CAPTURED TANKS UNDER MAN FLAG CAPTURED TANKS UNDER THE GERMAN FLAG RUSSIAN BATTLE TANKS DR. WERNER REGENBERG Horst SCHEIBERT Willy Brindlin Dr. Carl-Hermann Cutshorn Reinhard Frank Horst Ricbenstahl Wolfgang Schneider Ono Strecker Rudi Weber Bernd Wittigayer Translated from the German by Dr, Edward Force. Copyright ® 1990 by Schiffer Publishing. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 89-065555, All rights reserved. No patt ofthis work may be reproduced or used inany forms or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or information storage and retrieval systems-—without written permission from the copyright holder, Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 0-88740-201-1 AVT-A4 (1943 model) in service with Company 7 of Armored Regiment 1 in 1943, A German commander In the middle af the bow is the rex Commander von ‘cupola was mounted on the tank mental marking “Op” (Regismental Oppeln-Bronikowski). I is the same tank as was shown on the inside front cover CAPTURED TANKS ‘The term “captured tanks” refers to armored vehicles captured and reused by the capturing troops. These tanks were either captured by the fighting forces in usable condition, or were ‘quickly made usable, in order to replace their ‘own lossesor strengthen theirfighting power. ‘There were such tanks—quitea largenumber ‘of them, in fact—used as individual units in very many groups, even within infantry divisions. The main thing was that drivers and crews could be found who could operate the weapons, But most of these tanks had a very short life, since spare paris and ammunition were lacking. In the latter case they were often used as towing tractors. ‘Te avoid confusing them with enemy tanks, the captured tanks used at the front ‘were usually painted with large-dimension ‘German crosses or swastikas—an the bow as well, ‘aptured tanks also include those taken on the battlefield or in factories, which were overhauled and made usable by industries (including those in occupied countries) or larger military repair units. Entive combat from column to brigadestrengih, were equipped with these tanks, ‘The service of this type of woop unit was alrcady a tradition in the German Army, nce in World Warla lack of their own tanks (Tank Detuchments 1 to 3 were equipped with the ATV tank) caused six tank units (Tank Detachments 11 to16) 10 be set up with captured tanks, 1 World War II these units were usually not used on the fighting front, but rather in. rearward areas for guarding and taining purposes. Their own workshops as well as ammunition and spare-parts depots were maintained for them, ‘The Austrian and, in particular, the Czech tanks, which were taken over in great numbers after the union with Austria and the annexation of Czechoslovakian areas, are not to he regarded as captured tanks in the strict sense of the term. Information on the weapons of other countries was gathered by the Army Weapons Office before and during the war, and s0- called “foreign vehicle recognition manuals” ‘were prepared, Here a system was used in which first the German name of the vehicle was given, followed by a number, and then Tetters in parentheses to indicate the land of origin. For battle tanks the numbers used were in the 700's, and so the official designation of the T-34, far example, wa Battle Tank T-34 747 (0) In dhis volume only captured Russian tanks will be covered which, after sometimes very minor work and the application of German elevation calibration, were put service on the German side. To take charge and make quick use of captured tanks, captured tank staffs were established to direct and oversee the whole handling of especially needed tanks, These staffs were ordered in July of 1941 to gather Russian T-35, T-28, BT and T-26 canks. Ac that time the German side did not yet know about the KW-1 or even the T-34. ‘As before with Polish, Dutch, Belgian, English and particularly French tanks, the Army wanted to make the booty expected in the Russian campaign useful (oo. Butat the very beginning, major difficulties arose, since a great percentage of the tanks had been so badly damaged in battle that they could only be scrapped. A great many externally undamaged tanks were lacking necessary parts, which had either been destroyed by the Russians themselves or taken as replacement parts by the troops that captured the tanks, ‘Many of the tanks whose repair was at first regarded as worthwhile by the German Army, including the T-28 and T-35, weighed up to 52 tons and could scarcely be moved by German towing apparatus. ‘The main reason it was impossible to make large numbers of Russian tanks usable for the Wehrmacht was that German repair facilities ‘were not even sufficient to repair damaged German tanks as quickly as necessary and get them back to the troops, ar send them home for longer repairs. Thus by the end of October 1941 only about 100 Russian tanks could be put into service. Most of the Russian tanks Tying around in the wide open spaces, estimated by the Wehrmacht a¢ 10,000 units (1), remained where they were through the wer of 1941/42 and were usable only 3x scrap metal afterward. Until the beginning of 1942, only afew BT. and 7-26 and even fewer T-60 tanks were repaited and made available to captured-tank units. Every one that was usable, especially the KW-1 and 7-34, had already been taken along by the front-line troops and put into 8 eevee The ToS aned WAI were parse hier pieces ance ther strenuthcned he Pxcemmad armored defense against the Rivssian ‘Testand KW-l tanks “Dray ae snide 152 Ad evidva! KW agp Ted vanky some out of xe5aie facies fi iheie way tn German captoredtank units, Lost Russian tanks were overbaed ile tank pain loci lity in Riga aid ned 088810 aan unite Ae ef 143, individual T-H fara also come from the Daimicr Be faery in Marienfelde ad the Wu in Gah The SS Aumored Corps took over the cqcten works tank Lacory in Khtasko cite th eaty was retaken ithe spring o! 1963, Pe egan the production of Tels troks There, Th 88 Arnored Pursuit Detachment ti the Division "Tas Relea!” was eepinped tei these 1-31 AIL in all, she smamber of Russian tanks reused out of the huge siumivers captured vas inal Accoxding tothe officially conduct! Capsaned Tare Sitstion” study of May Wn ke were 3 Reais aks (50 af dem Fa an in. Dezember 14 95 Russian Tanke oe of her TeBapun service a6 sat le OF ‘Giaautt tam fm lve Army ond Wathen Shu che repost of fy “Capcured Tank ination seas never complete, heesse wigous woop omita, on acwwunt of the Edvalvernt av combat, coves a a cham eenane reports, and odhers Kept 3 Moucclaved supply of tanks. Mose bun SU Taptured Russian battle tanks, shomgh. we Belin a errecce om the German side at amy arrester ALIBI HL this TASS 9 Chgmed ae T- 76.8 been pint wh asimple German aioe 2° sspsppe Sis Geen commander's cup LIGHT RUSSIAN BATTLE TANKS Among she vase Sumber oF tanks rapeeeed 1 the Fuse onths othe Itussian campaiga, Uierewevealsen great reany light bale aks flthe RT and T-261ypes. The fact that by faa the greatest: numbers of these tanks were epeared without any damage by ene) fction suggested that the cunstevetion and Porpucition of these tanks must have becr Tiawed, When used be German wasps, che 7F-26 generally broke down because of lust damage, hot stecring upparatus or seine bearings the IT because of too-weak shal fimkager and Eaule in dhe elecuicsestem "as of 12a TG), and as of 184 woeme T-70 tans alsa saw service wits German lnoop tities as capieed sani, The T-8D and fis successor, the, T-70, were also used a8 fnacrorsfor Pak andarcilery afer theircurras Upper nah The sons Mision” tank tae left page but here absndones by the Gertuan troops because of some defer (Wirtgayer Right Servicing & T-26 C somewhere on the fete font, Tie tat has ox 221 Goss pained on the unpt bedy to rk i naBerthols) ke aime of 184 rapa) ‘The an Gennen cosy on is numet ad Oi ete 10. (8A raphe in the cuanet are easy t