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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: smokey23 on February 19, 2008, 10:40:56 PM

Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: smokey23 on February 19, 2008, 10:40:56 PM: thought some of ya would like to see this

WWII Tank Found After 62 Years .

A Komatsu D 375A-2 pulled an abandoned tank from its archival tomb under the bottom of a lake nearJohvi , Estonia . The Soviet-built T34/76A tank had been resting at the bottom of the lake for 56 years. According to its specif ications, it's a 27-tonne machine with a top speed of 53km/h.

>From February to September 1944, heavy battles were fought in the narrow, 50 km-wide, Narva front in the north-eastern part of Estonia . Over 100,000 men were killed and 300,000 men were wounded there. During battles in the summer of 1944, the tank was captured from the Soviet army and used by the German army. (This is the reason that there are German markings painted on the tank's exterior.) On 19 September 1944, German troops began an organized retreat along the Narva front. It is suspected that the tank was then purposefully driven into the lake, abandoning it when its captors left the area.

At that time, a local boy walking by the la ke Kurtna Matasjarv noticed tank tracks leading into the lake, but not coming out anywhere For two months he saw air bubbles emerging from the lake. This gave him reason to believe that there must be an armored vehicle at the lake's bottom A few years ago, he told the story to the leader of the local war history club 'Otsing'. Together with other club members, Mr. Igor Shedunov initiated diving expeditions to the bottom of the lake about a year ago. At the depth of 7 metres they discovered the tank resting under a 3-metre layer of peat.

Enthusiasts from the clu b, under Mr Shedunov's leadership, decided to pull the tank out. In September 2000 they turned to Mr Aleksander Borovkovthe, manager of the Narva open pit of the stock company AS Eesti Polevkivi, to rent the company's Komatsu D375A-2 bulldozer. Currently used at the pit, the Komatsu dozer was manufactured in 1995, and has 19,000 operating hours without major repairs.

The pulling operation began at 09:00 and w as concluded at 15:00, with several technical breaks. The weight of the tank, combined with the travel incline, made a pulling operation that required significant muscle. The D375A-2 handled the operation with power and style. The weight of the fully armed tank was around 30 tons, so the active force required to retrieve it was similar. A main requirement for the 68-tonne dozer was to have enough weight to prevent shoe-slip while moving up the hill.

After the tank surfaced, it turned out to be a trophy tank, that had been captured by the German army in the course of the battle at Sinimaed (Blue Hills) about six weeks before it was sunk in the lake. Altogether, 116 shells were found on board. Remarkably, the tank was in Good Condition, with NO RUST,and ALL SYSTEMS (except the engine) In Working Condition.after a small repair and service
they were able to start its diesel engine.
This is a very rare machine, especially considering that it fought both on the Russian and the German sides. Plans are under way to fully restore the tank. It will be displ ayed at a war history museum, that will be founded at the Gorodenko village on the left bank of the River
(http://[IMG]http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t343.jpg)[/IMG]
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t345.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t346.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t347.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t349.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t3412.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t3410.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t3413.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/smokey23_photos/t3411.jpg)

why cant i ever find somethin like this
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: SkyRock on February 19, 2008, 10:49:08 PM: Is that german markings?
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: trax1 on February 19, 2008, 10:50:51 PM: Very cool pics.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: trax1 on February 19, 2008, 10:52:08 PM: Quote
Originally posted by SkyRock
Is that german markings?
I take it you didn't bother reading the post?
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Lusche on February 19, 2008, 10:53:08 PM: Quote
Originally posted by SkyRock
Is that german markings?

Quote
Originally posted by smokey23
During battles in the summer of 1944, the tank was captured from the Soviet army and used by the German army. (This is the reason that there are German markings painted on the tank's exterior.)
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: kotrenin on February 19, 2008, 11:01:53 PM: It is amazing how well preserved the exterior looks, not much rust and fairly clean. I wonder what condition the interior was in.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: trax1 on February 19, 2008, 11:04:31 PM: Quote
Originally posted by kotrenin
It is amazing how well preserved the exterior looks, not much rust and fairly clean. I wonder what condition the interior was in.
Yeah I thought that too, I wonder if it has to do with being covered in 3 meters of peat. Also I'd imagine the interior would be in just as good of shape as the exterior, they said everything was still working, but the engine.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: SkyRock on February 19, 2008, 11:24:19 PM: Quote
Originally posted by trax1
I take it you didn't bother reading the post?
who has time to read all that crap at this time of the morning?
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: JagdTankker on February 20, 2008, 06:41:35 AM: did you find the video link of them pulling that out of the mud.20 mins. later they had it running.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: badhorse on February 20, 2008, 06:49:56 AM: Imagine the power it took to pull that puppy out of the mud!
:O
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: JagdTankker on February 20, 2008, 07:03:32 AM: Quote
Originally posted by badhorse
Imagine the power it took to pull that puppy out of the mud!
:O

Catepillar power son

the video link http://www.diving.ee/articles/art035.html
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Platano on February 20, 2008, 07:12:52 AM: Quote
Originally posted by SkyRock
who has time to read all that crap at this time of the morning?

I felt the same so i skimmed through it. :)
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Platano on February 20, 2008, 07:14:12 AM: Quote
Originally posted by JagdTankker
Catepillar power son

Nah they Used a Toyota Taundra wit da Triton V8 :D
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: thrila on February 20, 2008, 07:22:27 AM: Quote
Originally posted by trax1
Yeah I thought that too, I wonder if it has to do with being covered in 3 meters of peat. Also I'd imagine the interior would be in just as good of shape as the exterior, they said everything was still working, but the engine.

Peat is highly acidic and lacks oxygen. This is why peat is very good at preserving things such as tanks:) and organic matter.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Gman on February 20, 2008, 10:58:30 AM: Wow. That is truly incredible. I can't believe it's running in that video...it even sounds good.

They sure don't build them like they used to.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: lyric1 on February 20, 2008, 12:43:53 PM: Amazing great find.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: trax1 on February 20, 2008, 12:46:11 PM: Quote
Originally posted by JagdTankker
Catepillar power son

the video link http://www.diving.ee/articles/art035.html
Wow, thats amazing that they got it running.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Denholm on February 20, 2008, 12:51:49 PM: :noid *Watches for DR7* :noid
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: cpxxx on February 20, 2008, 01:27:44 PM: I remember reading about it before. Remarkable state of preservation. It looks virtually the same as it did the day they pushed it into the lake. Interesting as it is to get a T34. Imagine the excitement if had been German, a Panzer IV or a Panther or even a Tiger. :cool: There must be one or two out there.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: MajIssue on February 20, 2008, 02:29:53 PM: Quote
Originally posted by Gman
Wow. That is truly incredible. I can't believe it's running in that video...it even sounds good.

They sure don't build them like they used to.

Ever see an M-1 series tank? If you had you would be saying THANK GOODNESS they DON'T build them like they used to!

I am shocked that Rondar or dr7 wasn't camping THAT spawn!
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Sketch on February 20, 2008, 03:33:24 PM: SkyRock pwns reading........

:noid
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: MrDick on February 20, 2008, 06:52:27 PM: It'll start rusting now. :eek:
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Rosscoe1 on February 20, 2008, 07:40:12 PM: Quote
Originally posted by Gman
Wow. That is truly incredible. I can't believe it's running in that video...it even sounds good.

They sure don't build them like they used to.

I dont think thats the tank running, I may be wrong but i didnt see exaust fumes or anything. Could be whatever is pulling it?
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: Lusche on February 20, 2008, 07:47:03 PM: Quote
Originally posted by Rosscoe1
I dont think thats the tank running, I may be wrong but i didnt see exaust fumes or anything. Could be whatever is pulling it?

It is being pulled. It's not only what the title says, you can also see the the tow rope.
Title: T-34 60 years later
Post by: AKoLButt on February 20, 2008, 07:49:44 PM: its being pulled, you can still see the tow cable in the right side of the video
Title: Wow...
Post by: Colt44 on February 20, 2008, 07:52:17 PM: My greatest underwater discovery was that I found a mercury dime from the 40's while scuba diving..... I think yours might just be a tad cooler. :rolleyes:

wanna trade? :rofl