KV1 Question
 

I recently read an account of a KV-1 blocking a road for two days during the early days of the fighting in Russia. It held up the entire German advance.

In the account the German Pak and Panzer units were unable to destroy the tank. Even the 88s took 13 hits to knock it out. Would any of you know what unit that tank came from?

Thanks

Don

RE: KV1 Question
 

http://www.wio.ru/tank/ww2tank.htm

I believe it was a KV-2. Tough monsters. The Tiger tanks of their time.

RE: KV1 Question
 

Yepper on it being a KV-2, I have the story in a coupe of my tank books, of course I can't seem to find it now [sm=confused_smile.gif]

RE: KV1 Question
 

The Gigant KV-2, of course, was the AFV that halted the German war machine in this story. I think Tamiya even made mention of it in their offical KV-2 video. There was NO Blitzkrieg in southern Lithuania on June 23 & 24th of 1941. This legendary KV-2 made sure of that. I don't know the name of the unit that this particular tank belonged to. Perhaps HAL could find out?

RE: KV1 Question
 

Great Stuff!

Thanks Guys!!

Don

RE: KV1 Question
 

If i had seen that thing setting in the road i am not shure i would not have hidden in the bushes because the kv is just about the uglyest thing on tracks ever.

RE: KV1 Question
 

the kv tanks are so ugly that they look cool. i wonder if there is any running examples around today.

RE: KV1 Question
 

As far as I could tell it's Lieutenant Kolobanov in his (no. 864) and 4 other KV-1's that held up the German advance (8th Panzer Division) at Krasnogvardeysk (Gatchina) near Leningrad (St Petersburg). His unit belonged to the 20th heavy tank brigade, 1st tank division.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinoviy_Kolobanov
http://www.wio.ru/tank/ww2tank.htm
http://junebarbarossa.devhub.com/blo...turmovoi-tank/
http://www.wio.ru/tank/ww2aces.htm

RE: KV1 Question
 

These are two different events. The event you mention took place in late August against the 8th Panzer Division. The KV-2 event occurred earlier, in late June, during the 2nd day of Barbarossa against the 6th Panzer Division. With Don's mention of 88s failing to initially take out the tank and that it was ultimately knocked out in the end, he most likely is referring to the KV-2 event which is mentioned on the second link you posted under "The monster at the road".

Kolobanov probably destroyed more tanks during his engagement, but the KV-2 held up its opponents for a longer amount of time with apparently no help from any other Russian tanks.

RE: KV1 Question
 

Refreshing posts. One doesn't read too much about the Russian side of WW II and it's very interesting to see the war from a different perspective as well as look at Eastern front statistics and photos. Russian tanks were crude, simple and thrown together is a hurry, but history has shown that they were very effective. One must contemplate what the war would have been like, had Stalin not totally destroyed the leadership of the Russian army prior to Barbarosa. Thanks.

RE: KV1 Question
 

Indeed, and it didn't stop there. Stalin had an unpleasant habit-as did Hitler-of disposing of his best men throughout the war, on the slimmest of pretexts. Little wonder that very few truly effective commanders remained who were not infected with the party paranoia.

RE: KV1 Question
 

Amazing how history in a way, repeats itself. Look at Sadam Hussein...he was a double for Stalin in appearance, Stalin was his idol and both were unbelievably paranoid, with most of the military leadership terrified of disagreeing with him on anything. Looking back, it makes one wonder...if Hitler as well as Stalin had listened to their generals instead of playing "ultimate commander", what kind of deep sheet we would have been in. Neither Barbarosa nor Normandy would most likely have never taken place. Stalin had tanks named after him, but Hitler or Saddam, no. Just "Lion of Bahgdad" which was more the tank than to Saddam. We went overboard and had 4 tanks named for Patton.