Elefant

[Anatoliy]

Germany produced only 90 Ferdinand-Elefant ?
Elefant participated for first time in battle at Kursk in 1943 ?


Thank you.

[DonC]

Hi Anatoliy -

You are correct.

Don

[Mark McShane]

FYI the remaining serviceable units after Kursk served out there time in Italy.

[Christian Anker]

Actually, 91 Ferdinands were produced, of which two were kept for testing when the remaining 89 were engaged at Kursk...

Christian

[MartyC]

elefant

There use to be one at Aberdeen, but it was not there in 2001. Does anyone know where it went? It is my understanding that here are only two left in the world. Is this correct and where is the other(s)?

thanks
Marty

[cbo]

There use to be one at Aberdeen, but it was not there in 2001. Does anyone know where it went? It is my understanding that here are only two left in the world. Is this correct and where is the other(s)?

thanks
Marty

AFAIK the APG Ferdinand was sent away for an "enviromental clean-up", then returned to APG where it still sits, tucked away and awaiting funding for restauration. I think the pictures in these links show it in its present condition and location.

http://www.homestead.com/Shiryon/elephant.html
http://www.rhodesawilliams.com/ampspicturebar2.htm

The other Ferdinand is in the Russian museum of armour in Kubinka near Moscow.

http://members.aol.com/kubinka/kubin9.jpg
http://www.jagdtiger.de/GermanTanks/Elefant-01.htm

Claus B

[Mark McShane]

Actually, 91 Ferdinands were produced, of which two were kept for testing when the remaining 89 were engaged at Kursk...

Christian

Here's what happened to the suviving Ferdinands after Kursk.A total of 48 on the whole, were modernized, renamed Elefants and grouped in the schwere Heeres Panzerjager Abteilung 653 of which a part was transferred in Italy in February of 1944. In Italy, it took part in the combat of Nettuno, Anzio and Cisterna from March 1, 1944. The sPzJagAbt 654 was redeployed in France end of 1943 and was rearmed with Jagdpanthers. In April 1944, elements of the sPzJagAbt 653 were again retransferred in Russia in autumn 1944, the last Elefants were incorporated in new schwere Heeres Panzerjager Kompanie 614, and the sPzJagAbt 653 re-equipped with Jagdtigers. The sPzJagAbt 614 having at the beginning 13-14 vehicles fought on the Eastern front late 1944-early 1945. The last survivors (3-4) were seen (?) for some in service within Kampfgruppe " Ritter " in Zossen area (southern Berlin) about mid April 1945.

Not a bad career for a tank everyone thought ended after it's debut.

Regards,
mark

[Sokal]

ferdinand hadn't MG, his upg. was Elefant with one MG.

[PanzerArm]

Elefant

Correct Sokal, the elefant was upgraded to include a hull mg. During the Battle of Kursk a majority of Ferdinands were lost to close infantry assaults or the "animal killers" the ISU-122 or the ISU-152. Since there isn't really much that could be done to stop the heavy rounds of the russian assault guns, it was decided to add a hull mg on the right front hull. This would at least help defend the newly named Elefants from those deadly soviet tank hunter squads, which the elefants really didn't see combat with after their removal from Russia. Just my 2 cents.

Kevin

[Sokal]

after battle of kursk others ferdinand were withdraw and direct(??:/) to italian front.