Quotes from
Dick Spingler appear in blue lettering
"I would guess that both tanks are in
the vicinity of Bizerte. A big tank battle occured
near there just before the Germans left N. Africa.
There was a large hill to the west, the plain in front
was covered with disabled U.S. Army Tanks. Germans were
on the hill, about out of gas, so made a last stand." Although described as a German tank with a 20mm cannon on the back of this photograph,
Christian Gloor wrote to me and said, "The tank on top seems to be an Italian
Carro Armato Fiat 13/40. The side-hatch is very distinctive." Roger Juglair says,
"The first tank is not German, instead it is an Italian Ansaldo M14/41 with a
gun of 37mm."
"The tank with the long gun would be
a German with an 88mm cannon. This was their best
anti-air weapon." Christian Gloor says,
"The second tank looks like a German tankhunter "Marder III"
(PzKpfw38(t)). These "Panzerkampfwagen 38 tons" were originally a
Czech design (TNH P-S), license built by the Germans." Roger says,
"the second tank is a Wespe a MkII Chassis with a captured Russian 76mm gun."
"This plane and those below are probably at Grottaglia, Italy in October of 1943.
This one looks like a Messerschmidt Fighter/Bomber 112?" Christian Gloor says,
"The twin engine aircraft is a German Messerschmitt Bf-110G-2 Heavy
Fighter / Destroyer and the insignia seem to identify it as from ZG 1
"Wespe" (Zerstörergeschwader 1 "Wasp")." Amazingly, it looks as though the color
Luft Archive photo
may be of the same aircraft in the same hangar. Roger Juglair says,
"The bimotor plane is a Messerschmitt Me 110 of ZG26 Wespen Geshwader."
Christian Gloor says, "The single engine fighter seems to be a Focke Wulf FW 190G-3. This
version was based on the FW 190A-5 / A-6 airframe and was used as a
"long range fighter" with a bomb rack under the fuselage and two racks
under the wings to attach 300 litre drop tanks. It seems to be a very
rare version of the FW 190, with reportedly only 144 of them built,
entering service in Spring 1943." Roger Juglair says, "The German fighter is a double
role FW190 A4."
"Italian 1930s Fighter?" Christian Gloor says,
"The Italian fighter aircraft from the Thirties is a Fiat CR 42 Falco.
Being obsolete already in 1940, it was well used until the end of WWII
by Italy , Germany and Sweden, first as a fighter, later as night
intruder." Roger Juglair says,
"The Italian plane is a Fiat Cr42."
"The captured German plane is a Focke-Wolfe."
Destroyed German and Italian aircraft (probably in April of 1943) at the El Aouina airfield near Tunis following Allied air attacks.
