Watching this old German newsreel and there's a section on Rommel touring a Panzer unit. Check out the vehicle at 6:44. It looks like a jeep with some kind of replacement front end or something. Timewise, this is pre-normandy. They could have gotten it in North Africa or from the Russians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mg2Ny2yL-Y

Looks way too big to be a jeep. Looks like a one-ton truck.

The German units that were stationed in France used a lot of captured French vehicles, which this is one of. It's a Hotchkiss prime mover.

Most of the self propelled guns are French.

[This message has been edited by Rabid Cougar (edited 7/23/2013 9:18p).]

Was thinking it was Jeep, but now I think it's a commandeered Russian Gaz because of the rounded cowl near the windshield. (Some field modification for trench/ditch crossing too)





[This message has been edited by p_bubel (edited 7/23/2013 9:41p).]

Here's your image:

Definitely looks like a Hotchkiss prime mover, but did they make one that was only 4 wheels instead of 6?

Yes.This is a 1939 Hotchkiss R15R Command & Reconnaissance 4x4.
http://www.m201.com/hotchkiss/hotchkis.htm

There were no Russian vehicles in Normandy. There were Russians though. They were in OST Battalions manning the sea coast fortifications.

[This message has been edited by Rabid Cougar (edited 7/23/2013 9:57p).]

Laffly V15:

quote:

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Laffly V15T was designed as an artillery tractor, mainly for transportation of 25 mm Hotchkiss SA-L Mle.34 and APX SA-L Mle.37 AT guns. Like other models made by Laffly company, V15T has different nontrivial chassis. Also the machine was equipped with Laffly's business card - erratic small wheels at the bow and under the floor, which improved throughput. The main customer of Laffly V15T was the cavalry, for which light crawler tractors Renault UE were not mobile enough. In late 1938 Laffly received an order for 100 trucks V15T, but factory, overloaded with orders, was able to release only 80 cars, and 20 more in 1940, after which the production stopped. At the beginning of production, it became clear that Laffy woudln't cope with the order and it was passed to La Licorne, car factory in Courbevoie. The total order for 1940 amounted to 1386 cars, but in reality only 200 were produced.

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[This message has been edited by p_bubel (edited 7/23/2013 10:11p).]

Nice find. I have a book on German units that took part in the Normandy Campaign (D-DAY TANK WARFARE). The unit that Rommel is reviewing is in the 21st Panzer Division of Afrika Corps fame. Almost all of it's armoured vehicles and wheeled transport were of French origin. The the SP guns that you see in the video are called Becker Conversions.
He is a very interesting person.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Becker

[This message has been edited by Rabid Cougar (edited 7/26/2013 8:42p).]