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Ardennes Offensive: When did the snow begin?
chuckster
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Missouri, United States
Joined: May 30, 2003
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Posted: Monday, December 23, 2013 - 05:25 PM UTC
This may sound picky, but in order to put an exact time on my diorama, I need to know. I heard somewhere there was no snow in the Ardennes on December 16, when the offensive started, but it was certainly there by Christmas.
roudeleiw
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Luxembourg
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Posted: Monday, December 23, 2013 - 06:51 PM UTC

Chuck
In the Luxembourg area the snow started on Dec 22/23
In the Belgian area it started a few days earlier but I am not sure of the exact date.

Claude
kurnuy
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West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
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Posted: Monday, December 23, 2013 - 08:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

This may sound picky, but in order to put an exact time on my diorama, I need to know. I heard somewhere there was no snow in the Ardennes on December 16, when the offensive started, but it was certainly there by Christmas.


There was snow in Belgium in a place called Krinkelt (on the border with Germany) on December 15 , on December 18 there was snow everywhere in the Ardennes region.

Greets Kurt
jrutman
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Pennsylvania, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - 02:52 AM UTC
It would help if you gave the part of the battlefield as the area was huge. We are talking about large parts of the Benelux plus a bit of Germany.
I have a pic of the 17th of Dec(start day) of the rear portions of the 6th Panzer army located around Losheimergraben and there are flurries and a light dusting of snow. But all of the still pics and the motion pictures of the Peiper group and the leading elements of LSSAH show no snow. The written acounts I have say it snowed in the LeGlieze area on the 24th of Dec,as the LSSAH panzer group escaped on foot. There is a series of pics showing the guys in my old unit(504PIR) testing bazookas on the Tiger in LeGlieze and there is snow on the ground but this was after the fighting there.
That is the snap shot of just that portion of the area but it would also include the Szorzeny "decoy" tank group at Stavelot area and the 12SS attack a bit north of there.
So,once again,it would help if you told the specific area as there was a lot of fighting south of there as well.
J
Blackstoat
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - 03:57 AM UTC
I don't want to hijack this thread, but whilst reading this I wondered if the german units had a whitewash camo?

I've looked at some documentaries about the Ardennes offensive, but I suspect some of the footage was actually from the eastern front.
jrutman
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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - 04:48 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I don't want to hijack this thread, but whilst reading this I wondered if the german units had a whitewash camo?

I've looked at some documentaries about the Ardennes offensive, but I suspect some of the footage was actually from the eastern front.


I know none of the vehicles in the 6SS panzer army area had whitewash. But the southern part of the battle....not sure.
J
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - 04:52 AM UTC
Sometimes (depending where) it snowed at night when the temperature dropped below freezing, and melted during the day when the temperature rose. Until the temperature was consistently below freezing the roads were extremely muddy, especially after a column of tanks passed slowing down the follow up troops and vehicles. Until around Christmas Eve there was generally a combination of snow, rain, freezing rain, and sleet. Wonderful - sounds like the weather here some winters! Sometimes it's best to use a little 'artistic license' and add at least a little snow. After all, what's a BoB dio without snow!
jrutman
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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - 05:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Sometimes (depending where) it snowed at night when the temperature dropped below freezing, and melted during the day when the temperature rose. Until the temperature was consistently below freezing the roads were extremely muddy, especially after a column of tanks passed slowing down the follow up troops and vehicles. Until around Christmas Eve there was generally a combination of snow, rain, freezing rain, and sleet. Wonderful - sounds like the weather here some winters! Sometimes it's best to use a little 'artistic license' and add at least a little snow. After all, what's a BoB dio without snow!


Totally agree about the winter mix. Maybe some snow in crooks and crannies or on the north side of buildings would be nice?
J
jhoenig
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New York, United States
Joined: December 29, 2011
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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - 09:54 AM UTC
A "little " freelancing never hurt. I wanted to add the winter "feel" even though I knew there wasn't snow pre-offensive, so I just added a little dusting to this Ardennes Dio.

- John
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