SdKfz 251 Calliope

Several AFV wrecks with at least one 251 without its right track are used by the American 743rd Tank Battalion, 30th Inf.Div. 7th armored group in the area of München-Gladbach (south of Germany near Holland) in February 1945 to serve as a mount for the Calliope rocket launcher (60 tubes of 6.4"). The calliope is placed queer in the vehicle. The levitation of the craft (normal on a tank turret and gun) is done by a Pak 40.
Michel Eastes posted a message on George Bradford's AFVboard: My father was a member of the 7th group. A breakout was anticipated and captured German track, all of which had to be towed into position, were modified. When completed these vehicles were, still towed, in company of a Calliope unit, to a place across the river Rühr, where a suspected German buildup was developing. On command, all rockets were fired and the Americans skeedaddled. The German halftracks were abandoned in place.

Period pictures

there are 4 pictures of it so far. The high resolution of them and the different angles at which the where taken seem to indicate a proffesional photographer.

Found on ebay	Found on www.ostpanzer.boom.ru	Found on www.ostpanzer.boom.ru

Drawings

The drawings are low resolution and where in one sheet with Russian text. Who knows the artist?

Illustrations

The Illustrations look good, and are clearly patterend on the Russian drawings. Who knows the artist?

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