The duel (PzKpfw III vs T-34-76)

[photo-war]

Hello! I have just discovered these photos from WH soldier photo album. There are two photos of what I guess was a duel of two tanks: Pz-III and T-34 (photos were placed in album one by another one and this is what makes me think so).

The Pz-III took a hit and one crew member KIA. T-34 has a damaged track and I guess that crew had no possibility to fix this or evacuate the tank.

[photo-war]

photo 2. The T-34

[SLIM]

cant see the pictures Alexander ?

[photo-war]

photo 3.The hit.

[photo-war]

Photo 4. The tribute to a killed crew member. You can read his name, rank and unit: Feldwebel Kruger from 2/Panzer Regiment 33.



And there is a question about Pz-III. What modification is this? Ausf ... ?

[photo-war]

cant see the pictures Alexander ?

fixed!

[Bullitt]

Hi

And there is a question about Pz-III. What modification is this? Ausf ... ?

the PzKpfw III is most likely an Ausf G or H, but already modified to 40 cm track
( old style sprocket modified to take 40 cm track instead of original 36cm track by adding an extra spacerring to the sprocketring, the roadwheels are also wider for the 40 cm track (= standard type roadwheel on Ausf H to N)

ciao
Bullitt

[photo-war]

Hi



the PzKpfw III is most likely an Ausf G or H, but already modified to 40 cm track
( old style sprocket modified to take 40 cm track instead of original 36cm track by adding an extra spacerring to the sprocketring, the roadwheels are also wider for the 40 cm track (= standard type roadwheel on Ausf H to N)

ciao
Bullitt

Bullitt thanks so much!!!!

[DaveNZ]

photo 3.The hit.

well lets hope the guy in that compartment died a clean death and did not suffer. Isnt there a vision port where that shell penetrated?

Looks like both tanks are in the bone yard after being recovered from the battle, the T34 still is attached to a tow line.

[Jpz4]

I'm not too familiar with Pz.IIIs but I wouldn't exclude the possibility this is a 'reworked' Ausf.F. It appears to have the early cupola and early turret, so it's not an Ausf.H. To me it appears to by either an Ausf.F or an Ausf.G.

By coincidence we've been discussing a very similar vehicle on ML today:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47207/thread/1271875334/

[naxos]

The cross is for:

Feldwebel Krüger of 2nd coy Panzer Regiment 33 -

the last line is hard to read: gef. (kia) 17 Ju.. (June of July) 194?

[photo-war]

Hello Naxos!

The KIA date is 17 July 1941 (Barbarossa started 22 june 1941).

[HouweTrouwe]

Feldwebel Siegfried Krüger and more information to the 'happening' can be found here. I do not know exact whether Krüger died from this confrontation with the T-34 but Zbarazh was occupied with Soviet troops. So the possiblity the T-34 of the photograph did occur in the duel is high.

[Redleg]

The panzer appears to be an Ausf G as it has the newly designed commanders cupola. It does not have the new drive sproket of the Ausf H.

The radio operator most likely was killed intantly from the rounds penetration of the upper hull deck and the round exploded internally.

I doubt the T34 was knocked out by a single PZ III and its single 5.0cm gun. Most likely the right track was blown off by a mine and by the open cupola the crew could have just bailed out as the T34 was disabled and under fire.

[Scott Joseph]

This Pz. Kpfw. III gave one hell of a fight: the barrel shows evidence of numerable discharged rounds, the track is kicked off, and the rear sprocket is embedded with soft mud and grass/hay. The chalk numbers on the T 34 are beautiful as well as the reworked numbers on the Pz. III, as to the connection to the two... The photos were definitely taken on the same day, but it looks like the Soviets had time to attempt an extraction of the T 34. (tow cable attached to front)