recovered from the bottom of a lake in Russia

If you look on the first page, the caption states that the T34 was captured and used by the Germans (hence the German markings on the tank). I sure would hate to be the tank crews who got the captured stuff. Friendly fire must have been REAL prevalent.....
 
Its amazing how peaty muck will preserve metal. I've recovered old british military buttons from the 19th century that were still polished and as shiny as the day they were lost.

The organic oxygen-free environment of the peat at the bottom of the lake prevented it from corroding all these years but all the systems will start rusting up solid as soon as it hits the air.
Its a shame, but if they didn't have the means to conserve it properly at the time, it might have been better to just leave it in the lake.
 
Last edited:
I have a rifle that sat on the bottom of the Yukon river/lake Lebarge for a number of years. Works fine too.
There must be lots of cool stuff still lying around Europe I'll bet.
 
yepper its a t34 appropriated by the nazis they real good indicator is that if you look at the cupola.( where the crew commander sits ) the raised portion is actually a nazi mod taken from thier Panzer 4s
 
shortandlong said:
yepper its a t34 appropriated by the nazis they real good indicator is that if you look at the cupola.( where the crew commander sits ) the raised portion is actually a nazi mod taken from thier Panzer 4s
Click to expand...
I believe that's a Soviet cupola.
 
i read that this was found in Finland lots of pics useing a big dozer to pull it out tracks rolled just fine apparently they cleaned and dried the engine did a little work on the carb and ignition added fuel and it started up ..thats what the storey I read said FWIW
 
I need one of those for my front yard... Keep those pesky solicitors away :D

Seen some pictures once of some Mosin rifles pulled from the bottom of a swamp... things looks sparkling new, like they could be cleaned up and fired that day. The 60 year stay in the peat bog also gave their wood a rather nice dark tone...
 
Fought two sides, and spent 56 years under water, coming out with everything working, loaded, no rust, only a dead engine. Thats Russian Engineering for ya! :D

Cheers,
Alex
 
I don't know for sure but isn't that a KV series of tank? I think the T series had the big front hinging hatch, didn't it?

Oh, sorry, disregard, I don't know what I'm talking about. . .

And on the general subject of people not knowing what they're talking about:

Shaun: As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Meat is the anagram of team... I don't know what he was talking about.
 
Last edited:
shortandlong said:
no brother i think if you research it .......it'll be a nazi one
Click to expand...
Yes, pal o' mine - check out pics of the T34/85 - same style cupola. The "1943" hexagonal turret had a flat top at first, then went to the cupola, and the cupola was retained for the /85 model. German cuploas looked quite different.

Regards,
 
MarkCNP said:
Yes, pal o' mine - check out pics of the T34/85 - same style cupola. The "1943" hexagonal turret had a flat top at first, then went to the cupola, and the cupola was retained for the /85 model. German cuploas looked quite different.

Regards,
Click to expand...
Going to have to agree, its definitely the 85 style cupola. If it were German it would be the PzIV style and that most definitely isn’t a PzIV cupola. The 85 style is similar to the early Tiger I Cupola.
 
Very cool. It looks to be in pretty good shape. Cosidering. I wonder how many treasures like that are still out there?

Dave.
 
They dug up a Canadian made Valentine a couple of years back. Forget what happened to it.

The Russians sold it and its in the Canadian War Museum now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom