The Photo Journal of the Second World War
Issue 1
Ampersand Publishing.
96 pages soft cover.
Review by W.Kipp Anderson
The Book:
The first issue
in the series with a formula of good close-up photos plus wartime
photos.Many of the photos are one to a page which allows the details to be clearly seen with the large photos. Each page has brief descriptions at the bottom of each picture.
Contents of issue 1:
A4/V2 Missile: (pages 1-27)
This covers the British "Operation Backfire" which was conduced in
October 1945 at Altenwalde using some of the 8000 POWs taken from the rocket
program or test sites. Members of the Royal Artillery are taken through a review
of the weapons system and the Germans (wearing their wartime uniforms) conduct
the firing exercise. There are close-ups of the V-2 engine and gyroscopes,
the rail tank car carrying the A-Stoff fuel- with pump and connections, an
A-Stoff truck trailer being filled, the T-Stoff Opel Blitz tanker truck with
a close up of the pressure relief valve, the loading (using a 15-ton gantry)
of the missile onto a transport trailer towed by a Hanomag SS100 , installation
of the warhead, a collapsed gantry being raised to load the weapon onto the
Meillerwagon for launching, the convoy moving into launch position, the Bodenplatte
firing table (with additional close ups) being towed by the Sdkfz 7 Feurerleitpanzerfahzug
, the complete ground vehicles arranged around the rocket launch site as seen
from an overhead angle, the rocket being erected into firing position, and
the rocket in flight.Panther Attack in Alsace-Lorraine,1944: (pages 28-53)
This section covers the march of the well camouflaged and panzer grenadier
laden Panthers Gs of Panzerbrigade 111 towards the front at Bures, several
captured US M8 armored cars, the troops covered in close-up, a 7.5cm Pak
50 and crew in position from both front and rear, a captured M3A1 half-track,
Panther As of 11 Panzer Division moving into Dieuze, many more shots of the
troops and Panthers with a history of the action.Tetrach: Airborne Tank: (pages 54-66)
This is a bit of a misnomer as it covers both the Tetrach and Locust. Official
British photos (all of the same vehicle) show the Tetrach on delivery at
Bovington for trials by the British . A second vehicle is shown fitted with
the Littlejohn Adaptor in both front and rear 3/4 views as it would look
stowed and about to be loaded onto a Hamilcar glider. (also included is an
anecdote about a vehicle on it's way to Normandy in it's only operational
use that fell out of a glider with crew inside and is still on the bottom
of the Channel)
The Locust is shown stowed front and rear inside a Hamilcar and exiting one as well as being reviewed by Montgomery at Bulford Camp. This is followed by close-ups of details of the preserved vehicle at Bovington.
Sherman Flail: (pages 67-79)
This contains a brief history of mine clearing devices and of the Crab in particular
showing the initial versions under test using live mines in England with
some mishaps as the drum speed/tank speed was perfected. Shots of the Flails
in use in Normandy and in particular close-ups showing the heavier bicycle
link style chain as employed by production vehicles, general stowage at the
rear and chain stowage on the side are shown as well as close-ups of the
chalk marking system, station keeping lights, drivers visior covers, drum,
and hydraulic arms as well as one comparison shot of the improved arm on
the Crab IIs that allowed it to more closely follow uneven ground.Wirbelwind Anti-Aircraft Tank: (pages 80-96)
This section offers a comprehensive history of the Wirbelwinds' development
along with factory photos and photos of it's deployment with Panzerbrigade
111 in Alsace-Lorraine. The following 10 pages (41 photos)show the Meppen
example under restoration.
In excellent first issue of this series.
Thanks to Ampersand for the review copy.
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