Comments for I find this photo fascinating.

I find this photo fascinating.

2006-12-14T14:04:36Z

Anybody guess what I find so interesting in this photo?

To take away those first thoughts amongst the grognards - no, not the markings.

Comment from AFSister on 2006-12-14

2006-12-15T00:56:32Z

If I tripped over it... you must be referring to the buried turret. Why, I don't know.. other than the fact that it's a cool picture to try to figure out. There's a lot of fiddly bits layin' around.

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T23:03:32Z

Shutter

Comment from MajMike on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T22:58:47Z

if this photo is evidence of what one Crapsprayer or Zing-Pow round can do... now that would be one mighty fine whattzis...

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T22:34:41Z

Even those numbers sound alotta like foreign equipment issue.

Comment from Heartless Libertarian on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T22:20:05Z

You know, the marking on the buried/blown up turret side is weird...it's pretty much a photo negative of the normal cross the Germans used. See the track on the right for what a normal one should look like.

Comment from MajMike on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T21:47:42Z

if ya can get me a cleaner pic, i could make out the cyrillic lettering for ya.

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T19:57:24Z

Ah well, it was the best story I could come up with in such short notice anyway.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T19:55:27Z

The letters on the SU are actually numbers or mostly numbers. 506-58 or 506-5B. The pics in the pile this came with are all putatively Russian pictures of the aftermath of Operation Bagration.

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T19:27:30Z

Being cut apart for salvage postwar mabbe.

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T19:21:09Z

Bear with me for a moment, my eyes are aged. On the side of the su, there appears to be the letters "SFE". Soviet Foreign Equipment? It might appear that these are german captured and operated tracks that were then recaptured on the western front by the brits, us, mabbe even french forces after Normandy. The real interesting one here is the T-34. Could this be the elusive Italian T-34 used at Normandy? Only one known photo, showing the crew resting near a farmhouse and it's blurry. That T-34's the bigfoot of armour. Of course this could all be a WAG too!

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T19:20:05Z

Yeah, Rod, I think you're right. The turret profile is correct, and that was my first thought, but the rest of the profile didn't fit my image. So, enhance the pic a little bit - and that's because the entire powerpack area has either been blown open for disassembled. The track remants in the pic (with the guides on the edge) certainly argue for it as well. The vehicle to the left is a T-34 based on the shape of the track shoes and rear hull. The thing that intrigues me about the pic is that the turret piece in the lower left looks to be a T-34/85 turret side. And I don't think it's buried in the dirt. That looks like a piece of the turret - that was one helluva k-kill on that tank if that's the case.

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T19:00:31Z

The center one is Czech (38t), the one on the left could be the rear end of a T-34.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T16:22:36Z

John, thanks! Yep, definitely an SU-76.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T16:14:35Z

Actually, Frank, I think that's an SU-76M. In fact, I think all the junk in there is German-captured Soviet gear. More conclusive pic on the SU-76 here, though it *is* a model.

Comment from MajMike on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T16:03:20Z

looks more like my maintenance yard when i was down at Fort Polk.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T15:40:38Z

If I'm not mistaken, the vehicle on the right is not a tank, but it's a self-propelled artillery piece. Possibly a Grille.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T15:22:37Z

AFSis just tripped over it.

Comment from AFSister on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T15:10:57Z

They all look different... 3 different tanks, disabled, side-by-side, and one that looks buried in sand in the forefront.

Comment from MajMike on 2006-12-14

2006-12-14T14:49:45Z

could you be drooling over all the open hatches?