Decision Before Dawn

Decision Before Dawn (1951)

Decision Before Dawn is a 1951 German-American war film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring Oskar Werner and Richard Basehart. The film was shot on location in West Germany, using authentic German wartime equipment and actual ruins of buildings which had been bombed in the war and had not yet been repaired or demolished. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Picture and Best Editing, but won neither. The film features early appearances by Klaus Kinski and Gert Fröbe.

The following weapons were used in the film Decision Before Dawn:

Handguns

Smith & Wesson Victory Model

Lt. Dick Rennick (Richard Basehart) uses a Smith & Wesson Victory Model at the end of the film. Recruits are seen practicing with them earlier in the film.

Smith & Wesson Victory Model - a modified and parkerized version of the .38 Special revolver, the Smith & Wesson Model 10 - the "Victory Model" is chambered in .38 S&W

Lt. Rennick fires his revolver.

Recruits practicing with their Smith & Wesson Victory Models.

M1911A1

Vincent (uncredited) shows Rennick an M1911A1 while doing inventory before he leaves for Germany. He refers to it as his "landing gun."

World War II Colt M1911A1 Pistol - .45 ACP

Vincent with the M1911A1.

Smith & Wesson Victory Model (mocked up as Walther P38)

Ernst Brandenbacher (Arno Assmann) and "Happy" (Oskar Werner) use what appear to be Smith & Wesson Victory Model revolvers mocked up as Walther P38s.

Smith & Wesson Victory Model - a modified and parkerized version of the .38 Special revolver, the Smith & Wesson Model 10 - the "Victory Model" is chambered in .38 S&W

Walther P38 pistol (manufactured at the Mauser Factory) - World War II dated - 9x19mm

Ernst Brandenbacher fires his mocked up P38.

Happy fires his mocked up P38.

The ejector rod socket would suggest this is a Smith & Wesson rather than a Colt.

1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol

Happy picks up Col. Von Ecker's (O.E. Hasse) sidearm, which appears to be a 1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol and offers to clean it for him.

1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol - 6.35mm

The pistol on Von Ecker's table.

Happy with the pistol.

Submachine Guns

M1A1 Thompson

Lt. Rennick is armed with a M1A1 Thompson at the beginning of the film.

M1A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACP

Rennick captures Happy and Sgt. Paul Richter (Robert Freitag) at the beginning of the film.

MP40

German troops are equipped with MP40s.

MP40 submachine gun - 9x19mm

German troops with their MP40s.

A tanker with his MP40.

Rifles

Karabiner 98k

Karabiner 98k rifles are seen throughout the film.

Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Mauser

German troops with their K98ks at the beginning of the film.

Rennick with Freddy's K98k before their mission.

Freddy (Erich Ebert) with is K98k.

A guard with his K98k.

German troops open fire on Rennick and Happy.

M1 Garand

American troops are armed with M1 Garands.

M1 Garand semiautomatic Rifle with leather M1917 sling - .30-06

Sgt. Griffin (George Tyne) fires his M1 Garand as Lt. Rennick fires his Thompson.

American soldiers with M1 Garands on the western bank of the Rhine.

Sturmgewehr 44

German MPs are armed with Sturmgewehr 44s.

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm.

MPs armed with StG 44s search for Happy in the ruins of a theater. The film made use of the many bombed out buildings that remained in postwar Germany.

M1 Carbine

American troops are armed with M1 Carbines.

World War II Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - .30 Carbine

An American with his slung carbine.

Browning Automatic Rifle

American troops are armed with Browning Automatic Rifles.

Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06

American troops guard the western bank of the Rhine.

Machine Guns

MG 34

German troops are equipped with MG 34s.

MG 34 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

An MG 34 mounted in the back of a BMW 315 Kübelwagen.

An MG 34 mounted atop of an M24 Chaffee light tank mocked up as a German tank.

A German tanker opens fire against attacking P-47 fighters.

An MG 34 guards the eastern bank of the Rhine.

Browning M1919A4

American troops are equipped with Browning M1919A4 machine guns.

Browning M1919A4 - .30-06 Springfield

American troops guard the western bank of the Rhine.

American troops guard the western bank of the Rhine.

Other

2 cm Flak 38

2 cm Flak 38 in a single mount on the trailer.

2 cm Flak 38 in single mounting - 20x138mm B

A shielded single mount.

2 cm Flakvierling 38

2 cm Flakvierling 38s are see in various configurations throughout the film.

2 cm Flakvierling 38 - 20x138mm B

A quad mount next to what appears to be a FK38.

A quad mount opens fire during an air attack.

10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18/40

A 10.5 cm leichte FeldHaubitze 18/40 can be seen.

Leichte Feldhaubitze 18/40 field gun displayed in Hämeenlinna Artillery Museum - 105mm

The Feldhaubitze is seen on the left.

7.5 cm Pak 40

7.5 cm Pak 40s are seen throughout the film.

7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun - 75x714mm R

Pak 40s in the background as Lt. Rennick and Sgt. Griffin herd their prisoners.

8.8 cm Pak 43/41

Happy runs in front of a 8.8 cm Pak 43/41.

8.8 cm Pak 43/41 anti-tank gun on Rhienmetall split-trail mount - 88x822mm R

2 Inch M3 Smoke Mortar

The M24 Chaffee tank is equpped with 2 Inch M3 smoke mortar, mounted at the left of the main gun. This weapon is identical with the British Bomb Thrower, 2 inch, Mk I smoke mortar.

Bomb Thrower, 2 inch, Mk I (UK) / 2 inch Mortar M3 (US) - 50.8mm smoke bomb

The muzzle of 2 inch mortar is seen at the left of the main gun.

Panzerschreck RPzB 54

German troops are equipped with what appear to be Panzerschreck RPzB 54s.

Panzerschreck RPzB 54 - 88mm

A German soldier with his Panzerschreck at a checkpoint.

Trivia

M24 Chaffee

Although filming in Germany provided plenty of German wartime equipment, operational German wartime armor was too much to ask for. These were provided by either the US or French armies who assisted in the film.

German troops with an M24. There was no attempt to disguise the M24 at all.

P-47 Thunderbolt

Real P-47 Thunderbolts were provided by either the USAF or the French Air Force. All remaining American P-47s were in Air National Guard units at this time, so it's more likely these are French P-47s.

P-47s attack Germans at a bridge crossing.