MT-5

Matthias Weiss
Can´t imagine how it must be if you sit in your foxhole with your Panzerfaust and you see the tanks coming and you need to shoot that thing.
My grandfather once told me about his time in the war. Wehrmacht pulled him in at the age of 15 or 16 for defense somewhere around Berlin. He and his comerades - mostly young boys - were laying on a hill near a wood, every second one had a Panzerfaust. Russian tanks were crossing the open fields coming straight at them. One of those enthusiastic "soldiers" fired his Panzerfaust from a distance of 2-3 km, way too far to hit anything. Shell dropped into the dirt of course and the tanks stopped and opend fire at them. They all dropped their Panzerfäuste and ran as fast as they could.
Basicly they all hated that damn thing, it was heavy and bulky and only effective at close to mid range but who wants to wait for a damn tank to get close... 😛

Rui S
Thanks for sharing that story, Matthias. By that time, it was practically or almost the only weapon available for them. The range was problematic... My older son is 15, so, I can imagine 😳

Steve -
Matthias
Often it is these personal stories that tell the real true history of an event or time. Thank You for telling your Grandfathers story. 🙂

Matthias Weiss
My pleasure. He didn´t tell us much about that time, not like other grandpas do. Also he had not kept any souvenirs except one. A "Pistole 08" also known as "Luger" but the artillery version with long muzzle and removable stock. His father had it left from WWI and used it for wildering around the small village in Poland where they lived. My father convinced my grandfather to sell it to a collector many years ago who dealt with all the paperwork than. When he than died around 1.5 years ago we found the magazine with bullets in a small box under his bed. He always told us he didn´t have it but maybe he had just forgotten about it... 🙂

Rui S
Traumatic experiences for sure. So no need of souvenirs... 🤔

Urban Gardini
A great find mate! But I belive that all those photo's is from late war '45 including the museum piece.

Rui S
No Urban, the first one has this Caption:
German soldier training with a Panzerfaust, southern Ukraine, spring 1944, photo 3 of 3
Photographer: Gerhard Gronefeld
Source:German Federal Archive
Title Ukraine, Soldat mit Panzerfaust Info non-talk.svg
The n.2 photo has this Caption: German soldier training with a Panzerfaust, southern Ukraine, spring 1944, photo 2 of 3
Photographer Gerhard Gronefeld
Source German Federal Archive
Identification Code Bild 101I-710-0371-18
The n.5 photo has this Caption:
Ukraine.- Soldat in Deckungsloch mit Panzerfaust zielend; KBZ Südukraine
Depicted place Ukraine
Date December 1943
Gniloy-Tikich, is in southern Ukraine... 😄

Urban Gardini
Great mate!

Rui S
@ Christopher,
Check the last image. Not a very good one but...

Rui S
Now, some Beutepanzers from Russia.
@ Rene Scheiblich,
Has you can see in the last photo, you don't need to worry about this issues😉

Rene Scheiblich
Very interesting, thanks for sharing Rui!
#21 looks fine 😮 Maybe I'll shell out another 20€ to build one like this. 🤔

Rui S
Glad you Mates find them interesting. I like to share my biblio. 🙂

Rui S
Now, some photos of FAMO.
@ James,
I hope this can help you in some way. I'm going to look for some 8ton photos now.

Rui S
Hello,
I arrived late but better than never.
The 88mm cables😉

Kerry COX
Your simply amazing Rui. 🙂
Thanks for your information and for answering ALL our questions. 👍
Is there anything you DON'T know about the German machine of WWII. ?
Cheers mate.
Kez. 🙂 👍

Rui S
Hi Kezza,
Thank you for your nice words Mate.
I only know that I Know nothing hehehe, but anyway I like to search my biblio for some nice info.😉😎
I'm only sorry that I don't have enough time too search in depth like I should.

Rui S
Thanks Mate. Glad you like it 🙂

Rene Scheiblich
Rui to the rescue. Again!😉 thanks for the additional info mate.

Rui S
Hi Mate,
Thanks, and be welcome😉

Mick Burdett
Panzerfausts had a reputation for being at the best downright dangerous to the operator. A lot of this can be put down to the metal used in construction being sabotaged in its manufacture .I believe a female Jewish slave labourer in charge of the furnace producing it altering the controls during the process. Somewhere I have info on this and the brave lady's name