Post your exciting SFL tank pic

[Mogdala]

Akira what a nice pic

Another vehicle of Pz.Jg.Abt. 521 10,5cm K18 Pz.SFL. IVa called "Dicker Max" i know it´s Panzerartillerie but i love this vehicle.

[Andrew Hall]

Knockout pics

Thanks for sharing these gents, a lot of 'Wow' factor here Especially the Ferdinands/Elefants, Marders and Akiras lovely s.Pz.Jg.Abt 519 pic.

Andrew

[Akira Takiguchi]

Another vehicle of Pz.Jg.Abt. 521 10,5cm K18 Pz.SFL. IVa called "Dicker Max" i know it´s Panzerartillerie but i love this vehicle.

Goooood! goooood! Everything is proceeding as I had planned!

I think you got it from ebay, part of the estate of Friedrich Schutz, a grenadier from 3.Panzer-Division (I have part of the estate).

Your photo of Dicker Max shows the typical application of "kill bars" (these are not rings, just bars) on the gun barrel along with a small tank picture - T34, "32to" panzer - not some feeble BT tanks! - so proud must have been the crew of their achievement!

Now, take a look at this picture...

[Akira Takiguchi]

This photo of an early Hornisse is from an album of a member of 2./P.655. P.655 was created from the remnants of P.521, P.611 and P.670. All three Abteilungen had been destroyed in Stalingrad (along with 2 x 12,8cm Pak SFL auf VK 30.01). Each company of the new Abteilung was called after its deceased parents, like Kp.521, Kp.611 and Kp.670.

I have no idea if this Hornisse is from 2.Kp (Kp.611) though it is in the 2.Kp album. May be from 1.Kp.(Kp.521). Anyway, as can be seen, (at least some of) the new Abteilung inherited the same "kill band" style from the parent Abteilung - P.521.

[Akira Takiguchi]

Thanks for sharing these gents, a lot of 'Wow' factor here

Hello Andrew, I request you expert guys from missing-lynx forum to say something more than "wow" I am always impressed with the energetic research efforts being done! Thank you for being here too!

Now, I have some homework for you Andrew... What is this vehicle?

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/SFL-innen.jpg">

[Mogdala]

Akira yes the photo is from eBay. I think last year there was the complete group for sale, but i was not the winning bidder. I bought 2 of them from Th.L and i would say you got the other photos, about 60?

I´ve got some other photos showing all 2 of them.

[Andrew Hall]

Hello Andrew, I request you expert guys from missing-lynx forum to say something more than "wow" I am always impressed with the energetic research efforts being done! Thank you for being here too!

Now, I have some homework for you Andrew... What is this vehicle?

Hi Akira,

Well, with the 'Wow!' I'm kind of carrying on the English tradition of expressive understatement

Thanks for the homework! In the best traditions of a really bad stage clairvoyant I have to prepare myself...bear with me.

Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes...I sense something Eastern European, mmmmm something Bohemian, yet something with a touch of Russian as well.... something that started and ended in 1942. I'm getting feeelings of a vehicle that fought from the deserts of Afrika to Southern France (though possibly not Normandie) to Russia. Something with a rack for having a barbecue on the back.

It's coming to me....... a Tige...a Stup... it's a Sd.Kfz 139 7.62cm Pak 36(r) auf GW.38(t) ???

Regards - Andrew

...some time later: I thought it was a quiz Akira but looking at your photo caption maybe not?? The man is in the driving seat in your photo not the funkers position.

[Akira Takiguchi]

Yes Andrew, absolutely... It is 7,62cm Pak 36(r) on 38(t) chassis, unfortunately! I had been searching for a similar photo for a Marder II D for quite some time, but this is all I have had! We all want to see how driver's and radio operator's position is built on a Marder II D, right? No luck so far!

I hope someone someday can bring one photo to show the picture of driver's position (inside view) of a Marder II D!!!

"Funker..." is the caption written on the back, yes, again Andrew is right, he IS the driver on a 38(t)!

[Akira Takiguchi]

So far we have seen only "vollketten" - fully tracked vehicles. May I post a few "halbketten" (halftracked) and cars too?

"The thing" I am always in search of... 8,8cm Flak 18 on 12t halftrack! Anything from this unit (1.Kompanie / schw.Panzerj&auml;ger-Abteilung 8) would make my day, thank you

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/1P8-1.jpg">

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/1P8-2.jpg">

[Mogdala]

Yes Andrew, absolutely... It is 7,62cm Pak 36(r) on 38(t) chassis, unfortunately! I had been searching for a similar photo for a Marder II D for quite some time, but this is all I have had! We all want to see how driver's and radio operator's position is built on a Marder II D, right? No luck so far!

I hope someone someday can bring one photo to show the picture of driver's position (inside view) of a Marder II D!!!

"Funker..." is the caption written on the back, yes, again Andrew is right, he IS the driver on a 38(t)!

This could be getting difficult!

Your 8,8cm Flak 18 on 12t halftrack photos are quite impressive! I don´t have got one for showing

[Andrew Hall]

I hope someone someday can bring one photo to show the picture of driver's position (inside view) of a Marder II D!!!

Akira, that equilibrator was a give-away to it being the Sd.Kfz 139

Yes, no doubt, a plan or rear view looking into the Marder IID from above is keenly sought by a lot of enthusiasts. There is one poor photo (maybe from a manual??) looking in from the rear of the early version (with the mesh screens at the rear) but the exact layout remains a question.

Other photos searched for are an interior shot of the Sd.Kfz 250/8. Not my specific interest but I was surprised to read apparently the interior of the Russian KV-II turret was another one there's no record of.

One other I've been searching for (modelling interest) is a clear unobstructed view into the gun crew area of the Gep. Sd.Kfz 7. This brings me around nicely to your lovely 12 t photos. For such a rare vehicle these seem to have been photographed fairly regularly (and you have most of them!! ).

Best - Andrew

[Akira Takiguchi]

One other I've been searching for (modelling interest) is a clear unobstructed view into the gun crew area of the Gep. Sd.Kfz 7. This brings me around nicely to your lovely 12 t photos. For such a rare vehicle these seem to have been photographed fairly regularly

I agree and I desperately need it, but no luck so far. Also searching for a color slide of this monster. I have acquired fairly many color slides from HGr. Mitte but again, no luck.

(and you have most of them!! ).

I do have pretty many, but "not most of them". I know another who has many...

[Mogdala]

Are there some other collectors outside, who want to share their photos too?

[Mogdala]

Nobody?

[Akira Takiguchi]

Christian... You know... These photos are not easy to come by... In other words, if someone floods pictures of SFLs like hell, what would you think?

Well, a friend, Lukas Friedli ( http://mypage.bluewin.ch/Panzer_Instandsetzung ) has sent me a startling picture of a Dicker Max.

One of the two Dicker Max was lost by internal explosion. Several pictures are known of this destroyed Dicker Max, after it was turned down and put aside from road, but here is a picture that was taken immediately after the incident (from the photo collection of Horst Krönke). As far as I know, this is the first photo ever published.