Hello there, I recently came across a collection of WWII photos taken by my late grandfather during his service. These were literally hidden under floorboards and I'm very interested to know more about them. I've been reading so much here about all of your amazing work and am hoping to model some of the tanks (especially that Jagdpanther) from his photos.

Based on the photos in my album, is there any way to find out more about any of the vehicles and equipment?

http://gallery3.kitmaker.net/data/29585/scan0025.jpg

Thanks

The first tank is a jagdpanther, a tank desttoyer based on the Panther tank. The next in line is a flak panzer, anti-aircraft variant of what looks like a panzer IV. The last one in line looks like it might be a self propelled gun. The photo is great. Is that your grandfather sitting on top?

Thanks for the info Russ, the person in the JP is my grandfather's friend. They were both Engineers so they came in to fix bridges after the German's were pushed back.

I'm hoping to find detailed info about the vehicles.. like any service history and even if any of them ended up in a museum somewhere, since they were in pretty good shape when they were captured.

They look to be in running order. Maybe surrendured vehicles in a depot. I can't see any unit markings at all. Looking at the photo I think the last vehicle might be another jagdpanther facing away from the camera, or a jagdpanzer IV made by Alkett. They do look like they are ready to be shipped to a museum

We're there other photos? They might offer more clues.

The second is definitely a Wirbelwind. Judging by it's size, I'd say the third is a small SP gun, like a Marder II or Wespe.

I've added a few more including another JP with possibly a #59 on the side. My grandfather was part of a bridge building crew so a lot of the photos are of broken or completed bridges, although he did have an interest in some of the equipment as well. He survived the war but died before I ever met him and certainly before he was prepared to talk too much about the photos. Finding them has made me curious to find out anything I can.

In total there are about 85 pictures with about half of them taken of bridges and the rest pretty much uploaded here.

I appreciate the time and info you've already provided.

The third vehicle looks like a Stug from the rear.

The image labelled German Tank is a Panther A or D. The German Howitzer is actually a Nebelwerfer, that is a rocket launcher.

Check out scan060. Those are the same 3 tanks that are in the original picture (it would be too much of a coincidence to have 2 Wirbelwinds with a cover hanging off the #2 barrel), but it looks like someone removed the canvas cover on the Marder II next to it.

The rail gun in pics #00202 and #00731 is a captured French 320mm. Here's an identifier pic:

http://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/railway_gun/french-railway-guns-340mm-mle-1912-schneider-and-320mm-mle-1870-1940/

The one pictured behind the 320mm may also be French, judging from the barrel configuration.

You are spot on Bob as I did not see that pic until after my first reply.

Russ's comment earlier got me to look closely at that first pic before the others were posted. I thought the overall size was too small to be the back a Jagdpanther, and, among other things, the roof line was too short to be a JP IV(A), as he proposed. Of course, once Joel posted the complete set, the question was quickly answered.

It's a shame more pics weren't taken of the armor line. I would have liked to see what else was there.

It's difficult to tell what units these tanks were in or where they went. By this stage of the war, the Germans bothered with very few markings, making unit ID more of a place/time question.
The American Ordnance boys who came through laid claim to prizes like these immediately by using white paint and a brush. They would paint on the Glacis (upper front) plate of the tank, "Tech Intel Ship to APG Aberdeen Maryland USA" The Dragon Wagon "roadside assistance" would be in radio range.
So, unfortunately, there's no way to tell where these tanks wound up.

Browsing through your pics again, I must admit that is one wild looking camo pattern on that flak truck (#00761). Somebody go a little artsy there!