3ag0L » 15 Sep 2008, 15:40

The Australian War Memorial has a brochure on this vehicle, see here:

http://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/8/articles/diana.pdf

There is another image at the bottom of the preceding article in the brochure:

http://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/8/article ... of_war.pdf

I have also located a photo, unfortunately I cannot remember the source
Attachments
198-sdkfz_6_diana.jpg
198-sdkfz_6_diana.jpg (33.22 KiB) Viewed 5064 times


User avatar
David W
Member
Posts: 3516
Joined: 28 Mar 2004, 02:30
Location: Devon, England

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#3

Post by David W » 15 Sep 2008, 17:45

Franzl.

Is there anything specific that you want to know?

Nice colour photo here...http://www.afrikakorps.org/panzerjagerabt.htm

User avatar
Manuferey
Member
Posts: 4082
Joined: 17 May 2007, 15:52
Location: Virginia

Re: 7,62cm FK(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#4

Post by Manuferey » 01 Apr 2012, 17:53

Several pictures from the Australian War Memorial on-line of the 7,62 cm FK(r) auf Panzerjäger sfl. Zgkw 5t captured or destroyed in North Africa in 1942:

A first one:

Image

Image

Emmanuel
Last edited by Manuferey on 01 Apr 2012, 18:09, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Manuferey
Member
Posts: 4082
Joined: 17 May 2007, 15:52
Location: Virginia

Re: 7,62cm FK(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#5

Post by Manuferey » 01 Apr 2012, 17:53

A second one:

Image

The gun, a 7,62 cm FK296(r) to me, still mounted on its wheels (not a 7,62 cm FK36(r) which had pneumatic wheels and a lower shield), is clearly visible:

Image

Emmanuel
Last edited by Manuferey on 01 Apr 2012, 18:09, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Manuferey
Member
Posts: 4082
Joined: 17 May 2007, 15:52
Location: Virginia

Re: 7,62cm FK(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#6

Post by Manuferey » 01 Apr 2012, 17:54

The second one was captured near Tel-El-Eisa, Egypt, and is inspected here closely by Brigadier A.H. Godfrey, CO of 24th Australian Infantry Brigade on July 31, 1942.

Image

Image

Emmanuel
Last edited by Manuferey on 01 Apr 2012, 18:07, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Manuferey
Member
Posts: 4082
Joined: 17 May 2007, 15:52
Location: Virginia

Re: 7,62cm FK(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#7

Post by Manuferey » 01 Apr 2012, 18:07

Here is a picture of the gun's cousin, the 7,62 cm FK36(r), i.e a 7,62 cm FK296(r) on pneumatic wheels and with a lower shield. The Germans will add a muzzle brake to build the 7,62 cm Pak 36 (no "r").

Image

If you look closely at the vehicle on the left on the background, you'll recognize a "Diana". :D Possibly the same one as on my first set of pictures.

Emmanuel

Clive Mortimore
Member
Posts: 1288
Joined: 06 Jun 2009, 23:38

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#8

Post by Clive Mortimore » 01 Apr 2012, 22:23

Hi Emmanuel

Thanks for those photos, it confirms to me that the Diana had the 7.62 cm FK 296(r) not the rebuilt 7.62 cm Pak 36(r) as often stated in books etc. Looking at the photo 2 you can see the elevation handwheel on the right side of the gun. Photo 6 shows the left hand side and there is only the traverse handwheel. The 7.62 cm Pak 36(r) was rebuilt with both handwheels on the left so that only one gunner was needed to lay the gun, which speeds up the aiming when firing against tanks.

Clive
Clive

User avatar
Manuferey
Member
Posts: 4082
Joined: 17 May 2007, 15:52
Location: Virginia

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#9

Post by Manuferey » 02 Apr 2012, 01:08

Clive,

Thank you very much for these details. I recognized the FK36(r) from the FK296(r) so far only with the wheels and shield.

As you know, there were three guns derived from the Russian 76,2 mm F-22 aka. M36:
- 7,62 cm FK296(r) which is the basic F-22 with its original high shield and steel wheels with rubber tires.
- 7,62 cm FK36(r) with the lower shield and pneumatic shield. I’d be curious to learn if it was a rebuilt unit with the same handwheels as the following gun:
- 7,62 Pak 36
(note that there were no (r) – see http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0&t=143147 and this is confirmed by German documents)
which looks to me like a FK36(r) with a muzzle brake.

In his book “German Military Vehicles”, David Doyle calls the “Diana” gun, the 7,62 cm FK(r) auf Panzerjäger sfl. Zgkw 5t, without any number after the FK. This makes sense as we have now confirmed that it was not a FK36(r).

Emmanuel

User avatar
Manuferey
Member
Posts: 4082
Joined: 17 May 2007, 15:52
Location: Virginia

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#10

Post by Manuferey » 05 Apr 2012, 00:23

A “Diana” inspected at El Alamein in July 1942 by Australian officers. It looks like the same vehicle as the first one I posted above (see the clothes hanging in the back):

Image

Emmanuel

valentine III
Member
Posts: 111
Joined: 16 May 2012, 13:14

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#11

Post by valentine III » 04 Jul 2012, 14:56

From The Australian 26th Infantry brigade: Action diary 24 July 1942. 9.45h. 11 Antitank Battery brought in 1 self propelled 76mm gun and destroyed another. Another 76,2mm gun tractored was also captured. Most probably the ones from the photos avobe.

It appears then that on July there were at least 2 Dianas available possibly more because in october there were 2 ready.

User avatar
Varadero
Member
Posts: 166
Joined: 12 Jan 2013, 20:23

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#12

Post by Varadero » 19 Sep 2016, 11:34

From ebay, wrecked Diana.
Attachments
DAK Diana.jpg

User avatar
Varadero
Member
Posts: 166
Joined: 12 Jan 2013, 20:23

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#13

Post by Varadero » 18 Dec 2016, 16:58

DAK soldiers with 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5-ton Diana from ebay. In the background a PzJ I.
Attachments
7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5-ton Diana (ebay).jpg

User avatar
Varadero
Member
Posts: 166
Joined: 12 Jan 2013, 20:23

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#14

Post by Varadero » 18 Dec 2016, 17:00

This is really a rare picture. Three "7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5-ton Diana" before shipment to Africa. From ebay.
Attachments
7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5-ton Diana before shipment (ebay).jpg

SIS 5
Member
Posts: 5891
Joined: 22 Nov 2006, 18:27
Location: Germany

Re: 7,62cm FK36(r) auf PzJ Sfl Zgkw 5ton Diana

#15

Post by SIS 5 » 18 Dec 2016, 19:19

Hi Varadero,

that´s excellent. Wow, that´s a real rare pic. Maybe it´s interesting for You and all others: the inventory of the equipment of the Panzerjägerabteilung 605 (sfl), May 1942 (with nine "Dianas") out of the book "Rommels Afrika Korps" by Pier Paolo Battistelli and Dr. Duncan Anderson.
Attachments
PJA-605.gif
PJA-605.gif (53.6 KiB) Viewed 2276 times

Post Reply

Return to “The Ron Klages Panzer & other vehicles Section”