Bas Stubert Photography

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

At the fence: Lelystad Airport [F-16's]

Work in progress

Monday, September 28, 2026

Achtung Panzer - Soesterberg's Shermans [part I]

I recently learned of a surviving Sherman tank in Soesterberg. Not at the Nationaal Militair Museum (National Military Museum) as you would expect, but at the nearby Historische Collectie Regiment Bevoorrading & Transport (Historical Collection Regiment Supply & Transport). This is quite a fascinating Sherman, one of the British Firefly conversions with the long-barrel Quick Firing (QF) 17 Pounder (76.2mm anti-tank gun instead of the usual 75mm gun.

For this photo shoot I brought my Fuji GFX 100S II and two lenses, the Fujinon 45-100mm and the Pentax 645 75mm with a Pentax 645-Fuji GFX adapter. I've used two colour settings, the standard Provia film simulation and the Acros monochrome with red filter film simulation. All colours are straight from the camera.

Fujifilm GFX 100S II, SMC Pentax-A 645 75mm f/2.8, Provia film simulation

Meet the Sherman (Hybrid) Ic Firefly tank

GFX, Pentax 75mm, Provia film simulation

GFX, 45-105mm, Acros film simulation

So what can we learn from this tank? First, its manufacturer serial number (MSN) is 40438. This makes it an ALCO built M4. It was delivered to Britain via lend-lease and was called the Sherman I in British service.

GFX, 45-105mm, Acros film simulation

This M4 however was a so-called hybrid or composite hull with cast forward armour and welded armour on the sides and back of the hull. That would give it the designation Sherman Hybrid I. 40438 was selected for conversion and received the QF 17 Pounder anti-tank gun, changing the designation to Sherman Ic (the letter 'c' meaning a 17 Pounder conversion). 17 Pounder conversions became known as Fireflies later.

GFX, 45-105mm, Acros film simulation

Another interesting detail is that this Sherman is fitted with the late production T49 tracks.

GFX, 45-105mm, Acros film simulation

After the war this Sherman was part of the Afsluitdijk defences and was dug in at Kornwederzand. Hence the stripped hull.

Markings

GFX, 45-105mm, Provia film simulation

This Sherman Firefly is preserved in the markings of the Canadian 'Three Rivers Regiment', part of the First Canadian Armoured Brigade and carries DW number T341213.

GFX, Pentax 75mm, Acros film simulation

Click on images to enlarge.

Friday, August 28, 2026

Achtung Panzer - Oosterbeek's guardian

Preserved at the Airborne Museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek is a single M4A4 Sherman tank.

Market Garden

The Airborne Museum Hartenstein tells the history of the Battle of Arnhem, part of operation Market Garden in 1944. Market was the airborne operation with British and US paratroopers capturing certain bridges all the way up to Arnhem. Garden was the ground offensive by XXX Corps that was tasked with relieving the paratroopers and create a corridor to invade Germany's Ruhr area, bypassing the Siegfried line. Whilst the bridges at Grave and Nijmegen were captured and secured the bridge at Arnhem could not be captured. Stiff German opposition prevented both the taking of the bridge by the paratroopers - the Battle of Arnhem - and XXX Corps reaching Arnhem in time to relieve the paratroopers. So while Shermans were deployed by XXX Corps no Shermans fought in the Battle of Arnhem. That would change in 1945 when Canadian armoured units using Shermans fought to liberate the Veluwe area.

Sherman V

This Sherman tank was built by Chrysler as an M4A4 model fitted with a 75mm cannon. Through Lend-Lease Shermans were delivered to British, Canadian and other Commonwealth forces. In British and Commonwealth service the M4A4 was known as the Sherman Mark V, Sherman V for short.

The Mark V differed from other Shermans in that is was a tid bit longer. Chrysler fitted all their M4A4 Shermans with their A57 multibank petrol engine and this engine needed more space than was available in a standard Sherman chassis.

This also meant that the tracks were longer than usual for a Sherman, 83 'shoes' instead of 79. Attached to those shoes were extended end connectors, commonly known as duck bills.

Markings

Let's take a look at the markings on this Sherman. This particular Sherman V is displayed in Canadian markings. These markings show that this tank was part of the Fifth Canadian Armoured Division.

This triangle shows that this tank was attached to A Squadron. The colour and number indicate that it served with the 4th Troop of the Reconnaissance unit of A Squadron.

This tank is named Argyle. That this name starts with an A is no coincidence, all tanks of A Squadron had names beginning with an A.

The number 51 indicates the Unit Serial, the red square indicates that this is an armoured unit.

The number 5964 is the manufacturer serial number or construction number. This unique number identifies this single tank. Its corresponding US Army serial number is 3057774.

When a tank was shipped to the Canadians it would have received a War Department number, starting with a T. This the tank no longer carries. However in pre-2011 photos the WD number T-288627 is visible. Somewhere between 2008 and 2011 this tank received a new coat of paint. During this repainting the WD number seems to be forgotten.

I can't tell how original these markings are. I wouldn't be surprised if Sherman 5964 came from Royal Dutch Army stocks and was painted up in Canadian markings to commemorate the Canadian contribution to liberating the Netherlands. And that is perfectly fine with me.

Click on images to enlarge

Friday, July 24, 2026

At the fence: Leeuwarden Air Base [Weapons Instructor Course part II]

In phase two of the Weapons Instructor Course the Royal Norwegian Air Force provided five extra F-35A's for the exercise. The participating pilots also faced air to air opposition provided by Top Aces. Top Aces brought two A-4N Skyhawks and two Alpha Jet A's to make thing a bit more, well, interesting for our participants.

EOS-1D Mark IV, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/8

Today I brought my Canon EOS-1D Mark IV with me. Although the weather was a bit more challenging I am quite happy with these photos.

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/8

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/7.1

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/9

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/8

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/7.1

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/8

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/9

EOS-1D Mark IV, 100-400, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/7.1

Click on images to enlarge.

Monday, June 1, 2026

At the fence: Leeuwarden Air Base [Weapons Instructor Course]

At the moment the Weapons Instructor Course is taking place at Leeuwarden Air Base. Pilots from Denmark, Norway and The Netherlands train to become weapons experts in their F-35 Lightning II jets.

EOS 5DsR, EF 100-400mm f/3.5-5.6L II USM, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/7.1

I was able to make it to the first phase of the exercise. Denmark deployed five F-35's to Leeuwarden. F-35's from Volkel and based F-35's from Leeuwarden also participated, as did a single MQ-9. On this day, the MQ-9 was the first to take off, followed by the Danish and Dutch F-35's.