JackG Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) Any ideas from the keen eyes out there, can anyone make out what is behind the three fuel cans? From left to right, to me looks like some kind of can or pail, cylindrical tube, and a section of canvas or cloth material wrapped around a stick(s)? A slightly better quality still can be found at this link, at the 4:30 min. mark: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/stills/d-day-from-german-perspective regards, Jack Edited November 12, 2013 by JackG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) Thought it might be a funnel for pouring the fuel, but I don't think so anymore. stills #293-295 appear to show the same tank from the left side, the cans are no longer on the glacis plate, however there are three jerry cans and what appears to be a shell casing lying on the ground in front of the tank. Edited November 13, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) Studying it more closely, could that be a German helmet placed over the headlight (it's behind the brushguard, but covers the light itself) with a shell casing wedged in behind it (pointing forward, resting on the rod like items).....Might explain why the Germans appear to have taken some of the stowage off; in order to retrieve their fallen comrade's headgear? EDIT - Nope.....Upon even closer study of stills #293-295 I reckon it's still there, but in the process of removing the cans it's been turned so it's almost facing the camera, the dark patch where the right headlight should be is actually shadows in the back of the helmet. There are also a number of tubular items that might well be gun cleaning rods visible on the glacis, these seem to have slipped down when the cans were removed. Edited November 14, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted November 14, 2013 Author Share Posted November 14, 2013 Sarge, thanks for taking a look. I think you are right about the cleaning rods and shell casing. A previous still shows a detectable taper to the open end: http://images.britishpathe.com/?id=63043&num=288&size=still Any idea the purpose of keeping the shell? The rods stowed in front seems to be bad house keeping, as they would be most vulnerable to enemy action in that position. I'm not seeing the German helmet, but if it is that, it could be booty taken on the previous day while helping clear up pockets of resistance on the afternoon of June 6th. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 (edited) Here's the helmet: [Pictures Deleted] You should be able to see it in the original now. Edited November 18, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfisti Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Hi Jack, having read a few first hand accounts from tank crews,I believe the empty shell casings,in a lot of instances were used by the crews as a toilet when they were buttoned down in action or on the move and couldn't stop the vehicle. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwallen1410 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 I think we might be reading too much into the shell case. Let's not forget this is knocked out vehicle, so has probably been picked over for souvenirs or anything useful. Position of the shell casing suggests to me that is has just been dropped there rather than having been kept for any reason. Still can't see the German helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 (edited) It's wedged over the headlight.....Sherman crews often seem to have hung helmets on their headlights and German helmets were second only to Lugers in popularity as trophies: This one has a helmet on its headlight and a German helmet taken as a trophy! Edited November 16, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 In the last photo the British helmet is on top of a small pack. Crews oftain left their small pack and helmet near their hatch where they could be grabbed if they have to bail out of the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted November 16, 2013 Author Share Posted November 16, 2013 I'm hesitant to give the green light to the German helmet because the shape it occupies makes it look more deep, like the style used in the First World War. (I still think it could also be a can of paint). Though, I might still go ahead and place one there - it would make an interesting conversation piece. Further on the shell, it could actually be from either side. Either another souvenir picked up to match the German helmet, or it could be a 17-pdr casing left there after being examined by German troops. Thanks everyone. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 At the end of the day it's purely subjective now.....We appear to have the best evidence available in front of us, so it's all a matter of interpretation, there is no objective right or wrong. For the sake of thoroughness I'll check all the Sherman pics I have access to, but I don't think I've seen this one before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 Sarge, I agree totally with you on your last post. Something else to consider on my end, is what is available to me in 1/48 scale. I do have some resin German helmets, so tried placing one in position to mimic the photo, and it actually looks too small. Since I want to reserve the helmets for stowage on a Tiger I anyway, I'm going ahead with the paint can stored behind the headlight. For the shell casing, I know there is brass AM products that would do the trick, but I'm going to pass on that. I might consider scratch building one - a lathe would certainly come in handy for that. The gun cleaning rods should be pretty straight forward to fashion my own. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 (edited) Checked the lot (thought I'd already posted this).....No pictures of this tank that I could find in any of my references. I did find quite a lot of pictures of Shermans with helmets (of various types) on their headlights.....I didn't find any with paint cans, buckets or other similar items stored there, not a single one! Edited November 18, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Hi Sarge, do you have this book: I've flipped through the chapter dealing with Normandy several times, both before and during my build. Well I just looked at it again and found two photos with a pail located behind the headlight. They are are from different regiments though, 1st Hussars and the other is only captioned as being 2nd Armoured brigade. Must of been somewhere back in my memory to have considered the pail - lol. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 JackG have you noticed the lower "spare" track links are assembled with the horns upside down and the right hand ones are also the wrong way round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 hi Niall, Yes, seems whoever added the spare tracks decided to flip them around so they would sit flush against the glacis/hull by having the treads face up, as well as the end connectors facing upwards, thus making the assemblies backwards. From what I was told, the original Sherman tracks that were of the rubber block style with no tread pattern, were designed to get more mileage out of them by flipping them around after some use. This though , of course, would be impractical with the later style treads. It was a bit of a bugger to replicate this on my model, as I had to shave off the tread pattern, and then glue it to the opposite side. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 (edited) Not something I'm likely to be emulating in 1/72 if I can avoid it! I don't have that book Jack.....However I shall henceforth always associate Canadian Shermans with buckets! Edited November 21, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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