653. Schwere Panzerjägerabteilung - German Armored Forces & Vehicles | Gallery

Gallery Discussions
#1

653. Schwere Panzerjägerabteilung

Rear view of the tank of Hauptmann Grillenberg, sPzJgAbt 653, summer 1944. As part of a German competition for a new heavy tank, the Tiger (P) was produced by Porsche. The first prototype was ready for viewing by the Fuhrer in April 1942, with initial testing taking place in June. Porsche’s design featured a forward-mounted turret that possessed an 8.8cm Flak 36 gun. Ultimately the VK 4501(P) proved a failure, with its power train subject to constant breakdowns. Instead, the Henschel VK 4501(H) won the heavy tank competition, and it went into production as the Tiger I. Consequently, only five Tiger(P) tanks were produced by Porsche before the 59-tonne design was rejected. Three of these were later converted into Bergepanzer Tiger(P) recovery vehicles in 1943, while only one armed tank saw combat. This vehicle (chassis no. 150013) served as a command tank under the designation Panzerbefehlswagen VI(P). It fought in s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653 (schwere Heeres Panzerjager Abteilung 653) on the Eastern Front in early-to-mid 1944. The commander of the vehicle was Hauptmann Grillenberg, and it bore the turret number ‘003’. Greetz,Brummbar

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/german-armored-forces-vehicles/29315/653.-schwere-panzerjagerabteilung
#2

Does anyone KNOW (not guess) the origin of this vehicle? 90 Tiger(P) chassis were completed. 85 were converted to PzJg VI(P) Ferdinand, 3 to Bergepanzers. Two chassis were apparently completed as tanks as shown here and used at Kursk. My question is: Were those 2 tanks the 2 prototypes or were they part of the production run, additional to the prototypes?

#3
#4

Does this help:
"It was during the time in Brzezany that the 653. Schwere Panzerjägerabteilung received and converted the various “special vehicles” that make the unit distinct (apart from the fact that it was one of the only two battalions to receive the Ferdinand/Elefant tank-hunter). Among the special vehicles was a Tiger (P) VK 4501 which had been upgraded with radios and zimmerit to create a command vehicle. "