Mission: Ugly Duckling (JP IV)

[lockie]

OK everything sounds great! But dear Frinik, where is conquering of the balance 10?
OK, let it be balance 6

[frinik]

Oh but Lockie that's the all point; not only is the balance set at 10 but hitting targets is even more difficult with the optics reduced by 50% magnification.So it's even tougher!Seriously you ought to try it at balance 51

[lockie]

It has been accustomed for me to using a "direct shot" during aiming. It's much easy and comfortable, imho.

[frinik]

Lockie it's becasue I have been trying to recreate how WWII gunners had to do it. Aiming even using the scales was a guessing game at best since they did not have range finders(The Germans had some ready for deployment but in April 1945 too late to be put into the field).So the gunner and commander had to use their experience and eyesight

[Friedrich-Wilhelm]

Hello Frinik, hello Lockie,

There is much useful information on range calculations in the Pantherfibel and Tigerfibel. These German tank manuals are available online. They present detailed instructions on how to use the triangle divisions (or "teeth") on the gun sight and the known dimensions of enemy vehicles to determine range and lead. However, these methods involve calculating fractions at lightning speed.  Math is not one of my strength, so I really just guess and shoot by eye. 
Nonetheless, in his memoir of service on the Eastern Front, Canadian-born tank gunner Bruno Friesen, who served on the Pz IV and Jagdpanzer IV, described in detail how he used the range calculation methods outlined in the Panther- and Tigerfibel in combat. Friesen's memoir "Panzergunner" is available in English, including translations of parts of the Panther- and Tigerfibel.

Cheers,

FW

[frinik]

HI FW good to hear from you!

I use the scales with the Tiger I's tfz12 and the Panther D's as well because they have both triangle and a line below and this makes it easy but those that simply have a trinagle in the middle I find my brain and eyesight faster than actually tinkering with the scales....

I have both fibels in the original German version.Interesting especially the cartoons.Rather unGerman in the humouristical approach....

[Friedrich-Wilhelm]

HI FW good to hear from you!

I use the scales with the Tiger I's tfz12 and the Panther D's as well because they have both triangle and a line below and this makes it easy but those that simply have a trinagle in the middle I find my brain and eyesight faster than actually tinkering with the scales....

I have both fibels in the original German version.Interesting especially the cartoons.Rather unGerman in the humouristical approach....

Hi Frinik,

Is that not a rather common misconception in the English-speaking world, that Germans have little to no sense of humor?  Instruction manuals for fighter pilots were done very similar to the Panther- and Tigerfibel, with funny cartoons and rhymes, etc.


Cheers,

FW

[frinik]

Well, Germans are often stereotyped as arrogant, inflexible and humourless and not only by the Anglo-Saxons but also by the French, Italians etc.Although being half German myself( Prussian in fact) I have a keen sense of humour and I think Germans are given worse press on that score than they deserve.But growing up partly in Switzerland I found Swiss Germans to conform more to the stereotypes ascribed to the Germans than the Germans themselves

[Donken]

Woah, Almost all Germans ive been talking to have been very very funny, Lots of nice humor

[frinik]

As I said the Germans are given worse press than they deserve.Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger( I know he is originally Austrian but they are part fo the German people as far as I am concerned) he 's got quite a sense of humour in all his films....

[Friedrich-Wilhelm]

Alright Folks,

Let's bash the Swiss then...  However, all of the (admittedly few) people from Switzerland whom I have met, are hilarious. As Frinik said, it's more a matter of stereotyping than anything else. Having grown up in Germany, I remember that the local stereotype there was that the British had no sense of humor, something that I found proven incorrect, at least in the case of my British friends. The list goes on and on. The Sioux (Lakota) and other Native American/Aboriginal peoples were often described as utterly humorless by people of European descent. Nonetheless, most of the Lakota and other Native people I know have a very keen sense of humor. The same goes for my Korean in-laws, my Mongolian and Japanese friends, etc, etc. Once one gets to know a person from another country, or another cultural background, some of these stereotypes are corrected, or at least put into perspective. That's why I like forums and communities like this one, because they bring together people from around the globe, who share a common interest, but not necessarily the same cultural background and yet can have a meaningful and positive exchange.
Anyway, it's been a long day at work and I guess I must be in a very non-confrontational mood. Just too tired... 

Cheers,

FW

[frinik]

Me too I am in a totally non confrontational mood and I hate stereotyping...just wish the Russians and Ukrainians had a sense of humour that's all!And the Swiss Germans would speak proper German