[jj2jr]

I think we all know what <Band of Brothers> is, right?

I've seen this TV series for several time, and I think some of the scenes were odd to me. For instance, in the 2nd episode "Day of Days" when Winters dropped to earth and met Hall of the other company, they scrolled in the woods and hid away from the German ground forces. When they went pass a firing German 2cm Flakvierling post and they stop. Then Winters said that they had to wait and quit when the German stopped for reload.

I feel odd for Winters' decision. Was it a better time and more easier for their running when the Germans concentrated in shooting and the loud firing sound can also cover their existing. And why would Winters has to choose to move in a quieter time?

This is one of my question about the production of this great TV series.

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[Tom Houlihan]

The airborne troops had specific missions, that were required to be completed before the amphibious landing came in at dawn. They didn't have time to wait. To the best of their abilities, all those men who dropped into Normandy stepped off to complete their missions.

[TRDG]

Nice call OT, time sensative mission and what if they were heard anyways and they swung their still loaded AA gun on them as they were moving out...... All in all probably dramitizing the causion and being clear thinking (regardless) in their first face to face after landing with the enemy. I have the book but don't remember if it is in there on the whys though.

Cheers

Tom

[Aussie Dave]

IMO the order to wait until the 20mm was reloading would be because the german Flakvierling loaders would be busy then and not just standing there and looking around.

His order makes sense to me.



Cheers,
Dave

[Airchallenged]

Dave got the answer right. If the gun was still firing and saw them they could be blown to bits. While loading the gunners are occupied with the task at hand and not paying attention to the noises around them. While firing they can be looking around at what is around them and do some listening. Dave is right.

[Wälser]

Wasnt it practise to shoot 2 barrels while reloading the other 2?

[TRDG]

Not sure but I would think firing all barrels at an air target for max damage would be priority. Now if it were ground targets getting closer, then maybe 2 barrels fire while the other two are being reloaded. Just to keep the oncoming and "getting closer" ground forces heads down.

Cheers, have you heard this was pretty common Walser?

Tom

[gi-rene]

Either or:

Quote

The gun was fired by a set of two footpedals—each of which fired two diametrically opposite Flak 38s—and could be operated either automatically or semi-automatically. When raised, the weapon measured 307 cm (10 feet 1 inch) high.

Each of the four mounted guns fired from a 20-round magazine at a maximum combined rate of fire of 1,400 rounds per minute (reduced to 800 rounds per minute for combat use). The guns could be fired in pairs (diagonally opposite) or simultaneously, in either semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. Its effective vertical range was 2200 meters. It was also used just as effectively against ground targets as it was against low-flying aircraft.