- Ww2 german tank recovery vehicle. Nominally, provision was made in a 1944 tank regiment for two Bergepanzer III recovery tanks and four 35-ton Bergeschlepper towing tanks (probably an early designation for the Bergepanthers). In September 1976, a spectacular operation was carried out to recover a German Panther tank that had been resting at the bottom of a pond since 1945 in a small village. The article outlines the major German tank recovery units and their responsibilities. ISBN-10: 1854095188 For a complete list of sources The Complete Guide to German Armored Vehicles is a new single-source hardbound volume of all the armored vehicles used by the Nazis in World War II. Moreover, each tank regiment is provided with a workshop company consisting—for a regiment of six companies—of a headquarters platoon, 1st and 2d (repair) platoons, 3d Jun 2, 2011 · Over 100,000 men were killed and 300,000 men were wounded there. Mar 18, 2012 · Only 18 were built in total, from battle-damaged Tiger tanks. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U. The vehicle was found abandoned on a roadside in Italy with terminal engine problems. " That is no doubt true, but this photo had to have been taken in the mid-1950s since it shows what we take to be two M74B1s converted from small hatch M32B3s at RIA. Note: Some of the data was compiled using a technique informally referred to as "counting heads. Its main roles were as a prime mover for very heavy towed guns such as the 24 cm Kanone 3 and as a tank recovery vehicle. The Armoured Recovery Vehicle 3 Buffalo has been a proven support system for armored combat units for over three decades. With over six hundred photos, many of which never before seen by the public, David Doyle book offers military historians a unique look at the German war machine. Although a bulky and powerful prime mover, three of them were required to tow a Tiger! 1. The German Wehrmacht used an extensive variety of combat vehicles during World War II. This early model, limited in towing capacity, paved the way for the more capable Bergepanzer series, developed from the Panzer III and IV chassis. com) What German armored vehicle had the greatest degree of success during World War II? The Panther is frequently regarded as the best German tank of the Second World War. Artillerie Panzerbeobachtungswagen - artillery observation post tank, multiple chassis variants Artillerie-Schlepper 35 (t) - artillery tractor version of the Panzerkampfwagen 35 (t) Aufklärer auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) - reconnaissance vehicle on a Panzer 38 (t) chassis Begleitwagen (secret/camouflage designation for the Panzer IV) Bergepanzer III (armored recovery vehicle The M32 tank recovery vehicle was an armored recovery vehicle (ARV) used during World War II and the Korean War by the United States, and was based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman medium tank. Hobbylinc carries 1,012 1/35 scale german military model vehicle kits from 33 manufacturers. 8 was the largest of all half-tracks deployed by Germany during WW2. Up till then, the half-track vehicles used for recovery were rarely able to successfully recover a Panther or a Tiger. See SzaryWilkExpedition videos for full Heer Comments Sources: German Military Vehicles. Panzers provided the striking power of Germany’s panzer (armoured) divisions Nazi Germany developed numerous tank designs used in World War II. 179 was an armored recovery vehicle based on the Panzerkampfwagen V – Panther. List of military vehicles of World War II The following is a list of Second World War military vehicles used by each participant country, showing numbers produced in parentheses. Tank recovery vehicles are specialized armored vehicles designed to recover, repair, and salvage damaged or disabled tanks on the battlefield. Apr 2, 2025 · The modified Flakpanzer T-34 was a unique vehicle that combined a Soviet tank chassis with German weaponry. Vehicles include tanks, self-propelled artillery, assault guns and tank destroyers. 01 (P) tank hulls which had been produced for the Tiger I tank before the competing Henschel design had been selected An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is a type of vehicle recovery armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them out of the danger zone for more extensive repairs. In the German armored divisions, each tank company, battalion, and regimental headquarters has a repair section. ) auf schwere Zugkraftwagen 12t (Sd. Kfz. Moreover, each tank regiment is provided with a workshop company consisting—for a regiment of six companies—of a headquarters platoon, 1st and 2d (repair Oct 19, 2024 · The M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle (TRV) marked a significant milestone in US military history as the first ARV of its kind. Elefant (German for "elephant") was a heavy tank destroyer (self propelled anti-tank gun) used by German Panzerjäger (anti-tank units) during World War II. During battles in the summer of 1944, the tank was captured from the Soviet army and used by the German army. " It is based on the ongoing study of period documents and photographs, as well as surviving retrievers. Germans used the "berge" prefix to denote recovery vehicle versions of tanks, such as the "Bergepanther" and "Bergepanzer". S. Photo: Makizox / CC-BY-SA 4. A WW2 German Jagdpanzer 38 (t) Hetzer, tank destroyer recovered from the Baltic Sea. British sources give recent information on the methods employed by the recovery platoon of (tank) workshop companies. Thus the allies dubbed the vehicle they had found the " Bergetiger ". It first entered service in 1966 and replaced the earlier Bergepanzer 1. There are three variants, the M88, the M88A1, and the M88A2 HERCULES (Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lifting Extraction System). A rare few have been, such as the M26 "Dragon Wagon" of World War II. Speaking of Tiger I production, 1944 This article lists production figures for German armored fighting vehicles during the World War II era. German armoured forces in World War II created a variety of vehicles by mounting anti-tank guns on the chassis of obsolete tanks. For similar reasons, tank transporters are rarely armoured to recover tanks under fire, although tracked recovery vehicles frequently are. [Editor's Note: The following article is wartime information on German tank tactics and equipment published for Allied soldiers. ISBN-10: 1854095188 For a complete list of sources Dec 28, 2023 · However in the case of the Sd. Based on the chassis of the Leopard 2 main battle tank, the Bergepanzer 3 Büffel armoured recovery vehicle is one of the most outstanding vehicles of its kind over the last three decades. Polish experts from the Panzer Farm Museum and the POMOST Historical and Archaeological Research Studio had just recovered a German Bergepanther recovery vehicle from the Czarna Nida river in central Poland a few days ago. ) On 19th September, 1944, German troops began an organized retreat along the Narva front. Hitler gave the order to copy the T-34, and the result was the Aug 1, 2025 · Classifieds: Military vehicle, militaria, jeeps, tanks and armored vehicles. ISBN-10: 0214203077 Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World Two. Some were also purpose-built in factories, using an existing tank chassis with a hull superstructure to accommodate repair and recovery equipment. Aug 18, 2017 · These pictures have invariably been identified as an improvised Tiger recovery vehicle, photographed in Italy in 1944, but is it? Renowned tank historian David Fletcher examines the myth. This design may have influenced the later modifications made to the Bergepanther. The T2, later standardized as M31 Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV) was the first of its kind in US service, which served until 1945. May 28, 2018 · The wartime US intelligence document below gives a good overview of the organisation of German armour recorvery and maintenance. The Panther (or Panzerkampfwagen V) chassis served as the basis for the PzKW V battle tank as well as for the Jagdpanther (tank destroyer) and the Bergepanther (recovery vehicle). Read More T14E1 (M32A1B3) ARV Tank Retriever USMC 40154904 Oct 18, 2023 · Lost Nazi tank 'worth a fortune' hauled out of river as WWII legends proved true Two tanks were rescued from the river in 1990 and 2003, and now a third has been uncovered. Feb 13, 2023 · Bergepanzerwagen V with German designation Sd. . 136, was used with the Jagdpanzer units and helped repair the tank destroyers, it was capable of towing or pulling the Hetzer tanks if broken down or stuck. 171). In addition to domestic designs, Germany also used various captured and foreign-built tanks. The Bergetiger was the name the Allied forces gave to a German World War II armored tracked vehicle based on the Tiger I chassis. The British-made Valentine is a unique find, since there are no other preserved examples anywhere in Find and save ideas about ww2 german tank recovery vehicle on Pinterest. The six tanks in the series constituted virtually all of Germany’s tank production from 1934 until the end of World War II in 1945. 179), often referred to as the "Bergepanther", was an armoured recovery vehicle used by the German Army in WWII. This information was obtained from prisoners of war. David Doyle, award-winning author of dozens of books on the subject, provides mechanical information, photos, and usage history The Tank Recovery Vehicle M31 was based on the Medium Tank M3, and over 800 were produced in 1942-45. Tanks have a rich history dating back to the IWW and have undergone significant changes. To this end the term "Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle" (ARRV) is also used. Jun 17, 2016 · Interestingly, the armored recovery vehicle Bergepanzer 38 (t) for some time was considered as a promising multi-purpose chassis, suitable for use in new projects. Another piece of history restored. The main role of the Keiler vehicle is to clear a lane through minefields to Each German Panzer Regiment had a Workshop Company responsible for maintenance and battlefield recovery of German tanks. 10, Oct. 9, its pulling power made it an ideal tank recovery vehicle and artillery tractor. The M25 tank transporter (G160) was a combination 6x6 M26 armored heavy tank transporter / tank recovery tractor and companion 40-ton M15 trailer introduced into US Army service in Europe in 1944–45. These efforts primarily involved the Panzer Jun 11, 2020 · The German military in WW2 was short of specialized recovery vehicles, often having to rely upon a team of half-tracks coupled together to recover a fallen, crashed, or mud-bound tank. To safeguard the otherwise exposed crew, an extended gun shield was added, offering protection to both the front and sides. These were outfitted with cranes and anchors, proving Dec 6, 2023 · The Bergepanzer IV was a recovery vehicle based on the Panzer IV, built in limited numbers toward the end of the war. The Jagdpanzer 38 (Sd. It is a conversion of the M48 Patton medium tank chassis in combination with a German MTU MB 871 Ka 501 liquid-cooled turbocharged Diesel engine. Mar 6, 2024 · The Bergepanzer VI was a heavy armored recovery vehicle built on the chassis of the Ferdinand/Elefant tank destroyer. (This is the reason that there are German markings painted on the tank's exterior. 9[a] (also known as "Famo") was a German half-track that saw widespread use in World War II, and the heaviest half-track vehicle of any type built in quantity in Nazi Germany during the war years. [16] Sturmgeschütz III Sturmgeschütz IV Marder I Marder II Marder III Hetzer /Jagdpanzer 38 8. The tank, which likely fell The SSchwerer Zugkraftwagen 18 t, Sd. [1] German tanks were an important part of the Wehrmacht and played a fundamental role during the whole war, and especially in the blitzkrieg battle strategy. In many cases such a dramatic switch could spell disaster for a design, but, with just 90 built, the Elefant punched well above its weight on the battlefield. Oct 17, 2016 · During World War II, when Bulgaria joined the Axis powers in fighting the Soviet Union, they were given some 97 German Panzer IV tanks, about 100 Sturmgeschuetz III assault guns, and Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyers. • Armored cars • Half-tracks • Tanks • Assault guns • Jagdpanzers The official designations was »Tank Re covery Vehicle M31, M31B1, and M31B2« for those based on the M3, M3A3, and M3A5 respectively. Tank Recovery Vehicles Most of the information on this page is courtesy of Joe DeMarco. Mar 14, 2018 · The Yakushev family has gradually turned its hobby—recovering these World War II-era vehicles from the bottoms of rivers and swamps—into full time jobs for everyone. military report on German panzer maintenance and recovery in WWII was published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. Its range of tasks includes securing combat vehicles during water crossings, recovering damaged vehicles, and It is captioned, "Tanks and other weapons and equipment were loaded directly onto railcars inside Building 299 during World War II. 1/35 Scale German Military Model Vehicle Kits are discounted up to 41%. The amount and caliber of Soviet armor caught the Germans off guard when they invaded Russia in June 1941. Lots of information on the new Panthers, with some outstanding photographs in this chapter. It plays a crucial role in enhancing the mobility and operational endurance of mechanized formations, thereby directly increasing their combat effectiveness. After the war, around 100 of these had been buried on the Bulgarian southeastern The M88 recovery vehicle is one of the largest armored recovery vehicles (ARV) in use by United States Armed Forces. Dec 13, 2024 · German Army information channel! You will find here information about the German Army in WW2, German Army size, German Army equipment, German Army uniform, German Army ranks and much, much more Collection of German WW2 armoured recovery vehicles, that were turned into "technicals" by adding Flaks, for what seems to be self-defense. 138/2), originally the Leichter Panzerjäger 38 (t), known mostly post-war as Hetzer, was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovak Panzer 38 (t) chassis. You can still find new relics of World War II in Central and Eastern Europe. This meant recovering or repairing vehicles on the battlefield. Panzer, series of battle tanks fielded by the German army in the 1930s and ’40s. There were a few "Bergepanzer" recovery tanks available, because the German Army had few resources to devote to dedicated recovery vehicles when they needed combat vehicles instead. Heer Comments Sources: German Military Vehicles. This light recovery vehicle, German designation Sd. Where figures for production in 1939 are given, they refer to September 1939 onwards; that is, they only count wartime production. Many of the latter Keiler mine flail (German: Minenräumpanzer Keiler, 'tusker') is a mine-clearing vehicle developed by Rheinmetall in Germany to meet the requirements of the German Army. This workshop company, had an HQ Platoon, two (Repair) Platoons with the The Scammell Pioneer was a British 6×4 tractor unit used in World War II as an artillery tractor, recovery vehicle and tank transporter. Panther tank production line At the time the vehicle was found it was assumed the vehicle was intended as a tank recovery vehicle. Kfz 8) 15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B or Sturmpanzer I Bison. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or We have restored WWII Allied machines as well as Axis, including many extremely scarce German War Bikes, US armored and tracked vehicles, and WWI movie replica aircraft. Recommended reading. A report on German tank maintenance, repair, and recovery units, from the Intelligence Bulletin, April 1943. The M31s were used until they wore out and were well-liked, and the M32 used all the lessons learned on the M31 to turn out a remarkable vehicle. Due to the limited nature of available reference sources, some of the information presented here must be Two different amazing projects. Oct 25, 2023 · A WWII tank possibly worth millions was recovered from Poland's Czarna Nida river, after Nazi relic spent nearly 80 years in a watery grave. The picture below shows the heavy recovery vehi… Mar 10, 2016 · Axis Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War II Thursday, March 10, 2016 German Recovery Vehicles The schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t or heavy 18-tonne recovery vehicle, SdKfz 9. Nov 16, 2023 · Tank recovery vehicle – (Image Source: Pixabay. These machines performed better than German Army information channel! You will find here information about the German Army in WW2, German Army size, German Army equipment, German Army uniform, German Army ranks and much, much more The German Army attaches the utmost importance to the effective maintenance and prompt recovery of vehicles. Tank destroyers/assault guns Out of service Panzerjäger I - First German tank destroyer introduced in WWII. The following U. The towing vehicles and trailers of the platoon are sent forward to regimental headquarters and operate under its direction. The Red Army, notoriously short in recovering vehicles, were lucky as to receive roughly 120 machines in 1943 and 1944. It was a variant of the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (Sd. It was later succeeded by the Bergepanzer 3 "Büffel". The vehicle is also known under the names Tiger-Mörser, Sturmmörser Tiger and Sturmpanzer VI. Sep 6, 2022 · The Elefant tank is one of the most unique designs to come out of the Second World War. Bergetiger The Bergetiger was the name the allied forces gave to a German World War II armored tracked vehicle based on the Tiger I chassis. Home German AFVs Maintenance Tanks German Maintenance Tanks During WW2, German panzer divisions innovated with maintenance and recovery vehicles, initially using a Panzer I chassis-based design. German tanks and armored cars from 1933 to 1945, instruments of the so called blitzkrieg which had a profound influence on wartime tank design. T he heart of the M32 is the 60,000-pound Garwood Special 6M 814 winch, mounted in the hull behind the driver. One of the reasons for the success of German armoured forces was their use of armoured tank recovery vehicles, capable of rescuing damaged but repairable vehicles from the battlefield. The Bergepanzer 2 is an armored recovery vehicle based on the Leopard 1 main battle tank, developed in the 1960s and manufactured by Atlas-MaK Maschinenbau for the West German army. Popular manufacturers are Tamiya, Trumpeter, Airfix and DML. This was a PTO or Power Take OFF Nov 11, 2024 · The M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle (TRV) based on the M4 Medium was the most significant US recovery vehicle of World War Two. Oct 2, 2023 · The Bergepanther was a recovery vehicle developed in 1943 to solve the problem of how to recover heavy and medium tanks. It emerged following a request to create a prime mover for the heaviest ordnance in the Wehrmacht (not on railways) which can also be turned as tank towing vehicles, for the heaviest models used at the time, which was the Panzer IV. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Apr 26, 2025 · German Reich (1944-1945) Armored Recovery Vehicle – 181 Built Due to the inadequacy of half-tracks for recovering tanks and other armored vehicles—primarily because of their lack of armor and insufficient numbers—Germany sought alternative solutions. Jul 1, 2020 · The KV-1 was a well-regarded vehicle, almost impervious to anti-tank weapons of the day; and it was armed with a powerful 76mm gun that could knock out any tank in German service. The Sd. The principle now used is to have two or three recovery vehicles forward with the fighting units British Conqueror armoured recovery vehicle 2 The first true ARVs were introduced in World War II, often by converting obsolete or damaged tanks, usually by removing the turret and installing a heavy-duty winch to free stuck vehicles, plus a variety of vehicle repair tools. In the early stages of the war, the German army mainly used the Sd. Today, they are recognized as a form The German Wehrmacht used an extensive variety of combat vehicles during World War II. 9 18 ton halftrack prime mover as its main recovery vehicle shortages of these vehicles and the increasing weight of German tanks, resulted in number tank chassis being modified so they were able to recover tanks which involved removing the turret and installing a large wooden box where the turret would have been and The German Army attaches the utmost importance to the effective maintenance and prompt recovery of vehicles. Over six hundred photos, as well as extensive tabulated data, augment a comprehensive textual overview of the WWII German arsenal. 347 built or converted by Henschel, MAN and Demag. A rare World War II tank has been discovered under mud in the Warta river in eastern Poland. The late Tom Jentz, Tiger student extraordinaire, told me, and wrote in numerous books, that it was actually a mine clearing contraption which he had found described in an official report, devised by Schwere Improved main tenance vehicles, recovery vehicles, and better shop equipment wer& issued to the maintenance units in the field. be part of the revival of one of the most iconic tanks of World War II: the M26 Pershing T26E3. Read More The Myth of German Technological Superiority It was designated Schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t, which means “ heavy tractor vehicle “. In the subsequent more troubled and prolonged campaigns, German tanks proved For sale M26 Pershing T26E3 Tank – A Landmark in WWII Armored History Available for Restoration – Join Us in Bringing History Back to Life. Starting in 1943, German forces began repurposing and refurbishing older tanks for such roles. During World War II, the British also used several hundred M32s, which were obtained through Lend-Lease in 1944. Based on a failed Tiger proposal from Ferdinand Porsche, it was transformed into an entirely different vehicle with a different purpose. Jan 3, 2017 · These vehicles were used in field repair units, where they were used for lifting engines, gun barrels and also for towing assignments. Some were also purpose-built in factories, using an existing tank chassis with a hull superstructure to accommodate German armoured recovery vehicles using the Panther chassis. M31 (T2) was an armored recovery vehicle (ARV) used during World War II by the United States, and was based on the chassis of the M3 Lee medium tank. ARVs are normally built on the chassis of a main battle tank Jun 18, 2022 · At the moment, the group is focused on the restoration of the drive system and installation of assemblies in a Bergepanther, WW2 armored recovery vehicle. The M32 was the second Tank Recovery Vehicle, the US Army used, the first the M31 was based on the M3 Lee. No further planning was considered necessary because both the military and the political leaders assumed that military operations would reach their climax du~ing the autumn of 1941 and that most of the armored forces May 24, 2018 · Tiger II tank on display in Tank Museum, Bovington, England. Mar 25, 2021 · The main problem was that the standard German heavy Famo recovery half-track tractor could not actually tow the tank; up to three Famo tractors were usually the only way to tow just one Tiger. ISBN-10: 087349783X Armoured Fighting Vehicles of Germany World War II. INTRODUCTION The German Army attaches the utmost importanceto the effective maintenance and prompt recovery of vehicles. In the turmoil of war, the scarcity of resources meant that it was essential to conserve military assets. Mar 23, 2024 · The M74 Tank Recovery Vehicle was an American armored recovery vehicle based on the M4A3 (HVSS) Sherman chassis. No official German name for this vehicle has ever been located. 0 The recovery project already has the written agreement of the German Ambassador to France, the German Army and the French MoD and it is being financed from a number of sources including a US D-day Veteran and a US Veterans Association. Category:WW2 German Armored Recovery Vehicles Bergepanzer 38 Due to the inadequacy of half-tracks for recovering tanks and other armored vehicles—primarily because of their lack of armor and insufficient numbers—Germany sought alternative solutions. Ninety-one units were built in 1943 under the name Ferdinand (after its designer Ferdinand Porsche) using VK 45. Today we take the mighty Foden off the farm for a recovery of a World War 2 Comet tank. 8 cm Flak 18 (Sfl. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and other countries. Today is a good example of how not everything goes to plan If you want to Enter to Win the Jeep click The Bergepanther or Panzer-Bergegerät (Panther I) was a tank recovery vehicle based on the Panther medium tank, and produced to solve a problem caused by the ever-increasing weight of German tanks. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. Germany had one of the most diverse armored fleets in the world, but also one marked by struggles to standardize and produce sufficient numbers. The Bergepanzerwagen V (Sd. Category:WW2 US Armored Recovery Vehicles Tank Recovery Vehicle M32 The M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle (TRV) was the most significant recovery vehicle of World War 2. Bibliography: Panzer Tracts 16 - Jun 9, 2023 · The light recovery vehicle Bergepanzer 38 or Bergepanzerwagen 38 was based on the German Jagdpanzer 38, the Hetzer tank destroyer. On August 4th 1992, Krupp MaK – Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH since 2000 – handed over the first vehicles to the German and Dutch armed forces. 22, 1942. Approximately 2,500 were produced between 1938 and 1945. At over three hundred pages. The M32 Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV) was the second type in US service, and served from 1942 to well into the cold war. May 7, 2019 · Here is a jam-packed visual encyclopedia of the armored vehicles used by the Nazi forces in World War II. Nov 22, 2010 · Recovery and repair on wheeled vehicles is also covered in this book {chapter 5}, as is the German experience in Operation Zitadelle {chapter 6} which provides the reader with a rare snapshot of the stresses encountered by the Germans in this time period. The gargantuan vehicle mainly built by FAMO to which The first true ARVs were introduced in World War II, often by converting obsolete or damaged tanks, usually by removing the turret and installing a heavy-duty winch to free stuck vehicles, plus a variety of vehicle repair tools. ht if nvpmw5 9wqvp jruuelmd zz kcxwy e3kq zdmdn a4k