WW2 German bizzare tank projects and prototypes

[Morar Andrei]

I have a collection of more or less blizzard German tanks images, and I was wondering if any of these could have been suitable, or at least having decent results in combat. Also, which one is your favourite?

[Morar Andrei]

I want to say a huge thank you to Wardrawings for the very interesting images he created.

[Morar Andrei]

Here are some other strange vehicles. I have the mention that there is a little misconception, some of the tanks from this whole story have been attributed to the German designers, but they have never been planned, at least in Germany during the war. First examples are some fake images from that period or are modern-made:

Edited February 16, 2018 by Morar Andrei

[Taz]

Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz

Nach einer Erprobung auf dem Truppenübungplatz Ohrdruf  soll mindestens ein Exemplar noch zum Fronteinsatz gekommen sein. Der Einsatz dieses Panzers erfolgte bei Abwehrkämpfen um Spichra, offensichtlich auf direkten Befehl des Gauleiters Sauckel. Im Zuge des Vorrückens amerikanischer Truppenteile im April 1945 gerieten die dortigen deutschen Stellungen unter Dauerbeschuss. Dabei erhielt der Flakpanzer einen Treffer, wodurch sein Turm weggeschleudert wurde und bis zu seiner Bergung im Jahr 1999 an einem Hang dort liegen blieb. Dieser Turm soll sich in der Sammlung des Militärhistorischen Museums Dresden in einem nicht zugänglichen Teil befinden.

 

 The Kugelblitz was not yet out of development when the war ended. Only five prototypes were built.  Several evaluation vehicles had been built, but it is unclear how many. It is also unclear what happened to the few Kugelblitzes which were built; some sources say that they ended up being used in the Battle of Berlin

One Kugelblitz was also involved in the fights near the town of Spichra, Thuringia, where it was destroyed and remained buried in the Spatenberg hill until its excavation in 1999.

Bit of info in German and English on the Kugelblitz.                                                                                                       Regards Eddie.                                                                                                                                                                                   

Edited March 29, 2018 by Taz

[Morar Andrei]

Very interesting information!

Two vehicles made me curios since I've seen them: the Begleitwagen I (Rhm) and II. What are thse tanks and what is known about them? I guess that Rhm stands for "Rheinmettal" and K for "Krupp". They look like Panzer IVs, but have the bottom half very strange.

Same thing I want to say about the " Panzer V Ausf D 'Leopard' - 75L48" from, supposedly, November 1942 Ukraine. It looks like a longer Panzer IV, with tracks similar to the VK 30.01. Was that a real tank prototype or a fake? Which is its story?

[Taz]

The Begleitwagen I(Rh) was Rheinmetall's design in the competition for the upcoming Panzerkampfwagen IV design. Ultimately, Rheinmetall's design failed, as the suspension was taken from the earlier Neubaufahrzeug V(Rh) / VI(K) tanks. Krupp's version was much more modern and suited the role given by the German army.

Variants

Begleitwagen I(Rh) VK20.01(Rh) - Rheinmetall's design

Begleitwagen I(K) VK20.01(K) - Krupp's design.

Begleitwagen I(MAN) VK20.01(MAN) - MAN's design.

Begleitwagen II(K) - Krupp's more advanced design.

Begleitpanzer I(Rh)

General Data

Type -  Medium Tank 

Place of Origin - Germany (Third Reich)

Designed by - Rheinmetall AG

Designed - 1934 - 1935

Manufacturer(s)  - Rheinmetall AG

 Number Built - At least 1

Designations  - VK20.01(Rh)

Company Designation - Bataillonsführerwagen

Developed From - Neubaufahrzeug V(Rh)

Armament

Main Gun(s) - 7,5cm KwK 37 L/24

Coaxial Gun - 7.92x57mm MG 34

Armour Min/Max - 15-30mm

Misc Specs

Crew - 6

Dimensions

Weight - 18t

Length - 5.92m

Width - 2.9m

Height - 2.65m

Automotive

Engine - Maybach HL 100TR

Engine Characteristics - 300hp

Operational Range - 150km

Speed - 30km/h

Regards Eddie

Edited April 6, 2018 by Taz

[Morar Andrei]

Thank you! I was always wondering that I've seen that mind of suspension in another place before.

 

Personally, I like the German WW2 tanks, and these prototypes are very interesting for me.

[Taz]

VK6501

The fourth picture down that has no designation  is the VK6501 (also known as Panzerkampfwagen VII or Henschel SW)

Weight: 65 tons
Crew: 5
Armour: 80mm all around, DW turret (80mm Mantlet)
Engine: 600hp Maybach HL224
Maximum speed: 20km/h
Armament: 75mm L/24, 75mm L/40, 105mm L/20

[Taz]

 

 

Same thing I want to say about the " Panzer V Ausf D 'Leopard' - 75L48" from, supposedly, November 1942 Ukraine. It looks like a longer Panzer IV, with tracks similar to the VK 30.01. Was that a real tank prototype or a fake? Which is its story?

This is in my opinion fake. Panzer V would i assume be the Panzerkampfwagen V „Panther“ (Sd.Kfz. 171) which this tank bears no simularities whatsoever.

Regards Eddie

[Morar Andrei]

Yeah, I would think so. It looks very strange. Something that mifht have been in German style, but still a fake tank.

That's why I mentioned in thus topic that I will present rare, strange or fake tanks that were considered German by origin. We can make a short list of possible fakes in my images:

 

- Panzer V Asf D "Leopard"

- Panther II (possibly)

- Flakpanzer E100 "Alligator"

- Jagdpanzer E100 (the 2009 design that appears in World of Tanks - the much more plausible one - if there was one - would have been on the design of the Jagdpanther)

- E-90 Bison / Tiger III L

- Jagpanzer E90

- Flakpanzer E50

- Jagdpanzer Leopard

- Panzer IX

- Panzer IV with Tiger turret

- Panzer IV with Schumaturm turret

 

If there is any other one, please help me complete the list.

[Taz]

One Panther II hull exists as far as i know and 1 E-100 chassis was built also.

[Morar Andrei]

I know about the E100 chassis. Do you think they would have planned an SPG or tank destroyer variant?

[Taz]

Some variants were planned.

Upgunned Krupp Maus turret with a 150 mm KwK 44 gun. 

E-100 Ausf. B with improved turret.

StuG E-100 Krokodil with a 174 mm gun.

Flakpanzer  E-100 with dual 88 mm anti-aircraft guns.

Edited April 17, 2018 by Taz

[Morar Andrei]

Here is the site where I read the article about German fake tanks:

http://panzerpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fake_Tanks

 

Strangely, many is the midels you mentioned are here. But they are still very interesting as a tank design (I like the StuG E100 Krocodil and the Flakpanzer Aligator)

[Taz]

That site defines proposed projects as fake which i would say is incorrect.

VK16.02 Leopard is another example.

[Morar Andrei]

I haven't seen the VK Leopard listed there. Honestly, now I'm confused what to belive or not. It wiuld be indeed a bit exagerated to call proposed projects as fakes. But I still think they got right about some tanks, didn't they?

Edited April 17, 2018 by Morar Andrei

[Taz]

Gefechtsaufklärer E-10 Leopard is that sites name for it and it was  actually planned.

I imagine that some are made up yes,  but to call Tanks that have blueprints and or parts actually built, fake is not really correct.

[Morar Andrei]

Personally, I thought for a long time that many tanks from Wargaming's game World of Tanks are just made-up to complete the gaps in their 10-tiers tech tree system, especially when talking about premium vehicles, such as the Skorpion G project from Rheinmettal. But I found out it was an actual tank design from 1943, but not used.

[Taz]

Yes the Skorpion G is another example of a tank that exisited in Blueprint only but i would not call a fake.

[Morar Andrei]