German Flame Half-Track Tactics

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  • Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
  • A look at German Flame Half-Track Tactics and the associated vehicle Sd.Kfz. 251/16 and organizations. We look at German regulations and documents from 1943 to 1945, as well as experience reports on the called “mittlerer Flammpanzerwagen” literally “medium flame armored vehicle/car”. The guidelines, tactics and crew setup within the halftrack like the “Flammführer” literally “flame leader” and “Flammschützen” which literally means “Flame Riflemen”.
    Check out the Stuka: The Doctrine of the German Dive-Bomber Book campaign here: stukabook.com
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    » SOURCES «
    H.Dv. 298/4a: Führung und Kampf der Panzergrenadiere. Heft 3: Das Panzergrenadier-Regiment (gp.). Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen: Germany, 1944.
    D 660/8: Mittlerer Flammpanzerwagen (Sd Kfz 251/16) Vorläufige Gerätebeschreibung und Bedienungsanweisung zum Fahrgestell. 1943.
    Jentz, Thomas L.; Doyle, Hilary Louis: Panzer Tracts No.15-3: Mittlerer Schuetzenpanzerwagen (Sd.KFZ.251) Ausf.C & D: History of Production, Variants, Organization, and Employment in Action from 1943 to 1945. Panzer Tracts: Boyds, MD, USA, 2006.
    Jentz, Thomas L.; Doyle, Hilary Louis: Panzer Tracts No.15-2 - mittlere Schuetzenpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.251). History of Variants, Production, Organization, Issue, Tactics, and Employment in Action from 1939 to 1942. Panzer Tracts: Boyds, MD, 2005.
    Pöhlmann, Markus: Der Panzer und die Mechanisierung des Krieges: Eine deutsche Geschichte 1890 bis 1945. Ferdinand Schöningh: Paderborn, 2016.
    von Senger und Etterlin, F. M.: Die Panzergrenadiere. Geschichte und Gestalt der mechanisierten Infanterie 1930-1960. J. F. Lehmans Verlag: 1961, München.
    Culver, Bruce: SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939-45. Osprey Publishing: Oxford, UK, 1999.
    Spielberger, Walter; Doyle, Hilary Lous, Jentz, Thomas L.: Halbkettenfahrzeuge des deutschen Heeres. Motorbuch Verlag: Stuttgart, 2012.
    Spielberger, Walter J.; Doyle, Hilary L.; Jentz, Thomas L.: Halbkettenfahrzeuge des deutschen Heeres. Motorbuch Verlag: Stuttgart, Germany, 2012.
    www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kst...
    #FlameHalfTrack,#WW2,#GermanTactics

КОМЕНТАРІ • 371

  • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
    @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +53

    Check out the Stuka: The Doctrine of the German Dive-Bomber Book campaign here: stukabook.com

    • @keithskelhorne3993
      @keithskelhorne3993 2 роки тому +1

      I saw this film a while ago, some good shots of the Flammpanzerwagen.
      ua-cam.com/video/66yC70M9cPU/v-deo.html

    • @constitution_8939
      @constitution_8939 2 роки тому +1

      OH, this was Definitely one of your Most interesting videos, So Much pertaining to these half-track's was unknown to me like their independent existence At ALL. But what a Horrifying and very effective weapon it must have been.
      What Really hurts me is, though you are explaining this equipment as if it is currently in use "In the War," the Reality is that None of these terrifying weapons has Ever been used by the Great German Third Reich Military in over 75 Long years and the War was Lost because of America's Traitor Masonic Scumbag FDR butting in with the secondary plan of Destroying America herself unbeknownst to the American soldiers brain-washed into destroying Western Civilization's Last Hope to succeed which was A.H. and the Reich.
      I know both he and the British Traitor as well as "Uncle Joe" Stalin are Screaming AND Burning in hell maybe with One or two of these half-tracks!!

    • @d.oroboros4905
      @d.oroboros4905 2 роки тому

      Toller Akzent mein Freund und toller professioneller Aufbau, mach doch mal Videos in deiner Muttersprache, wir möchten auch was lernen :)

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому

      @@d.oroboros4905 ua-cam.com/video/ti6Vwt04sWw/v-deo.html

    • @KeASiLeNT
      @KeASiLeNT 2 роки тому

      When the game first came out you could just drive it into the enemy base if you were fast enough building it and instantly win the game. It used to be much more armored

  • @bryangrote8781
    @bryangrote8781 2 роки тому +357

    If a German company came out with a new model of BBQ grill and called it the “Flammenwerfer” I would absolutely buy it.

    • @MrJonrocker
      @MrJonrocker 2 роки тому +20

      Or a hotdog grill:
      "Flammenweiner"!

    • @dimasakbar7668
      @dimasakbar7668 2 роки тому

      GAS OR CHARCOAL?
      *Psychoyandereeyes

    • @marksmith8928
      @marksmith8928 2 роки тому +9

      What about an Admiral Karl Donuts franchise?

    • @andrewmckay2118
      @andrewmckay2118 2 роки тому +1

      With an iron Cross on the side

    • @user-xq4st9ie7r
      @user-xq4st9ie7r 2 роки тому +5

      I think this would be a rather lame joke in Germany. Kids make jokes like this when they stole their first lighter :D

  • @rudolfnechvile5023
    @rudolfnechvile5023 2 роки тому +389

    As if the threat of being set ablaze isn't scary or demoralising enough, someone really went "let's add a siren to make it more scary"...

    • @logoseven3365
      @logoseven3365 2 роки тому +23

      Worked for the Stuka

    • @rudolfnechvile5023
      @rudolfnechvile5023 2 роки тому +41

      @@logoseven3365 that's true, but being barbecued alive seems just a far more excruciating death and should speak for itself. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying it's stupid or anything, I find it somewhat funny that someone thought that up.

    • @ScumfuckMcDoucheface
      @ScumfuckMcDoucheface 2 роки тому +6

      @@rudolfnechvile5023 oh man, I get it, I thought the exact same thing haha the only person capable of thinking something that diabolical up is a fuckin' nazi haha either one of them or Dr. Strangelove him self

    • @John.McMillan
      @John.McMillan 2 роки тому +10

      "Put a machine gun on the front and the back... And add rifle slots!"

    • @novkorova2774
      @novkorova2774 2 роки тому +4

      One of the main reasons firearms were used up until the 19th century was the noise, longbows would have been more precise, faster to shoot and cheaper.

  • @fancyultrafresh3264
    @fancyultrafresh3264 2 роки тому +10

    Your Warhammer reference did not go unnoticed Mr. Kast.

  • @bami2
    @bami2 2 роки тому +266

    This is a flammenwerfersonderkraftfahrzeuge.
    It werfensonderkraftfahrzeuge flammen.

    • @jan42
      @jan42 2 роки тому +49

      It wirft Flammenwerfersonderkraftfahrzeugsflammen mit seinem Flammenwerfersonderkraftfahrzeugsflammenwerfer und es wird bedient von seiner Flammenwerfersonderkraftfahrzeugsflammenwerfermannschaft!

    • @nonamesplease6288
      @nonamesplease6288 2 роки тому +4

      Zu viel Spass. LAL!

    • @jeremy28135
      @jeremy28135 2 роки тому +15

      No, it's a Flammengonnaburnustoacrisp

    • @dangerjoe8911
      @dangerjoe8911 2 роки тому +5

      Kamerad, du hast gerade Fremdscham hochgeladen. Fortan wirst du Abonnenten verlieren.

    • @peka2478
      @peka2478 2 роки тому +1

      its a Sonderkraftfahrzeug whichs werfs (wirft*) Flammen.
      I cannot believe how no one understands the perfect sense and immense beauty of the German language... xD

  • @markus4925
    @markus4925 2 роки тому +9

    When you listen to German half track flamethrower taktics you reached the end of available knowledge on the Internet.

  • @novkorova2774
    @novkorova2774 2 роки тому +64

    1. Point it at the enemy
    2. Press magic button
    3. BBQ

  • @Scientist118
    @Scientist118 2 роки тому +306

    Oh god, this is the one vehicle I fear in Company of Heroes. I honestly think this thing was more dangerous than its American counterpart.

    • @infernosgaming8942
      @infernosgaming8942 2 роки тому +22

      Indeed, especially in the early game when your only AT are AT rifle/hand grenades.

    • @matheusimon7316
      @matheusimon7316 2 роки тому +14

      They are pretty OP I was able to lunch counter attacks with one of those and two infantry to find AT guns, but they are good only early game

    • @ScumfuckMcDoucheface
      @ScumfuckMcDoucheface 2 роки тому +13

      Oh man what a glorious game.... I'm not into video games at all, though I did grow up playing Starcraft and AOE... I just happened upon COH soon after it first came out and what a fucking wonderful play through that was haha

    • @xeroprotagonist
      @xeroprotagonist 2 роки тому +14

      They're a lot tougher in vanilla CoH than they would be realistically. I play the Spearhead mod and one good AT rifle shot or rifle grenade can take them out in that, they are very vulnerable as the video notes and usually die before accomplishing anything if you send them at enemy lines. They're so vulnerable to any sort of AT that I had really been wondering how they could have been anything but deathtraps historically, but using them as a platoon at night to counter infantry break-ins and illuminate the battlefield makes a lot of sense. Too bad there's no night fighting in CoH.

    • @andison627
      @andison627 2 роки тому +7

      In CoH2 I actually fear the MGMC more, because that thing will instapin in a single burst from beyond visual range. However the flamer 251 is still ranked pretty high in terms of fear factor and effectiveness for me, it's devastatingly effective against infantry that don't have an AT weapon.

  • @elbsommer2990
    @elbsommer2990 2 роки тому +24

    Guys, I just want to thank you. In terms of using pictograms you are setting standards. I can easily stay focussed during the whole videos you make. I really like the graphic approach in your videos rather than having snippets of "documentary" footage being replayed again and again. Please keep up the great work. Thanks again.

  • @neilwilson5785
    @neilwilson5785 2 роки тому +71

    I was thinking that is was time to think about going to bed, but then I heard that it is TIME to talk about German Flame Half-Track Tactics. I'm so proud. MHV has merged clickbait and German precision into one phrase.

    • @chickenman1801
      @chickenman1801 2 роки тому

      I had to replay the line, he says it so well

    • @JeanLucCaptain
      @JeanLucCaptain 2 роки тому

      i heard they are very effective at maintaining social distancing.

  • @traumateaminternational4732
    @traumateaminternational4732 2 роки тому +9

    "The heavy flamer is enough." A true servant of the Emperor. It brings a tear to my eye.

    • @Gothmog35
      @Gothmog35 2 роки тому

      I wondered if anyone else caught that lol

    • @ThatSlowTypingGuy
      @ThatSlowTypingGuy 2 роки тому

      None who live can survive the flame.

  • @Zajuts149
    @Zajuts149 2 роки тому +72

    This was just superb! I play the boardgame Advanced Squad Leader, and the SdKfz 251/16 is pretty well modeled in it. The point about restricted range when both flamethrowers are shooting is very interesting. The game rules may need errata:)

    • @whiskeytangosierra6
      @whiskeytangosierra6 2 роки тому +4

      Played ASL through the 1980's, Switched to winSPWWII when it became available. Occasionally engage in PBEM using the computer version. I find it more enjoyable than ASL, and lots easier to find opponents, of which there seem to be none in the San Antonio, TX area for ASL. Damned few for any turn based game, everyone wants to play wizards & lizards, from which I abstain.

    • @Zajuts149
      @Zajuts149 2 роки тому +5

      @@whiskeytangosierra6 VASL seems to be the best option these days. There is something about the feel with ASL that is hard to capture with computer games.

    • @whiskeytangosierra6
      @whiskeytangosierra6 2 роки тому

      @@Zajuts149 I'll take a look, however, from what I have seen so far, the winSPWWII looks more blind free kriegspiel than VASL. The thing I really enjoy is the challenge of NOT knowing where the other guy is until contact.
      The game is available as a free trial download, you should give it a try.

    • @patrickkenyon2326
      @patrickkenyon2326 2 роки тому +4

      Squad Leader.
      The only board game in existence who's instruction manual is the size of a text book.

    • @whiskeytangosierra6
      @whiskeytangosierra6 2 роки тому +1

      @@patrickkenyon2326 Tactical combat is complex. That is why letting a computer handle a lot of the trivia is so useful. Hence spWW2.

  • @silentotto5099
    @silentotto5099 2 роки тому +14

    The comment about avoiding "premature flaming" is interesting.
    Lindybeige did a look at Churchill Crocodiles in British service. British experience showed that the Crocodile was most effective in provoking enemy soldiers to surrender, rather than actually killing them. They also found that if they flamed early, while they were still several hundred yards away from the enemy positions, the enemy soldiers were more likely to surrender than if they waited to flame until they were close.
    It seems flaming early acted as a warning to enemy soldiers, "Surrender now or enjoy a firery death". Most preferred surrender to being burned alive.
    I wonder why German experience wasn't similar.

    • @Rally_Armaments
      @Rally_Armaments 2 роки тому +6

      Probably because the British encountered Germans who knew they would receive okay POW treatment and were of mid to low morale at that point of the war. So surrendering didn't seem that bad unless they were SS. On the other hand, the Soviets were of high moral at that time due to their large gains and knew if they were captured they were most likely to receive poor treatment.

    • @silentotto5099
      @silentotto5099 2 роки тому +5

      @@Rally_Armaments That occurred to me. The German doctrine that was mentioned was almost certainly written based on experience against Soviet troops. By the time the Russians were actually encountering flame panzers, they would have known surrendering to the Germans was pretty nearly a death sentence.
      Not so for Germans surrendering to the western allies.
      Were I forced to bet on it, your answer is the reasoning I'd put my money behind.
      That makes me curious as to the American experience with using flame tanks in Europe.
      I've read plenty of accounts of using them in the Pacific, but I can't recall ever reading anything that discussed their use in Europe.
      I imagine it would be similar to that of the British, but I've never read anything that would confirm it.

    • @hschan5976
      @hschan5976 11 місяців тому

      The late model churchill was a lot harder to knock out than the flammenwerfer 251, which i guess made a difference. The front of the late model churchill was largely immune to all German AT guns except for the 8,8cm Pak43. Even the Tiger with its short 8,8cm gun could not pen the front armor of the churchill. The only other weapon that might have an effect on the churchill's front armor was the panzerfaust or panzerschrek but these have shorter ranges than the churchill's flamethrower so it's nearly impossible to knock out a flamethrower churchill with these weapons if its well protected by infantry on its sides

  • @radogost1536
    @radogost1536 2 роки тому +6

    11:55 I remember LindyBeige once saying how a solider soaked in gasoline is 1000% more willing to get out of the foxhole and surrender rather than staying there and dying in a fireball, the video is called "The most effective weapon of World War Two", he explains how British used such psihological tactics with their Churchill crocodiles (flamethrower churchill)

  • @rudolfnechvile5023
    @rudolfnechvile5023 2 роки тому +85

    I love the history and find it super interesting, but surely I'm not the only one seeing what they can learn to be better at Steel Division?

    • @The_Crimson_Fucker
      @The_Crimson_Fucker 2 роки тому +11

      Learning the actual history to be better at a game is...not going to help you I'm afraid. Game = game rules. History =/= game rules. It's that simple.
      Best case scenario, you might get inspired.

    • @DTOStudios
      @DTOStudios 2 роки тому +17

      @@The_Crimson_Fucker hey don't know it. Studying doctrine can actually help in games like Combat Mission, where you get units taken right out of each nation's Table of Organization. Knowing how each nation fought helps you learn how to utilize their equipment and what it was designed for. It does rely on the individual game, but at least for Combat Mission games it does help

    • @KILOBify
      @KILOBify 2 роки тому +11

      @@The_Crimson_Fucker steel division is one of the more 'realistic' milsims out there so I wouldn't underplay it too much.

    • @jett6906
      @jett6906 2 роки тому +3

      The best thing you can do is learn about Combined Arms combat and learn how to apply it in game. Tanks support the inf. Inf protects the Tanks, air support and artillery on breakthrough points and finally, speed.

    • @DTOStudios
      @DTOStudios 2 роки тому

      @@jett6906 yes this is true, but again how each nation applies that doctrine is different and is reflected in their equipment. The Soviets vs. American doctrine. The Soviets rely far more on mass, while the Americans emphasize finesse meaning they each handle differently

  • @williamscottshelton945
    @williamscottshelton945 2 роки тому +24

    i play the miniature game Flames of war i have a full strength Gepanzerte panzergrenadierkompanie that has a platoon of these vehicles! i love how this shows how i am suppost to use them by the book!

  • @edward9674
    @edward9674 2 роки тому +6

    Perhaps the flames cause flash blindness at night which blinds the enemy?

    • @radogost1536
      @radogost1536 2 роки тому +3

      based on my own experience, fire looks a lot bigger during night because all of the smoke above it gets illuminated, remember turning on ur phone at night and getting blinded by your 100% screen brightness, basically the same effect 🔥
      😂

  • @simonschouten7231
    @simonschouten7231 2 роки тому +4

    About not firing in thick natural fog: this is probably because smoke and particles from even relatively small fires rapidly add to natural fog in an area and this could make the line of sight even worse for all troops. (Thick natural fog is often due to stagnant layers of air keeping the mist near ground level and these same layers will also impede smoke and particles that would otherwise rise.)

  • @ThePerfectRed
    @ThePerfectRed 2 роки тому +57

    Here is a German training film that shows the usage of flamethrower halftracks in combination with other troops (the English subtitles are a bit bad). This link points directly to an animation at the end that shows the movements to counter an enemy attack: ua-cam.com/video/66yC70M9cPU/v-deo.html

    • @fisch6912
      @fisch6912 2 роки тому

      I've watched that a few days ago, too. Can definitely recommend it if you want to see these Flammpanzerwagen in action.

  • @doraorak
    @doraorak 2 роки тому +18

    CoH 2 already taught me about this lol

  • @darthnihiluz5305
    @darthnihiluz5305 2 роки тому +12

    50-60 meters holy shit. For some reason I envisioned something way shorter, like 10 meters.

    • @edi9892
      @edi9892 2 роки тому +5

      50m is not much regarding man carried anti tank weapons...

    • @selfdo
      @selfdo 2 роки тому

      @@edi9892 Not at all! Also the effective range of the UK's PIAT, which often hit obliquely and exploded harmlessly! However, IF the PIAT hit squarely, there was no German tank that could withstand it. The solution to ward it off, as well as the more numerous Soviet RPG weapons? "Schurtzen", relatively thin spaced armor plating at the tank's sides, or, where they found them, mattress frames!

    • @edi9892
      @edi9892 2 роки тому

      @@selfdo AFAIK, the Panzerfaust had an effective range of 100m though being considerably closer helped significantly to hit critical areas. Anti tank rifles could kill earlier tanks from over 100m and anti tank guns are a completely different story... So, against a small bunker, tanks were relatively safe at the time, but could be knocked out.

    • @edi9892
      @edi9892 2 роки тому

      @@selfdo obviously, the effective ranges increased during the war and are today even longer.
      My original reply was born from seeing media where tanks are shot near point blank, which would in reality kill the infantry...

    • @selfdo
      @selfdo 2 роки тому +2

      @@edi9892 This is why early in the war, the concept of the "Infantry Tank", to fend off shots from AT rifles and the 37-mm AT guns which were common at the time. Deficient on mobility, their slow speed didn't matter as the bunkers and fortifications that were their purported targets weren't going anywhere. That's a reason also why the Brits persisted with the type, culminating in the Churchill. While it'd not win a tank drag race, the Churchill well-suited Sir Bernard Law Montgomery's "set piece" battle plans which often involved head-on assaults against German fortifications.

  • @ihategooglealot3741
    @ihategooglealot3741 2 роки тому +2

    The use of unignited sprays may related to that with British Crocodile units which found that spraying unignited fuel frequently resulted in enemy units surrendering or abandoning their positions.

  • @NaturalLanguageLearning
    @NaturalLanguageLearning 2 роки тому +24

    Big target, lightly armoured, full of flammable liquid and needs to get really close to the enemy to attack? sounds like a plan.

    • @jamesricker3997
      @jamesricker3997 2 роки тому

      Not to mention getting ahold of said flammable liquid after 1943 would be extremely difficult.
      Flamethrower fuel was a low-priority
      Not to mention it was an open-topped vehicle

  • @catified2081
    @catified2081 2 роки тому +29

    Flame units always have a great psychological impact on the enemy and there are many examples of Churchill flame tanks ( crocodiles) just showing up and Germans surrendering. However this is a thinly armored vechile with an open top, pretty sure these crews burned to death on a regular basis.

    • @828enigma6
      @828enigma6 2 роки тому +10

      Thinking that myself. Don't know how much the Allies used rifle grenades, but in direct or indirect fire would cause the crew to have a very bad day.

    • @John.McMillan
      @John.McMillan 2 роки тому +2

      That's what I was thinking, A stray bullet or a shot from above, Let alone a flame cocktail or grenade and that entire half track will violently explode into a ball of flame.

    • @Mkxvandal
      @Mkxvandal 2 роки тому

      It said they rarley lost units

    • @John.McMillan
      @John.McMillan 2 роки тому +5

      @@Mkxvandal I mean yea, I can't imagine it would be easy to get close to a armoured vehicle with coverage of 2 flame throwers, a machine gun and a infantry unit.
      BUUUUT. If a grenade did get in there, Alot of Flammen would be Werfed.

    • @MrZauberelefant
      @MrZauberelefant 2 роки тому +1

      @Darker_Mage Now tell him what we do when we talk about something that is not real, but in the past tense...

  • @penultimateh766
    @penultimateh766 2 роки тому +11

    You had me at "flame half-track"...

  • @misteraimless2568
    @misteraimless2568 2 роки тому

    And this is what makes your videos the best out there (for me). Vehicle specs, organization, doctrine...all in an easy to understand video. Fantastic!

  • @Jonhistorymodel
    @Jonhistorymodel 2 роки тому +2

    Thanks a lot. Just built one in 1/35 scale. Amazing weapon.

  • @SergeantAradir
    @SergeantAradir 2 роки тому +12

    After an enemy break-in, especially on the eastern front, it could probably also be expected that infantry and possible tanks are seperated by the fighting. So a flamethrower will be highly effective.

    • @Septimus_ii
      @Septimus_ii 2 роки тому +3

      Any armoured vehicle would be pretty effective in that situation, but the damage and moral impacts of a flamethrower would be especially effective

  • @Zajuts149
    @Zajuts149 2 роки тому +8

    3:35: "My eyes! The goggles do nothing!"

  • @peterschmidt1900
    @peterschmidt1900 2 роки тому +5

    I would highly recommend to watch the (handheld) Flamethrower videos on Forgotten Weapons for more general context.

  • @peterholst8875
    @peterholst8875 2 роки тому +7

    Your videos are as always of such high quality 👍
    But to be completely honest... Sometimes I watch your videos primarily to see the circles with the pictograms...
    They really set your videos apart from others! 🙂 And add an extra visual aid for the brain to process the verbal information given.
    I love how you at the 3 min mark, have one that means "dropped during production" 🤣

  • @EdmundLoh
    @EdmundLoh 2 роки тому +23

    Hanz get the Flammpanzerwagen!

    • @papaaaaaaa2625
      @papaaaaaaa2625 2 роки тому +1

      Hanz, ei wonna smok a zigarette, du yu hav a laiter?
      ...
      Not funni Hanz...

  • @Defektd
    @Defektd 2 роки тому

    Personal favourite armored vehicle. Happy to see a deep dive into its history and use :)

  • @polonskyqueens6029
    @polonskyqueens6029 2 роки тому +2

    CoH 2 Ostheer vibes are strong in this one.

  • @MGB-learning
    @MGB-learning 2 роки тому

    Outstanding video and presentation.

  • @OlrikMeister
    @OlrikMeister 2 роки тому +15

    Company of heroes players: "Vietnam Flashbacks"
    God i hate these things in CoH2.

  • @weirdslime262
    @weirdslime262 2 роки тому +10

    An understandable reason for the widespread deployment of anti-tank rifles, which the Red Army was fond of, right up until the end of the war.

    • @selfdo
      @selfdo 2 роки тому +1

      Whether or not the German half-track had a "Flammenwerfer" mounted, the PTRD was a cheap but effective weapon to stop one, or at least slow it down! So was the British Boys anti-tank rifle.

  • @borlumi4664
    @borlumi4664 2 роки тому +4

    Hi! Ever thought about a video on the impact of female fighters employed by the Soviets on the Eastern Front?
    I heard some sources underline their importance in terms of manpower, while others downplay their role, so it would be nice to know more.
    Sorry if I'm off-topic, I'm a newcomer.

    • @selfdo
      @selfdo 2 роки тому +2

      Although the Soviet Army actually eschewed women in front-line units, believing that their presence to be a detriment, that doesn't mean the "Soviet Sisters" couldn't and didn't get their chances to be "Heroines of the Soviet Union". Many nurses were right there and served as medics. Many girls served as snipers, some trained by Vasily Zaitsev himself, and were deadly shots! And do look up the 588th Taman Bomber regiment, aka the "Night Witches". These women flew wood and canvas biplanes such as the PO-2, often on night harassment missions over German positions, which could involve cutting the plane's engine and GLIDING in over the target at less than 200 meters!

  • @lmyrski8385
    @lmyrski8385 2 роки тому +1

    Did you do one of these on the Sdkfz 251 rocket firing halftracks? Stuka zu fuss? I'm curious how effective they were. They seemed to be in production through various models of the 251 (B, C, D).

  • @absol505
    @absol505 2 роки тому +20

    German army: We're short on fuel.
    Also them:

    • @MrZauberelefant
      @MrZauberelefant 2 роки тому +10

      That's not the same carbohydrate stuff. Like Diesel isn't Petrol

  • @SergeantFarmer
    @SergeantFarmer 2 роки тому

    Wow! That Topic. Thank you!

  • @sebastianriemer1777
    @sebastianriemer1777 2 роки тому +11

    Hey MHV. Do you have any clue how they chose the crews?
    Was is voluntary or did they just pick random people to serve in those units?
    Driving around with a thinly armoured, huge vehicle full of fuel must have been nerve-wracking.

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +6

      no idea, there was a rather large section on how to treat burn wounds, which also mentioned the lack of experience with the flame oil or that special variant... but outside of that, not very much. Since it was also a very small group of people, not sure if anything survived in terms of documents or memoirs.

    • @supersarge24
      @supersarge24 2 роки тому

      @@MilitaryHistoryVisualized What document is the one that describes the flame oil if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious of its composition in comparison to allied mixes

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +3

      @@supersarge24 it described the burns, etc. I think the manual for 251/16 see the description.

    • @jmackmcneill
      @jmackmcneill 2 роки тому +3

      That's a really interesting question. I think the psychological analysis that goes into choosing this is really interesting. Example: in the UK, recruitment for Armed Police (ie: British SWAT) is different in Scotland vs. England. In England, Armed Police are selected from the ranks by higher ups and basically have no choice in being assigned; in Scotland, we rely on volunteers to the armed units, and so we have a shortage of Scottish Armed Police because no one volunteers for that duty. On one hand it feels good to know our cops are not Rambo, but on the other hand, I feel the screening of English shooters might be more thorough...
      (I seem to remeber Flame Troopers being a prestige unit because of the high casualty rate in WW1... that might be a factor in volunteering)

    • @selfdo
      @selfdo 2 роки тому

      Interesting point. However, combat on the "Ostfront" wasn't considered a formula for a LONG life...for EITHER side.

  • @guyincognito4815
    @guyincognito4815 2 роки тому

    Interesting video about a gruesome weapon!
    Do you also have one on the "Stuka zu Fuß"?

  • @PaulHigginbothamSr
    @PaulHigginbothamSr 2 роки тому +1

    Noted with interest your mention of the Stuka during this presentation of the Panzer flame track and wondered if Germany had mastered jellied gasoline like napalm mixed with clothes washing detergent like we employed against Japan and Vietnam making "crispy critters". I also know Geman troops who captured a Sherman with the barrel of the cannon hooked to a high pressure nitrogen tank carried in the rear of the tank in a wagon subsequently put our crews up against the wall and executed them post haste. I think our volumes were about ten times as much as the track and the cylinders were 2 to 3,000psi. But pushing that much liquid down a 75mm barrel could be used even in wind.

    • @ODST6262
      @ODST6262 2 роки тому

      The only flamethrower tanks we used in the war with a flamethrower in the turret were in the Pacific. We did have four Sherman Crocodile modifications with the armored fuel tank trailer in Europe late in the war. The others tried out had an infantry flamethrower replacing the hull MG. Range on those and fuel capacity wasn't good. German Panzerfausts and Panzerschrecks out ranged the flamethrower. The conversions were 'disliked' and their use discontinued. In fact when infantry flamethrowers were requested by 3rd Army attacking Metz the only ones found were in a depot 75 miles away.
      From what I read the Germans never developed napalm. They did use a fuel mixture but never one that worked as well as the US/British developed napalm flame fuel. Probably the major reason for the short range of their flamethrowers.
      There is a short passage in the book COMPANY COMMANDER by .. McDonald of his unit, in German West Wall bunkers previously captured, being attacked by Germans using 251/16 half-tracks.

  • @charleswade2514
    @charleswade2514 2 роки тому +1

    History behind the scenes is more interesting than History Channel.

  • @matheusimon7316
    @matheusimon7316 2 роки тому +2

    I like using them on Close Combat Panther to take building

  • @apfelfisch877
    @apfelfisch877 2 роки тому +1

    Can u do a video about the sdkfz 251 uhu?

  • @raskolnikov9067
    @raskolnikov9067 2 роки тому +7

    Dear Santa...

  • @plasmablizzardvampire6502
    @plasmablizzardvampire6502 2 роки тому +5

    Ah, one of my favorite vehicles in CoH2, besides the Ostwind.

    • @jackbower8671
      @jackbower8671 2 роки тому +1

      So I'm not the only one who still plays?😅

    • @plasmablizzardvampire6502
      @plasmablizzardvampire6502 2 роки тому +1

      @@jackbower8671 Well, I've played one or two years ago. Currently I am playing hearts of Iron, pretty nice game to.

    • @rune.theocracy
      @rune.theocracy 2 роки тому

      Like the wind!

  • @Beldingbrettm_
    @Beldingbrettm_ 2 роки тому +2

    Man German as a wild language-love it 🤘🏽

  • @theultimategamer8537
    @theultimategamer8537 2 роки тому +3

    Man maybe we can get a vid on the commonwealth wasp carrier as an allied flamethrower counterpart

    • @rune.theocracy
      @rune.theocracy 2 роки тому

      Also a force to be reckoned with in the WW2 RTS game with online matchmaking--Company of Heroes 2!

  • @tnarggrant9711
    @tnarggrant9711 2 роки тому +6

    Flammfuhrer is going to be my next child's name.

  • @Sturmpionier
    @Sturmpionier 2 роки тому

    Easily my favorite Sdkfz 251 variant. Really wish there was more footage of it and to be honest it should definitely see some more light in movies and other video games besides CoH and Steel Division

  • @501Mobius
    @501Mobius 2 роки тому +3

    It would seem exposing the sides of a half-track to even small arms at under 80 meters would be dangerous.
    Up to 6mm of armor @0° could be penetrated by the Mosin 7.62x54mm heavy 'D' ball @ 200m.
    3.5mm of armor @30° was obtainable by 7.62x54mm light 'L' ball @ 100m.

    • @NathanDudani
      @NathanDudani 2 роки тому +1

      The Sniper Elite series makes a whole lot more sense now

  • @naamadossantossilva4736
    @naamadossantossilva4736 2 роки тому +3

    The siren would be awesome in video games.

  • @thebigone6071
    @thebigone6071 2 роки тому

    You da best of all Bernhard!!!!

  • @SevPlays
    @SevPlays 2 роки тому +5

    Sooooo.... how does one become flame leader again? Asking for a friend.

  • @zulubeatz1
    @zulubeatz1 2 роки тому +1

    Flammfuhrer is the best rank ive ever heard of. What an introduction at parties. 'This is Olz he is a flammfuhrer...

  • @3Cubatas
    @3Cubatas 2 роки тому

    Iirc Guderian as chief of staff gave the order to transfer most automatic weapons to frontline infantry units. Might have something to do with the reduction of smgs. I dont remembrr were i red about It though.

  • @demonprinces17
    @demonprinces17 2 роки тому +2

    As short as the germans were on fuel I'm sure had to be short on flame oil was there a substitute?

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +2

      I don't know, but I suspect 2 things, 1) in overall the amount was extremely small, 2) maybe it was by-product or something that was not really usable for other stuff anyway.

  • @khaldrago911
    @khaldrago911 2 роки тому +2

    Dude, that’s awesome how you can say the whole sonderkraftzwagonein…. Something something without messing it up. Props!

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +1

      It is definitely far easier then "Welcome to the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr in Dresden..." :D

  • @europeman4
    @europeman4 2 роки тому +1

    Wonderful, how much detail you provid. Since years! An absolutely "Must See" for every geek. Stay strong, keep it real ;)

  • @JeanLucCaptain
    @JeanLucCaptain 2 роки тому +1

    To ensure the maximum social distancing of the Enemy use the Flammenwerfer.

  • @Cacowninja
    @Cacowninja 2 роки тому +1

    I thought the Churchill tank was the only flamethrower vehicle in ww2 at it turns out this thing exists!

    • @sygaos
      @sygaos 2 роки тому +3

      And there were flametrhower variants from Sherman, Universal Carrier, Panzer I, Panzer III, Hetzer, T-34, T-26, KV-1, CV-33 etc.

    • @Cacowninja
      @Cacowninja 2 роки тому

      @@sygaos Yeah I just looked up some of those things.
      It's crazy!

  • @sergio5017
    @sergio5017 2 роки тому +1

    Nice

  • @alanmoffat4454
    @alanmoffat4454 2 роки тому

    MORE BANG FOR THERE BUCKS , BUT WHERE DID THEY GET THE FUEL MIX THINGS WERE TIGHT .

  • @aaron_spoerri
    @aaron_spoerri 2 роки тому +1

    Gutes Video

  • @draug7966
    @draug7966 2 роки тому +1

    Would like to have one of those and name it Smaug.

  • @ShalaniUSA
    @ShalaniUSA 2 роки тому +1

    Used by 16.PzDiv 64.PzGrRgt in Baranow Bridgehead assault, Aug 11-13+, 1944. Source: unit history, Gliederung

  • @jacobstewart1950
    @jacobstewart1950 2 роки тому

    I saw the model kit for this and I taught it was special model

  • @17hmr243
    @17hmr243 2 роки тому

    can small arms and 50cal mg shoot a tank barrel enough to make it not safe to fire?

  • @FirstDagger
    @FirstDagger 2 роки тому +3

    3:36 Schütze can be translated as Gunner as is more correct in this context.

    • @positroll7870
      @positroll7870 2 роки тому +4

      I was going to make a similar remark (lit: Schütze = shooter). Then he explained that those guys also were mostly equipped with rifles as personal weapons. Which makes them riflemen after all.

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +5

      The issue is, that Schütze in the Heer was used a lot, e.g., the lowest rank in the Panzer Arm was "Panzerschütze", at first I thought that is the gunner, nope that is the Richtschütze. So you have "Schütze" all over the place, as such I prefer "rifleman". "Shooter" sounds ok in theory in practice less so.
      Yeah, flame gunner would have worked in this case or might have been even better.

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +5

      Shooter really falls flat with "Ladeschütze" and "Munitionsschütze", same with gunner.

    • @positroll7870
      @positroll7870 2 роки тому +2

      @@MilitaryHistoryVisualized Yeah, its basically our catch all term for infanterists of the lowest rank (below private).
      For these 2 examples Id simply go with loader and ammo carrier.

    • @FirstDagger
      @FirstDagger 2 роки тому +2

      @@MilitaryHistoryVisualized ; Ladeschütze is just Loader, Munitionschütze would be just Ammunition Bearer / Ammo Carrier. As there are equivalent roles in say the US Army I think those should be used especially since we are talking in English. There is no reason to always use a direct translation IMHO. Soldiers or Sailors manning guns are usually gunners especially for tanks and IFVs, hence my prior comment.

  • @mikhailbolodo1597
    @mikhailbolodo1597 2 роки тому +3

    "The Medium Flammpanzerwaggen onowanienaiofenofnaonfoeanfoa" Is what I heard... and now I am scared of learning German

  • @incorrectbeans
    @incorrectbeans 2 роки тому +7

    I bet you got a real special treatment if you got caught out in one of those...

    • @JohnE9999
      @JohnE9999 2 роки тому +7

      Or anything like it, no matter what side you were on...

  • @mysss29
    @mysss29 2 роки тому +1

    I think this is the mentioned Stuka siren video from MAH:
    ua-cam.com/video/cf5potr_KYQ/v-deo.html
    Spraying unignited oil into dug in positions for further penetration makes sense, especially in an early regulation; but I immediately thought of the Forgotten Weapons flamethrower video series, in which IIRC Ian mentioned that even Japanese troops would often surrender if fuel was sprayed into their positions unignited...for obvious reasons. So I'm curious if that's related, either from experience in Spain or (though unlikely) even the Great War. Soldiers not having to go into positions hit by these weapons does seem like it would have saved time and morale.
    I'm also curious what type of fuel the "flame oil" was. I want to assume napalm was preferred and gasoline used if it was unavailable, as with American flamethrowers, but I think I remember some countries did only use plain gasoline.

  • @lockheed12345
    @lockheed12345 2 роки тому +3

    German flame half-track tactic: Don't set yourself on fire.

  • @zulubeatz1
    @zulubeatz1 2 роки тому

    What did you do in the War grandad... I was a Flammfuhrer son. Love it.

  • @ScumfuckMcDoucheface
    @ScumfuckMcDoucheface 2 роки тому +1

    0:11
    my mom from across the room - "... hey I think there's a medical treatment for that."
    hahaha

  • @SouthParkCows88
    @SouthParkCows88 2 роки тому +2

    I'm sorry what did you say at 0:11.............

  • @user-lh7bd7yb6h
    @user-lh7bd7yb6h 2 роки тому

    Flammpanzerwagen with a siren...what a sick sense of humor

  • @-mett-weck1395
    @-mett-weck1395 2 роки тому +1

    Gibts das auch auf deutsch??

  • @TheMadVulpen
    @TheMadVulpen 2 роки тому

    Epic

  • @maleficarus
    @maleficarus 2 роки тому +3

    Love his accent!

  • @76456
    @76456 2 роки тому

    Would you make a review on Portuguese ww2 tanks?
    story:
    In 1941 Portugal fired to be invaded by Germany after the "supposed victory in Soviet Unon" (which didn't happened), by Germany, Portugal though they would be next along side whit Spain. (maybe)
    Sow they built some tank prototypes and armored cars, they were very simple. Based on Vicker 7 ton. Whit rebited armour, probably worse than Italian tanks in paper.
    But there isn't a lot of info on them.
    Along side some tanketes for multi role and suport the Valentines bough from UK.
    Would be cool if you could make a small video on it.

    • @claas.relotius
      @claas.relotius 2 роки тому +1

      why is everybody so eager to claim Germany wanted to invade them?

    • @76456
      @76456 2 роки тому

      @@claas.relotius Not Germany but Spain wanted.
      Also, Portugal sold Natural resources to allies and Germany, maybe they wanted it all.
      But the idea of Franco invading Portugal was simply because it would help them fight the British and having the Portuguese Islands near US to bomb them. If they went to war
      US in 1943 settled in Terceira. Still there until today to secure the Atlantic

    • @claas.relotius
      @claas.relotius 2 роки тому

      @@76456 Oh OK. I misunderstood

  • @Sicarius40k
    @Sicarius40k 2 роки тому +3

    awesome video! i could imagine that the flame half-track is a "glas-cannon" i think it could do a lot of damage but i also seems kind of fragile to me. but I´m no expert tho xD

  • @sfjp1
    @sfjp1 2 роки тому +1

    Didn't even know bthe existence of this vehicle.

  • @jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344
    @jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344 2 роки тому +3

    So, this is going to be a version of my ongoing stupid questions about timing of these innovations.
    So, I get it. Flamethrower on a halftrack. Very maneuverable. Lots of punch. But the timing in 43 seems a bit late to the party to be really effective for the German Army. I get the notion that both channels here and Military Aviation History talk about the need for fire brigades to stem Soviet Attacks late in the war. I guess my question is that why not in 42? There was this huge gap in innovation. If we say the Wehrmacht was very successful in 41, there was not a lot new in 42. All the new stuff didn't really arrive until 43 - Tigers (okay they were 2H42), Panthers, Self-Propelled Artillery, now Flame Halftracks. What caused the delay of anything really helpful for the Wehrmacht being available for Fall Blau?

    • @DilophoMS
      @DilophoMS 2 роки тому +2

      Panzer IV F2, the first German tank with long barreled gun, entered service in 42.

    • @MilitaryHistoryVisualized
      @MilitaryHistoryVisualized  2 роки тому +3

      It takes several years, I remember that I thought a lot of innovations / changes were due to the war going on, then I read the bullet points for changes in the upcoming years, I think those were written around 1936-38, all those points I thought were a reaction to the war, nope, all were already mentioned pre-war.

    • @jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344
      @jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344 2 роки тому +1

      @@MilitaryHistoryVisualized Do you think this could have anything to do with not wanting to put Germany on a war economy? The Panzer I was 1934. The Panzer II was 1936. The Panzer III was 1939. The Panzer IV was also 1939. The Panzer III and IV were up gunned, but the next Panzer was the Panzer VI in 2nd half of 1942. The Tiger was not successful when it was introduced in 1942 (see - tankmuseum.org/article/tiger-combat-debut/ ). I am guessing that the success in 1939 and 1940 meant that until the Wehrmacht saw Soviet tanks that they saw no problems. The British tanks were inferior. Was the intel on Soviet tanks that bad?

  • @alikonono
    @alikonono 2 роки тому

    If u wanna here about how it feels to see them in the battle field read Blood red Snow

  • @raseli4066
    @raseli4066 2 роки тому

    I guess my 251/d flammenweffer in 1/72 scale in panzergrau is inaccurate. Good thing I never wanted the flame tubes added.

  • @Zretgul_timerunner
    @Zretgul_timerunner 2 роки тому +2

    Idk if i wanna call these pioneers crazy or brave to be sitting in whats essentially an unarmored napalm tank

  • @admiraalgrafspee7299
    @admiraalgrafspee7299 2 роки тому

    Do you read books for your info or what?

    • @raseli4066
      @raseli4066 2 роки тому

      A boy has to do his research

  • @jeffkeith637
    @jeffkeith637 2 роки тому

    That's quite a mouthful. What did German troops call the 251? Even the shorter "Alarm! Typhoons coming! Back to the mittlerer Flammpanzerwagen" is rather cumbersome.

  • @williamworth2746
    @williamworth2746 11 місяців тому +1

    I see US GIs hitting that with a recoilless rifle real fast real quick

  • @dr.johannesmunch891
    @dr.johannesmunch891 2 роки тому

    1944 refit:
    +1 officer: to avoid a lack-of-comand-dilemma, to give training-opportunities for the subcommander
    - 2 motorcycles: (sidewards communication per radio, not per depeche, no own recon, commander is HT-mounted, leading from front and not hovering around in his Beiwagen)
    + 1 Kettenrad: more Offroad-mobility

  • @MrArcher7
    @MrArcher7 2 роки тому +1

    Flammschuetzen ist ein voll geiler Name fuer eine Rockband.

  • @jasonharryphotog
    @jasonharryphotog 2 роки тому

    the range of the fire cat might be in optimum conditions but maybe wind or other weather conditions might affect that so in real terms maybe the slightly lower is normal operation that can be counted on, and maybe the range degreases slightly as the fire cats oil is used, just my thoughts on this smoking gun.

  • @tommckinnell2001
    @tommckinnell2001 2 роки тому +3

    I'm sorry. I misheard your accent and heard you suggest using the flamethrower against bankers....

    • @davryd8053
      @davryd8053 2 роки тому +1

      you're right😂😂

    • @Ag3nt0fCha0s
      @Ag3nt0fCha0s Рік тому +1

      This is why Jesus kicked them out of the temple; he had one of these waiting outside.

  • @sicariusvast9555
    @sicariusvast9555 2 роки тому +2

    Does the Flammführer carry Flammkuchen ?

    • @pietroosen1118
      @pietroosen1118 2 роки тому +2

      For sure, if he was born in the Saarland or Elsass / Lothringen. Mmmh, so lecker!

  • @mememeester1158
    @mememeester1158 2 роки тому +1

    Hans ich habe den Flammenwerfer auf den Panzerwagen gelegt!

  • @lucasvieira9642
    @lucasvieira9642 2 роки тому +3

    Lets start with the velhice. *Speaks minecraft enhancement table*