This gallery contains original photos of Russian Air Force aircraft that come under the classification of light bombers. Our first photo is of a Petlyakov Pe-2 Light Bomber and our thanks go to Piotr Mikolajski, the editor of Plastikowe.pl a Polish website dedicated to some wonderful models of aircraft. We’d identified the photo as an Me-110 but Piotr emailed us to say it was actually a Pe-2.
Here we have some nice photos of the Junkers Ju 52 three-engined transports, the work-horse of the Luftwaffe. Famous for carrying German parachutists in 1941 in the invasion of Crete. If you’d like to see an original aircraft, the RAF Museum at Cosford in Shropshire, UK has a real beauty on display, even with the side door open so you can see inside.
This gallery contains original photos of German Luftwaffe aircraft that come under the classification of light bombers. We’ve included some Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers in this section along with some Me 110 that were used a light bombers on the Russian Front.
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2009
Hi and welcome to this week’s newsletter of what’s new on Miliblog
Well we’ve been concentrating on scanning more of our Eastern Front Collection and getting them onto the website for you to see. So we are a little late again in catching up on our newsletter but for a good reason. Once we’ve scanned in our first 500 for the collection, then I’ll pop on a few more preserved vehicles from the scanning box.
Until then, please find below some samples to tempt you to visit the Eastern Front Collection. The first one is especially interesting in that it shows a British Valentine Tank, sent to the Russian Army that’s been knocked out and being inspected by German troops.
Have a great week !
Cheerio !
Simon
Eastern Front Collection No 276
Eastern Front Collection No 289
Eastern Front Collection No 293
Eastern Front Collection No 383
Eastern Front Collection No 389
Eastern Front Collection No 403
Eastern Front Collection No 445
Eastern Front Collection No 452
Eastern Front Collection No 454
Eastern Front Collection No 414
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2009
Hi there and a welcome to what’s new on Miliblog this week, although a little belated !!!
So as we have mentioned over the last couple of weeks, we have a huge collection of original photos from the Russian or East Front of WW2. These were mainly taken by the troops themselves rather than any official government photographer and show the horror on warfare. Some may be a little graphic in detail, and if you are offended by this I apologise, but that was what went on at the time. We have called it the Eastern Front Collection and can be found under Original WW2 Photos.
There are quite a few in the collection, so to make it easier, I have split out the first 250 photos and called it Volume 1. They are quite diverse, from Russian POW’s, lorries and cars stuck in the mud, soldiers all kitted up standing by for a battle and even horse-drawn supply wagons. One thing that amazes me to see is just how un-mechanised the Germany Army was, having to rely quite a lot on these horse-drawn vehicles.
I hope you enjoy visiting the collection. Whenever I look at these photos, it really brings home how grim the winter fighting was for both sides. Look deep into the photos, as some are pretty atmospheric. I’ve included 8 examples below for a taste.
So it’s back to my trusty scanner and a hot cup of coffee !
See you soon !
Cheerio !
Simon
Eastern Front Collection No 1
Eastern Front Collection No 2
Eastern Front Collection No 106
Eastern Front Collection No 126
Eastern Front Collection No 140
Eastern Front Collection No 180
Eastern Front Collection No 232
Eastern Front Collection No 244
This is Volume 2 showing the next 250 photographs from a collection of photos taken by many servicemen on the Eastern Front, also known as the Russian Front. Starting in 1941 with the German invasion of Russia with the sunshine and the dust, then going on through the hard winter months that the German forces were unprepared for. The Russians forces were well used to the cold climate and so were better placed for winter warfare. Then the advance turned into a long retreat with bitter fighting and heavy casualties leading to the Fall of Berlin in May 1945.
The collection features uniforms and vehicles from both sides of the conflict and many of the photos illustrate the harsh conditions and the reality of warfare, which must have been a horrific experience whichever side your were on. Again, we have to say that Miliblog is NOT a political website at all. There are many enthusiasts across the world interested in the equipment and uniforms of the Second World War. Many are serious model makers and may even find an idea for a model diorama or even for painting of model figures. The aim of Miliblog here is to bring together photographs for these students of history.
Hi there and welcome to this week’s newsletter of what’s new on Miliblog.
Well to start with, as promised last week, we have scanned and sorted 60 photographs of German WW2 servicemen from all areas of the forces. I’ve included 4 samples below to illustrate them. To find them simply look at Gallery of Photo Collection/Original WW2 Photos/German WW2/Studio Photos.
As we said in the header, we hesitated at first in putting these photos on the website, but fealt justified in that there are many enthusiasts all over the world who have an interest in uniforms. Whether it be in making accurate model figures, collecting uniforms or even battle re-enactors. As we continue to say, we are NOT a political website and so these photos are shown purely for the historical interest.
We also visited the Classic Car Show at the NEC Exhibition Centre near Birmingham this weekend and armed with my old digital camera we set off early to beat the crowds. Got there to find the **** camera chose not to work again. So an easy answer to the question ‘what do I want for Christmas !’ However despite asking our daughter to take some photos of nice green machines rather than the shiny American Mustangs, the light in the NEC was pretty bad and so hardly any of the photos came out good enough to share with you. So I am very sorry to the team on the Ex-Military Land Rover Association stand, who I promised one lady especially her photo would be on our website, we let you down. I can say however that their display of Landies of all sorts was fantastic. The fully kitted Land Rover 101Vampire was especially impressive with the interior all kitted out. The guy there told us it was used in the Cold War days and sat by the border listening into the East German and Russian radio traffic. Also a big thank you to Andrew Baker of the Alvis Fighting Vehicle Society who was exhibiting one of his superb Alvis Scorpion CVRT Tanks on the Alvis stand. He told me he has over 40 similar tanks at home and has a unique collection of evry model produced by Alvis in the CVRT range, including some pretty rare ones. My daughter said it took me at least an hour until I closed my mouth again after hearing that !
Next is a big thankyou to Martin, I’m sorry I don’t know your surname, who emailed us asking if we had any military coaches on Miliblog. Not yet was the answer, but a quick look in the ‘to scan’ box came up with a few that I couldn’t yet identify. I quick email back to Martin came back with a whole load of detail on the coaches and their history. So we have now been able to add another area of military vehicles to the website. If you read this Martin a big thank you for all your help ! A lovely photo of a Bedford SB3 Coach is shown below and if you look closely, you will see it’s from RAF Wildenrath in Germany. Another photo, also a Bedford SB3 but with a later Strachans body with a certain 1970′s faded photo look on a nice sunny day. Finally a Leyland Leopard Coach carrying the Queen’s Colours Squadron of the Royal Air Force. In fact he us a lovely photo of one such coach at the end of it’s service life, up for sale at the auction.
So as we mentioned last week, we will soon be showing a huge collection of original photos from the Russian or East Front of WW2. These were mainly taken by the troops themselves rather than any official government photographer and show the horror on warfare. Some may be a little graphic in detail, and if you are offended by this I apologise, but that was what went on at the time. We have called it the Eastern Front Collection and can be found under Original WW2 Photos.
So back to the scanner which much work to do !
Have a great week !
Cheerio !
Simon
German Tank Crew Member
Kreigsmarine Sailor
Luftwaffe Staff Sergeant
Prussian Officer
Bedford SB3 Strachans Body Coach (36 AC 64)
Bedford SB3 Strachans Body Coach (43 AC 42)
Leyland Leopard PSU5D/5R Wadham Stringer Vanguard Coach (50 AC 00)
Dodge Commando G13 Wadham Stringer Vanguard Body Coach (93 KF 92) on Demob
This is Volume I showing the first 250 photographs from a collection of photos taken by many servicemen on the Eastern Front, also known as the Russian Front. Starting in 1941 with the German invasion of Russia with the sunshine and the dust, then going on through the hard winter months that the German forces were unprepared for. The Russians forces were well used to the cold climate and so were better placed for winter warfare. Then the advance turned into a long retreat with bitter fighting and heavy casualties leading to the Fall of Berlin in May 1945.
The collection features uniforms and vehicles from both sides of the conflict and many of the photos illustrate the harsh conditions and the reality of warfare, which must have been a horrific experience whichever side your were on. Again, we have to say that Miliblog is NOT a political website at all. There are many enthusiasts across the world interested in the equipment and uniforms of the Second World War. Many are serious model makers and may even find an idea for a model diorama or even for painting of model figures. The aim of Miliblog here is to bring together photographs for these students of history.
This is quite an unusual section and features many photos taken in the photographic studio by professional photographers of German WW2 servicemen in their uniforms. You can see we have Army, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine featured here and for a range of ranks.
I think these photos will appeal to those who make model figures, uniform collectors and historians in general who may like just to see the faces of the various servicemen. Once again, we have to say that Miliblog is NOT a political website in any way. We merely are a website interested in the history of military vehicles, uniforms and the equipment used by all nations
