Name This Tank Please

Hi,

I can recall a discussion in web a couple of years back which included a picture of a KVII located on western germany, late war. IIRC it was taken to Krupp for evalution purposes. Anyhow, I've never run into information of KVII's being used in western front, in organized units and in numbers to say at least. Much of the way of captured KVII's is somewhat well documented.

Having said that, Germans modified many KVII's in their service, with the commanders cupola being the most distinctive feature. They also clearly marked the vehicles in their use, with regular style or even enlarged crosses painted on turret sides. The picture in your case lacks both, which somehow suggests that it necessarily wasn't a vehicle organic to any of the few units that actually were build around KVII's. If it really is a German vehicle, which isn't impossible at all, and furthermore if it was located in western front, which would be more surpising, it would certainly make a very rare vehicle pretty much unique of it's kind.


Mikko

 

[Looks to me to be a KV 2 as well, the KV 1 is similar but with a smaller turret

 

I think the tank wants to be called Bob.

 

Comrade Bobski!

 

Is that a Panzer?

 

I got side tracked on going back.
I had to finish writing a WWII local history book. I will get back to the archives and let you know this month.

 

ok, thank you. I appreciate it.

 

Michal, who agrees with Suvorov - Stalin was ready to 'liberate' Nazi-occupied Europe in 1941, but Hitler struck first.

http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/ww2hist/

I have not purchased this info so I cannot refer to the references named. An interesting chronology!

1938


<DT>November 10

• Adolf Hitler makes a long speech to several hundred German newspaper editors and publishers in Berlin. He instructs the press to prepare the public for further moves of expansion. He tells them that Germany has the world's largest single group of any race: 80 million, that Germany was the greatest of Empires, became a small power, but now is in a period of regeneration. [448.29]

<DT>November

• The main Soviet military council approves the Army war plan to prepare for an attack on Germany. [331.821]
• Poland signs a declaration with the Soviet Union, confirming their 1932 non-aggression pact. [42.21]

1939


<DT>March 10

• Josef Stalin makes a speech to the Eighteenth Party Congress in Moscow. He says Russia would look after her own affairs, not fight anyone else's battles. [448.107]

<DT>March 18

• The Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Maxim Litvinov, suggests to British Ambassador Sir William Seeds that delegates from the UK, Soviet Union, France, Poland, and Romania should meet to discuss collective action in the event of war with Germany. [42.20]
• British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain tells the Cabinet that continuing negotiations with Adolf Hitler is impossible. [42.20]

<DT>March 19

• British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax replies to Soviet Commissar Maxim Litinov, saying they were examining an alternative scheme to a five-country pact. [42.20]

<DT>March 20

• British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax sends a telegram to E. Phipps in Paris, France, W. Seeds in Moscow, Russia, and H. Kennard in Warsaw, Poland. The British Government suggests a four-power committment to oppose actions threatening the independence of any European state. (France replies favorably; Russia will support if France and Poland accept it; Poland is reluctant to ally with the Soviet Union.) [448.96]

<DT>August 16

• Captain Bertrand of the French Signals Intelligence gives to a British Secret Service Liaison officer a Polish-built copy of the German Enigma coding machine, and much related material. [376.23]

<DT>August 26

• In Canada, the Irish Regiment of Canada is called to active duty. [49.5]
• In Canada, the militia is called to duty to protect coastal defences and vulnerable industrial points. [156.6]

<DT>August 29

• The British Admiralty assumes control of all British-registered merchant ships. [27.16]

<DT>August 30

• Adolf Hitler orders German armed forces to begin an attack on Poland. [448.37]

<DT>August 31

• Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 1 to senior commanders, "for the Conduct of the War". His orders include: attack Poland on September 1; respect neutrality of Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland; Western forces are not to be attacked until fired upon. [80.306] [149.37]
• In Cairo, Egypt, forty cases are packed with the sarcophagus of King Tut-ankh-Amen and items found in his tombs, and the cases are hidden in bombproof chambers underground to protect them from possible wartime destruction. [231.2]
• In England, full army and navy mobilization is commenced, censorship of all communications to and from the British Isles is imposed, the Stock Exchange is closed, and civil airplanes are banned from flying over half of Britain. [231.3]
• The Slovak Government calls on Poland to return the Javorina district territory to Slovakia. (The territory was occupied by Poland when Czecho-Slovakia was partitioned last September.) [231.7]
• In the Council Hall of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Marshal Klemenly Voroshiloff, Commisar of War, announces the proposed Military Training Law. Conscription age is lowered from 19 to 17, most exemptions to service are abolished, and two reserves are established, including women. [231.5]
• (1945 German time) In Berlin, Germany, the German Foreign Minister sees Polish ambassador Lipski, but refuses to list peace terms as the ambassador had no authority to accept or reject them. [248.16]
• German radio makes public a proposed 16-point peace plan the government had proposed for Poland, claiming Poland refused to accept the terms. The proposal deals with annexing Danzig, maintaining a corridor from Germany to East Prussia, and the treatment of minorities in Germany and Poland. [231.2] [248.16]
• (evening) In Moscow, Russia, the Soviet Parliament unanimously ratifies the Russo-German non-aggression pact. [231.1]

September 3

• (0900 London time) Sir Neville Henderson, the British Ambassador in Berlin informs the German government that if Germans are not withdrawing from Poland by 11:00 AM London time, that a state of war would exist as of that hour. A short time later, French Ambassador Robert Coulondre delivers a similar ultimatum, with 5:00 PM deadline. [248.1] [256.2] [448.117,119] (September 2 [149.40])
• Russia informs France and Britain that if they join in the German-Polish conflict, Russia would be compelled to revise her Western borders. [248.1]

<DT>September 27

• Warsaw, Poland, surrenders to German troops after a 21-day siege. [166.354] [293.E4]
• Adolf Hitler announces to the commanders of the three military services that he intends to attack the West this year. Despite protests, Adolf Hitler orders that Plan Yellow should be mounted on November 12. [80.309]

October 9

• Adolf Hitler issues a memorandum to senior commanders justifying a policy of full-scale attack on Britain and France, if possible, this autumn. [149.49]
• Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 6 "for the Conduct of the War", ordering an offensive planned through Luxembourg, Belgium, and Holland, as soon as armored units are ready and favorable weather conditions allow. The purpose of the offensive is to defeat the Frency Army, gain territory in Holland, Belgium, and Northern France to serve as a base against England and protect the Ruhr area. Adolf Hitler fears a delay would lead to an invasion of Belgium and possibly Holland by Western forces. [149.50] [347.28]
• Adolf Hitler gives detailed instructions on the proposed war in the West to the commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. [149.51]

December 14

• The League of Nations expels the Soviet Union for aggression. [166.354] [193.917]
• British submarine Ursula sinks a German cruiser in the mouth of the Elbe River. [193.925]
• (1700 hours) Norwegian politician Vidkun Quisling meets with Adolf Hitler in Germany. He suggests Germany launch a pre-enptive strike on Norway. Quisling says he would take control of the Norwegian government through a coup. [38.15]
• (by 1800 hours) Adolf Hitler issues an order that Denmark and Norway be seized and occupied during the upcoming attack on the West, to gain control of Norwegian territorial waters. [38.15] [149.61]

1940


<DT>December 18

• Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 21 "Case Barbarossa". German Armed Forces are to be prepared to crush Soviet Russia in a rapid campaign. The final objective is to erect a barrier against Asiatic Russia on a line of Volga to Archangel. Rumania and Finland will give active support on the flanks of the German attack. The operation is named for the conquering 12th century Teutonic Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. [80.312] [149.93] [448.147]

<DT>December 25

• The Soviet Attaché in Berlin passes on to Moscow Hitler's Directive 21 of December 18, the operational order for Barbarossa. [376.48]

</DT>

 

Sorry folks. Just back from checking out the Battery Archives. There are no references on or about the tank. What you see is all there is.
In 1944 and 1945, the Battery moved from Caen, Falise, Nijmegen, Ardennes, Hasselt, Ciney, Reichswald Forest, Wesel, Damme, Sandbostel, Belsen, Harz Mountains, Hamburg and Cuxhaven, in that order. There are about 60 German photos in the archive with no references.

 

Michal, who agrees with Suvorov - Stalin was ready to 'liberate' Nazi-occupied Europe in 1941, but Hitler struck first.

Yes? Here is one rebuttal. The Russian Battlefield - The Failed Historian

 

I think it is KV-2 at the early years of the war maybe 1940-41.. it was just made.

The tank is extrealmy ugly but who cares it must be efective jugging by this around 122-152 mm gun

 

Yes? Here is one rebuttal. The Russian Battlefield - The Failed Historian

I have posted this before. A very interesting read.......and site!