GutenTag

[Berthold]

Hi Bertie, Welcommen
Galland, Molders and Marseille all worthy of respect as honourable fighting men,
Skorzeny not so much, I have served with men who much like this fellow had Psycotic tendencies, I always gave them a wide berth because they would more than likely take chances with your life to advance their future
Enjoy this place and do ask lots of questions.

Hi jarndice and Danke.

Germany at that time was full of people like Skorzeny and far worse, I wonder what kind of people a new major conflict would throw up today. My admiration was based on his exploits freeing Mussolini from the Alpine Redoubt.

I remember my Father had a vehement hatred of the Feldgendarmerie (headhunters) with whom he had more than one altercation with. He too had a dislike of any Officer that risked the lives of his men without very good reason, he really did not like gong collectors.

[jarndice]

Bertie Wie Geht's?
I also was impressed with the extraction from the Gran Sasso of Il Duce but the pilots of the Assault gliders and the pilot of the Fieseler Storch were the unheralded Hero's of the operation.
Skill and Guts and a speedy tactical evaluation of the immediate situation are all signs of an experienced combat soldier but hazarding those in your command for no good reason are warning signs for those soldiers in the operation to give the instigator a very wide berth
I have yet to build a "Stug", I like to gut the original electronics in my Tanks and Trucks and fit aftermarket kit and quite simply there is not very much space internally to do that.

[Berthold]

Hi jarndice, I'm well thank you.

Your mention of the Storch reminded me of a heroine of mine, Hanna Reitsch, so much so, my daughter Hanna is named for her. Not only a fine test pilot but her skill and bravery in flying her Storch in and out of Berlin while it was completely surrounded, no airfields available (Gatow had been captured) just an improvised strip near the Tiergarten, my father told me that it was the Unter Den Linden. She also flew the last plane out of Berlin before it fell.

I should say that I was born in England and have always considered myself 100% English but reading back through the above post's maybe there is a bit more German in me than I thought.

[jarndice]

My first introduction to Hanna Reitsch was a piece I read about her demonstrating a Focke-Achgelis 223 Helicopter prototype in an enclosed sports hall which certainly showed off the aircrafts abilities in confined spaces but also her airmanship.
I never have cared for politics it has a nasty habit of getting in the way of someone's character.
I have served with soldiers of many NATO Countries including men of the German Federal Armed Forces,
I found it difficult to come to terms with Lance Corporals/Gefraighter's as captains of military helicopters,
My preconceptions being a professional Soldier in a professional army not used to dealing with a conscripted service
What progress with the Stug ?

[jhamm]

Hello,
and welcome..
From Hanna Reitsch's Memories:
After Hermann Göring was removed from office by Hitler on 23 April 1945, Hanna Reitsch flew his designated successor Robert Ritter von Greim on 26 April 1945 in a Fieseler Storch to Berlin, which was already surrounded by the Red Army, so that he could be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe by Hitler himself and simultaneously promoted to Field Marshal General. In the night of 28 to 29 April 1945, Reitsch and Greim used the Charlottenburger Chaussee as a runway to fly the last aircraft, a small Arado, on to Plön, where Hitler's successor Karl Dönitz was still staying at the time. Reitsch and Greim then fled to Kitzbühel in Tyrol, where they became American prisoners of war.

[jarndice]

Hello,
and welcome..
From Hanna Reitsch's Memories:
After Hermann Göring was removed from office by Hitler on 23 April 1945, Hanna Reitsch flew his designated successor Robert Ritter von Greim on 26 April 1945 in a Fieseler Storch to Berlin, which was already surrounded by the Red Army, so that he could be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe by Hitler himself and simultaneously promoted to Field Marshal General. In the night of 28 to 29 April 1945, Reitsch and Greim used the Charlottenburger Chaussee as a runway to fly the last aircraft, a small Arado, on to Plön, where Hitler's successor Karl Dönitz was still staying at the time. Reitsch and Greim then fled to Kitzbühel in Tyrol, where they became American prisoners of war.

Arado AR 96 Advanced Trainer.
By late 44 the Fieseler Storch was being produced in France and continued in production after WW2 as did the French manufactured Panther which were produced for the post war French Army.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

A friend once said to me "I loved my father; I just didn't like him." So enjoy your project without hesitation, and keep us informed. Ask all the questions you like. Then after the Sturmgeschütz you will need a T-34...and a Pzkw. IV...and a...and a...and a...

[Topper]

Hello,
and welcome..
From Hanna Reitsch's Memories:
After Hermann Göring was removed from office by Hitler on 23 April 1945, Hanna Reitsch flew his designated successor Robert Ritter von Greim on 26 April 1945 in a Fieseler Storch to Berlin, which was already surrounded by the Red Army, so that he could be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe by Hitler himself and simultaneously promoted to Field Marshal General. In the night of 28 to 29 April 1945, Reitsch and Greim used the Charlottenburger Chaussee as a runway to fly the last aircraft, a small Arado, on to Plön, where Hitler's successor Karl Dönitz was still staying at the time. Reitsch and Greim then fled to Kitzbühel in Tyrol, where they became American prisoners of war.

Hello
I beleived Hanna Reitsch flew the last plane out of Betlin but Mark Felton says not in his video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIpdoM5 ... roductions

[Topper]

Hi All, I have a project in mind and while researching it I came across this forum, very impressive with great models and a wealth of information. Okay that's the flattery out of the way and I had better introduce myself, my name is Tim, I'm 65 and live down in Devon on Dartmoor (yes, very near the Prison)

I built a few models as a kid (still love Airfix) but never a tank. Why now? I suppose I have never really grown up and now I'm starting to have more time on my hands I thought why not.

So, the project. My father (deceased) was German and fought in WW2, graduated as a Panzer Leutnant in 1941, observed the invasion of France as part of his education/training and was part of operation Barbarossa in 1942, spent most of his war in Russia but became a POW in late 1945 (taken prisoner by the Americans) sent to Fort Devons in Texas but was returned to Europe a few months later and handed over to the British. He ended up in a POW camp at Friday Bridge, just outside Wisbech in Cambridgeshire.

So growing up as a kid my heroes were Werner Molders, Adolph Galland and Hans Joachim Marseille. Also Otto Skorzeny and quite a few others. He told me lots of stories about his time in Russia and of course about the kit he was given to play with, his favourite armoured vehicle was a Sturmgeschutz or Stug 3.

The real project is to recreate (as close as possible) his tank, simple as that. And with that in mind what is the best (most accurate/detailed) model to buy.

Thanks in advance for any help that you can give me.

Hello and welcome..

[jhamm]

Who is Mark Felton?