Old German tanks in Bulgaria (And Emplaced Tanks/Turrets in general)

Za posted these on ww2f, I've nicked 'em for those that don't frequent there to see (thanks Za!) Presumably recoveries and storage at military base as mentioned in the articles, top one does appear to have had it's cupola removed... :







There are also now a lot more images appearing on Detektorweb and other sites, including a very early looking JgdPzr IV :
Tanky - Bulharsko – Detektor web.cz detektory kovù

 

So that's at least eight Mark IV's based on those pictures alone. Mostly far from complete but with whole but knackered ones going for c.£500,000 that's still got to be a fairly pricey scrap-yard. (with added StuGs and Pzjgrs...)

 

Some real detail finally beginning to emerge:
http://www.com-central.net/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&printertopic=1&t=8865&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&vote=viewresult

At least 15 mark IVs, (some with peculiar Soviet gun modifications)
7 StuGs
Jgpzr IVs
& even a SU76i

Still no Panthers... yet.

 

One of the tanks has already been exported from Bulgaria. The police are still investigating how the Maybach crossed the border.
Wonder where that one went to? (Still that reference to 'Maybachs'. I did read recently that the Bulgarians actually referred to the vehicles by their Engine maker, don't know how true that is)

The T34's seem to have been going for very large prices, £14,000 reported for one Turret , presumably because of their historical status... otherwise somebody's gone a bit mad.

The main auction of the German gear is set for May. Wonder how overheated that'll get?
I'm fascinated.

 

Merged the two threads.
They are quite something aren't they Kieron, there's still some gossip of a Panther or two as well but it seems to me that some pictures would have emerged if they hadn't already gone to scrap.
I don't think I can remember hearing anything about these vehicles making it to market yet. Maybe the Bulgarians are working out just how valuable these hulks are.
I think it's possibly the SU76i that interests me the most, A German vehicle officially rebuilt by the Soviets and something I'd very much like to see running one day:

(No idea where I got the pic from, it's in several books.)

If anyone's interested in what armour of all nation's has survived where; I'll add another plug for the Shadock's website (chap from com-central).
Surviving Panzers
Looks to have had a substantial expansion since I last popped in.

 

More on the Carl Brown/John Gillman very early Grant (possibly the first? can't remember) on these threads if you're interested kieron:
Tankfest
Panzerfaust Testing
Beltring 2006
Beltring 2008
Tank_Videos (YouTube - Colander M3 Grant)
Sorry for the digression, I just love the old thing, when it rolls by at Tankfest or Beltring it diverts the attention of everyone away from whatever other esoteric panzers might be chugging about, it's just kind of... distracting.


Cheers,
Adam.

 

Phil, I don't suppose you got a shot of the front did you? As many Dutch turret emplacements have had an MG modification to the mantlet area.
From Neil Short's odd but excellent book 'Tank Turret Fortifications':

Immediate postwar installations to defend the river -
4 Firefly turrets installed at the Eastern end of Aflsluitdijk
3 more at Den Oever
'a number' defending the IJsselbridges (many converted to MG post)

Post 1951 installations to defend Caisson installations for flooding the IJssel - Might explain the placement of yours, laid out in a circular manner around 3 areas.
5 firefly turrets at Nijmegen.
29 more MG modified Sherman turrets.
21 Sherman turrets at Arnhem - all MG.
6 Firefly turrets at Deventer with 23 more RAM turrets modified to MG

Fair few Staghound turrets deployed too, for airfield defence etc. most stripped out in the 80s along with the majority of other turrets..
Seems most of the Dutch Sherman installations also have the rest of the tank below ground & stripped down to the hull.