Bunker with Panzer Turret

This is a U.S. Army Signal Corps' photo I found and scanned at the NARA, College Park.




The caption reads:

"Fifth Army, Futa Pass Area, Italy. 75mm German Gun knocked out by our
artillery with a direct hit in the area south of Futa Pass."

Date: 23 September 1944.

Photographer: Rusbar, 196th Signal Photo Company.

III-SC 329827, Credit NARA.

If anyone would like a high-res version of this photo, just let me know.


Dave

 

"At the Futa Pass, through which passed Route 65, which linked Florence & Bologna, two turrets were installed, one close to the village of Santia Lucia, guarding the long Anti-Tank ditch dug a few kilometres South of the pass, and another on the pass itself."
Neil Short - Tank Turret Fortifications.

 

Thanks for the tip about Neil Short's book, Adam.

Here is a short article by Short on the subject on the Osprey website:

Osprey Publishing - Military History Books - The German use of tank turrets as fixed fortifications


Dave

 

I've wittered on about it before, as it sort of fascinates me.
Damned strange in many ways, but a little cracker really - the sheer obscurity of the subject and detail thereof is to be applauded.

There's some shots in there that might be the view from your turret - doesn't look like somewhere I'd want to be with that 75 pointing at you.
Also a brief mention that these Futa turrets were 'bypassed' by Clark, who went via the less well defended 'Il Giogo Pass'. Not entirely clear if they came back later to shell these emplacements but the book doesn't really deal with operational details.

~A

 

I just dug through my Signal Corps' photo archives to find my second photo of a Panzer turret.

In the second photo, it is mounted on a flimsly looking wooden superstructure. I will rescan it on my next
trip to College Park since I'm not happy with the quality of the image.




SC 196914, Credit NARA. Saalis area, France, 29 November 1944. Scanned June 2010.

I ordered Tank Turret Fortifications, by the way. It should arrive tomorrow or Thursday.


Dave

 

That one's yet to be properly installed, Dave. Presumably they were in a bit of a rush...
I hope you like the book, some of the bunker descriptions can seem a bit repetitive, but it all makes a pleasant change from the usual Techie Tank-related stuff.

That one was apparently on the Gothic line, OP. 'Captured' in Sept. '44... though 'utterly knackered' might be a better term than 'captured'.

Couple more Pantherturm/Sockelafette related threads:
http://www.ww2f.com/aircraft/43108-german-bunker-armored-turret.html
http://www.ww2f.com/information-requests/19344-tank-turret-emplacements.html
http://www.ww2f.com/armor-armored-f...6-german-use-tank-turrets-fortifications.html
(I see you started one before with that framework picture - you will like the book )

Nice piece from Mr Short:
Duplication, innovation, desperation The German use of tank turrets as fixed fortifications
Some of these GE, TomTom etc. links may be of interest to the Turret Tourist - not looked at 'em yet myself though.
Downloads | Map coordinates GoogleEarth / Tomtom

~A

 

The image from the Green Book is SC Photo 195482.

Its caption reads:

"Fifth Army, Italy. Demolished German 88mm position.
It is 15 feet deep, waterproofed with concrete, covered
with 4 1/2 inch armor and covered Pistoria and Route 65."

Date: 4 October 1944.

Photographer: Baker, 3131st SSC.


Dave