This article is illustrated with a photograph of the King Tiger tank and accompanied by some vital statistics and assorted observations that were documented by the U.S. Department of War and printed in one of their manuals in March of 1945:
"The king Tiger is a tank designed essentially for defensive warfare or for breaking through strong lines of defense. It is unsuitable for rapid maneuver and highly mobile warfare because of its great weight and and low speed...The King Tiger virtually is invulnerable to frontal attack, but the flanks, which are less well protected, can be penetrated by Allied antitank weapons at most normal combat ranges." The American answer to the Tiger was the M26 Pershing Tank; read about it here.
If you wish to read about the only German tank of World War I, click here. Two black and white diagrams illustrating the unique features of the German Luger pistol appear alongside a brief history of the weapon. Additional information included in the article are operating instructions and "a table of characteristics" which lists assorted fun facts about the weapon; it's weight, length and range, as well as an explanation as to how the piece compares to the M1911 A1 Colt 45 (the standard issue side arm of the U.S. Army):
"Since 1908 the Luger pistol has been the official German military side arm. George Luger of the DWM Arms Company in Germany developed this weapon, known officially as "Pistole 08", from the American Borchart pistol invented in 1893"
The following notes, based on directions issued in 1943 by the German Army High Command, regarding the use and proper care of German infantry weapons during winter campaigns. The instructions in question concern:
• German Luger & Walther P38 pistols,
• the Gewehr 41 rifle, Gewehr 98,
• M.G. 34 light machine gun and the,
• M.G. 42 heavy machine guns.
The article is accompanied by illustrations of the snow sleds used to transport the German machine guns.
Click here to read about the mobile pill boxes of the Nazi army.
Two black and white photographs of the World War II German M.G. 34 (maschinengewehr 34) as well as some fast-stats that were collected by President Roosevelt's Department of War during the closing days of the conflict. An illustrated wartime study by the United States Department of War explaining the German Gewehr 98 and the Gewehr 41: their caliber, weight, range and over-all length.
We highly recommend that you watch the film clip linked below for additional information.
Click here to read about the German M.G. 34. Although the attached cartoon illustrations from "Volkischer Beobacher" depicts a German soldier using a Panzerfaust anti-tank weapon, the intended readership was actually the old men and under-age boys who made up the out-gunned and under-manned Volkssturm militia units at the close of the war. The panzerfaust ("tank fist") has been characterized as the first expendable anti-tank RPG. Also included in this file is the U.S. Army study concerning this weapon.
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