Forgotten German tanks still in place?

[Will Brown]

While reading threads earlier today about a buried German Stug (T-34's too) and lists of surviving Tigers and Panthers it got me to thinking of something I have always wondered about. What was the Russian policy regarding derelict German tanks once when the tide of war left them permanently behind in russian territory? I know that generally they were gathered together, cut up for scrap then carted away to be melted down, apart from those exceptional examples kept for testing and museums and such. However, Russia is such an immense land mass, (relatively underpopulated) with many inhospitable and seldom visited territories which could have made that practice very difficult. What are the chances that a German tank destroyed over 60 years ago could have sat in place untouched and forgotten to this day?

Also, the North African campaign. I have long heard that to this day there are derelict panzers and other heavy equipment sitting in the desert relatively untouched because of the danger of forgotton and shifting land mines? Is this true? For that matter, ARE there such examples still sitting in the desert?

Just wondering. Does anyone know the facts?

Regards,

Will.

[Mat Holloway]

Hi will, ive thought about this as well! I started a thread on africa a while ago cant find it at the moment but it will turn up!
I think its highly unlikely that any tanks etc will show up in africa, maybe a few parts but nothing major. Although i hold out hope for a few kubelwagens, trucks, trailers and other large equipment items albeit a bit sand blasted mind If there are any tanks they will be buried in mined places

Russia now thats a different story, as you say a lot of inhospitable places there that people living there have only just found the soviet unions broken up (joke ) You may be lucky to find one in a wood or a swamp! Hell, they are still finding ww2 german planes in forests there! Must be a chance, dont fancy living there for years though !

[Lassi]

Very interesting, dos someone have anything more on the subject? I have this link, very cool find of a T34 used by German troops abandoned in a lake.

Her you go
http://www.mil.hiiumaa.ee/2000_09_14_kurtna_T-34-36/

Please share some more info if possible guys

Cheers Lassi

[IanC]

Hi Lassi

That is some "ground dug" item!

Thanks for sharing!

Cheers

Ian

[Lassi]

Hi Ian, yes it is very cool would love to participate in a dug up like this

Hi Lassi

That is some "ground dug" item!

Thanks for sharing!

Cheers

Ian

[Mat Holloway]

I'll link this for the guy whos looking for t34/76's!!
It makes you wonder how people find these at the bottom of lakes, unless you can see it from the surface?
Maybe the tank crew told someone?
Its something to think about great link lassi
I dream of finding something like this preferably german but im not fussy

[Lassi]

I'll link this for the guy whos looking for t34/76's!!
It makes you wonder how people find these at the bottom of lakes, unless you can see it from the surface?
Maybe the tank crew told someone?
Its something to think about great link lassi
I dream of finding something like this preferably german but im not fussy

Hi Mat
In the text it says it was found becaus an local now old man talked about he could rember traks from a panzer leading out in the lake but didn´t come up on the other side.
The diggers decided to take a closer look, and what a finde

Cheers

[IanC]

It looks superb, not like it's been in the water for a week never mind 50 + years.

The stand out thing for me is the german markings. Superb!

Cheers

Ian

[Will Brown]

Thanks for the post about the dregged up T34-36/ Lassi. An amazing find, it is also documented with additional photos (but again only in Slovak text) on the Detektorweb.cz website. Here is that link:

http://www.detektorweb.cz/index.4me?...mm=2&xb=2&vd=1

and another one:

http://www.detektorweb.cz/index.4me?...mm=2&xb=2&vd=1

I do not believe there are copyright problems posting these links, but if there are, please accept my apologies.

Will.,

[Will Brown]

BTW is it true that during one of the early wars between the newly formed state of Israel and the surrounding Arab countries, one side used left over or abandoned Mark IV tanks formerly used by the DAK? (vs. Israel shermans)

[Lassi]

Hi Will thank you for these cool links
Cheers Lassi

[Joe N]

Very interesting! I have visited Slovakia many times, and always tour the areas around the Dukla Pass near Svidnik. There are numerous tank and other armoured vehicles, artillery pieces, ect still lying in the fields. All are welded up tight and have been left as a reminder of the brutal conflict that cost eighty thousand Russian and Czechoslovak lives, and sixty thousand German and Hungarian lives.

[Mat Holloway]

Any wehrmacht among them... just lookin for my passport

[R MICHAEL]

Thanks for the post about the dregged up T34-36/ Lassi. An amazing find, it is also documented with additional photos (but again only in Slovak text) on the Detektorweb.cz website. Here is that link:

http://www.detektorweb.cz/index.4me?...mm=2&xb=2&vd=1

and another one:

http://www.detektorweb.cz/index.4me?...mm=2&xb=2&vd=1

I do not believe there are copyright problems posting these links, but if there are, please accept my apologies.

Will.,

Great links fellows. Correct me if I am wrong but the KV1 link on photo #10 doesn't it look like a human leg or arm bone in the background?

[Gran Sasso]

Also, the North African campaign. I have long heard that to this day there are derelict panzers and other heavy equipment sitting in the desert relatively untouched because of the danger of forgotton and shifting land mines? Is this true? For that matter, ARE there such examples still sitting in the desert?

According to the german tank museum at Munster their Mark III (given back by tunesian state in 1986) was the last remaining german tank in the whole area of the north african campain.