ARDENNEN OFFENSIEF "Battle of the Bulge" Op deze pagina Tiger, Panther, Sherman en Königstiger tanks Malmedy, het epicentrum van het Ardennenoffensief Our boy next door, Henkie, studies the second world war for years now. The 'Battle of the Bulge' has his special interest. The Belgium Ardennes, where it took place, is about 300 km from our home... So we took our car and drove off! American cementry in Margraten Our first stop. over 8700 graves.... 'Know but to god' Unindentified soldier This cementary is given to the American goverment 'for ever' and American servants are available. Driving south into Belgium we found more and more traces of the war KÖNIGSTIGER (German Panzer) In La Gleice The meanest  tank I ever saw. Look at the SIZE of it!! This is considered the best tank of the second world war. Fortunally there weren't too much around! Henkie en Geert holding the exhaust pipes of the Maybach V12 engine some minor scratches.... .... and a vew dots in the paint. I believe it has a 185 mm / 7" hull made of the best German carbon steel. There is a story about this tank: When American troops came to take it away to melt it down an elderly lady tradet it. For a bottle of cognac! SHERMAN TANK (American tank) in the city of Bastogne This tank is constructed in steel plates, about 50 mm  / 2 inch thick at the front. Too thin, they were no match for the German 88 mm guns..... .... because 88 mm granates could easily penetrate the armour. The sidepanels are by the way just 40 mm / 1,5 inch thick. a look at the inside Tina made a pic of us. General Mc Auliffe of the 101 airborne. This was the guy who replied 'NUTS' when the Germans asked him to surrender and to give up the city of Bastogne PANTHER TANK German panzer There is a story about this tank too: It had to cross a small bridge in this town. But it was too heavy... so the bridge collapsed and the tank fell into the water! After the war they pulled it and put it on display in the town 88 mm, a MEAN gun The German attack could only succeed if they could steal gasoline from the Americans. We almost ran out of gas too, but found this out of date gasstation in the middle of nowhere... The owner could only speak French and did not only discussed the weather with me but also Belgium education system and the difference between French- and Dutch speaking inhabitants. (well, I guess he did) SHERMAN TANK In the town of La Roche This Sherman tank is made of cast iron the town with in the middle (like all European towns) a church Look at the hole in the front of the tank. It seems the bullet tried to come out just left under the turret PANTHER TANK (German panzer) you can see how simple but effective this machines are welded together: steel plates connected in a tooth-form. We had a nice trip and came back home almost at midnight. We visited two museums and saw several tanks. We found the German tanks in rather good conditions but the American Shermans were just pierced. If only the Gemans had more gasoline.... we would be speaking German in west-Europe now. So once again thanks to all those American young men who came over to fight for us.
	Geschiedenisreizen: - D-day stranden in Normandie - U-boot in Laboe bij Kiel - La-coupole V2 bunker - Tankmuseum in Munster, Duitsland - Fort Eustis Militair museum USA - Our road trip to the Bulge / Ardennen. - Museum in Calais Henk's home-made Battle of the Bulge diorama's: Ardennen 1 Ardennen 2 Ardennen 3