Warbird Information Exchange

With kind permission of the owner of the following pics, the M-42 "Duster" is shown in service with the Bundeswehr in the mid-late 1970's. According to the owner, who was a crewman on one, many of these were veterans of Korea, some with battle damage when initially recevied.

The last pic is that of the 120mm M1 AA gun, an example of which rests in front of the CAF headquarters in Midland, TX. My father had a battery of these guns at Ft Richardson, AK 1957-1958.

M42 in convoy, 1977


Hohenfels, 1977


West Germany 1976


Field maneuvers, West Germany 1976


Baumholder 1977


Sardinia 1977


Todendorf 1976


Todendorf 1976


West Germany live fire 1976


Todendorf 1976


Sardinia 1977


Sardinia 1977


Sardinia 1977


770th AAA in range fire with the 120mm M1

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Bob

I did not realize that the W Germans still had those deployed in the mid 70's, I just cannot imagine them surviving long enough to be much more than a tripwire against the massive Warsaw Pact WAVE of massive firepower! perhaps they would work against helo's but against jets without radar assist???? Not something I would volunteer to do.

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

According to the owner of the pics, the M-42s started to be replaced in Bundeswehr service by the Flakpanzer Gepard in 1977, at least in his unit. When I was stationed in Germany the first time, in 1980, this replacement had been accomplished. But you gotta hand it to those guys with the Dusters...gotta go with what you've got...

And by the way, he stated that most of the M42s in his unit were just that - M42s, not the M42A1, with the coupled electro-hydraulic controls...

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Bob

Though I hear they were VERY effective against ground targets in NAM! Would not want to be on the receiving end of that!!!

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/