Rommel's Horch - Kfz. 21 Horch 901/40, Once again, thanks t…

€ 29.99 · 4.6 (125) · Auf Lager

Once again, thanks to my mate (Megashorts) in the UK for allowing me to utilize his photographic talents in using his excellent picture of this rare museum piece as the subject of a digital illustration. – Rommel’s WW II command car.– enjoy. Pauls’ (Megashorts’) original photo can be viewed here. About the vehicle (again, thanks to Megashort): The vehicle was shipped to the Afrika Korps in North Africa in May 1942 and was used by Field Marshall Erwin Rommel as his command vehicle. A number of field modifications were made to the vehicle such as the addition of the canister like air filters fitted to the front wings. The 3.8 litre V-8 petrol engine gave the big vehicle a road speed of 62 mph and the constant four-wheel drive allowed for excellent cross-country travel. Discovery and Restoration: At the end of WW II, a British officer took the Horch to Kenya for use as a run-about vehicle on Safaris. The vehicle deteriorated over time; parts were removed and crude repairs were made to the wooden framework and body. In the 1980’s the vehicle was included in a job lot of spares and material offered to the SdKfz Military Foundation. As the Foundation concentrates on armoured vehicles, the Horch was not considered that desirable but research eventually revealed its historical importance and rarity. Starting in 2002, Rommel’s Horch was restored with great attention to detail with original parts from the Rosenow Company in Germany. The restoration took 54 months. It now takes its place among the large collection of historic military armour and vehicles at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, England. The graphic in my image containing the Nazi swastika and palm tree was the official insignia of the German Afrika Korps during WW II. This symbol or insignia, in no way endorses, condones or indicates any affiliation with the Nazi Party, neither then, after or now. Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel: Also please do not refer to Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel as a “Nazi”. Rommel never joined the Nazi Party. He was never a Nazi. Rommel was a humane and professional military officer who served his country with distinction in the capacity for which he was trained. His Afrikakorps was never accused of war crimes. Soldiers captured during his Africa campaign were reported to have been treated humanely. Furthermore, he ignored orders to kill captured commandos, Jewish soldiers and civilians in all theaters of his command. As the war progressed Rommel became increasingly disillusioned with Adolph Hitler’s atrocious policies and particularly Hitler’s senseless fanaticism to continue a war that was obviously hopelessly lost. For further reading pertaining to the military commander, Erwin Rommel - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Rommel