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57mm M86 APC
- Thread starter pzgr40
- Start date
I remember seeing Ordnance reports from the MTO - they seem to have went from using M70 straight to using M86 w/BDF. If the report was correct, they never issued any M86 with the plug at all in that theatre 44'-45'.
And in the better supplied ETO I know that they had M86 w/BDF in Normandy along with some M70. I don't recall any photograph or document that indicates M86 with the plug was issued to front line US units there either.
Would love to find some detailed ammunition expenditure reports out of the ETO and see if that was truly the case.
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57mm M86 are quite rare in ww2 french battelfields however I recently found one, fired as a shot, empty with base plug (I've never seen in my job remnants of 57mm M86 fuzed).
Same story for 76mm M62 fired empty with plug (often found in France).
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Are all your finds logged in a database?
That would be fascinating for battlefield archeologists, historians, wargamers and collectors.
I believe the picture below was taken in August 1944 at St Malo- note the box in the foreground of M86 with yellow lettering indicating explosive w/BDF.
Maybe M86 is so rare in France because most of the misses blew up as intended.
That would be fascinating for battlefield archeologists, historians, wargamers and collectors.
I believe the picture below was taken in August 1944 at St Malo- note the box in the foreground of M86 with yellow lettering indicating explosive w/BDF.
Maybe M86 is so rare in France because most of the misses blew up as intended.
Are all your finds logged in a database? : Yes they are
That would be fascinating for battlefield archeologists, historians, wargamers and collectors : and mostly for EOD guys (and sometimes we find ordnance that "never existed" however the are !)
Maybe M86 is so rare in France because most of the misses blew up as intended : maybe but we find every year in France 600 tonnes of unexploded fired shells and bombs !!
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Can you tell us the general area or nearest town in France where you found the M86?
South-Est of France, 1944 summer front.
I think it could be a gun used by French soldiers with US equipments (Anvil Dragoon operation - "debarquement de Provence" - after Italy and North African fronts).
I recently found also a very rare unexploded fired british 3.7in HE How (mountain gun) ; this British gun would not have really been used in France. I assume this gun came with French troops in 1944 after African campaing.
I think it could be a gun used by French soldiers with US equipments (Anvil Dragoon operation - "debarquement de Provence" - after Italy and North African fronts).
I recently found also a very rare unexploded fired british 3.7in HE How (mountain gun) ; this British gun would not have really been used in France. I assume this gun came with French troops in 1944 after African campaing.