Return to Claremont for boxing day

[John Clarke]

Somewhere I've never been to, or I'll never go to, but remember vividly as a child.

[Mark Weiss]

What a great video for those of us who love this movie, I'm going to watch it again, it never gets old. What a cast of characters.

[graham pipe]

As a matter of interest, this film (or movie if you're from the US) features a large Mercedes 12 ton halftrack towards the end in which the GI's escape - running over a Kubelwagen in the process. This action resulted in the halftrack's front axle getting bent which cost the film company a great deal to get repaired.

At the time, this vehicle belonged to a UK museum but was ultimately sold to the late Jacques Littlefield. The same guy who bought my Sd Kfz 7 which was the source of data for Armortek's first release of this model back in 2002-ish.

The 12 ton also appeared in the film "A bridge too far".

So there you go. More real German vehicle trivia...

Addendum 5 minutes after posting: I'm so sorry chaps and chapesses. Slight cock up on the memory front here. The film I refer to is "The Dirty Dozen" not Kelly's Heroes!

All the best from Normandy

Graham

[David M Wilks]

Many thanks for sharing, a life time fan of an epic film , and the start of an obsession for all things tank related .Dave W

[Chang]

... a large Mercedes 12 ton halftrack ...
... The film I refer to is "The Dirty Dozen" not Kelly's Heroes!

All the best from Normandy

Graham

Correct me if I am wrong. I thought The Sd Kfz 8 must be this one :

Sd kfz 8-2 DB.jpg (31.86 KiB) Viewed 407 times

Sd Kfz 8-5.jpg (49.53 KiB) Viewed 407 times

[graham pipe]

Yep, you're dead right! This is the vehicle in question.

Following Jacques Littlefield's death, the Mercedes was sold at auction and is possibly now with The Collings Foundation in the US.

When it appeared in these 2 films, it was owned by The Shrivenham Collection - a British Army training facility. They also own the King Tiger now on display at The Bovington Tank Museum under loan. Sadly, the 12 ton and a Jagdpanzer 4 Lange were sold under suspicious circumstances and thus the UK lost 2 "national treasures".

The 12 ton halftrack is unusual in the fact that it uses a Mercedes V12 engine and not the usual Maybach as per Famo, etc. One Famo variant was powered by a Tatra flat 12 air cooled motor and could be distinguished by different engine side panels and front grille. Obviously no need for a radiator!!

[Jerry Carducci]

Yep, you're dead right! This is the vehicle in question.

Following Jacques Littlefield's death, the Mercedes was sold at auction and is possibly now with The Collings Foundation in the US.

When it appeared in these 2 films, it was owned by The Shrivenham Collection - a British Army training facility. They also own the King Tiger now on display at The Bovington Tank Museum under loan. Sadly, the 12 ton and a Jagdpanzer 4 Lange were sold under suspicious circumstances and thus the UK lost 2 "national treasures".

The 12 ton halftrack is unusual in the fact that it uses a Mercedes V12 engine and not the usual Maybach as per Famo, etc. One Famo variant was powered by a Tatra flat 12 air cooled motor and could be distinguished by different engine side panels and front grille. Obviously no need for a radiator!!

Littlefield's family 'gifted' the entire collection to the Collings organization. It was Collings who staged the auction to sell off pieces in order to raise funds to build the additions to their museum complex to house the pieces they wanted to keep.

Jerry

[Robert E Morey]

Actually the SDKFZ 8 from Kelly's Hero's is at the Flying Heritage Collection in Seattle. Iast I saw of it anyway.









They have announced free entrance to the museum in 2025, so hoping to get there again soon. I've heard "rumors" that the Heckendorf Panther G is here in SEA now too, That would be an amazing acquisition and something to see.
Cheers,
Bob

[John Clarke]

Unless I'm having a Mulligan moment, I don't think there were any SdKfz7 half track's in the Kelly's hero's film.
International M5's dressed up in the opening scenes with the wonderful T34 Tigers and I think Praga trucks throughout.
Kelly's hero's are seen loading a truck and driving into the sunset at the end.

Now the Dirty dozen is a different matter, that is certainly an Sdkfz 8 but you have to be careful, the 7 and 8 look very much a like, with subtle differences. And the size and of course 3 tons.

[graham pipe]

Ah Bob,

Thanks for posting the shots of my old Sd Kfz 7. It hasn't changed much since I waved it goodbye at Southampton Docks in 2004 save for it now has a windscreen. This took me ages to reproduce to be an exact replica and cost the new owner a fortune to have shipped airfreight to San Francisco. I offered to supply a canvas hood for the ash bowed roof frame but the he declined owing to him concentrating on his failing health. Whatever, you can now see my old vehicle on Youtube where it trundles down an airfield runway towing an 88 then stops, the gun is deployed and gets attacked in a mock battle at one of their warbird flying days.

And to John, I said in my text there were no 8 tons in Kelly's Heroes. The only other old film in which I've seen a 7 is the original b&w Dunkirk where a cargo cab version drives at night through a British encampment by busting through a hedge and flattening their camp fire. But be quick - blink and you'll miss it. It's only a fleeting glance!

[Chang]

Actually the SDKFZ 8 from Kelly's Hero's is at the Flying Heritage Collection in Seattle. Iast I saw of it anyway.

IMHO Robert , this is Sd Kfz 7 , See :https://www.net-maquettes.com/pictures/sdkfz-7-walk/
The curved shapes of the mud guard above the driving sprockets are obviously different.



Also the size comparison :

Sd Kfz 7 is similar with but a little bit smaller than Sd Kfz 8.

Sizes-1.jpg (136.66 KiB) Viewed 233 times

Regards,
Lerh Chang

[Robert E Morey]

Your right Lerh. I will visit museum again in new year and check. The movie machine had mirror on front fender the restored one doesn't.

John yes, got my war movies mixed! Dirty Dozen. Only me being a mulligan.

Graham thanks this is Sdkfz you restored. I thought I saw sign on it saying this was movie rig. I was lucky enough to go to the late J. Littlefields place a couple times so perhaps that's where I saw the sdkfz 8.
Bob