FURY

[Tim SP]

Went to see 'Fury' yesterday, cinema not my thing normally- urg to kill usually ruins the exp, ie kids buggering about, people talking about their bunions etc,etc,folks that go 2 hrs without stuffing their face with the noisiest food packaging on earth!
But sometimes one has to endure such matters, as only the big screen will do!
Apart from the Sherman being utterly wrong (yup steam or diesel geek alert!!) infact a I.D.F post war converted machine, only one proper M4, no-matter, this really was epic & brilliantly made, not too 'hollywood' had everything you'd want- most vets I would say would be ok with this one.
Pathos, humor, darkness, futility, honor, bravery & comradeship all there.
The best film I've seen in a very long time, 5* from me!!

[Steve Payne]

I agree, I went yesterday and found it a very good film.

A lot of blood and gore so probably not the best film for the farer sex.

It is amazing how big they made the interior of a tank appear though, four people in one of those and usually one has to ask the other 3 if they want to move.

Steve

[Denis]

Do you know this story told by one of the german tank ace? Dont remember - probably Carius told this.

"Once allies attacked us with pity tank with small cannon .
We shot it from our 8.8
Then allies attacked us with many pity tanks with small cannons.
We shot em all.
Then it happens more and more times.
And then we ran out of ammo."

[Tim SP]

Very possibly wrong on the M4, I hate miss quoted facts, so am 'policing' myself a bit here!
'Fury' could well be a '44-45 M4A3, the HVS suspension & 76mm gun with its muzzle brake had me there, also sounded diesel, this should sport a Ford V8.
The pintle looked post war, but being that I'm only an enthusiast AFV merchant & cetaily no expert, I cant be 100% so I stand corrected on my last!
It is perfectly period & I should know better to cast such matters in doubt, esp given who was on site to get 'it' all bang correct.
So, dont worry its all good! (I doubt anyone was about to loose sleep!) But I just checked with a 'sherman guru' so thats that, although poss still ex-I.D.F, its late war correct.

Indeed, the space is minute, the very idea of having to bail from one is horrific, as many didn't ofcourse.
They were nick named 'Ronson's' & 'Tommy cookers' for this very reason, but a great reliable war horse it was & fond the alied crews were of it- also there were many of them.
Can you imagine the idea of tuning a Chrysler multi-bank- 5 in line six cylinder petrol engines sharing a common crank!
Ford V8 must have been a god send for the mechanics! This seems the favoured version of the various engine options, which even included a wright aircraft radial!!
Thats enough geeky'ness from me for today!!

Go & see a great movie on the big screen, awesome spectacle & very well done.

[shaun]

A few years ago, I had day driving military tracked vehicles.
Brilliant ending up with driving a Chieftan.
Magnificent acceleration with motor cycle type clutch control. Big brake pedal!
Very very enjoyable.
Want one!
Totally impractical I know but the Husky I sat in at Car Fest is still the one that I want!

[NickA]

Went to see it last night and thought it was brilliant, being normal self found the odd error such as the whiskey bottle was still full to the neck after 3 or 4 large swigs but that's just me.

Managed to see some of it being filmed as only round the corner from me on the Shirburn Estate near Watlington. They did cause a bit of a sink last year on remembrance Sunday as during the service in Watlington they could hear the gunfire, they apologised later.

[John Staddon]

German officer captured at Salerno when asked how he came to be a prisoner if his 88s were so good:

“Well, it’s like this. I was on a hill as a battery commander with six 88mm anti-tank guns, and the Americans kept sending tanks down this road…Every time they sent a tank we knocked it out. Finally we ran out of ammunition and the Americans didn’t run out of tanks.”

But I think Denis tells the story better

Regards

John

[shaun]

Little story from my grandad. Can't be verified now as he is no longer with us but I'll continue...
My grandad is commander of BYMS 2024 ( I think) US built minesweeper he had brought from Seattle through Panama Canal via Freetown to the Med in 43. Swept at Anzio and others but the story is,they were in a harbour somewhere and went ashore. Group found an abandoned jeep and went for a ride into the mountains. After several(many) months at sea, anything on land was different.
Passed through the countryside not seeing much, found a village. Italians locals very pleased to see them. No doubt much developed my grandad ever revealed to his impressionable grandson except that they had a good time.
On returning to where they were moored, explaining where they had been were advised was several miles behind the Axis front line. Whoops eh?
Then there is the other story of my grandads brother ( my great uncle) around D-day and his pill box taking activity with no bullets. But that' another story.. .......

[Denis]

By the fact - Sherman was very good tank. It was the only western ally tank with powerful diesel engine. It was very reliable. It was the first tank in the history equipped with gun stabilizer. With 76mm and 17pdr it was only western ally tank capable to knock out heavy german armor from long distance. And it was produced in the huge quantities.


Once I drove a T-34. I never drove any other tank, but this one is the most horrible vehicle I ever saw. I cant imagine how somebody managed to fight with this. Stiff, unstable, unreliable, and with very heavy controls. In reality - you should be very skilled to change gear on T-34. Especially on the soft ground. Usual tactics was to start on second, and move on without changing the gear, just using rpms.
Take in consideration, T-34 had no silencers, so at high rpm-s it-s diesel was possible to hear it from 3-4 km.

So, Sherman was far better.


John: Yes, the story about german anti-tank gunner, or tank ace who finally ran out of ammo are really amazing. Although, I dont think it was so closely tied to reality - at least if we believe statistics. At least for the Western Front.


Shaun; nice stories from your grandfather.

I never heard any war time stories from my granddad. But I think it would be to harsh to be told on this forum.

[Tim SP]

Mate, that is nails! What an interesting bloke, lucky you got his stories- they are never gone if they are remembered & the story told, to my mind.
A similar one- my dear mate's SQD found themselves hunting known 'rubbish' ie of the 'Salt & Sugar' variety, esp as many of another patrol were, having surrendered being surrounded, were made to dig a pit, stripped naked, bound, then each in turn murdered by being shot from the back of the head-
This having been found out, still before war's end became something a few chaps were, shall we say not happy about.
So, there they are looking up a contact who will forward them onto the target-the so called 'officer' in charge of said animal's.
However, thats blown & as the local intel was by then U/S (no good) they walked (drove) into a huge German patrol that was thought to have retreated / given in to the 3rd army.
so our man avec patrol finds themselves driving through this village full of enemy & vehicles far from ready to give in, the boss told him to drive through, not too fast but be ready, they waved as they passed- as these were not 'normal' jeeps they were clearly thought as 'friendly', as soon as safe & not followed, it was called in & 2nd tac Typhoons delt with the 'traffic' , the target was found & returned to be tried, every fibre of the patrol wanted to avenge their murdered comrades.
Later it was thought mega funny they waved & were waved at, the danger seemingly passing by.

He always says, its just chance mostly.
This, one especially reminds me of Kelly's Heroes, as they pass a enemy occupied village.

All these stories are awesome, a certain 'uncle' on here's father flew PR (pink) Spitfires in north africa,I deeply miss both my grandad's both RAF (so was grandma-WAF), one a rigger his love the Mossie. The other in every theatre expect the pasific, joined in 1936.
This could be a nice thread to share our family wartime stories, not just daring-doo, but all of them- they are precious- every single one.

[Denis]

Once both my granddads got a seat and shared their war memories - and both are discovered that in 1942/3 winter one day they ways just crossed in the tiny village (on the 000-s km long front line with million people behind this)

[Phil Hayes]

"urg to kill usually ruins the exp,"
Thats the quote of the month- Excellent

[Denis]

Good video/animation on the II war battle theme. Musics are great too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-J5Vg0SxLc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Historically perfect, apart from that shell from tank gun rotates in contrary with direction of gun`s grooves:)

[Tim SP]

Good god that was impressive- I was thinking this was a soon be released film, but a game??!!
Did they make that short film just to promote the game??
Thats a real shame it isn't a film-Kursk.

[Denis]

Tim, thats the big issue with films about Eastern Front.

The some old soviets film might be sometimes very good from the point of idea and history, but its far from be perfect from todays special effects point of view, also the ideology might be annoying. I do not think its very watchable for todays auditory.
The modern american films and modern russian movies both scrap. The degree of historical ignorance in this films are disturbing till you simply cant watch this.
Really good stuff made by - germans and finns, like german 1993 movie Stalingrad, which one of the best films about war on Eastern front at all. But probably due some political reasons they do not made a lot of such movies.

Regarding the video - yes its the game promotion. Basing on the tank type and its number and emblem, its belongs to the 7th detached guard heavy tank brigade, and its the very end of war.