Ghosts of the Third Reich Volume III:
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Stock Number and Description | "Ghosts of the Third Reich Volume III: German Tracked and Semi-Tracked Vehicles" by Tankvideo.com (Richard Isner) |
Scale: | N/A |
Media and Contents: | DVD-R format, approximately 63 minutes in length |
Price: | price US $20 directly from Tankvideo.com |
Review Type: | First Look |
Advantages: | Nicely done and edited (two cameras) video of restored German armored vehicles in action |
Disadvantages: | Minimal coverage of non-German subjects (well, the title DID say German!) |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended for all German tank fans and especially modelers |
FirstLook
I've known Rich Isner for a number of years now, both professionally and socially, and while Rich pleads guilty to being an SGF – "Slobbering German Freak" – I don't hold him to that for a number of reasons. First off, no SGF would be caught dead wearing a full German tanker's black wool uniform actually operating an armored vehicle in 95 F heat (Rich is the re-enactor Hetzer commander at the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles). Secondly, no SGF I know takes the time, care or consideration of his chosen subject to literally get down to the level of skinned knuckles and "sweat equity" in getting restored vehicles to operate. And third, nobody else I know takes the care to provide excellent digital video of restored vehicles of all sorts in action as Rich does.
This is
the latest in a series of high-quality videos from Rich, and it
covers the Bovington open day in the early fall of 2006. The Tank
Museum is legendary for its collection of armored vehicles, and the
Open Days are also a magnet for British restorers and re-enactors to
show their stuff on the demonstration paddock at the Tank Museum.
This video shows the action over the course of two days, and covers
both the Tank Museum's vehicles as well as some very nicely done
preserved armor.
First up is a privately preserved Sd.Kfz. 7 8 ton halftrack which is
about 90% restored, only missing items such as its windshield and
folding top. The restorer comments on the vehicle and what he has
done to it – as it was a "basket case" the answer is quite a bit! –
and his hope of finding a demilled 8.8 cm gun to tow behind it.
Second is a late model Pzkw. III with the long 5 cm gun and applique
armor that belongs to the Tank Museum. I was impressed at the quiet
but commanding growl this beastie makes during its run-pasts.
Two different Hetzers are next to perform, and from what I recall
Rich saying one is real and the other is the more prosaic Swiss G.13
version. They are also quiet as well.
A pair of the light halftracks follow, the Sd.Kfz. 250 (alte) and an
Sd.Kfz. 250 (neue). Both are put through their paces by their
owners.
A privately restored Jagdpanther is next, and a beast it is!
Modelers really need to concentrate on the tracks and wheels of this
vehicle, as the loose fitting tracks do quite a bit of gyrating when
the vehicle is running and act nothing like most modelers would
expect them to.
Lastly, and somewhat sulkily and reluctantly, Bovington's Tiger I
made its formal debut as a "runner" for the first time since the
late 1940s (from what I was told its original engine was "sectioned"
for engineering students and thus finding a new engine was a real
problem.) It apparently barely rolled out of the shops on the first
day, sounding very ragged, and went back for some TLC. On the second
day, it was running in fine form around the paddock, and while it is
obvious that there was a steady rain falling the crowd seemed
delighted to see the big beast rolling along with a suitable growl.
The video does concentrate on the external bits of the vehicles, but
it is the running which is fun to watch and the sounds as they roll
by. Modelers will note that armored vehicles clatter more than one
would expect but rarely squeal as they do in movies and TV.
Overall this should be a winner as I know many people want to see –
and hear! – a running Tiger I.
Highly Recommended.
Many
thanks to Rich for the review copy of the video.