Very nice German Sniper photos on the Easternfront.
Feel free to add some nice ones yourself.

__________________
Eine Lichtung im Walde wo die Sonne scheint.
Eingeschlossen durch Bäume sind wir gefangen,
in dieser Lichtung Gottes...

Fantastic stuff there, mostly posed but all the same, looks really good. Probably been posted before but take a look at this

YouTube - German Sniper Training 1944 (ca.1944) 1 of 7

__________________
There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

Very interessting movie!

__________________
Eine Lichtung im Walde wo die Sonne scheint.
Eingeschlossen durch Bäume sind wir gefangen,
in dieser Lichtung Gottes...

Some very nice stuff here! Thanks for posting. I enjoy looking at the details of the rifles.

__________________

It would be interesting to know more about the pic of the two SS officers in the trench, not least because that sight was issued to designated platoon sharp shooters rather than to snipers. Probably just an officer enjoying a perk of the job I guess.

__________________
There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

they are out for a joy ride shooting at birds, note they are wearing tunics and not service uni. also of note the Gebirge units were the top Wehrmacht marksman..........not really surprising though

thanks for the pics several of them are in Senichs rather large tome

Whats the story with that, Stefan? Is it because the sight is small?

the sight produced enmasse was of very low power settings compared to the larger hunting styles used in the other photos. A friend serving in the 1st Infantrie Div, Regiment 43 said they had them and he and others of his small unit as a waffenmeister felt they were not much better than open sights, even with open sights it appears from what he said they had some pretty fantastic shots

back to the scope, look how far away it is mounted, forward of the receiver and not close enough to the shooters eye

I see what you mean, Erich. It looks like a 'long-eye relief scope'. I have one on my "pistol."
The shooter's end on that scope is so small,too.

http://domania.us/FramerT/misc./308.jpg

Framer, from what I remember Erich is bang on, a mass produced sight usually issued to 'marksmen' within infantry sections, not much better than open sights but once you got used to it I'd imagine it did the job. I'd imagine that part of the logic behind the small size is that as using a telescopic sight takes longer than open sights, with something that small snap shooting would be easier, if that makes sense.

EDIT: Just dug up some stuff and the scope is the ZF41, what I had forgotten was that it comes with a bakalite box which I have seen fixed to the belts of soldiers thus enabling them to take it on and off as necessary (think how that would influence your zeroing).

__________________
There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

think also Stefan although the ZF 41 was small that meant small parts to clean, this little scope was a pain in the winter months with all the mud and grime, though as you well pointed out had it's own special carrying case, the larger long range scopes had a special softbound canvas carrier quite effective and easy enough to remove and replace scope when needed.

True but on the other hand I doubt soldiers were expected to strip it to clean it, simply give it a wipe over as most of us do on our weapons today. Also worth remembering that a bakalite case would offer protection that a soft canvas carrier would not thus making it rather more appropriate for the 'rough and tumble' of an infanteers life rather than the more subtle life of a sniper. That said, I see your point and agree. Interesting piece of kit anyhow.

__________________
There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

canvas or at least the description via a German friend for the heavier and larger scopes was much more stealth in design and quite compared with the bakelite "boxes". You are correct as Bakelite would be weatherproof but so was the canvas cover as it had a special coating over it, some of them even applied some sort of warmer layer inside to keep the range finding parts and lens appartus from freezing over especially for high mtn hunting

Brilliant fotos, Nice Hensoldt and Zeiss 6Xs, SS and Gebirgsjägers, that Zf41 seems woefully inadequate, although nice to have in your collection

__________________
Coir a glaive

Nemo me impune lacessit

Sorry Erich, I meant more 'bash resistant' or 'squaddie proof' as we say. Then again, your section marksman is less concerned with stealth than his sniper brother, particularly considering that a German soldier running sounds like a piano wrapped in tin foil falling down a staircase

__________________
There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

What StmmZaum says is partly correct - when you properly adjust your field gear you won't make any noise, except when walking on rock/concrete because of the hobnails in the soles. German gear is quite effective you just have to get some experience in using it.

YouTube - WW2 German Sniper Tribute (Deutscher Scharfschützetribut)

good pics here

__________________
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them. Lest We Forget

Where is that valley in 5th picture? Its incredibly epic!

__________________

Cracking film that, it's on the DVD below, along with an earlier training film ('42 I vaguely recall). The earlier film is a bit better and more rounded in it's approach, while the later one does actually contradict the earlier one in some areas. Seems a bit pricey on the Amazon site I picked mine up at the "War & Peace" show for a tenner...




Amazon.com: German Sniper: The Invisible Enemy: Luftwaffe High Command: Movies & TV

Snipers are awsome! Especially the germans.