Sofi, if you ever come to Tampa let me know. i have a humvee and i have friends w/fun toys to drive. my buddy has a british FV432 apc thats a hell of a lot of fun to drive. lots of half tracks down here too
It's hard not to be really, I've driven it too. It's so damn fun and while it definitely does take some time to get the hand of the controls..the only thing I can compare it to is getting to also drive the Leopard 1 and King Tiger. I wanted to drive the Panther "Deuce" they have there but it wasn't running at the time.
Absolutely disgusting that the BATFE forced the purchaser to destroy that L/24 gun like that. It's a historical artifact, and while there are some others in existence, they aren't exactly just something you can go to the local store and buy. Were they afraid it would be used in a drive-by?
Back in the 80s one M48A2GA2 crew managed not to refuel the thing. So on the march back from an exercise they had to field refuel. Our S3 was in the fuel station shop shopping for some sweets (he was a "shorter than the shelves" guy) when the platoon sgt (using a 4x4 to get there) came in, nodded to me (PFC) and then asked the station attendend "Do you have a high speed petrol pump? The normal ones are to slow for a tank!" The attendend was about "HaHa" when just at that moment the M48 walzed onto the fuel station tarmac. End result: The S3 went "a bit ballistic" (and the platoon sgt realized where he had seen me before...), there is not high speed petrol pump and yes, the extensible fuel hoses are long enough to get more than one to the tank.
WOW!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU COULD DO THAT! Stug lll's will always be among my favorite German armor. I lived in South Texas for 2 1/2 years and the summer was around 110-115 F the time I was there. Then I lived in Austin, and it was 5 to 10 degrees "cooler in the summer. You have to "grow" into it.
Definitely the experience of a lifetime. I've seen that Stug at the Tank Museum, Bovington on Tiger Day X in 2018. Fabulous restoration. You did a great job of driving it!
That's where I first saw it, too! Amazing restoration and such a crazy treat to be able to drive it. Didn't think that would happen in a million years lol
@@Sofilein It was a range target that he brought back. Amazing job! I drove an FV432 APC a couple of years back. Same engine and transmission that's used in that Stug (easier to get parts).
Your great experience with that Stug brought forth so many memories. I've been aboard a B-17, a C-130, an Abrams tank and the ballistic missile sub U.S.S. West Virginia in my lifetime. Like your lovely Stug, none of them could be described as roomy or comfortable. But I'd wouldn't trade those experiences for anything! I never got to drive any of my craft. (Did get to push the button the fires a nuclear missile, but it wasn't hooked up so that doesn't count. Hope you keep having drives the rest of us can enjoy and envy! :)
that was great. gives you a real appreciation for what tankers in the desert had to contend with, operating those mobile ovens in that monstrous heat. good job Sofi.
I love your knowledge and your on going passion for history , such a wonderful sense of life and you glow like the summer sun , stay gold and keep that tank on course
I got the chance to drive the M4 Easy Eight back in 2017 at DriveTanks - what a great place! Quite a workout from the clutch. Also got to fire their MG34, MG42 and MP40. But the most fun was firing their 75mm German AT gun.
Awesome set up they have there. I drove an Abbot, fv 432 and a chieftain at Juniper leisure in England. The Abbot was really hard to steer one way as the gun is off centre it literally takes both arms to turn left. The chieftain was awesome. You lay down, its auto and the steering is so light. The power was massive. Feels like a race car on acceleration. But none of them was a stug.. Very jealous, Stug being my favourite vehicle of WW2. And you got to fix it too! I would have paid just to work on it. Thank you for filming this.
You are a lovely and lucky Lady to experience driving the STUG. Combining history with technology and making it a reality is awesome. I’m so jealous - that kind you for sharing this wonderful experience. Don’t stop educating and sharing with us!
Congrats. Glad you enjoyed yourself. My first experience driving a tank was when I learned to drive a Leopard 1A4 MBT. It was an experience of a lifetime.
Sofi, I'm going through all your videos to see all you have done and I love tanks and Armor Vehicles...plus love history ❤!!!! You are so very Lucky !!!!! Wow !!!! Love your channel ....
Being a former Abrams driver, you never forget the first time driving. The feeling of that much power behind the controls is a rush. You also got to experience the joys of tanking: fixing a broken tank. Lol Congratulations kiddo! Never stop being adorable!
Wow, I'm glad I found this very nice TH-cam video. Sofilein you are so luckey to get to drive it. Me, I've built a Tamiya 1/35 scale model of the stug III, Ausf C. And that's quite ok. Keep em' coming Sofilein !
Sofie, it survived the war, you won´t break it 🤣😂 But damn that was cool to see, and holy crap the size of the ceileing fan in the tent . Thanks for a great upload.
nice that you had that luck to drive that nice stug. remember me when the tank were racing with the jeep in my army time lol.... we always lost against the tank
This might be my favorite tank after playing war thunder. Hiding in a shallow crater one-shotting enemy tanks while incoming cannon fire glances off my top was good times. Keep on stuggin'!
Ummmm....Sofi......completely awesome.....thanks for sharing your video.....and all the hard work and historically meaningful effort of the crew at Drivetanks..
I did not know you were in my neck of the woods! This is literally my backyard(I live about 8 or so minutes up the road from the DriveTanks facility), and I've spent a lot of time there. They are some of the coolest people with some of the coolest vehicles. I've been in the Leo 1, M1 Abrams, M4 and Easy 8, as well as this Stug III in the video, a Panzer IV, and a King Tiger all because of Drive Tanks!
Now that looked like fun, until a steering bolt came loose. Easy fixed. Awesome work by the guys to keep this piece of history running, even if they have to modernise some running gear to keep it running. We have a few tank driving places down here in Aussie, I think it's time for me to check one out. Looking forward to the next video Sofilein, keep them coming.
Looks like fun. Good to see you driving a tank. Next thing you will be drafted in to adjust track tension, etc. Always keep your eye on the road in front and on your guide. Too much mass and momentum involved! If your head had been outside the vehicle when you looked to the side or behind, you would have been loudly rebuked, as happens to all of us, the first time we work with a vehicle guide for real. You will know what I mean when it is your turn to be vehicle guide and speak very loudly, upon occasion.
You don't have to worry about breaking armored vehicles, they do such a wonderful job of breaking themselves. The first tank I drove was the M60A3TTS. I had that same ecstatic rush, incomprehensible to people just doing a job.
Really enjoyed the video, especially the information on the heat they had to contend with in North Africa. You have a wonderful smile and you can tell when you’re really excited about something because your eyes really accentuate your smile, if you don’t mind an old man paying you a complement. Sometime I wish you or whomever you are getting to give the background of the vehicle could show a chart of the different communication levels I.E. individual tank to platoon to company and battalion - nothing fancy but how they were organized and how they communicated. I was in an armor Bn. In the 70’s for a short while (HHC) I worked radio-teletype to the Brigade HQ. and I helped work on the radios in the tanks but no one ever explained the way they coordinated movements and reports via radio between the different levels. My job was to pass on messages received via the secure HQ fm voice radio net via Teletype to Brigade and back
Thanks for the idea! Doyle and Jentz explain it for the StuG a bit in the book I showed and there is an excellent book by Kast and Bergs for the medium tank for 41 onwards.
Not having the original engine is entirely understandable ! Of all the parts of a tank the two that always acted up the most were engine and transmission. Imagine getting your hands on the original Maybach HL and having to then keep it running ! I'm sure that was hard enough when the tank was new and engine parts were being made but now it must be utterly impossible. Well done just getting her going and keeping her going so we can all see this absolute beauty
OK, I'm officially jealous. I served 6 years in the Marines and never drove any tank. The M60 was the new tank on the line when I was in. Admittedly, having been at 29 Stumps (Twentynine Palms), and seeing how miserable it was for the tankers, I would not have wanted to change places. I was in the air wing. Enjoyed your video and enthusiasm. I would love to ride in either a Tiger I, Panther, or the late to the field, British Centurion tank. I did at least get to see the Bovington tank museum in January 2020.
Greetings from Germany. Thank you for this wonderfull Video. Its nice to see, that you americans give so much love in our old Tanks.
This was amazing!! Congrats on your first tank drive!
I remember the 1st Time I drove a Deuce and a half
Sofi, if you ever come to Tampa let me know. i have a humvee and i have friends w/fun toys to drive. my buddy has a british FV432 apc thats a hell of a lot of fun to drive. lots of half tracks down here too
Come to Ocala Florida instead, we have horses! The first ever fighting vehicle, lol
If she comes to florida in general id love to see her drive both horse and apc lol shes awesome
@@bubazell1 I agree!
Drove an Abrams for 3 years. The first time was an absolute rush. Keep up the great channel content. Remember it’s all fun until you throw a track
I used to work around tracked vehicles for a living and can absolutely attest to what you’re saying!
My first AFV was an M60A1. I think my smile was as big as yours (and it never got old, no matter how many times I drove).
i finna get one of those on war thunder
@@SirenHead00 which one? The one that gets slammed by Leos and T-54s or the one that gets slammed by T-55s, T-62s and Object 279s?
@@noahdavis3236 the m60 im close to it lol
@@SirenHead00 which M60 tho lol, last time I checked there was more than 1 in the American tree
@@noahdavis3236 ik thats why i said “one of those “ lol
It is good to see that some people can fulfil their dreams and have the possibility to drive such a tank!!!
Simply excellent!👍👍👍
Awesome! Very happy for you!
hey is that pet russian guy
You looked like a kid in a candy shop while driving that StuG
It's hard not to be really, I've driven it too. It's so damn fun and while it definitely does take some time to get the hand of the controls..the only thing I can compare it to is getting to also drive the Leopard 1 and King Tiger. I wanted to drive the Panther "Deuce" they have there but it wasn't running at the time.
Who wouldn’t lol
Absolutely disgusting that the BATFE forced the purchaser to destroy that L/24 gun like that. It's a historical artifact, and while there are some others in existence, they aren't exactly just something you can go to the local store and buy. Were they afraid it would be used in a drive-by?
Love StuG 111s, built many models of them, so cool to see one driving - Thanks Sofi!
Reaction from the person at the drive thru would be priceless
A Uber trip in a Stug would be priceless
@@jubisvaldo5450 perfect for Ubering in a Chicago ghetto.
Bet they wouldn’t screw up ur order.
@@glhmedic or, they would be too awe struck to get it right
Back in the 80s one M48A2GA2 crew managed not to refuel the thing. So on the march back from an exercise they had to field refuel. Our S3 was in the fuel station shop shopping for some sweets (he was a "shorter than the shelves" guy) when the platoon sgt (using a 4x4 to get there) came in, nodded to me (PFC) and then asked the station attendend "Do you have a high speed petrol pump? The normal ones are to slow for a tank!" The attendend was about "HaHa" when just at that moment the M48 walzed onto the fuel station tarmac.
End result: The S3 went "a bit ballistic" (and the platoon sgt realized where he had seen me before...), there is not high speed petrol pump and yes, the extensible fuel hoses are long enough to get more than one to the tank.
This was definitely worth the wait, Sofi! Thank you so much for sharing your adventure
I'm not sure I could give you enough thumbs up.
Thanks for taking us along.
I lost steering in an MLRS once out in the field. It was a steering linkage bolt, so I know just what that’s like. 👍
WOW!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU COULD DO THAT! Stug lll's will always be among my favorite German armor. I lived in South Texas for 2 1/2 years and the summer was around 110-115 F the time I was there. Then I lived in Austin, and it was 5 to 10 degrees "cooler in the summer. You have to "grow" into it.
I'm so jealous Sofi! Stug 3 is my favorite assault gun! 👍😭
I am kinda jealous of the tank
Definitely the experience of a lifetime. I've seen that Stug at the Tank Museum, Bovington on Tiger Day X in 2018. Fabulous restoration. You did a great job of driving it!
That's where I first saw it, too! Amazing restoration and such a crazy treat to be able to drive it. Didn't think that would happen in a million years lol
@@Sofilein It was a range target that he brought back. Amazing job! I drove an FV432 APC a couple of years back. Same engine and transmission that's used in that Stug (easier to get parts).
@@Sofilein I'll have to check my Tiger Day photos again. You might be in them!
@@foxtrotromeo25 I've never been to a Tiger Day but I was definitely at Tankfest 2018 when she was
Sof i just saw u drive the stug great job for your first time good for u and god bless young lady
The StuG have been my favourite AFV for many years, this was fun to watch. Nice panzer wrap you are wearing!
Greatly appreciate the efforts of everyone keeping history alive, good health to you all, thanks Soph.
AS a life long tank fanatic this was awesome to see, best wishes from England UK
Your great experience with that Stug brought forth so many memories. I've been aboard a B-17, a C-130, an Abrams tank and the ballistic missile sub U.S.S. West Virginia in my lifetime. Like your lovely Stug, none of them could be described as roomy or comfortable. But I'd wouldn't trade those experiences for anything! I never got to drive any of my craft. (Did get to push the button the fires a nuclear missile, but it wasn't hooked up so that doesn't count. Hope you keep having drives the rest of us can enjoy and envy! :)
that was great. gives you a real appreciation for what tankers in the desert had to contend with,
operating those mobile ovens in that monstrous heat. good job Sofi.
Awesome video, it looks pretty nimble moving around the track. I'm so glad you had to chance to drive this machine :)
I love your knowledge and your on going passion for history , such a wonderful sense of life and you glow like the summer sun , stay gold and keep that tank on course
The smile says it all! And you are probably the best looking stug driver ever!
Thank you so much Good Drive Ms Sofi!! 😍😉👍👋
I got the chance to drive the M4 Easy Eight back in 2017 at DriveTanks - what a great place! Quite a workout from the clutch. Also got to fire their MG34, MG42 and MP40. But the most fun was firing their 75mm German AT gun.
Awesome set up they have there.
I drove an Abbot, fv 432 and a chieftain at Juniper leisure in England.
The Abbot was really hard to steer one way as the gun is off centre it literally takes both arms to turn left.
The chieftain was awesome. You lay down, its auto and the steering is so light. The power was massive. Feels like a race car on acceleration.
But none of them was a stug.. Very jealous, Stug being my favourite vehicle of WW2. And you got to fix it too! I would have paid just to work on it.
Thank you for filming this.
You are a lovely and lucky Lady to experience driving the STUG. Combining history with technology and making it a reality is awesome. I’m so jealous - that kind you for sharing this wonderful experience. Don’t stop educating and sharing with us!
Congrats. Glad you enjoyed yourself. My first experience driving a tank was when I learned to drive a Leopard 1A4 MBT. It was an experience of a lifetime.
Sofi, you are a genuine badass. What an awesome experience! thanks for sharing this!
The Stug III was beautiful to look at, very good at what it did and packed a real punch !
..........just like you !
That Was Epic , Congratulations 👏
Hello "Sofilein"! Thank you for this video, congratulations on piloting the Stug III, very successful! A French "fan" who loves your videos ...
*Beautiful as always ... pretty cool tank as well.*
Just found your channel. You just drove one of my favorite WW2 vehicles. STUG! It's awesome you got to do that thanks for the video.
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
May the tank always be with you! 🤘🤘🤘🤘
Honestly, first few seconds of a video were already more than enough to like it. StuG just makes it better.
Sofi, I'm going through all your videos to see all you have done and I love tanks and Armor Vehicles...plus love history ❤!!!! You are so very Lucky !!!!! Wow !!!! Love your channel ....
Being a former Abrams driver, you never forget the first time driving. The feeling of that much power behind the controls is a rush. You also got to experience the joys of tanking: fixing a broken tank. Lol Congratulations kiddo! Never stop being adorable!
Now this had to be some serious fun! Another place to hit my next visit to Texas!
There is something so nifty about the Stug!
That was incredibly fun to watch, thanks for sharing.
Great job! To get to drive an almost-tank that's a pretty good tank destroyer! Good going, Tank Grrrl!
Wow, I'm glad I found this very nice TH-cam video. Sofilein you are so luckey to get to drive it.
Me, I've built a Tamiya 1/35 scale model of the stug III, Ausf C.
And that's quite ok.
Keep em' coming Sofilein !
Awesome vid. So much fun to see how happy you look.
Also you look hella snazzy in that jacket ❤️
Very cool! Seeing you driving a actual tank is priceless. I hope you get a chance in driving other tanks in your life time.
Sofie, it survived the war, you won´t break it 🤣😂
But damn that was cool to see, and holy crap the size of the ceileing fan in the tent .
Thanks for a great upload.
That's a Big Ass Fan Co. Product.
nice that you had that luck to drive that nice stug.
remember me when the tank were racing with the jeep in my army time lol.... we always lost against the tank
This might be my favorite tank after playing war thunder. Hiding in a shallow crater one-shotting enemy tanks while incoming cannon fire glances off my top was good times. Keep on stuggin'!
You do some neat stuff, Sofi. Thanks for sharing.
I’m just so happy for you! I know how important and how much you looked forward to this!
Ummmm....Sofi......completely awesome.....thanks for sharing your video.....and all the hard work and historically meaningful effort of the crew at Drivetanks..
First instructions- "We had to connect up the drives opposite, so left is right & right is left". Sofi nails it to failure!! LOL!!!
That was good fun. And your delivery is much better not rushing and so much more interesting well done
Just discovered this amazing channel!! Quality content and a beautiful soul!
Looks like you got a great workout and had "Tons" of fun.
Brings back memories of when I drove my M113A2 in the Army.
I have never seen the inside of a stug 3 before. Built a model of one as a kid. Neat lookin' things. Thanks!
I just found this channel and she is wifey.. 😍 and she loves tanks! I’m in love haha! Lots of cool info on these beasts!
Great vid, thanks for sharing, although you did forget to take out that Anti-Tank Gun at 15:35 !!
Nice going Sofilein ! They finally get something nice, and you break it.
Your cousins must have hid there toys when you came over.
The restoration vids are outstanding, John took scrap metal and brought it back to life
I did not know you were in my neck of the woods! This is literally my backyard(I live about 8 or so minutes up the road from the DriveTanks facility), and I've spent a lot of time there. They are some of the coolest people with some of the coolest vehicles. I've been in the Leo 1, M1 Abrams, M4 and Easy 8, as well as this Stug III in the video, a Panzer IV, and a King Tiger all because of Drive Tanks!
WOW.. a lot of woman would be saying - Driving my first Supercar ...it's the INCREDIBLE F-150, Lambo etc whatever.. But youre a step way above them!
So awesome! What an amazing opportunity! 😁 You're a BADASS!!! 😎
You have the most amazing hair in the universe! 🥰🥰🥰
Enjoyed the Stug and watching how it handled for you.😎
This made me so happy
You're one of the most awesome people on the Internet. A big fan here from the Philippines :)
Definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for the video!!!!!!
That is so awesome!! There's nothing like maneuvering a track vehicle over terrain :D
AWESOME! Loved the video experience of you operating the STUG!
StuH fan.. the 10.5cm was the best type of gun for the job and had a decent HEAT round for the short barrel. Love the riding boots..
The real-life Tank Girl! Awesome :)
Such a cool video :) never realise how complex they were inside until you see something like this!
Thanks Tank Dork well done and thanks for sharing your experience
Now that looked like fun, until a steering bolt came loose. Easy fixed. Awesome work by the guys to keep this piece of history running, even if they have to modernise some running gear to keep it running.
We have a few tank driving places down here in Aussie, I think it's time for me to check one out.
Looking forward to the next video Sofilein, keep them coming.
Looks like fun. Good to see you driving a tank. Next thing you will be drafted in to adjust track tension, etc.
Always keep your eye on the road in front and on your guide. Too much mass and momentum involved! If your head had been outside the vehicle when you looked to the side or behind, you would have been loudly rebuked, as happens to all of us, the first time we work with a vehicle guide for real. You will know what I mean when it is your turn to be vehicle guide and speak very loudly, upon occasion.
113 had sticks, loved that toy. Bradley had a wheel , i never got used to it.
I’m soooo jealous!
Now we need to see if you can get a ride in the Tiger at Bovington.
Let's fucking GOOOO!
this looked absolutely wicked
Well done! Looks like great fun. Love the flaming logo. You have an awesome collection of jackets! 👍🤣👍
You don't have to worry about breaking armored vehicles, they do such a wonderful job of breaking themselves. The first tank I drove was the M60A3TTS. I had that same ecstatic rush, incomprehensible to people just doing a job.
Cool. Imagine handling these old machines in combat conditions. Madness.
Such a good looking beast. And Sofilein is nice too ;)
Great video! Now let's see you in the JagdPanther before 131!
Keep up the fantastic work Sofi!
Wow..... wouldn't want to parallel park that thing. Nice job!
Amasing sofilein ! Gretings from argentina!
Really enjoyed the video, especially the information on the heat they had to contend with in North Africa. You have a wonderful smile and you can tell when you’re really excited about something because your eyes really accentuate your smile, if you don’t mind an old man paying you a complement. Sometime I wish you or whomever you are getting to give the background of the vehicle could show a chart of the different communication levels I.E. individual tank to platoon to company and battalion - nothing fancy but how they were organized and how they communicated. I was in an armor Bn. In the 70’s for a short while (HHC) I worked radio-teletype to the Brigade HQ. and I helped work on the radios in the tanks but no one ever explained the way they coordinated movements and reports via radio between the different levels. My job was to pass on messages received via the secure HQ fm voice radio net via Teletype to Brigade and back
Thanks for the idea! Doyle and Jentz explain it for the StuG a bit in the book I showed and there is an excellent book by Kast and Bergs for the medium tank for 41 onwards.
@@Sofilein thank you I will try and get the book
Righton! Really great to 'feel the vibe' from your enthusiasm! Achtung! Die Panzer Jagerin kommt !
"The tank is still upright" 😂😂😂 omg i would have been probly more impressed if it wasnt😝 congrats on getting to drive one! 😳
Not having the original engine is entirely understandable ! Of all the parts of a tank the two that always acted up the most were engine and transmission. Imagine getting your hands on the original Maybach HL and having to then keep it running ! I'm sure that was hard enough when the tank was new and engine parts were being made but now it must be utterly impossible. Well done just getting her going and keeping her going so we can all see this absolute beauty
Omg I literally sat in that exact seat when this tug was at militracks
OK, I'm officially jealous. I served 6 years in the Marines and never drove any tank. The M60 was the new tank on the line when I was in. Admittedly, having been at 29 Stumps (Twentynine Palms), and seeing how miserable it was for the tankers, I would not have wanted to change places. I was in the air wing.
Enjoyed your video and enthusiasm. I would love to ride in either a Tiger I, Panther, or the late to the field, British Centurion tank. I did at least get to see the Bovington tank museum in January 2020.
AWESOME! New thing on the bucket list!
Did this a lot of years ago on a private driving ranch here near Berlin on a T55A ARV - will never forget this, so do it!
Surprisingly,Sofi bears a lot of resemblance to Lori Petty from Tank Girl. If they ever do a remake Sofi should get the part!❤️
Sofi's better looking.
Was about to post the same thing! Glad I read the comments 1st so I didn't look like a noob...
"Any similarities to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental."
@@MisterApol you are correct
Looks way more like actual comic tank girl
Was I the only one whose blood turned to ice when that AT gun appeared?
Looked like great fun Missy. Well done Jon! StuG Lief Yo!
I love the Stug!!!! Especially when I play World of Tanks!!! Great video!! What an experience!!!
That was really enjoyable though probably not as much as it was you. Gratz and thanks again for bringing us along for a truly awesome ride!
I was asking for this one since I watched the livestream ages ago, AWESOME !!!