KuoShe Party Member Qi Jun Battle History
(Warm reminder: This article is about 4,800 words, with 29 pictures, originality is not easy, thank you for your patience to read.)
As the "king of land warfare", tank must not only have the skills of climbing hills and walking on flat ground, but also have the ability to float on waves and stealth in the water, so as to overcome various water obstacles encountered on the battlefield, such as natural rivers of a certain width and depth, and artificial water injection moats, etc. The wading depth that modern main battle tanks can pass safely without relying on any auxiliary equipment is generally 1 to 1.4 meters. In the face of water obstacles exceeding the above-mentioned depth, the tank needs to use special swimming equipment. There are two ways for tanks to overcome water barriers. One is floating ferry, that is, tanks float on the water surface to maneuver; the other is submersible ferry, that is, tanks completely sink into the water and pass through the water barrier from the bottom of the water. Modern main battle tanks are equipped with dedicated floating and submersible equipment, and the usual diving depth is 4 to 5.5 meters.
■ The German Army's Leopard 2 main battle tank is conducting submersible training, and the thick snorkel on the top of the turret can accommodate a occupant to observe outward.
The first tank in history that was designed to take into account the ability to submerge ferry was a German Tiger heavy tank. Because many bridges in Europe could not withstand the weight of Tiger tanks, the Germans equipped it with sealing equipment and snorkels for submerge ferry, and the diving depth can reach 4 meters. In fact, before the Tiger tanks were launched, the German army had already achieved submarine capabilities on the III/IV tanks when planning the "Sea Lion" operation to invade Britain, and created the first batch of real diving tanks in history. The diving records they created have not been broken to this day.
"Sea Lion" operation
In June 1940, Germany won the French battle and occupied the entire Western Europe. However, Britain did not beg for peace as Hitler expected, but was prepared to carry out the war to the end under the leadership of Churchill , which made the German Command necessary to consider the plan to conquer the British Isles by force. Given that the weak German Navy was severely injured in the Norwegian Battle and was unable to control the sea power in the English Channel, the top German military leaders, including Hitler, had no confidence in landing directly across the sea in Britain. They were more inclined to force Britain to surrender through air strikes and submarine maritime blockades, and used amphibious landing as the last means of reservation.
■ In a painting depicting the Battle of Britain, the primary prerequisite for the implementation of the "Sea Lion" operation is that the Luftwaffe must have the air supremacy of the Strait.
On July 16, 1940, Hitler signed the 16th Head of State Order, requiring the formulation of a combat plan to land on the British mainland, code-named "Sea Lion". At the same time, four prerequisites were determined for the implementation of the operation: 1. The Royal Air Force must be eliminated; 2. The British minefield in the English Channel was cleared, and both ends of the Dover Strait were blocked by German mines; 3. The coastal areas between Britain and France must be controlled by heavy artillery; 4. The main force of the British Navy will be restrained in the North Sea and the Mediterranean, unable to hinder the landing operations.
■ Login operation plan for "Sea Lion" operation
"Sea Lion" operation plan invests 27 divisions of troops and is organized into the Army Group A (the 9th and 16th Groups) and the Army Group C (the 6th Group). With the support of the Air Force , the above-mentioned troops will be divided into three waves across the English Channel and land on the southern coast of Britain. The first wave includes 9 infantry divisions and 2 mountain divisions, the second wave is 4 armored divisions, 2 motorized divisions and 2 infantry divisions, and the third wave is 6 infantry divisions. In addition, the Air Force's 7th Aviation Division, the Army's 22nd Aircraft Arrival Division and Brandenburg Special Forces will carry out airborne operations behind the landing beachhead. The landing area is between Ramsgate and Portsmouth, and the Dover and Folkstone coasts closest to the mainland are the key beachheads.
Beach Pioneer
In the "Sea Lion" operation, the German armored troops will land in the second wave, but considering that if the infantry troops landed in the first wave receive certain armor support, it will be more conducive to breaking through the British coastal defense and establishing beachhead positions, so sending a considerable number of tanks to the beach at the first time of the landing operation will become a detailed issue that must be studied and solved.
The German army initially planned to use the A-type barge to carry tanks to land directly, but this kind of ship can only dock on the beach at low tide, and also have to place a landing springboard for the tank to disembark. During this period, both tanks and barges will be exposed to shore firepower and may suffer serious losses. Therefore, the German army sought faster and safer methods for tank landing, and proposed to convert some tanks into floating amphibious tanks and submersible diving tanks to wading away from the coast.
■ During the preparations for the "Sea Lion" operation, the German army conducted vehicle unloading training.
The amphibious tank scheme is applied to tank II, namely Schwimmpanzer II. The weight of this light tank is only 8.9 tons. It can be used to install floating boxes on both sides of the vehicle body to float on the water. The long rectangular floating boxes are made of aluminum plates, and the interior is filled with kapok to increase buoyancy. The tank track is connected to the propeller on the floating body through a certain mechanical device. It can achieve a water speed of 5.7 kilometers per hour through the tank's own power. The tank turret and the body are sealed with inflatable rubber tape, and the 20mm machine gun and coaxial machine gun can fire at the shore target during the floating period. Due to its large width, the modified amphibious tank can only be carried by specially modified C-barges and enters water through the large hatch at the stern. Before the cancellation of Operation Sea Lion, 52 No. 2 tanks were converted into amphibious tanks. The German army also studied the amphibious modification scheme of the 38 (t) light tank and conducted tests.
■ The No. II amphibious tank that was tested was equipped with floating boxes on both sides of the vehicle body.
■ Side view and top view of the No. II amphibious tank.
For tanks with larger weights of the vehicle, if converted into amphibious tanks, larger floating boxes are required, which are not only clumsy in movement but also difficult to carry, so they become the modification targets of diving tanks. The submersible tank is called the Tauchpanzer in German, also known as the U-Tanzer or the Unterwasser Panzer, which can be understood as the U-boat in the tank.
Iron-armored submarine
To enable the tank to operate underwater, the first thing to do is to ensure that the entire vehicle body and turret can achieve a watertight structure like a submarine, so as not to invade water. To this end, all holes and gaps in the body of the tank III/IV are sealed by rubber tape or special waterproof adhesive, and the engine air intake is also closed by a rubber waterproof cover. The seal between the turret and the body is in the same way as the amphibious tank of the No. II, using an inflatable rubber hose, which can be inflatable and expanded from the inside by the loading hand to achieve a sealing effect. The turret shield, main gun muzzle, commander command tower and first machine gun seat are all covered with special rubber waterproof covers. These waterproof covers are equipped with blasting cables, which are detonated from the internal control after logging in, blowing off the waterproof cover, and restoring the tank's observation and shooting ability. The engine of the tank has also been modified and can be cooled by sea water when driving underwater. A one-way valve is installed on the engine exhaust pipe to prevent sea water from pouring back into the vehicle body. In addition, a drain valve is installed at the bottom of the vehicle body to discharge a small amount of immersed accumulated water.
■ The three figures above show the German army tested the III diving tank between June and July 1940, and the slender and curved ventilation hose can be seen.
In order to ensure that the tank obtains fresh air in the diving state and maintain the crew's breathing and engine operation, the diving tank is also equipped with ventilation devices. A section of the top of the tank turret is installed above the tank turret, which is connected to a rubber ventilation hose with a length of 18 meters and a diameter of 21 cm. The top of the hose is equipped with a float to make it float above the water surface. There is also a suction device on the float, which will input air into the vehicle through the hose. In addition, a radio antenna is also installed on the float to ensure communication between the crew and the outside world. In order to limit the range of movement of the hose in water, two vertical poles are also installed on the vehicle body. The diving tank can be used to move underwater for 20 minutes with a ventilation device, and the maximum diving depth can reach 15 meters, which is far higher than the diving depth of modern tanks. There are also data that the air in the car can ensure that the occupants survive underwater for 45 minutes.
■ Structure diagram of the ventilation device of the diving tank
■ For the No. III diving tank that is preparing to enter the water, pay attention to the snorkel towed behind the vehicle body, and a one-way valve is installed on the exhaust pipe.
■ No. III diving tank that is conducting wading tests on the beach, pay attention to the floats and radio antennas placed at the back of the vehicle body.
Once the diving tank enters the water, the tank soldiers temporarily transform into submarine soldiers. They cannot observe external situations in the car, and can only rely on maps and a gyro compass for navigation and drive blindly underwater. At the same time, we also contacted the command center located on the barge via radio and corrected the route of travel according to instructions. The crew members are equipped with underwater life-saving devices so that they can escape the tank when encountering danger.
From the end of June to early July 1940, the German army secretly conducted a diving test of a diving tank in Schilling near Wilhelmshaven, which was successful. Tests have shown that diving tanks can travel smoothly on the seabed and operate flexibly, but may be blocked by gullies or larger reefs on the seabed. Because the outside world cannot be observed, it is difficult for diving tanks to bypass underwater obstacles. In addition, diving tanks should try to keep moving underwater, because once they stop, under the combined action of seawater impact and its own gravity, the tank will fall into mud and sand and cannot extricate itself. Therefore, when using diving tanks, you should choose shallow seas with relatively flat seabeds, and they should be put into combat at high tides, so that those tanks that are accidentally paralyzed underwater can be recovered at low tides.
■ Photo of diving tanks traveling in the water, the snorkel restriction rod can be observed on the water surface.
■ Model of the III diving tank, pay attention to the snorkel coiled around the turret, the waterproof cover of the command tower, main gun shield and the front machine gun seat, and restriction rods are erected on both sides of the vehicle body.
While modifying the diving tank, the German army also began to study the delivery platform. The German Navy initially chose 50 coastal transport ships as ferry vehicles for submersible tanks, but tests showed that such ships were not competent for this task. When loading or unloading the tank, they had to use ballast to balance or compensate for weight changes, otherwise the hull would capsize due to instability. The Germans turned to the B-type barge to carry diving tanks, which were equipped with 11-meter-long movable springboards at the bow. When landing, the barge will sail to a sea area hundreds of meters away from the British coast and a suitable depth of water, and break down and extend the springboard horizontally forward. The first tank drives up the springboard from the cabin and uses its own weight to press the springboard into the water. The tank enters the water with the flow. Then the springboard returns to its horizontal state under the action of the elastic device and waits for the second tank to sail out. Before the tank sets off, the command ships in the formation will establish radio contact with all crews and calibrate the compass for easy underwater navigation. The German army ordered 75 Type B barges for operation "Sea Lion".
Underwater Armored Corps
After the development of the diving tank was successful, the German army immediately started to modify it. By the end of August 1940, 160 III tanks (F/G/H), 8 III command tanks and 42 IV D tanks had been modified, with a total of 210 submersible tanks, plus 52 No. II amphibious tanks, the German army could invest up to 262 tanks to support infantry rushing to the beach during the first wave of landing, which was almost equivalent to a fully armored division. According to the plan, all tanks will be fully loaded with ammunition when landing and carry enough fuel to propel 200 kilometers.
■ The III diving tank sailed into the water from the barge springboard, and two sailors stretched their snorkels on the springboard.
In July 1940, while the modification of diving tanks was going smoothly, the German army began to form a special diving tank unit. Due to the high risk of driving a tank underwater, the German army recruited volunteers from the active armored regiment. The novel combat methods of diving tanks can easily arouse the adventurous enthusiasm of armored soldiers, so soon thousands of experienced tankers signed up, and they were organized into 4 special armored battalions, numbers A, B, C, and D.
KuoShe Party Member Qi Jun Battle History
(Warm reminder: This article is about 4,800 words, with 29 pictures, originality is not easy, thank you for your patience to read.)
As the "king of land warfare", tank must not only have the skills of climbing hills and walking on flat ground, but also have the ability to float on waves and stealth in the water, so as to overcome various water obstacles encountered on the battlefield, such as natural rivers of a certain width and depth, and artificial water injection moats, etc. The wading depth that modern main battle tanks can pass safely without relying on any auxiliary equipment is generally 1 to 1.4 meters. In the face of water obstacles exceeding the above-mentioned depth, the tank needs to use special swimming equipment. There are two ways for tanks to overcome water barriers. One is floating ferry, that is, tanks float on the water surface to maneuver; the other is submersible ferry, that is, tanks completely sink into the water and pass through the water barrier from the bottom of the water. Modern main battle tanks are equipped with dedicated floating and submersible equipment, and the usual diving depth is 4 to 5.5 meters.
■ The German Army's Leopard 2 main battle tank is conducting submersible training, and the thick snorkel on the top of the turret can accommodate a occupant to observe outward.
The first tank in history that was designed to take into account the ability to submerge ferry was a German Tiger heavy tank. Because many bridges in Europe could not withstand the weight of Tiger tanks, the Germans equipped it with sealing equipment and snorkels for submerge ferry, and the diving depth can reach 4 meters. In fact, before the Tiger tanks were launched, the German army had already achieved submarine capabilities on the III/IV tanks when planning the "Sea Lion" operation to invade Britain, and created the first batch of real diving tanks in history. The diving records they created have not been broken to this day.
"Sea Lion" operation
In June 1940, Germany won the French battle and occupied the entire Western Europe. However, Britain did not beg for peace as Hitler expected, but was prepared to carry out the war to the end under the leadership of Churchill , which made the German Command necessary to consider the plan to conquer the British Isles by force. Given that the weak German Navy was severely injured in the Norwegian Battle and was unable to control the sea power in the English Channel, the top German military leaders, including Hitler, had no confidence in landing directly across the sea in Britain. They were more inclined to force Britain to surrender through air strikes and submarine maritime blockades, and used amphibious landing as the last means of reservation.
■ In a painting depicting the Battle of Britain, the primary prerequisite for the implementation of the "Sea Lion" operation is that the Luftwaffe must have the air supremacy of the Strait.
On July 16, 1940, Hitler signed the 16th Head of State Order, requiring the formulation of a combat plan to land on the British mainland, code-named "Sea Lion". At the same time, four prerequisites were determined for the implementation of the operation: 1. The Royal Air Force must be eliminated; 2. The British minefield in the English Channel was cleared, and both ends of the Dover Strait were blocked by German mines; 3. The coastal areas between Britain and France must be controlled by heavy artillery; 4. The main force of the British Navy will be restrained in the North Sea and the Mediterranean, unable to hinder the landing operations.
■ Login operation plan for "Sea Lion" operation
"Sea Lion" operation plan invests 27 divisions of troops and is organized into the Army Group A (the 9th and 16th Groups) and the Army Group C (the 6th Group). With the support of the Air Force , the above-mentioned troops will be divided into three waves across the English Channel and land on the southern coast of Britain. The first wave includes 9 infantry divisions and 2 mountain divisions, the second wave is 4 armored divisions, 2 motorized divisions and 2 infantry divisions, and the third wave is 6 infantry divisions. In addition, the Air Force's 7th Aviation Division, the Army's 22nd Aircraft Arrival Division and Brandenburg Special Forces will carry out airborne operations behind the landing beachhead. The landing area is between Ramsgate and Portsmouth, and the Dover and Folkstone coasts closest to the mainland are the key beachheads.
Beach Pioneer
In the "Sea Lion" operation, the German armored troops will land in the second wave, but considering that if the infantry troops landed in the first wave receive certain armor support, it will be more conducive to breaking through the British coastal defense and establishing beachhead positions, so sending a considerable number of tanks to the beach at the first time of the landing operation will become a detailed issue that must be studied and solved.
The German army initially planned to use the A-type barge to carry tanks to land directly, but this kind of ship can only dock on the beach at low tide, and also have to place a landing springboard for the tank to disembark. During this period, both tanks and barges will be exposed to shore firepower and may suffer serious losses. Therefore, the German army sought faster and safer methods for tank landing, and proposed to convert some tanks into floating amphibious tanks and submersible diving tanks to wading away from the coast.
■ During the preparations for the "Sea Lion" operation, the German army conducted vehicle unloading training.
The amphibious tank scheme is applied to tank II, namely Schwimmpanzer II. The weight of this light tank is only 8.9 tons. It can be used to install floating boxes on both sides of the vehicle body to float on the water. The long rectangular floating boxes are made of aluminum plates, and the interior is filled with kapok to increase buoyancy. The tank track is connected to the propeller on the floating body through a certain mechanical device. It can achieve a water speed of 5.7 kilometers per hour through the tank's own power. The tank turret and the body are sealed with inflatable rubber tape, and the 20mm machine gun and coaxial machine gun can fire at the shore target during the floating period. Due to its large width, the modified amphibious tank can only be carried by specially modified C-barges and enters water through the large hatch at the stern. Before the cancellation of Operation Sea Lion, 52 No. 2 tanks were converted into amphibious tanks. The German army also studied the amphibious modification scheme of the 38 (t) light tank and conducted tests.
■ The No. II amphibious tank that was tested was equipped with floating boxes on both sides of the vehicle body.
■ Side view and top view of the No. II amphibious tank.
For tanks with larger weights of the vehicle, if converted into amphibious tanks, larger floating boxes are required, which are not only clumsy in movement but also difficult to carry, so they become the modification targets of diving tanks. The submersible tank is called the Tauchpanzer in German, also known as the U-Tanzer or the Unterwasser Panzer, which can be understood as the U-boat in the tank.
Iron-armored submarine
To enable the tank to operate underwater, the first thing to do is to ensure that the entire vehicle body and turret can achieve a watertight structure like a submarine, so as not to invade water. To this end, all holes and gaps in the body of the tank III/IV are sealed by rubber tape or special waterproof adhesive, and the engine air intake is also closed by a rubber waterproof cover. The seal between the turret and the body is in the same way as the amphibious tank of the No. II, using an inflatable rubber hose, which can be inflatable and expanded from the inside by the loading hand to achieve a sealing effect. The turret shield, main gun muzzle, commander command tower and first machine gun seat are all covered with special rubber waterproof covers. These waterproof covers are equipped with blasting cables, which are detonated from the internal control after logging in, blowing off the waterproof cover, and restoring the tank's observation and shooting ability. The engine of the tank has also been modified and can be cooled by sea water when driving underwater. A one-way valve is installed on the engine exhaust pipe to prevent sea water from pouring back into the vehicle body. In addition, a drain valve is installed at the bottom of the vehicle body to discharge a small amount of immersed accumulated water.
■ The three figures above show the German army tested the III diving tank between June and July 1940, and the slender and curved ventilation hose can be seen.
In order to ensure that the tank obtains fresh air in the diving state and maintain the crew's breathing and engine operation, the diving tank is also equipped with ventilation devices. A section of the top of the tank turret is installed above the tank turret, which is connected to a rubber ventilation hose with a length of 18 meters and a diameter of 21 cm. The top of the hose is equipped with a float to make it float above the water surface. There is also a suction device on the float, which will input air into the vehicle through the hose. In addition, a radio antenna is also installed on the float to ensure communication between the crew and the outside world. In order to limit the range of movement of the hose in water, two vertical poles are also installed on the vehicle body. The diving tank can be used to move underwater for 20 minutes with a ventilation device, and the maximum diving depth can reach 15 meters, which is far higher than the diving depth of modern tanks. There are also data that the air in the car can ensure that the occupants survive underwater for 45 minutes.
■ Structure diagram of the ventilation device of the diving tank
■ For the No. III diving tank that is preparing to enter the water, pay attention to the snorkel towed behind the vehicle body, and a one-way valve is installed on the exhaust pipe.
■ No. III diving tank that is conducting wading tests on the beach, pay attention to the floats and radio antennas placed at the back of the vehicle body.
Once the diving tank enters the water, the tank soldiers temporarily transform into submarine soldiers. They cannot observe external situations in the car, and can only rely on maps and a gyro compass for navigation and drive blindly underwater. At the same time, we also contacted the command center located on the barge via radio and corrected the route of travel according to instructions. The crew members are equipped with underwater life-saving devices so that they can escape the tank when encountering danger.
From the end of June to early July 1940, the German army secretly conducted a diving test of a diving tank in Schilling near Wilhelmshaven, which was successful. Tests have shown that diving tanks can travel smoothly on the seabed and operate flexibly, but may be blocked by gullies or larger reefs on the seabed. Because the outside world cannot be observed, it is difficult for diving tanks to bypass underwater obstacles. In addition, diving tanks should try to keep moving underwater, because once they stop, under the combined action of seawater impact and its own gravity, the tank will fall into mud and sand and cannot extricate itself. Therefore, when using diving tanks, you should choose shallow seas with relatively flat seabeds, and they should be put into combat at high tides, so that those tanks that are accidentally paralyzed underwater can be recovered at low tides.
■ Photo of diving tanks traveling in the water, the snorkel restriction rod can be observed on the water surface.
■ Model of the III diving tank, pay attention to the snorkel coiled around the turret, the waterproof cover of the command tower, main gun shield and the front machine gun seat, and restriction rods are erected on both sides of the vehicle body.
While modifying the diving tank, the German army also began to study the delivery platform. The German Navy initially chose 50 coastal transport ships as ferry vehicles for submersible tanks, but tests showed that such ships were not competent for this task. When loading or unloading the tank, they had to use ballast to balance or compensate for weight changes, otherwise the hull would capsize due to instability. The Germans turned to the B-type barge to carry diving tanks, which were equipped with 11-meter-long movable springboards at the bow. When landing, the barge will sail to a sea area hundreds of meters away from the British coast and a suitable depth of water, and break down and extend the springboard horizontally forward. The first tank drives up the springboard from the cabin and uses its own weight to press the springboard into the water. The tank enters the water with the flow. Then the springboard returns to its horizontal state under the action of the elastic device and waits for the second tank to sail out. Before the tank sets off, the command ships in the formation will establish radio contact with all crews and calibrate the compass for easy underwater navigation. The German army ordered 75 Type B barges for operation "Sea Lion".
Underwater Armored Corps
After the development of the diving tank was successful, the German army immediately started to modify it. By the end of August 1940, 160 III tanks (F/G/H), 8 III command tanks and 42 IV D tanks had been modified, with a total of 210 submersible tanks, plus 52 No. II amphibious tanks, the German army could invest up to 262 tanks to support infantry rushing to the beach during the first wave of landing, which was almost equivalent to a fully armored division. According to the plan, all tanks will be fully loaded with ammunition when landing and carry enough fuel to propel 200 kilometers.
■ The III diving tank sailed into the water from the barge springboard, and two sailors stretched their snorkels on the springboard.
In July 1940, while the modification of diving tanks was going smoothly, the German army began to form a special diving tank unit. Due to the high risk of driving a tank underwater, the German army recruited volunteers from the active armored regiment. The novel combat methods of diving tanks can easily arouse the adventurous enthusiasm of armored soldiers, so soon thousands of experienced tankers signed up, and they were organized into 4 special armored battalions, numbers A, B, C, and D.
■ At a military parade, a No. III diving tank passed through the reviewing stand. Note that the protruding frame of its turret anti-shield and the square frame of the machine gun seat at the front of the vehicle are specially designed to install a waterproof cover, which is a typical feature of a diving tank.
■ The photos of three crew members on the diving tank, the details of the main gun shield and the waterproof cover of the first machine gun seat can be seen from the photos.
After the formation was completed, the diving tank troops were transferred to Putros on the Baltic coast. They carried out diving training under high confidentiality. An old ferry was loaded with tanks to sea. They managed to sail to the coast after entering the training waters. This experience is quite strange for the crew members. Everyone was looking forward to driving a tank to jump out of the sea water on the coast of South England like a sea monster, releasing Thunder to the stunned British coastal defense forces, and then spreading panic and chaos into the inland areas. The diving tank troops, like sea lions, will bite the British coastal defense line, but such a scene will never appear. On September 17, 1940, due to the defeat of the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, Hitler ordered the "Sea Lion" plan to be postponed indefinitely, and the diving tank seemed to have lost its opportunity to appear forever.
■ Imaginary diagram of the German diving tank cluster marching under the sea.
With the shelving of the "Sea Lion" plan, the diving tank troops were adapted into ordinary tank troops, among which the A and B armored battalions became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 18th Armored Regiment, and the C and D armored battalions were organized into the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 28th Armored Regiment. In October 1940, the 18th and 28th Armored Regiments became the core force of the newly formed 18th Armored Division. In March 1941, the German army revised the organization of the armored division, and each armored division had only one armored regiment under its jurisdiction. Therefore, the 28th Armored Regiment was disbanded, and its 2nd Battalion was incorporated into the 18th Armored Regiment, becoming the 3rd Battalion of the regiment. Its 1st Battalion transferred out the 18th Armored Division, joined the 3rd Armored Division of the old powerful brigade, and became the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Armored Regiment of the Division. Just as everyone gradually forgot the diving tanks, the God of War unexpectedly arranged another practical opportunity for them, which was the "Barbarossa" operation attacking the Soviet Union.
■ This painting shows the No. III diving tank equipped by the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Armored Regiment of the 3rd Armored Regiment of the 3rd Armored Regiment.
Phantom of the Bug River
In the spring of 1941, when the General Staff of the Army was studying the "Barbarossa" operation, he found that on the front of the Central Army Group, there was no bridge for troops to cross the river on the Bug River north of Brest. This means that the armored troops could only wait for the engineers to build a pontoon bridge before crossing the river to assault in depth. What methods can tanks cross the river barrier at the beginning of the attack and launch a raid? Some of the staff members thought of the diving tanks left over from the "Sea Lion" operation. Soon, a questioning call reached the headquarters of the 18th Armored Regiment. After learning about the other party's intentions, the regiment gave a positive answer: "Oh, that's right, those old diving tanks are still in our hands."
■ A No. IV tank of the 18th Armored Regiment of the 18th Armored Regiment of the 18th Armored Regiment of the 18th Armored Regiment was conducting wading training.
The 18th Armored Regiment received an order to test the diving tank. In Mirobiz, near Prague, the German army built a diving pool. The diving tanks of the regiment proved that they still had good diving capabilities. Subsequently, the 18th Armored Regiment resumed its modification of diving tanks, preparing for future river crossing operations. Since this operation did not travel at the seabed more than ten meters deep, it was just crossing a river that was dozens of meters wide and 4 to 5 meters deep, the complex and cumbersome rubber snorkel and its restriction rod were cancelled, and a 3.5-meter-long and simple structure was installed on the turret. In a short period of time, the 18th Armored Regiment restored its submersible capabilities to 80 tanks.
■ Side view of the No. III diving tank of the 18th Armored Regiment of the 18th Armored Regiment of the 18th Armored Regiment of the 18th Armored Regiment in Operation Barbarossa.
■ The 18th Armored Regiment's No. III diving tank is undergoing wading training.
In the early morning of June 22, 1941, in the dark forest of Brathurine on the west bank of the Bouge River, the diving tanks of the 18th Armored Regiment were quietly waiting for their debut. At 3:15 a.m., more than 50 light and heavy artillery of the 18th Armored Division opened fire violently on the other side.At 4:15, the infantry commando first crossed the river in a rubber boat and assault boat. At 4:45, the first diving tank of the 1st Battalion of the 18th Armored Regiment drove from the forest to the bank of the river. The captain of the tank shouted to the surrounding infantry: "U-boat performance!" Then he closed the hatch in a surprised gaze and directed the tank to drive into the water from the river bank. The river water flooded the entire tank, and only the snorkel was still moving on the water surface, indicating the tank's progress underwater. A string of bubbles would float behind its running trajectory, which was the exhaust gas emitted by the tank. A few minutes later, the tank climbed across the river like an amphibian, and behind it, dozens of diving tanks entered the water one after another, passing through the natural obstacle that stretched across the border from the bottom of the river. The 1st Battalion of the 18th Armored Regiment was devoted to this new war in this unique way. They quickly helped the infantry consolidate the bridgehead position, and then ran towards Minsk as the sharp knife installed in Guderi. The classic Soviet war film " Moscow Defense " reproduces the scene of German diving tanks crossing the Bug River.
■ Type IV D diving tank using hard snorkel in operation "Barbarossa".
■ A No. IV diving tank of the 18th Armored Regiment.
■ The No. III diving tank of the 18th Armored Division drove to the river bank. The frame structure at the rear of the vehicle body indicated that it was a command tank, pay attention to the division emblem on the side of the turret and the logo of the diving tank unit.
The 18th Armored Division's diving across the Bug River during the "Barbarossa" operation was the first actual combat of the German diving tanks, proving the tactical value of the tank's diving ability. However, all the diving tanks of the division participated in the battle as ordinary tanks and never encountered the opportunity to perform their unique diving skills. It is also reported that during the operation of the 3rd Armored Division to cross the Dnieper River on July 10, 1941, the diving tanks of the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Armored Regiment of the Division had dived across the river. Battlefield photos show that the 11th Armored Division has also been equipped with a small number of diving tanks, but there is no record of being used in crossing the river.
■ No. III diving tank of the 6th Armored Regiment of the 3rd Armored Division is conducting diving training, paying attention to the waterproof cover of the turret shield and the erected snorkel pipe.
■ The No. III diving tank that is passing through a simple floating bridge. If there is a bridge, it is more convenient to walk the bridge.
■ Several German soldiers took a photo in front of a III diving tank, and the waterproof cover at the muzzle has not been removed.
Although the German diving tanks were only a flash in the pan during World War II, they set a precedent for equiping tanks with submersible ferry equipment, which is a pioneer in the history of tank development. In modern warfare, whether it is river crossing or amphibious landing, tanks no longer need to have the ability to have a diving depth of more than 10 meters. Therefore, the diving record of 15 meters deep created by German diving tanks in World War II may never be refreshed.
■ Type IV D diving tank using hard snorkel in operation "Barbarossa".
■ A No. IV diving tank of the 18th Armored Regiment.
■ The No. III diving tank of the 18th Armored Division drove to the river bank. The frame structure at the rear of the vehicle body indicated that it was a command tank, pay attention to the division emblem on the side of the turret and the logo of the diving tank unit.
The 18th Armored Division's diving across the Bug River during the "Barbarossa" operation was the first actual combat of the German diving tanks, proving the tactical value of the tank's diving ability. However, all the diving tanks of the division participated in the battle as ordinary tanks and never encountered the opportunity to perform their unique diving skills. It is also reported that during the operation of the 3rd Armored Division to cross the Dnieper River on July 10, 1941, the diving tanks of the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Armored Regiment of the Division had dived across the river. Battlefield photos show that the 11th Armored Division has also been equipped with a small number of diving tanks, but there is no record of being used in crossing the river.
■ No. III diving tank of the 6th Armored Regiment of the 3rd Armored Division is conducting diving training, paying attention to the waterproof cover of the turret shield and the erected snorkel pipe.
■ The No. III diving tank that is passing through a simple floating bridge. If there is a bridge, it is more convenient to walk the bridge.
■ Several German soldiers took a photo in front of a III diving tank, and the waterproof cover at the muzzle has not been removed.
Although the German diving tanks were only a flash in the pan during World War II, they set a precedent for equiping tanks with submersible ferry equipment, which is a pioneer in the history of tank development. In modern warfare, whether it is river crossing or amphibious landing, tanks no longer need to have the ability to have a diving depth of more than 10 meters. Therefore, the diving record of 15 meters deep created by German diving tanks in World War II may never be refreshed.
