Postwar Czechoslovakia's Third Reich Weapons

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Postwar Czechoslovakia was a big user of WW2 German weapons, vehicles and aircraft, even building their own versions of the latter.
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; Bundesarchiv; Werner Willmann; Bukvoed; Swedish Army Museum; Jan Sapak

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

Thanks to War Thunder for sponsoring this video. Click the link and claim your bonuses: playwt.link/markfelton

[@SyntheticVoices]

Top G Felton

[@catlee8064]

Hetzer was only used for the E10 prototype. It was never an official German designation.

[@timf2279]

Thank you for having a legitimate sponsor.

[@swenhtet2861]

Pffffftttt.

[@exactlybasically8603]

Mark, you should talk to Gaijin about getting a custom decal in game

[@itaybron]

In 1948 you had the weird situation of RAF veterans flying in modified BF 109 dogfighting against Egyptian spitfires.

[@envitech02]

Totally wierd!!

[@nikoclesceri2267]

Suez crisis or a different conflict?

[@michaelmclachlan1650]

@@nikoclesceri2267 First Arab-Israeli War. Suez Crisis was 1956.

[@jerrylyons9279]

@@michaelmclachlan1650 got a telegram in '56, still in reserve for probable recall to active duty due to suez crisis. went to a bar to get drunk. the barroom was chock full of korean war veterans who all had gotten the same type of western union telegrams. no one was capable of working the next day.

[@BruceK10032]

Spit vs. Spit actions, too. Even Israeli Spit Mk. XVI LF vs. RAF Spit PR XIXs. Those Israeli Spits were from Czechoslovakia. The Czechs who had been in WWII under RAF command brought the birds home at the end of the war.

[@Thiago_TT_MIA]

While serving as an embassy Detachment Commander in Prague in the mid 1990's for the Marines I was informed our building was formerly occupied by the SS and Gestapo. The beauty of the city was second to none. When exploring the city, i saw many army surplus shops with WWII memorabilia and artifacts.

[@jeffclark7888]

Excellent!

[@bilplaymo6121]

Tchekian builders are the best to recreate ( or use old moulds ) for remaking 3rd reich items, and believe me in a very very good quality....i have an original WH belt buckle, and one coming from Tchekia, and hard to make the difference between remade and original...Same reasonnement work for all 3rd german items coming from there...Take care dear Fellow ; )

[@vrbka2692]

Petschkův palác?

[@petr7694]

Thio, there's a great book about the history of US Ambassador's residence in Prague: Norman Eisen: The Last Palace

[@selfdo]

The Czech CKD LT vz. 38, renamed by the Germans, after they completed their takeover of Czechoslovakia in March of 1939 (NOTE: the "Slovakia" half was granted nominal independence, becoming a German client state during the war), was a very reliable and versatile vehicle. It served well as a light tank in the first two years of the war, being in front-line service and giving good account of itself in Poland in '39, France in '40, and the Soviet Union in '41. In the latter campaign, it did fine against the Soviet BT and T-26 light tanks thrown piecemeal into battle, but it was entirely outmatched by the T-34 and KV tanks. The chassis was simply not wide enough to take the same turret as the Panzer III with a 5 cm gun, let alone the up-gunned Panzer IV with the 7.5 cm gun. So many were converted into tank destroyers, some using re-purposed Soviet-made 76.2 mm ZiS-3 guns, rechambered to take the longer German rounds. This Marder III was an example of how wartime exigency forced the Germans to source weapon systems from outside Germany. As Mark pointed out, the development of the 38(t) chassis ended up as the Hetzer, which saw post-war production, which included some foreign sales, notably the Swiss who named it the G-13 and used it until 1970! Furthermore, as part of their "Entwicklung" program, planned to use the Tatra engine and basic chassis layout for their E-10 series of light AFVs, including a Panzerjager intended to replace the Hetzer.

[@steffenrosmus9177]

The Swiss G 13 was in use until 1976, I saw the last of them in Sept 1980 in an parade.

[@chrisbrent7487]

Not many were used in Poland or France though as there weren’t a lot. Barbarossa was when they made up a significant proportion of German armour. Of course by then they were outclassed by several of the Soviet tanks.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

I watched a show over at WW2TV on "recycling" German tanks, focus was on Pz 28(t). Contrary to believe, only a relative small number (around 20%, I stand to be corrected) of returned vehicles was rebuilt into Marders etc. IIRC most of the initial Panzerjäger with the Russian 7,62cm AT gun were recycled vehicles. However, most chassis for Marders & Grille were new, purpose-built ones. "Hetzer" was a complete fresh design except for similar (but slightly bigger) roadwheels, slightly wider tracks and the general layout of the suspension. The lower chassis was wider and angled compared to the original. The engine and engine compartement were also different. There is a certain heritage, because most moving components were tried and tested albeit in roughly 9/10 scale. It is worth noting that the little Pz 38(t) was the most reliable tank in German service in 1939/40. In 1941 any tank in any nation was outclassed by T-34 and KV-1, at least on paper. That said, T-34s were destroyed by tanks that on paper couldn't do so.

[@thelichking9123]

Some countries like Switzerland used German tanks until 1970, like the Hetzer, in the Swiss army known as G13 and for mountainous terrain it was pretty useful because of its little weight

[@DOMINIK99013]

The where made and sold by Czechoslovakia after ww2.

[@thelichking9123]

Yeah there was a big factory in Pilsen which made mostly hetzers, because the Czecoslovakian were already used to built the cassis of the panzer 38 t which was also the cassis of the Hetzer

[@TADAMAT-CZ]

Actually, G-13 was fully Czechoslovak design, being produced only in post-war Czechoslovakia and having a different gun from Hetzer

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

@@thelichking9123 Nope, it wasn't the same chassis. It looks very similar but you couldn't build a Hetzer on a Pz 38(t) chassis.

[@thelichking9123]

Oh I'm sorry, but the Hetzer used the same power train as the panzer 38 t

[@AndrewMitchell123]

on behalf of all Czechs out there, I thank you Mark for covering this interesting topic!

[@noirbl00d98]

And Slovaks. I am Slovak.

[@douglaswilkinson5700]

Miru zdar!

[@markadams7597]

These reviews of WW2 weapons are very impressive. They're helpful conversation starters with my buds. Your research makes me look brilliant! Thanks for posting.

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

If these are the topics you discuss with your friends... I'm definitely hanging out with the wrong people! 🍻

[@jamesphilip6737]

The Panther tank remains one of the most beautiful designs ever made.

[@MI-mx3rh]

🇩🇪 😎 🇨🇿 🤓

[@cdgncgn]

to me T-72 is a re-stylized, lowered Panther.

[@eII_gato]

​@@cdgncgnand the panther is an up armored and up gunned t-34

[@Luxnutz1]

I wish Mark would do a story on Memel and its capture from Lithuania in 1939. I also would like to see a story about the Treaty Ports in Ireland that was returned to Ireland 1938 and the reasons why they were returned.

[@Celebmacil]

At the remains of Klaipėdos pilis (Memelburg) in Klaipėda (Memel) is Museum 39/45, which has an excellent presentation of exhibits and artifacts covering the history of the city in WWII. The site is wonderful, and you can tour the reconstructed portions of the old castle as well as visit other fortifications and museums in the immediate area, such as the Curonian Spit Fort. I highly recommended setting aside a weekend to visit for anyone spending some time in the Baltics.

[@2anthro]

From one McNamara to another ... I too want a story on the Treaty Ports. Thank you for the suggestion.

[@melchiorvonsternberg844]

Okay... But then also a story about how the Lithuanians stole the Memel area in breach of the Versailles Treaty of January 1923. A census conducted by Lithuania two years later found that more than 72 percent of the inhabitants as German or cultural German. Well, still in the mood to see something about the Nazi action...?

[@ComissarYarrick]

Czechoslovakia also produced it's own version of Hanomag ( Sd. Kfz. 251), called OT-810, with well over a 1k build in late 50's/early 60's. It's essencialy the same vechicle, just with diffrent engine and closed roof.

[@MakotoAtava]

Today you can see the OT-810 often in the roll of the Sd.Kfz 251 in movies.

[@michaeltelson9798]

The troops that rode in it called it “Hitler’s Revenge “ or something similar as the ride was so terrible as you bounced around in it.

[@Lawofimprobability]

One of the first ways I learned about Czechoslovak handling of German weapons was in how the Hagganah got Czech-made variants at inflated prices. The politics of how those seized weapons were sold off is a huge and understudied part of post-war history. Israel wasn't the only country that was able to buy such equipment.

[@krabatour]

I'm afraid, that the most important part of this history is still classified in KGB's archives. And another issue is the provision of pilot training for Israel's military pilots.

[@petr7694]

It's not classified, nor in the KGB archives. This money went into Czechoslovak Communist Party slush fund. There's a pretty decent Czech movie about this topic called "Toman" (released in 2018).

[@Pyrochemik007]

@@krabatour What is there so secret about training? We literaly trained thousands of jews. They became the heert of their military. To this day the relationship between israel and czechia are the best among EU countries.

[@krabatour]

@@petr7694 Consider, Czechoslovakia was not realy independent country, from 1946 hadn't had an independent forein policy, all important decisions were made in Moscow. The USSR had their own interests in future of the Arabic world, so Czechoslovakia was used instead, in this business.

[@hibernianperspective6183]

I remember reading in 'The World Encyclopedia of Tanks & Armoured Fighting Vehicles' that the Czech's produced a post-war copy of the WW2 German armored half-track Sd.Kfz 25, which they designated OT-810. I can only guess they manufactured other such copies.

[@marekbrutvan6917]

Thank you for the topic chosen Mark. I, as Slovak, and an aviation enthusiast, found this episode very informative. I spent a great deal of time in Israel, particularly in the Golan Heights, and can only confirm that the locals at the time were very much aware of the aid in the form of weaponry by the current time Czechosłovakia.

[@PapousWebNode]

Thx Mark, excellent content. Both Me 262 (DE + CZ) are now on display in Air Force Museum in Prague - Kbely.

[@petermeter9890]

That dogfight between Isreali Me109s and Egyptian Spitfires deserves a video on its own 😁

[@smyksmykovski8218]

Me109.......What is it?

[@Mercurywheeler]

I would suggest you look into "Stechovice" which was a village out of range of Allied bombers. This village was chosen to help the war effort in producing atomic bomb for Third Reich and they came very close, after Vemork was sabotaged. It's a super interesting story! Your viewers will love it, as do I since I grew up in this village. Cheers!

[@hermannjoseph]

Check out the lost battlefields w Timo Struckmann channel. He researches a lot of underground nazi atom bomb research sites across Central Europe

[@sitrueis4007]

So many things I dunno about my own country interesting.

[@andrewwood6285]

I’d love to hear more about this!

[@jaybee9269]

Not that close. Really only the USA and USSR could afford to produce an atomic bomb and the latter stole theirs…

[@sitrueis4007]

@@jaybee9269 Americans nor Russian would make any nuclear weapons without scientists from Germany.

[@NotoriusMaximus]

They have a nice air force museum in Prague with Avia 199 and other planes. I spent all day there in 2018.

[@Bigsky1991]

I "lived" (kept an apartment) and was silent partner in a Militaria store in Praha for 15 years (gf in Brno, and parked my plane in Velke Biteš) this topic has always fascinated me because I was surrounded by this stuff all the time. Böhmen-Mähren (Bohemia/Moravia) were literal SS States. Virtually every company or industrial entity was SS owned and governed. Being an advanced Militaria collector, for years going to the famous Militaria market in Busterhrad, I used to wade in waist deep in Steel helmets (I bought 47 Fallschirmjäger helmets in one day, leaving behind a further 59 that were "not nice enough ") mountains SS camo, the Luftwaffe "Netzkopfhaube" (meshed flight helmet) I used to buy by the banana box full...all left behind German stuff the Czechs used. Good times.

[@gregblackburn4280]

Early 1990's Czech-made German halftracks were available surplus. How I wish I had been able to buy a few examples!

[@DOMINIK99013]

OT 810

[@bilplaymo6121]

0t 810 was around 20 000 euros some years ago....not so expensive for a german half-track, for a panzer it's not the same price need millions in this case....me as you, wanted one, but my dreams and reality are not the same...take care Greg : )

[@gregblackburn4280]

@@bilplaymo6121 Thanks.....we both need more money. I'd imagine a half track would be a great SHTF vehicle.

[@befeleme]

Great video! If possible, please, let us also know more about the Bren machine gun (named after "Brno-Enfield") and its wartime as well as post-war usage worldwide. I used to live in Brno, Czechoslovakia, in my young years, a 15 minute walking distance to Brno Zbrojovka (armaments factory) as shown at 7:25 of this video.

[@LuisVillanuevaCubero]

As always, amazing content. Thank you!

[@GermanGreetings]

Detailled... as always ! Thank you, Sir.

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Once again, extremely interesting! It is great to see how much the after effects of WW2 still made itself known long after 1945. Thank you, Mark!

[@jboss119]

Hey Dr. Felton. Keep up the great work!

[@grandadmiral1874]

1:56 Czech army still existed after 1939, but in very limited numbers - only 7 000 soldiers. This army was called as Vladní vojsko - Government army.

[@nordicson2835]

I am glad that you had the information on this , very interesting.

[@justanotherviewer52]

Thanks for the very interesting information Mark.

[@samcoon6699]

Very interesting as always. Thank you so much for bringing this to the rest of us!

[@13StJimmy]

The Czech story during WWII is so fascinating and so under appreciated. It’s definitely something they’d never teach us about in school in the US so thank you!

[@yoda5565]

Good video. Nice to hear the numbers, it helps visualize how much was used post war.

[@tylerfoss3346]

Great job once again, Dr. Felton! I'm glad that you recovered your voice, as well!!!

[@CZ350tuner]

I visited the Skoda factory, near Pilsen, as a guest, in 1995. It is massive & is more akin to a large town, in dimensions. I was leading a university exchange group of engineers, at the time. 80% of modern ship propellor shafts are manufactured there & I watched a super tanker / super container ship propellor shaft being turned on what must be the world's biggest lathe (3 stories tall). I saw the car production line (which made Ford Dagenham plant look like a cowboy outfit!!), visited the factory's museum, etc. I left the place very impressed.

[@radekmajcher7431]

production of ship propellers & shafts it's exactly what u would expect from a land lock country...

[@Cossack124]

Once again Dr Felton bringing us fascinating history that would otherwise be forgotten or overlooked, great work!

[@theblackhand6485]

Really? I only remember the two ads.

[@BrettonFerguson]

Yes. Most historians today only repeat things other historians have written. This is why places like the History channel, even when they did history documentaries, just made thousands of documentaries about the same handful of battles.Normandy, Pearl harbor, battle of britain, fall of france, Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Holocaust, repeat again and again. Copying one book is plagiarism. Copying many book is considered research. Mark Felton manages to find new topics every video. I don't know how, but he does.

[@ajstrippgen5637]

another fantastic informational video sir! I have been involved in world war two historical reenacting here in the United States for 26 years. As I portray a German soldier, there are quite a few Czechoslovakian made postwar OT810's that has been purchased and converted to look like the World War II German version. Also been fortunate enough to have helped crew won original SDKFZ251/D.. I have been a participant at many events through the years were the postwar hatchers made by I believe Sweden have also been used by World War II reenactors.(Hetzers) additionally there are literally hundreds of Chinese copies of BMW R seventy5s with side cars used as well.. so many World War II original small arms of which I personally owned as well..

[@BOEHHO89]

Another excellent presentation .

[@ColinH1973]

Excellent and interesting footnote to history. Most enjoyable, Mark, thanks.

[@johnfisk811]

The Czech built Messerschmitt 109s did not have Jumo 211 engines because the Czechs chose them. They wanted to put in Daimler Benz 605s but the warehouse holding them burned down so the Czechs had to turn to stores of the Jumo instead.

[@kidpagronprimsank05]

They did put those on some before what you said. Those with proper DB 605 were designated as S-99.

[@notsureyou]

@@kidpagronprimsank05 Imagine if they had sold those ones to the new Jewish state, instead of the Mules.

[@kidpagronprimsank05]

@@notsureyou the trouble was that they were few, I think less than 100 or so with proper DB 605

[@notsureyou]

@@kidpagronprimsank05 They only sold 25 of those Frankenstein's to them, so they could have (if they had any available) sold them the proper 109's

[@dinsdalemontypiranha4349]

That's a particularly good one Dr Felton! Thanks!

[@daystatesniper01]

Another diamond gem of a video Mark ,with some tasty photo's , thank you.

[@tommygun6028]

Great episode Dr. Felton .

[@stevesteve1965]

Love these post war 'salvage' 're-equipment' videos.

[@recondo886]

awe struck once again. brilliant presentation.

[@madmanmechanic8847]

Fascinating, you never cease to amaze me Mark.

[@SakiniCZ]

Nice from you to visit our country´s history. The S-199 was known as Mezek (mule) for it´s bad behavior in the air, but it still saved Israel stopping the Arab offensive in the independence war.

[@rigelbound6749]

Thank you Czechia! Unfortunately my country has been hijacked by fundamentalist fascist nutjobs so everything was in vein.

[@simko8665]

Israel got four Messerschmitt fighters. At the first bombardment mission one of them was shot down by the Egyptians and Israel lost 25% of its fighters.

[@SakiniCZ]

@@simko8665 And two more were damaged - and after that attack at the Ad Halom bridge, the Egyptians did not get further, which is still comememorated today. The S-199 career in Israel was not massive or long lived, they´ve got only 23, but the five dozens of Spitfires LF Mk.IX from Czechoslovakia were crucial for the future of the state. And the massive shipments of infantry weapons and ammo also need to be mentioned.

[@simko8665]

@@SakiniCZ You are right. The surprisingly appearance of these planes stopped the Egyptian Army advancing toward Tel Aviv. It's has to be said that Russia helped Israel at the beginning of its independence war against five Arab countries. It was done by allowing Czechoslovakia to sell to Israel some kinds of weapons which she had after WW2.

[@SakiniCZ]

@@simko8665 There was hope that the Eastern block could win over the newly established state and bring it under it´s influence, without the USSR being directly involved. Of course that could never work, as Israel has to be multipolar to survive, just one supporting side could easily bring it down by cutting the ties when politics would change.

[@fireabend_1226]

A very well researched post - thank you.

[@stigchristensen2597]

a good video as always could just have wished for a mention of the OT-810 (more or less a direct copy of the sdkfz 251)

[@globalaide49]

Nice video and great information

[@oncall21]

Great video Dr Felton. Brno and then CZ made and continue to make one of the most popular rimfire, centrefire and big game rifles to this day. I still own several and the old BRno's of the 60's to 80's are built like tanks. Thanks for sharing!

[@stevenmoens5427]

CZ 550 in .308Win, probably the best value for money European deer hunting rifle out there.

[@oncall21]

@@stevenmoens5427 yes. I have a Brno Model 2 in 22LR and 22 Magnum, the CZ 550 American in .458 Win Mag and 300 Win Mag.

[@aaron6178]

Shout out to the Bren gun as well. Brno and Enfield collab. Pretty tasty shooter.

[@jasonmussett2129]

I always learn something new from this channel 😀

[@timmyjones1921]

Thank You Dr. Felton.

[@Garrattwayne]

Another Great Video. Thank you Mark, It makes my day when your Video's come out. I lost my son 2 years ago & your Videos all ways puts a smile on my face. Have you done a doc/video about Michael Wittmann? Many Thanks from Wayne Garratt.

[@douglasjones2570]

Thank you!

[@ivanekprochazka]

Photo at 2:30 is actually from the movie Sokolovo (1974) by Otakar Vávra. Nevertheless, the film indeed depicts the birth of CS 1st Army in USSR.

[@Chiller01]

I have a TGF K98k Mauser manufactured in Czechoslovakia and dated 1950 (they’re all dated 1950). Mine looks unissued but they were made for East German paramilitary units.

[@joelhenderson5404]

Thanks Mark

[@daniellai8576]

You should do a video on operation carthage, one of the most daring RAF raids under the war

[@krayxeez]

7:21 yay I see my city after 3 years of watching Mark

[@fordfairlane662dr]

The German tanks planes and generally speaking ..everything they produced was top notch quality...so much so..there still in use today!

[@kalle911]

lmao really

[@notsureyou]

@@kalle911 The powerplant for the Tu-95 was derived from German late war designs. "The design that eventually became the NK-12 turboprop was developed after World War II by a team of Soviet scientists and deported German engineers under Ferdinand Brandner, who had worked for Junkers previously; the design bureau was headed by chief engineer Nikolai D. Kuznetsov. Thus, the NK-12 design evolved from late-war German turboprop studies. This started with the postwar development of the wartime Jumo 022 turboprop design that was designed to develop 6,000 shp (4,500 kW)(shaft horsepower), weighing 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). The effort continued with a 5,000 shp (3,700 kW), weighing 1,700 kg (3,700 lb), completed by 1947. Evolution to the TV-12 12,000 shp (8,900 kW) engine required extensive use of new Soviet-developed alloys and was completed in 1951."

[@kalle911]

@@notsureyou soviet/Russian jet engine designs are notorious for shorter lifespan than their Western counterparts due to shoddy construction and materials, I wonder if that holds true for turboprops as well But yeah, cool story bro

[@convue4112]

i havent watched this yet, but thank you for these yt videos, it has given me inspiration to become a historian myself.

[@HawkThunder907]

Its a job you need to love, its not about the money and I love historical things

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

As the other dude said it's not a career path that has a great deal of options (or a whole heap of money waiting for your efforts at the end), but if you love the subject matter it can be its own reward. Best of luck in your efforts and if I can offer one piece of advice I will tell you the central lesson that my History teacher drummed into me (it has proven to be incredibly useful outside of the historical context it was taught to me in). When studying any aspect of history try to get as many perspectives on the subject as you are able to, the better you are able to understand the why's of all the players involved in addition to the when's and what's the deeper and fuller your understanding of the subject will be.

[@garyrunnalls7714]

Met an old pilot at a lecture who flew ferry flights of Chek G-14's some with Daimler Benz engines from a warehouse before most were consumed in a fire.

[@seangregorygurley8429]

Very Educational videos ❤️

[@Nick_B_Bad]

They also re-used the ZF4 scopes with the German marking crossed out with a single line. And also produced the ZF4 scope for a time identical to the German era except for the markings of course 😅

[@mikewhitcomb6558]

Česká Zbrojovka was pretty famous from the late 60's through most of the 70's for producing CZ Motocross bikes, and won quite a few championships with their iron curtain riders. That was until the Japanese came along and pretty much put all the European manufacturers out of business

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

Absolutely... CZ, Bultaco, Maico just to name a few... were definitely considered the Cadillac of dirtbikes back in the day.

[@ZhuJo99]

Well CZ is one of the topmost producer of small firearms to these days. Have few of their pistols. Rifles are not that good, with exception of rimfires 455 and 457.

[@christopherbentley7289]

That's the first time I've ever been aware of what CZ stood for. How fascinating that BSA had that same pair of manufacturing interests - small arms and motorcycles - and were the usual manufacturers' opponents in the world of Motocross.

[@jensenwilliam5434]

Thank s Mark!!!

[@joetheplumber5781]

Thank you again for an amazing video! And a special thanks for mentioning those crucial arms shipments to the then young country of Israel! We all appreciate your hard work Sir!

[@mgreen7063]

I have one of those 7.65 Czech 27s, with a Waffenamt stamp on the right side, and BOHIMISCHE WAFFENFABRIK AG PRAG (I'm writing from memory) on the top of the slide. Good little pistol, I can see why the German officer corps liked them.

[@696969640]

never get tired listening to mark

[@kurtdietrich5421]

The tank museum near Richmond, VA has a Pzkw IV that was obtained from Israel, which had been captured from the Syrians in 1967. They also have a T34/85 made in Czechoslovakia. The museum used to be here on Long Island, in the village of Mattituck.

[@teamorbz4463]

imagine being a commander and your armoured brigade consists of churchill's, sherman's, T34's and tigers

[@JohnLorac]

Imagine you were a Slovak pilot ace during WW2. First, you shot down some Russians on Eastern Front, later on, some Americans bombing Slovakia, and finally, after Slovak Uprising in 1944, you scored against the German pilots. And this is not fiction, but harsh reality during WW2 for Czechoslovakia and especially for Slovakia.

[@gnybbe]

Thanks!

[@christopherevans2547]

It’s shocking how many 3rd reich designs remained in Czechoslovak service as well as other nations. I have a couple M60 Czech rucksacks that are clearly based on the m1940 German rucksack. Their webbing harnesses bread bags, and rucksacks are nearly identical making them desirable to reenactors. Mine is stamped 1976 so they were used at least until then. Romanian canteens, and mess kits remained almost identical to the Germans well into the 80’s.

[@genericpersonx333]

German equipment was generally well-thought out to start with and definitely well-tested, as well as often much more economical than people are lead to believe. Most German gear was designed to arm a massive conscript army of disciplined soldiers who expected quality, so it was generally very cost-effective stuff. The real irony is that after WW2, a lot of militaries had to actually debate bitterly whether or not they could, in good conscience, keep using their German gear because of its Nazi associations; the debates were bitter because it was hard to justify giving up excellent gear purely for a "moral" reason. Shows how war-making is far more than just economics; the Human factor is fundamental.

[@DOMINIK99013]

The M60 rucksack is some marketing nonsense, it wasn't really called that and it's not even from 1960, the first pieces are from 1950, at that time supplied with modified LW Ypsilons, in 1951 Czech made leather and from 1952 canvas. Apart from the straps, the backpack is based more on the Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovakian interwar backpack.

[@DOMINIK99013]

@@genericpersonx333 This is the reason why you hardly see German helmets, caps, camouflage uniforms being used. Although, bizarrely, Czechoslovakia later introduced several camouflage patterns that were based on the German ones.

[@christopherevans2547]

@@DOMINIK99013 I’m not familiar with the Austro Hungarian rucksacks but the resemblance is striking when you see a Czech rucksack in photos next to the late war pattern tropical rucksacks. I have the rucksack, bread bag, and harness and they’re all configured identical to the German versions with minor variations. From what I’ve seen Austriahungarian, imperial German, and 3rd reich harnesses are configured the same with small variations such as the number of ammo pouches……

[@mungo7136]

You do not reinvent the wheel, neither you throw things into damp in the time of the crisis. Do not forget that after the WW2 not only many of the items were left in those countries in depots but they had also limited access to something else (especially not for free) and even more - they had some of the blueprints, tool, workers who had skill to make them as they had been doing it during the war. If the surplus had been US made they would be using American one. Thus everything was used - regardless if it was American, British, Soviet ... Just later on it was standardized and most rare and hard to maintain equipment was phased out. Btw. as I found later, as a kid during communism, my tourist rucksack, breadbag, light fabric rain/windcoat were all based upon those used by Wehrmacht.

[@rankovasek1987]

Czechoslovakia, being a significant producer of equipment and weapons for Germany in ww2, used the know-how to build their own unique vehicles. For example, they mounted the Jumo 001 on to the He 111 bomber.

[@holextv5595]

czech factories also created weapons for SS special operations.

[@ibnewton8951]

To my mind this is one of your most interesting productions Mark. Thanks much.

[@noirbl00d98]

Hold my beer.

[@noirbl00d98]

Gabčík just smiled.

[@noirbl00d98]

Kubiš chuckled.

[@skrag2112]

0:07 The first thing I thought of when I saw that picture of the ME-262 was Blue Oyster Cult's 1974 album "Secret Treaties". The one on the album has the serial number PL-01.

[@matthewwidder2521]

Tanks a lot :)

[@janwacawik7432]

7:35 Czechoslovakia was one of the most important small arms exporters in the world even before the war, which always brought a nice, steady flow of hard currency.

[@Piter_Play]

Polish People's Army also used a wide variety of german tanks and planes. Polish Army in the West used for example a bf 109 and fi-156, and don't forget that Polish soldiers of the Home Army captured a few german tanks during Warsaw Uprising.

[@majorshaker6870]

Czechoslovakia also used Stug III and IVs. There is a great book Czechoslovak tank forces which describes the post war era using German tanks. It has been some time since I read it but I think it said that Tiger I and IIs were also recovered but never put into service but rather used as range targets or sold.

[@askme5805]

Refitted Bf 109G2/6 were sold to Israel circa for 125k USD per unit. Price included ammo, spare parts, fuel, oil, shipping, pilot, and mechanic training. One postwar P-51D was for circa 40k USD, but USA don't offer them for Israel.

[@victorbeauvois]

Once again very factual and Great historical facts 👍

[@ggabey14]

I got to see a S-95 jet fighter in the Kbely aviation museum. Highly reccomend for any tourist in Prague

[@mustangstevegt]

A lot of good info for collectors of common c&r ww2 firearms.

[@TankerBricks]

Mark. Thanks for providing my Tuesday night Entertainment!

[@atlanticrf]

When I was in Vietnam in 1968, one of my friends was in charge of the "captured weapons warehouse". We were surprised at the number of German small are that were there.

[@primpal08]

Must have been hell maintaining that multinational collection.

[@russwoodward8251]

Thank you.

[@TalkingGIJoe]

Man would love to find an old hangar filled with those!

[@paulmurphy42]

Keep 'em coming Mark! But I wish you could do one defending Winston against accusations that he was responsible for the 1943 Bengal famine...please!

[@davidrivero7943]

The great & once affordable Surplus K98 Rifles, mostly sit off season quietly in a few known Hunting Camps in The Fla. Everglades. Its rugged sights & powerful round now put Meat on the table.

[@krisfrederick5001]

Germany: "Czech mate"

[@charlesp.kalina4162]

Czechoslovakia had some Messerschmitt 109G's (designated S.99) with the proper DB605 engines. Problem was that the stockpile of DB605 engines was destroyed in a warehouse fire. Czech industry had the tooling to produce the airframes but not the engines. That's why they had to substitute the Jumo (creating the S.199). There were a number of other former Luftwaffe aircraft types in the postwar air force as well, both war surplus and produced after the war from leftover parts and tooling. For a while the inventory was a weird mix of British, Soviet, and German Second World War aircraft.

[@TheSomeoone]

Had no idea the STG44 was a german weapon. Had a blast with it in Warzone 👍🏻

[@davidr1037]

Very cool video

[@jasonz7788]

Thanks you

[@Mr97Bene]

I love your content ❤

[@CzechoslovakGunStories]

Thank you Mark, once again I learned something new :) If you planned an episode on Czechoslovak small arms, let me know :) there is a lot people do not know about them yet... :)

[@robviousobviously5757]

I like the fact that the Czech's developed the short mauser carabiner before the German military... CZ VZ24 predates the K98K

[@DOMINIK99013]

Vždyť je v tom plno nesmyslů..

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

The Czechs were a class act as far as firearms production was concerned and still are. CZ-produced sporting arms show up at American gun dealers and shows and the quality is first-rate. I got to fire one of those CZ pistols pictured in the video years back. It's not a pretty gun but it's accurate!

[@sitrueis4007]

@@DOMINIK99013 jako např ?

[@MI-mx3rh]

Why does Skoda auto suck so bad though? Y won't they learn the cool designs from the Germans?

[@Dionaea_floridensis]

Sent this to my dad! He loves your content as much as I do!

[@cyphi474]

I think Hetzer chasis were all new produced. Pz38(and 35) had driver on the right side(pre-war Czechoslovakia was still left side driving, but switching to the right was already in preparation - speeded up by German occupation). In Hetzer, driver sits on the left because there is gun on the right. Conversion of Pz38 hulls would not be easy, so its more likely existing hulls were converted into Marders and Grilles.

[@michaeltelson9798]

They produced a new version of it and sold those to the Swiss

[@JerryListener]

I figured you would have had more on the Mule.. but great video anyway!