Afrika Korps desert vehicle

[Edwin Parks]

I have to confess that my knowledge of the Africa Korps is close to zero. BUT I would like to build a suitable German vehicle to go with my SAS, LRDG, Italian Saharian etc vehicles. I do know that the Germans did at least attempt an end run to deliver agents into Cairo and did operate some SAS hunting groups but no more than that really

 

Can members suggest a suitable vehicle??

[JackG]

Probably anything  4 wheeled, including captured equipment. 

 

 

The right fender has a barely visible  scorpion on a white shield.   Better graphic of the emblem, plus a list of possible vehicles can be found in this link:

 

http://www.desert-vehicles.org/index.php?article_id=199

 

 

 

 

regards,

Jack

[Edwin Parks]

Thank you, that's a great link.

[Kingsman]

At times, up to 50% or even more of DAK's wheeled transport was captured Commonwealth kit.  So for infiltration a captured vehicle in Commonwealth markings driven by people in Commonwealth uniform would probably have been necessary.  A German or Italian vehicle is most likely to have been noticed.  Disguising as nomadic tribesmen would have been another possibility, as would posing as French Foreign Legion (who included many nationalities including Germans).  The Axis forces did not like to venture into the more desolate inland parts of the desert around the southern flanks as the LRDG did.

 

As for "SAS hunting" I imagine that standard kit would have been used.  The Germans didn't develop a special vehicle like the Italian AS42.  The SdKfz 222 would have been a useful asset with its 4WD, armour and 2cm cannon but lacked desert tyres and would have struggled on soft going.

[stevehnz]

On 10/11/2019 at 7:21 AM, Edwin Parks said:

I do know that the Germans did at least attempt an end run to deliver agents into Cairo and did operate some SAS hunting groups but no more than that really

This was Operation Salam, in which a German convoy using captured British?Commonwealth vehicles as postulated by @Das Abteilung attempted to transport German spies to Cairo. Some reading about this here and here.

A book written about it.

Steve.

[Pete in Lincs]

You learn something new every day. And this one has barely started! 

Thanks for the links, Steve. Very interesting stuff.

 

Edwin, see if you can find a copy of the Michael Caine film, Play Dirty.

Not quite what you want, but well worth watching for the 'mood' of the thing.

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063443/?ref_=nv_sr_2?ref_=nv_sr_2

[dcrfan]

Detail on book at http://www.desertstories.org/index.php?article_id=45  I think it suggests captured vehicles were used - CMP F8

[Edwin Parks]

Thank you all. 

 

Im going to look at the Operation Salam vehicles, but in the meantime I'll be doing this as the Sonderkommand Dora version.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35305-steyr-type-1500a-01--133296

[Brood]

Thanks for starting this topic Edwin. Great read for a now hibernating DAK looney and best of luck with your Steyr.