RAF Recce Razorback

[lestweforget]

Grabbed this from google earth. Sure looks like the same place.

[FAFG_Xav]

I check a satellite pic of Pierrefitte en Cinglais, that's the place on the photograph. No doubt about it !!!

great picture !!!

[Shay]

Referenceing the satelite image and knowing that the road that the tanks are on is due east. By checking the shadows, I'd surmize that the picture was taken in the morning


The church as it looks today



Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[Jack Cook]

JDK was wrong
That's something you don't see much of

[Shay]

Can anyone play with the picture and make out the Ser No. of that Mustang?

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[Jerry O'Neill]

Hee, Hee. He called it a "Razorback"!
Jerry

[JDK]

JDK was wrong
That's something you don't see much of

I'd like to believe it don't happen that much, but it happens often enough.

Of course the UK Norman church style is Norman because it comes from Normandy (well, who forgot that link... ) as shown by Shay's pic.

I'm still (vaguely) interested as to how Allied tank columns moved up, and if it was a 'keep left' rule for some all, or dependant on circs. Obviously the issue would be as much to provide a quick exit and not to block the road than civilian style traffic control.

Regards,

[RyanShort1]

I'm still (vaguely) interested as to how Allied tank columns moved up, and if it was a 'keep left' rule for some all, or dependant on circs. Obviously the issue would be as much to provide a quick exit and not to block the road than civilian style traffic control.

Just out of curiosity, why do you say "keep left?" To me, it looks like the column is moving towards the top of the photo and are on the right side of the road.

Ryan

[JDK]

Just out of curiosity, why do you say "keep left?" To me, it looks like the column is moving towards the top of the photo and are on the right side of the road.

Good point. I can't see the tanks well enough to tell which way they're facing, just there are turrets; part of it is we may 'see' what we are used to - you could certainly be right about 'right'. However, right or left, the question remains.

[ColFord]

Unfortunately the aircraft serial of the aircraft involved is well and truly 'buried' in the shadow of the elevators and no amount of manipulation will reveal it. However, an examination of the No.168 Squadron ORBs (Operational Record Books) would probably allow narrowing down of likely aircraft involved in this particular sortie to one of two.

And I think the road rules for tanks operating in Normandy was to travel down a road in areas already liberated in accordance with the road rules for the Continent, and roads at the forward area in a way to maximise their ability to maneouvre if they came under fire. Besides which, tank with large gun has right of way over all other vehicles on road, except if it was a tank with a bigger gun.

I must admit that I have found Google Earth and Google Map to be a real asset to my research when trying to match reconnaissance photos to locations. Earlier this year I was trying to match photos that were potentially of the attack on a German HQ at Dordrecht in late 1944, and use of Google earth allowed a match of the street layout and main geographic features to confirm that the photos were of that attack. Similarly the I have been able to plot known flight paths over Google earth sat views relating to aircraft losses and sorties which have helped in analysing events recorded in official records eg. "flak came from small wood at junction of ....." to identify the said small wood and junction and aircraft crash site.

Regards,

[JDK]

Thanks again Colin.

And I think the road rules for tanks operating in Normandy was to travel down a road in areas already liberated in accordance with the road rules for the Continent, and roads at the forward area in a way to maximise their ability to maneouvre if they came under fire. Besides which, tank with large gun has right of way over all other vehicles on road, except if it was a tank with a bigger gun.

A good example of this would be Tiger commander Wittman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wittmann

Room to manoeuvre is as critical to armour as it is aviators and mariners.

[Rossco]

Looking at the tank in the middle of the town it sure looks like a Sherman,small turret well forward on the hull..
Ahhh Michael Wittman,now there is a name few can forget..Especially the British tank corp.

[lestweforget]

I would say that if you are in a tank, you have the right of way and can travel on any side of the road you wish

[JDK]

I would say that if you are in a tank, you have the right of way and can travel on any side of the road you wish

And if you are commanding a troop of Shermans (I agree with Rossco on probability) you need to be able to manoeuvre - when you meet a Tiger - hence the ref and link to Wittman.

[RyanShort1]

Here's another Google Earth shot using the rotate and angle tools!


There are some visible changes but essentially the same. Wish there was a higher resolution shot available.

Ryan