Can anyone please help me identify the captured German vehicle in this photograph? https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/9533986248/in/album-72157635111107104/


My Grandfather was a Cpl in the SAAF who served as a ground crew member during South Africa's participation in WW2. This pic is one of many from his collection that I inherited. Please feel free to take a look at the collection. Any insights and identification of vehicles, planes and locations would be most welcome. Here is the collection:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/sets/72157635111107104/

That's a panzer Mk I with the upper hull placed on it backwards. Clearly it's not operational. I bet there's an interesting story of how it got that way.

The full set of pics is really interesting. Thanks for posting them!

I suspect that Mr "Ka-Boom" played a significant role
in the history of that Pz I ;-)

I would have thought so, too, but for the surprising lack of damage on the rest of the vehicle. It looks like the tranny cover plate and front fenders are gone, but the lower hull is totally intact.

Thank you for sharing these pics with us.

I have seen images of internal ammunition explosion looking like this, but I would not think the 2cm ammo could do this. It also looks like the upper hull has been place on for recovery. I am wondering if it was about to go under a field modification that was not completed before it was captured.

We will probably never know for sure. Maybe there is a
large entrance hole for some high explosive shell on the
other side ...
Possible scenario: Pz I gets blown up, someone decides that
the scrap is worth recovering, either to repair (German side) or to evaluate (check impact of 40 mm shell or whatever) or show (Allied side). SAAF personel come along
and take pictures.
Freak occurence: Pz I gets blown up, superstructure goes
up in the air for a spin or two and comes down back-to-front.
Looking at the angles between the sections get the impression that the pieces have been twisted ...my view only ...
/ Robin

Great photos! They really take the War down to a personal level. I would farm them out to the appropiate venues and see if they get used in upcoming publications (Squadron Signal In Action series, et al). You've got enough equipment photos to share that would make the author/publishers' mouth water!

Love the 'never seen before' Panzer IV, Tiger I, and the 75mm and 105mm arty pics. Of course there are a bunch of others too numerous to mention, but the tanks caught my eye first and foremost.

I'm specially eyeing that dozer pulling to what seems to be a Brit plow of some sort. Screams for building the Mirror/Miniart dozer kits and scratching the plow device!

What a whole new dimension to seeing the war through a personal eye and camera and during the Africa campaign to boot!

Very seldom are wrecks/disabled vehicles (planes/tanks, etc.) even featured in any publcations and your pics are loaded with them. Such rare stuff! I'm envious of your ownership of such a collection.

Cherish them!!!

This contraption looks like a towed scraper
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/9531914491/in/set-72157635111107104

Looks like a LeTourneau, first image on this link:
http://www.contrafedpublishing.co.nz/Contractor/2009/July+2009/The+history+of+the+towed+scraper.html

http://www.tractorparts.com/images/letourneau/letourneaulscvr.JPG



/ Robin

So pleased at the responses and so glad that the collection is being enjoyed by so many ....thank you to you all!

The car in the foreground on this one :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/9531137675/in/set-72157635111107104

appears to be a Fiat 1100 / 508C with cut-out front fenders :



and the unlucky truck here :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/9531168523/in/set-72157635111107104

could be a Ford 01T 3Ton 4x2 GS truck (= Ford 098T)


H.P.

Thank you Henri-Pierre!!!

Looking at this photo of a plane wreck ......the wing design on the left .....is this possibly a Spitfire?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/9531925193/in/set-72157635111107104

If it is a Spitfire ....this is probably one of the SAAF 40 Sqdn planes that didn't make it ....you can see the sequence of pics....when looking at the background trees and shrub...the pilot was buried near the wreck. SAAF 40 Sqdn was a reconnaissance Sqdn.

I guess you're right Kevin. The wing-mounted 20mm Hispano cannon can be seen in the foreground. The corresponding blister on the wing is visible in this picture :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100298939@N03/9531925531/in/album-72157635111107104/

H.P.

Thank you H.P.