Wehrmacht vehicle question

[Robert Noss]

This photo of a half-track vehicle shows a part at the rear of which I think is some kind of snort.



Detail:



It would also fit to the scene, seems the vehicle has crossed the river behind.

What do You think ?

Kind regards
Robert

[Andrew Hall]

Hi Robert,

The vehicle seems to be an Sd.Kfz 6 but I'm not sure the apparatus is a schnorkel (is that what you meant?), it looks electrical.

Regards _ Andrew

[Bill Murray]

Very interesting photo for sure.

My guess would be that the snorkel looking apparatus is some sort of generator or transfer unit for some sort of gaseous materiel. Look at the valves on the top. As well, and it it really hard to tell from the photo, it looks almost like two oxygen or some other gas containers laid on their side in the back of the half track. I lose the clarity of the picture when I enlarge it but I think I see pressure gauges on the end of the canisters.
Anyone else??
Cheers
Bill

[Andrew Hall]

Good call but those things that look like canisters are the backs of the seats.

Andrew

[Bill Murray]

Hi Andrew:

Yeah, you are correct. I finally managed to find my old model building super magnifying glass thingie (loupe) and I see that.
Well, back to the drawing board.
Cheers
Bill

[Robert Noss]

I made two more detailed scans.




Behind the vehicle is a trailer - for transporting any unknown equipment.

The soldier is a signal soldier. Could the mysterious "canister" be something related to signals ?



I dropped the schnorkel theory. If that would be a schnorkel for diving through a river - the driver would be under water and would need a schnorkel too.

So again, no idea so far.

Robert

[DocKoehler]

I don't know the word in english!

"Flüssiggasantrieb". Is that possible?

Kind regards

Köhler

[Bill Murray]

Doc:

Your word is liquid propane gas in English and that is sort of what I was thinking but I do not know the application or why it would seem to be on the back of that vehicle. Still a mystery to me.
Bill

[Guenter Braun]

Hi!


I've read somewhere that using "Flüssiggasantrieb" was quite common for driving schools during WW2.


guenter

[R MICHAEL]

Hello guys, interesting photo. I am leaning to liquid propane or something akin to it. though this opinion only holds if the fuel tank is in that area. So must be being mixed with the fuel. Whatever it is I feel is an experiment as the appuratus is a very nice target so would not be something seen on a combat ready vehicle. Mike

[Andrew Hall]

[QUOTE=DocKoehler]"Flüssiggasantrieb". Is that possible?

This would be Liquid Gas Drive in English The ones I've seen on Tiger I, Panther and Marder for example have large bottles.

I'm still thinking this is something electrical and as Robert says possibly signalling.

Just a wild thought and I'm likely to be wrong, Robert I've seen one ages ago but can't recall exactly what it looked like. Do you have a photo of the Licht-Sprecher 50/60 signalling unit? I had a thought that one of the parts for this apparatus looks similiar to what's on the back of the Sd.Kfz 6.

Regards _ Andrew

[Bill Murray]

Thanks Andrew:

I got so excited that I could do the Flussigas that I skipped the antrieb part as we all know what that means.

And...the more I looked at the darned thing the more I think you may be on to something. I wonder if it has to do with the trailer in the background.

I have looked through a number of books and other source documents but so far have come up with nothing. I do love a mystery, so let us continue. Maybe look in the various Luftwaffe threads???
Bill