At the end of the game event “Landing in Normandy” and the completion of successfully completed missions of the players waited for the final film as a bonus. Which was available by fulfilling the last mission.
Day D (8)
What do Donald Duck and tank have in common? That is how the soldiers called tanks equipped with the Duplex Drive system, because of the abbreviation of the name “DD” and the ability of these tanks to float. This system to give the tank a buoyancy was developed as early as 1941 and was called the “double propulsor”, since the tank had two types of propulsive devices — caterpillars for sushi propeller for floating.
Show yourself the car failed in Normandy. A folding screen of rubberized tarpaulin and 1-2 propellers with various drive systems was installed on the tank. Also, the lower part of the tank hull was thoroughly sealed. In total, about 700 “Shermans” and about 500 “Valentines” were converted.
D-Day (9)
A tank with a “reel” (this invention has no relation to a reel-to-reel tape recorder). This device was supposed to help overcome the beach band technique and personnel. When planning a landing in Dieppe, the beach coverage was not taken into account. As a result, the technique got stuck on a pebbled beach, and the soldiers moved with difficulty. Part of the Normandy beaches was sandy, which further complicated the landing.
The idea behind the creators of the “bobbin tank” was to install a coil on the Churchill AVRE tank – a reel – with a canvas mat. This mat will be laid out in the form of a track, thereby increasing the maneuverability of vehicles and people. It was also supposed to lay their passages in minefields.
D-Day (10)
“Crab” – so was called this mine trawl, mounted on the tanks “Sherman” and “Churchill”. The Crabs were also the brainchild of the Hobart team.
The Germans installed a huge number of minefields in Normandy, so the Allies developed various systems to overcome. This trawl was a drum with chains on the frame in front of the tank. The chains, while rotating, plowed up the ground and undermined the mines, which during the explosion did not harm the tank. First applied in 1942, by 1944 it was modified: 43 metal chains were attached to the drum, rotated by the drive of the tank engine. Rotating discs were fixed along the edges of the drum, cutting wire obstacles.
We are glad to present for review the tank M10 RBFM French anti-tank self-propelled. This tank can only be obtained by completing combat missions and it is exclusive and gift.
Day D (11)
The number of the day – 156 115. So many soldiers were in the group of allies, prepared for the landing in Normandy on the day of the operation. These were the British, Canadian and French military from the composition of the five infantry, three airborne divisions, separate tank battalions and a tank brigade.
The group was supposed to land both from the sea and from the air. 24 thousand paratroopers were prepared for the landing from the air, which even before the landing of the naval landing had to parachute and glide behind the Germans, seize bridges and crossroads, disorganize German rear forces, thereby hindering the operational redeployment of enemy troops to the coast.
Day D (12)
“Fire-breathing crocodile” – another toy Hobart. This nickname wore a flamethrower tank at the base of Churchill. These machines were destined to become carriers of such a formidable weapon as a flamethrower. In order to secure the crew as much as possible, it was decided to move the fuel tank out of the tank. The mixture was fed to the flamethrower through a flexible pipe passed under the bottom of the tank hull.
A flamethrower was installed in the control department instead of a machine gun. The firing range of the flamethrower was 120 meters. With the tank was a special trailer that could hold up to 1,800 liters of the mixture. An already devastated trailer could be disconnected and the battle continued, using standard tank armament. Total released 250 flamethrower machines.
D-Day (13)
“Rupert – paratrooper” – so called scarecrows, which were supposed to imitate the landing of an airborne assault. The Allies did not count on the absolute surprise landing. It was impossible to hide such a large-scale operation, therefore various measures were taken to disinfect the Germans about the exact location and scale of the landing. an important part of the operation was the landing of the air assault.
In order to mislead the Germans, about 450 such “paratroopers” were dropped, during the landing of which a squib patron was activated, imitating shots. Scarecrows were made of sacking and looked quite primitive, but according to the authors in the dark it was difficult to make out whether it was a human being or a fake.
