I have to wonder if there were jacks underneath the gun mount which could be used to lower the mount to the ground. Otherwise, a crane would have to accompany each vehicle to dismount the gun from the Tiger carriage.
Beautiful work. These weapons are immensely interesting.
Does anyone know which divisions panzers like the maus, E100 and other “projects” were planned to be placed? Also, Im curious about camo.
The open top idea seems, to me very vulnerable to fighter-bomber and dive bombers.
awsome maus pics!
http://news.webshots.com/album/338373567tFqDcx
http://news.webshots.com/album/550277193oyITjc
Most SP artillery had open tops so the Grille 17cm would be no more so than any US SP such as the 8inch or the 155mm. Had the Germans possessed air cover, we might not be talking in such negative terms about some of these German weapons. Of course, they did not have such cover and some of these ideas are just plain impractical. But they are very interesting. Bob/Schwerpunkt
–The open top idea seems, to me very vulnerable to fighter-bomber and dive bombers–This open vehicles were not planned to be deployed in the frontline so in that case the disadvantages are not that important, however you dont need a divebomber, simple a hand grenade and that is it.
I would think that such guns would have infantry protection (Panzer Grenadiers) but the Ferdinands had none at Kursk so go figure. A closed mount could not take the 17cm piece IMHO although I believe one could enclose a 15cm gun. Certainly, modern armor includes SP 155 enclosed guns such as the Paladin.
The Ferdinands were used in direct support, the Geschutzwagen tiger is a self propelled artillery, in that way it never would be deployed in frontline, but use his long range gun to “soften” targets before the attack.
I think VK7001 Lion would have been a very workable and powerful tank. IMHO it would have perhaps the most powerful gun mounted on an armoured vehicle in the world, the 105mm/70 with very high muzzle velocity. This design would have been faster than Maus and more versatile. Instead of a slow moving pillbox, this tank would have been able to manouver on terms equal to most heavy battle tanks.
Excellent work again.
sorry about the cap,s. Y is the hull have a bend just were the engine is, or has the hull been lengthen for the bigger engine?
I think the turret is actually more efficient than that of most modern tanks. The body of the vehicle shows it’s Tiger origins but the inclined and very thick frontal armor would have made her a tough nut to crack. She is a beautiful beast and is very similar in appearance of the ISII which had a much lower silhouette.
Schwerepunkt
i would say all russian tanks would rise their hats to this beast when meeting it for the first time:mrgreen:
or has the hull been lengthen for the bigger engine
It does, teorically a derated aviation engine Db-601
Versuchsflakwagen 8,8cm flak 37/41
Between the several attaemps to create a stadarizated antiaircraft panzer using components already in production was the Versuchsflakwagen (experimental antiaircraft vehicle) of 1942.
This used Pz III/IV chassis , Pz II transmition, and SD.Kfz 9 havy tractor wheels and suspension.
VFW Flak 37.
3 prototypes were made, the early ones armed with the Flak 37, a variant of the well know weapon of Krupp specially designed to AAA role ( no antitank use here), the kanoniere (gun crew) was protected by a thin ( 8mm) shield wich could be lowered to allow full traverse of the cannon in low elevation.
In 1944, they were rearmed with 88mm Flak 41 guns and designated as - Versuchsflakwagen fur 8.8cm Flak 41. The 74 calibres lenght Flak 41 was a very powerful Reinhmetall Borsig gun wich used a larger capacity case to achieve bigger muzzle velocity ( 1000 meters per second) and a higher ceiling ( 9500 max effective)
VFW flak 41.
Single example rearmed again with 88mm Flak 37 was sent for tests to Italy, where served with Heeres Flakartillerie Abteilung (Sf.) 304 with was assigned to the 26th Panzer Division.
A single Flak 41 VFW was used agaist the allied bomber that attacked the factory Krupp in Essen
VFW Flak 41 characteristics:
Armor: 25- 8 mm
Engine : maybach 6 cil. 265 hp
Speed: 38 km/h ( road)
Armament Flak 41 88mm with 40 rounds, 2 MP-40 with 364 rounds 9mm.
Traverse: 360º manual, elevation 90º to -2º.
Lenght: 7,1 meters ( gun 12 o clock)
Weight: 28300 kg.
Flak 41 in full elevation
Mr. Panzerknacker posted a picture of that tank before somewhere.
It shows a modified Munitionspanzer 38t with Jabo-Schreck in Prag (Prague?) 1945
Nice weapon the Mk 103 for low level aircrafts, I wonder why mas not used more often.
You know, why i like the new Bundeswehr PUMA Schützenpanzer?
Somehow it looks like the old BÜFFEL concept - not the bridge layer, the really old conceptual one ^^
Inadequate firepower was often cited for vehicles of this type, particuarly the SdKfz 140 Flakpanzer 38t ausf M.
digger
Btw. the Büffel concept used the Mk 103 as main gun in its turret.
Just by the way, because you mentioned the Leopard - i once had some materials concerning the Leo 1 Prototypes - some also showed a tank with a Rheinmetall 128mm gun which pretty much looked like the KwK 44 (expecially because of the pretty 1:1 Mündungsbremse).
Also the statistics seemed to be pretty similar somehow :S
Old concepts never die? :rolleyes:
Inadequate firepower was often cited for vehicles of this type, particuarly the SdKfz 140 Flakpanzer 38t ausf M.
Yeap but that vehicle used a 20 mm weapon, not the MK 103. The mk 103 performances were far superio to the ones of the 2cm flak 38.
Btw. the Büffel concept used the Mk 103 as main gun in its turret.
Like mosty of the modern IFVs. 
Hello everybody. The Buffel project looks amazingly modern, it´s hard to invent something that somebody didn´t think of before May 1945! It seems to be good looking too. Anybody having pic´s of models?
I´m really fascinated by those rare pictures of panzers hanging from factory ceilings. Does anybody here have any “hanging panzer” (in fact any hanging armour) pictures they´d like to share?