Rudel Tank Busting footage online?!? - Holy *#&!

[Rob Romero]

At this link you can find the links to many WWII video clips.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=74788&postdays=0&postorder=asc&hig hlight=clips&start=0

However one clip is of particular interest. IIRC In his war autobiography Hans Rudel indicates that towards the end of the war [in 1945? following the bestowment of the Golden Oak Leaves or following his leg amputation] he had a private screening of a WochenschauorNews Reel [with Hitler and dignitaries?] in which there was footage of him making tank busting attacks. Well they sell Wochenschau reels at

http://ww2wochenschau.com/

Moreover, you can download some for free. Scroll down to:

-1945 -German Wartime Newsreel -Luftwaffe and Panthers
download (6,6 MB)


This clip included had ground footage of a lone Tank Busting Stuka making a couple of swooping firing runs in the winter of 44/45 –the second lower and closer than the first. Two knocked out -but not burned out- Stalin tanks were shown immediately thereafter. Several things suggest that the unspectacular but potentially historically significant attacks depicted were made by Rudel.

-Time Frame matches Rudel’s account.

-Few Tank Busting Stukas survived into 1945

-Even in Rudel’s Unit, most Stukas were bombers used for flack suppression for the few tank busters [9 in his unit if IIRC]

-Rarity of Tank Busting Footage [especially from the ground] would suggest that if Rudel Saw his own attacks on a Wochenschau, it would be of this footage.

CAN ANYONE CONFIRM 100% THAT THIS WAS RUDEL?

As always Thanx

Rob Romero