hello…i’m thinking about a few WW2 dios where troops are passing by UN-DESTROYED tanks on the road…its only because I’m not good at making damaged tanks haha,or even a bit lazy
so can tanks just be abandoned by her crew for whatever reason on the road???
any info, thoughts ARE WELCOMED!!! [tup]…thanks
Sure, it’s possible and common, too. The Germans were low on fuel supplies especially in the latter months of WWII. If the vehicle ran out of gas, then what else were they going to do with it? Sure, they would make an attempt to disable or destroy it if time allowed, but time wasn’t always allowed. Especially if there were aircraft flying around.
Sometimes all they had time to do was spike the guns. One common practise was drain the oil from the recoil cylinders, and fire a round off. Wrecked it right away.
Interesting. Probably alot safer than the 'ole drop a charge in the open breech method. As far as modeling abandoned tanks, it could be interesting, but may be alot more work than you are guessing. Such a tank would usually be rifled through by any passing troops for supplies and such, or just out of curiousity, and would show a world of open hatches, access panels, and toolboxes. Look at it as a chance to do some real super-detailing.
I read somewhere in one of my reference books that some panzer models (I forgot which model) were plagued with engine and mechanical problems that they would break down often. So it is a perfect way to be lazy and let it sit along the road and call the diorama something related to broken down panzer. Too bad triple A service was not available for them back then… [:D]
Sure it’s possible–as someone said though, they usually got “stripped” pretty quickly. Make sure you remove 99% of the tools, and put open tool holders in place–you’ll need some aftermarket PE for this. Leave the hatches open, and as an artistic element to show that it’s abandoned, I would recommend posing the turret with the gun barrel at its lowest point of depression, like the tank is “frowning”.
Check this site for some drop-in PZIV driver’s compartmets, if you use that kind of tank, as well as some cool AM breeches and whatnot for other tanks.Look under “Product lines–RJProducts”
Armies in retreat are well known for doing this during WW2. There are plenty of photos out there of abandoned equipment being passed by enemy ground troops. Mecahnical break down or fuel shortages are two of the more common reasons.
Pz.Kpfw. V Panther’s frequently had final drives go out on them due to both the design and vehicles weight. Early Panther Ausf. D’s had problems with engine fires due to fuel leaks.
Tigers, King Tigers, Elephants and JagdTigers were very heavy so the engine, transmission and suspension were always extremely over burdened and were prone to failure. In fact, more JagdTigers were knocked out by their own crews (due to mechanical failures and running out of fuel) than were destroyed in combat by enemy action.
i saw somewhere that in WW2 POW camps or maybe work camps but i read in order for the workers to disable the tanks they often urinated on the wiring or forgot to connect a wire here and there anyways i thought this was interesting, it was on the history channel
Little green men with laser guns being charged by Mongols is possible. So, use your imagination. You are talking about ‘over there’ where up was right and left was down.
Not onl abandoned by enemy troops but if the vehicle was servicable the allies would put the proper insignia on it and use it. Russians did it when they could. Thats an idea for a dio, haver some troops checking out an abandoned tank or getting it ready for service…Ahhhh the possibilities[:D]
Many tanks like the german ferdinand were abandoned due to engine problems. (Picked it up from the military channel![:D]) But it depends on what tank your using.
At the beginning of Barbarosa the Russians were notorious for abandoning vehicles in perfectly good condition. Probably because they could run faster than most of their equipment could move[(-D].
Especially one in which the viewer can see the Teller Mine 44 booby-trap… But Ivan can’t…[}:)]