BlackWidowPilot  | 05 Nov 2009 12:03 p.m. PST |
Here's some handy newsreel footage from the French Army's advance into Belgium in May 1940. Lots of details to be gleaned from this footage concerning French softskins, prime movers, AA mounts for Hotchkiss machine guns, uniform details, and so on:
YouTube link
Enjoy!
Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net
|
| anleiher | 05 Nov 2009 12:38 p.m. PST |
Thanks, Leland. Great videos. Every time I see something like this, I am filled with sadness. I can't help but wonder how the world would look if the French had held in '40. |
John Leahy  | 05 Nov 2009 12:39 p.m. PST |
That was great stuff. Thanks for posting the link. John |
79thPA  | 05 Nov 2009 2:12 p.m. PST |
That was great. Did you notice that a name was painted on one of the gun trails? |
| tuscaloosa | 05 Nov 2009 2:57 p.m. PST |
Great video. One of the motorcycle/sidecar combos had no less than four soldiers total hanging on, and they were still zipping right along. |
| Cosmic Reset | 05 Nov 2009 5:30 p.m. PST |
Very interesting, thanks for posting. |
| BlackWidowPilot | 05 Nov 2009 6:04 p.m. PST |
"Great video. One of the motorcycle/sidecar combos had no less than four soldiers total hanging on, and they were still zipping right along."
Probably Paris taxi drivers before conscription…
Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net
|
| BlackWidowPilot | 05 Nov 2009 6:06 p.m. PST |
"Did you notice that a name was painted on one of the gun trails?"
Sure enough did! Gives me another detail to add to my artillery park when I finally can run down a decent 105mm howitzer model in 1/72 scale for my eternally growing 1940 French Army…
Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net
|
| Ditto Tango 2 1 | 05 Nov 2009 6:41 p.m. PST |
What was really striking to me was the optimism displayed by the civilians mingling with the French troops (cute little kid giving out cigarettes – wonder what happened to the lad?). What kind of AT(?) looking guns were being pulled there? They had a straight across the top shield – or folded down, I couldn't tell.
--
Tim |
| Frederick | 05 Nov 2009 6:54 p.m. PST |
Great video – I don't think the French had much of a chance, but if they could have held out the world would be a very different place |
| BlackWidowPilot | 05 Nov 2009 10:24 p.m. PST |
Ditto, those are IMHO the motorized version of the classic French M1897 75mm field gun. There were two or three batteries in a French DLM or DCR of these guns, along with a battery of 105mm howitzers. The tow vehicle is a Laffly S15 variant IIRC, specifically built as an artillery tow vehicle, and found exclusively in the DCRs and DLMs. You'll all pardon me as I type this, as my memory is being filtered through a very good bottle of *sake* as I type this reply…
Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net
|
| Etranger | 05 Nov 2009 11:28 p.m. PST |
The film stops 1/2 way through for me but the towed guns are the modernised 75s as identified by Leland. |
| BlackWidowPilot | 06 Nov 2009 11:13 p.m. PST |
"The film stops 1/2 way through for me but the towed guns are the modernised 75s as identified by Leland."
So even a good bottle of sake can't thwart my indomitable intellect? BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!! I AM INVINCIBLE!!!! BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHA!!!
Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net
|
