First encounter with a Russian KV-1 - June 23, 1941

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The Germans encounter the KV1

First encounter with a Russian KV-1 - June 23, 1941 Soviet11

June 23rd, 1941

Here is the encounter report :

The Germans had assessed the fighting ability of the Russian army as very poor. They had not been impressed with the quality of Soviet equipment they saw when they carved up Poland, nor had the Soviets performed well during the Winter War with Finland. Stalin had systematically shot most of his best military leaders during the pre war purges.

Even as the Wehrmacht swept into Russia there were indications that this was not the complete picture. Russian resistance was fierce even if it was poorly co-ordinated. And Soviet equipment was far from being wholly second rate.

On the 23rd June the 6th Panzer Division met the 2nd Soviet Armored Division at the Dubissa river. The German commander General Reinhard recalled their surprise: One hundred of our tanks, about a third of them Panzer IV, occupied their positions against a counter-strike. Part of our forces met the enemy frontally, but most of them were on their flanks. They hit the steel monsters from the three sides, but the attempts to destroy them were unsuccessful. By the contrary, it was our tanks which were knocked out. After a long struggle with the Soviet giants, the German armored units began to withdraw trying to avoid the annihilation.

… One of the KVs got close to a panzer who was stuck in a muddy brook. Without hesitation, the black monster just roll over it, crushing it completely. Then a German 105 mm howitzer arrived. Its commander, seeing the mass of enemy tanks, ordered continuous firing, but without causing any damage. One of the KVs got close, to within 100m of the howitzer, which fired again, and its shell hit the tank full on. The tanks stopped as if hit by lightning. “We made it!” thought the gunners. “Yes, we made it!!!”, shouted the commander of the position.

But the expression in their faces suddenly changed when one of them shouted: “It’s moving again!!”. There was no doubt – the shiny caterpillar moved up to the howitzer and crushed it like a toy, then kept on moving as if nothing had happened.

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Hehe, damn right!

I'm too familiar with the running over of things... wag

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Tiger I - Panzer II - Panzer III - Panzer IV - Chi Nu Kai - Panther G - KV-1b 756(r)
M4A3(76) Sherman - T-34/85 - M3 Grant - SECRET PROJECT

Ah yes i love the KV's the Mean Green Machines... Twisted Evil

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First encounter with a Russian KV-1 - June 23, 1941 Soviet10

hehehe....
russian

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"There are things in Russia which are not as they seem..."
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov

Too many tanks, not enough time....

I find it hard to believe that the Germans were surprised by the KV-1, when before this encounter there were 693 of them already in service.

The Kv-1 have been around since 1939 and use in small qualities against Finland during the Winter War. Being that Germany and Finland were on friendly terms when it came to the Russians, some information would've been shared.
I find it hard to believe that the German Intelligence would be dumb enough to let the development of the KV to slip by.

Surely the higher ups knew, but the grunts on the front line not likely.
The Germans soldiers were going into Russia with high morale after rolling over Poland an France, they weren't going to crush their spirits by telling them that the Russians may have a tank that might easily beat anything the Germans had at the time.

The myths about the supposed invulnerability of the KV, practically arose at the hands of German commanders who had committed flagrant errors and attributed their failures afterward on the mythical Russian “wonder-tanks”.

For example, the commander of the 4thPanzer Division, Freiherr von Langermann, reporting on the fighting near Orel states: "For the first time during the campaign in the East, in these battles the absolute superiority of the Russian 26 ton and 52 tons tanks over our Pz. Kpfw. III and IV was felt. The Russian tanks usually formed in a half-circle, open fire with their 7.62 cm guns on our Panzers already at a range of 1000 meters and deliver enormous penetration energy with high accuracy".

However, Langemann had committed serious errors which led to his division being attacked by Soviet tanks while in marching formation. A surprise attack of this sort could only have taken place if the divisional command had neglected carrying out reconnaissance and battlefield security.
Coordinated reconnaissance in all directions would normally have provided ample warning of the enemy's positions, but this was not done.
In order to conceal his mistake, Langemann began inventing the myth about the invulnerability of the Soviet tanks, belching out 'highly accurate' and 'enormously penetrative' fire from a kilometer's distance.

So Stince, more halftracks could have made the KV's less of a big nasty surprise? Sounds right Razz

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Tiger I - Panzer II - Panzer III - Panzer IV - Chi Nu Kai - Panther G - KV-1b 756(r)
M4A3(76) Sherman - T-34/85 - M3 Grant - SECRET PROJECT

Strato50 wrote:: So Stince, more halftracks could have made the KV's less of a big nasty surprise? Sounds right

We'll have to test that theory come spring. Very Happy

I just have to figure out how to make the front steering, then I should be starting mine soon.

Subject: Re: First encounter with a Russian KV-1 - June 23, 1941

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First encounter with a Russian KV-1 - June 23, 1941

First encounter with a Russian KV-1 - June 23, 1941

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