Semovente M40 75/18 in Tunisia

[Treadhead]

This Semovente M40 75/18 was recently found in Tunisia, posted on another Armour forum the postee refused to divulge any further info on it.

[Kuno]

Colleagues; the area where this picture has been taken is obviously in the Northern part of Tunisia - would presume around Zaghouan. I actually doubt that under the climatic conditions there, the wreackage would still look like it does on above picture.

My opinion was that this is a wartime color photograph and not a recent discovery of a wreck in Tunisia.

The holder of the copyright of the picture is "Time Life Picturey / Gettyimages" ;-)

[Treadhead]

I don't believe I've ever seen a wartime or near post war image of that clarity, this image looks like a modern digital camera image.

[Treadhead]

Notice the half brick on the engine deck, what is the likelihood of finding that type of brick in an area known for Mud Brick Adobe style homes?
8 holes in the brick? I'd say that is a fairly modern development.

[Kuno]

Unfortunately I cannot find the series of color pictures anymore which deals with the fighting at el-Guettar in Tunisia (el-Guettar is mentioned in the original post below - not Zaghouan as I had presumed above). There are dozens of photos where you would think that they are shots from a monumental Hollywood-movie > but they were taken in 1943!

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...f=47&p=1216442

[Kuno]

...we can stop argueing. Here are the details to above photo:

Titel:
Abandoned Armored Flamethrower. View of abandoned armor with a flamethrower mount left behind during the desert fighting between American and German forces in the El Guettar Valley, Tunisia, early 1943. (Photo by Eliot Elisofon/Time & Life PIctures/Getty Images)

Bildnummer: 56256420

Lizenztyp: Lizenzpflichtig

Fotograf: Eliot Elisofon/Freier Fotograf

Kollektion: Time & Life Pictures

Quelle: Time & Life Pictures

Bildnachweis: Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Erstellt am: 31 Dez 1942

Strichcode: 1216564

Objektname: 1216564.jpg

Urheberrecht: Time & Life Pictures

[Treadhead]

Found the image you spoke of, comparing the two we can see that the Stonewall has partially collapsed, it is also overgrown with weeds & grass, if this shot was taken even within a few months of the action the blackened fire scorched areas around any access hatches would still be black, not rusted, we can see a full radio aerial & what appears to be spares or tools on the mid section of fender in the black & white photo.

none of your wartime photos comes close to lighting, sharpness & clarity.

[rewdco]

Originally Posted by Kuno

Colleagues; the area where this picture has been taken is obviously in the Northern part of Tunisia - would presume around Zaghouan. I actually doubt that under the climatic conditions there, the wreackage would still look like it does on above picture.

My opinion was that this is a wartime color photograph and not a recent discovery of a wreck in Tunisia.

The holder of the copyright of the picture is "Time Life Picturey / Gettyimages" ;-)

According to the TIME photographic archives, this picture was taken in Tunesia in April 1943...

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...%3Dnl%26sa%3DN

Jan

[Kuno]

Have seen it as well at that place. The hires photo gives a further indication that it is not an old tank sitting there until today. Further, it just fits into the context - so it is for sure a conteporary photo of a Semovente.