• Pardon the dust while the boys rebuild the site.

    The board will be in a state of disarray as I get things sorted out, for a little while at least.

    The new incarnation is using Xenforo as the system software. It is much like what we are used to, with a few differences. I will see about making a FAQ to help point out the differences for the members.

     

    One IMPORTANT difference for all of us old timers is that the 'mail' system is replaced with what are called 'conversations'/

    There is no 'Inbox' or 'Out box' or 'Sent' folders anymore.

    Think of Conversations as private 'threads' or topics that don't exist in a forum, that you start with another member. NOTE: Conversations can include more than one member if you or someone else in the conversaion, likes.
    Takes a little getting used to but I am sure you all can get a hang of it.

     

    Only a slightly modified default default Xenforo style is available for now. Once the new SAG style is ready it will be available.

    All existing users should be able to login with their usernames and passwords once the site goes up.

     

    If anyone has difficulties logging in please contact me at sixthvanguard@gmail.com.

     

    Thank you for your support and patience. I know it has been a loooong road.

Firing the pak-40

Fantastic
Interesting that with such a violent explosion the gun's legs stay put.
I once pisted a Pak 40 with some shells resting on the legs and some in other forums commented that the legs would pop up.
There are images of the gunners stradlung the gun's legs, so I had a feeling the dug in leggs would stay put.
Great stuff!
 
That is really awesome!


Yeah, I don't think that the legs moved that much. The recoil system really takes a lot of the force. Of course, shooting it in the desert like conditions really kicks up the dusk and makes it more impressive.


I wonder, if they are just shooting "blanks" or if there is a true projectile being projected. I think that a projectile would reduce some of that muzzle flash. I wonder if there is some historical video of a Pak 40 in action to get a comparison.


I would love to shoot that bad boy!


-Joe
 
If you look at the round he is loading I did not see a projectile and they did not show a hit on the side of the mountain.
GB
 
Cool video Bill! Surprising that it ended up for sale from a closed VFW, via the lady who made a flower and pink statement with it. Interesting that its the only firing pak in the US.

Joe, i didnt see a projectile either. A projectile would reduce the flash and it would have increased the recoil. Im sure that this gun was designed to handle ny such recoil and properly dug in I can only imagine how stable it actually was. Even fired from an expedient position Im sure it was still rather stable.

As far as the signature of firing the gun, they were firing from what would be considered an unprepared position in the desert. Much could have been done to reduce the dust cloud from the shot that was fired. Oil or water poured around the position just to name a couple of techniques. Continued firing would also produce less dust with each shot. Another ttp that could have been used to diguise the position would be to set off charges from different sites or positions so as to confuse the enemy as to where the actual shot came from. Depending on the time allowed and the experience of the crew Im sure many things were put into use.
 
OK. Thanks. Another thing on my life's "to-do" list. I gotta see that thing fired in real life!
 
I was involved in rescuing a 57mm Anti Tank gun which had been deserted when a AFW closed. Two 57mm guns had been in front of the AFW. One disappeared and the other was picked up by a front end loader and just dumped into the weeds in the empty lot next door when the AFW needed more parking lot space. My Military Vehicle car club tried to contact the VFW but had no luck. We took three trucks, 10 guys and manhandled the gun back onto the street. Changed a flat and cut tire and towed it home. I worked with ATF for almost 2 years before they allowed us to keep the gun for parades and shows after we deactivated the gun by torching a hole in the barrel the width of the barrel opening (57mm). When we broke welds on the rear of the gun we found the firing pin still in the gun and a working breech.


ATF was very cooperative (this was long ago) and they were not as concerned about my club as they were for the second 57mm gun which had disappeared.


Would sure like to have one in 1/6.


Second point - About the recoil. I was trained on the 106mm Recoilless Rifle. The recoil was negligible but the backblast was horrendous, like the 75mm AT video. Our guns were mounted on Jeeps and we were told the 106mm was a "Shoot and scoot" weapon. Backblast was so tremendous we had to change firing positions fast or the Ruskie tanks would be on us in 40 seconds with their range finders.

Charlie
 
My re-enacting group KKA(Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery) used to have the use of an 88mm gun. It was converted to blank fire only. There was a cut-out section on the underside of the barrel just ahead of the breach, and had a thin metal plate welded over the hole. If a live round was to be fired the patch would blow out. The owner died and his wife put the gun up for sale but the group couldn't raise the money so it wound up in a collector collection. My group offered to man the gun when he displayed the gun but he refused and the gun now is out of site in his collection and not to be seen by the public
 
wow the dust cloud is enormous :amer_bigeyes:somewhere i read the crew of AT-guns use water to wet the bottom in front of the gun to prevent the dust cloud. would make sense because i such a dust cloud you're a easy target and you don't even see the enemy anymore.
 
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