Error creating thumbnail: File missing Decision Before Dawn (1951)Decision Before Dawn 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lt. Rennick fires his revolver. Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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."
Error creating thumbnail: File missing World War II Colt M1911A1 Pistol - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Walther P38 pistol (manufactured at the Mauser Factory) - World War II dated - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ernst Brandenbacher fires his mocked up P38. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Happy fires his mocked up P38. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The ejector rod socket would suggest this is a Smith & Wesson rather than a Colt. Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol - 6.35mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing The pistol on Von Ecker's table. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Happy with the pistol. Submachine Guns M1A1 Thompson Lt. Rennick is armed with a M1A1 Thompson at the beginning of the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing Rennick captures Happy and Sgt. Paul Richter (Robert Freitag) at the beginning of the film. MP40 German troops are equipped with MP40s .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40 submachine gun - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing German troops with their MP40s. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A tanker with his MP40. Rifles Karabiner 98k Karabiner 98k rifles are seen throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing German troops with their K98ks at the beginning of the film. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Rennick with Freddy's K98k before their mission. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Freddy (Erich Ebert) with is K98k. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A guard with his K98k. Error creating thumbnail: File missing German troops open fire on Rennick and Happy. M1 Garand American troops are armed with M1 Garands .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1 Garand semiautomatic Rifle with leather M1917 sling - .30-06 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sgt. Griffin (George Tyne ) fires his M1 Garand as Lt. Rennick fires his Thompson. Error creating thumbnail: File missing American soldiers with M1 Garands on the western bank of the Rhine. Sturmgewehr 44 German MPs are armed with Sturmgewehr 44s .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm. Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing World War II Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - .30 Carbine Error creating thumbnail: File missing An American with his slung carbine. Browning Automatic Rifle American troops are armed with Browning Automatic Rifles .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06 Error creating thumbnail: File missing American troops guard the western bank of the Rhine.
Machine Guns MG34 German troops are equipped with MG34s .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG34 with front and rear sights folded down - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing An MG34 mounted in the back of a BMW 315 Kübelwagen. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An MG34 mounted atop of an M24 Chaffee light tank mocked up as a German tank. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A German tanker opens fire against attacking P-47 fighters. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An MG34 guards the eastern bank of the Rhine. Browning M1919A4 American troops are equipped with Browning M1919A4 machine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning M1919A4 - .30-06 Springfield Error creating thumbnail: File missing American troops guard the western bank of the Rhine. Error creating thumbnail: File missing American troops guard the western bank of the Rhine. Other Panzerschreck German troops are equipped with what appear to be Panzerschrecks .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing RPzB 43 "Panzerschreck" rocket launcher with rocket - 88mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing A German soldier with his Panzerschreck at a checkpoint. 2 cm Flak 38 2 cm Flak 38 in a single mount on the trailer.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 2 cm Flak 38 in single mounting - 20x138mm B Error creating thumbnail: File missing A shielded single mount. 2 cm Flakvierling 38 2 cm Flakvierling 38s are see in various configurations throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 2 cm Flakvierling 38 - 20x138mm B Error creating thumbnail: File missing A quad mount next to what appears to be a FK38. Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Leichte Feldhaubitze 18/40 field gun displayed in Hämeenlinna Artillery Museum - 105mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Feldhaubitze is seen on the left. 7.5 cm Pak 40 7.5 cm Pak 40s are seen throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun - 75x714mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pak 40s in the background as Lt. Rennick and Sgt. Griffin herd their prisoners. Error creating thumbnail: File missing 8.8 cm Pak 43/41 Happy runs in front of a 8.8 cm Pak 43/41 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 8.8 cm Pak 43/41 anti-tank gun on Rhienmetall split-trail mount - 88x822mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bomb Thrower, 2 inch, Mk I (UK) / 2 inch Mortar M3 (US) - 50.8mm smoke bomb Error creating thumbnail: File missing The muzzle of 2 inch mortar is seen at the left of the main gun. 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing P-47s attack Germans at a bridge crossing. 
