Com-Central.net

- JimWeb

- Doug_Kibbey

I think Jim Webb is going out later this year.

Yes in March...

Somehow, it just looks better with two "B's" together...don't know why that is....sorry.

'Nuther OT item...this is the Skoda service truck pictured from the first trip. The trailer with the generator that is actually behind the FAMO that I thought likely belonged to this vehicle definitely does...both the wood and wheels match and the tow pintle on the truck is compatible with the trailer connection which the FAMO isn't. Besides, the gear in the truck machine shop rear needs the power.

There is a drill press just out of view to the left from where I took the pic through a break in the glass in the back of the van. Inexplicably, the truck is right hand drive. Anyone can explain why that would be?

Sure would be handy to have one of these along on any mechanized road march. Not a bad place to be on a wintry day in the field, either.

- Doug_Kibbey

Somehow, it just looks better with two "B's" together...don't know why that is....sorry.

Matters not as neither is correct

- JimWeb

- Doug_Kibbey

Somehow, it just looks better with two "B's" together...don't know why that is....sorry.

Matters not as neither is correct

I think I'm still short about four letters....among other things.

Well, what with all the "Panthers in the News" lately, I thought I'd scan this from the book I picked up in the "Muzeul Militar National"....sadly, they don't have any of these on display. They were in use in the post-war period until sometime shortly after 1950 or so when they were replaced by Soviet-build material. They used a mix of types, as you can see. What became of them I have no idea.

(Click the adjacent link for a larger, clearer view, but not much, as they're downsized a lot and have printer's dots and the photo isn't that clear to begin with)

img.photobucket.com/al...Pz51sm.jpg



img.photobucket.com/al...Pz52sm.jpg




While I'm at it, here's the TACAM prototype:

img.photobucket.com/al...rotosm.jpg

Doug, great pics. Yet another example of how the Panther was seen as a still capable tank into the late 1940s and even early 1950s...

Neil

I have a British Army intelligence handbook which lists them as still in service in Romania in 1954.

- JimWeb

I have a British Army intelligence handbook which lists them as still in service in Romania in 1954.

Thanks, Jim...the book I have is vague about when they went out of service. Just "early '50's" and "sometime after 1950" sort of remarks.

Do you have any idea what became of them?

I have a sneaking suspicion that I have read somewhere that they also became border defenses...

Thanks for showing the photos. That front half of a Sherman hull is interesting. You have the remains of one of the "odd ducks" - an M4A2 with the 47-degree hull front AND applique armor. This hull is why Tamiya mistakenly sent (and still sends) applique armor panels with their M4A3 models (and dummies still put them on!). By the way, the tracks may or may not be burned - those are T49 all-steel tracks.

Gary

- binder001

Thanks for showing the photos. That front half of a Sherman hull is interesting. You have the remains of one of the "odd ducks" - an M4A2 with the 47-degree hull front AND applique armor. This hull is why Tamiya mistakenly sent (and still sends) applique armor panels with their M4A3 models (and dummies still put them on!). By the way, the tracks may or may not be burned - those are T49 all-steel tracks.

Gary

Could you tell us (or at least, me) more about these, Gary? I'm not well-informed about Shermans and am especially curious about this one.

Deal is that the M4A2 with 75mm didn't get the Wet Stowage ammo provisions. As well as the liquid surrounding the ammo racks, Wet Stowage moved the bulk of the main gun ammo down into the lower hull instead of being in the sponsons overhanging the tracks, so the M4A3 75 and 76mm versions didn't need the extra "patches" on the hull. M4A2 apparently (I haven't been in an M4A2 75 with late hull) kept the original ammo stoage layout, so the ammo racks still needed the extra protection, hence a number of them have late hulls with the applique patches. I believe that these show up with Soviet units and a few with the USMC. That makes this partial hull a bit of an oddity - the 47-degree hull with side applique from the factory.

My issue with the M4A3 and modelers is because Tamiya included the applique parts in their M4A3 kit (and still do) then modelers who don't know their subject keep gluing then on spoiling a number of finely executed models.

HI Doug

we are going to Romaina to bucharest on the 15th till 20th of march , you said it was in sector one , i would like to go there with my wife who is Romanian , we looked last time we were there and could not find it, also it is not listed on the Romainan websites, alot of the museums have been shut down.
have you been to the museum which is ''Cercul Militar'' near pitza hut.
can you let us know . cristina comes from sector three , the other side of the town,
can you help me
Ossie

Ossie,
Here is the museum website - it appears to be working.

muzeu.mapn.ro/

"Informatii" appears to have location information.

This & other websites indicate it is located at str. Mircea Vulcanesu (fosta Stefan Furtuna) nr. 125 - 127
www.ici.ro/romania/ro/...litar.html

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

Ossie,
Here is the museum website - it appears to be working.

muzeu.mapn.ro/

"Informatii" appears to have location information.

This & other websites indicate it is located at str. Mircea Vulcanesu (fosta Stefan Furtuna) nr. 125 - 127
www.ici.ro/romania/ro/...litar.html

Neil

As Neil said, and as I indicated in earlier post from a map I had:

Ossie,
It's at str. Mircea Vulcanescu, nr. 125-127, Sector 1 between Calea Plevnei and Dinicu Golescu Telephone 00 40 21 212 60 15

Hours are 0900-1700 Tuesday-Sunday. Closed Mondays.

It's just across the street from the backside of the military hospital too, if that helps. Taxis seemed to have no problem knowing this location, it's a big place. Print this and Neil's info out and hand it to them.

When in doubt, I stop in a better business hotel, like the Hilton Athenee Palace and get an area map and have the concierge locate the target on the map for the driver.