Matilda 5cm KwK L/42

[Patrice]

Hello.
I Find a picture of this strange on http://ww2photo.mimerswell.com
I never see it before,a British Matilda MkII hull with a 50mm KwK L/42.
Official name: 5cmKwK L/42 auf infanterie PzKpfw MK II 748(e).
Patrice

[Ostpanzer]

another one...

[David Lehmann]

The same one probably, AFAIK there is only one conversion of that type, it was nicknamed 'Oswald'.

Regard,

David

[Ostpanzer]

You are absolutly right - the same one

[Johan Elisson]

Although note that it has different camouflage pattern on the two pictures.

/Johan

[David Lehmann]

Indeed, good observation hmmm ....

David

[Uninen]

The same one probably, AFAIK there is only one conversion of that type, it was nicknamed 'Oswald'.

Regard,

David

Encyclopedia Of German Tanks Of World War Two says number of (thats more than one..) Matildas were converted.

[David Lehmann]

and how many then ?

David

[Johan Elisson]

The book doesn't say a specific number, it just says that a number of 5cm KwK where mounted on Matildas.

/Johan

[David Lehmann]

I checked again in Spielberger's book : no number is given in this book.
In Regenberg's book : he talks only from a tank nicknamed 'Oswald' and the three photos (including the two one in this thread) shows a tank with the inscription 'Oswald'. The camo patterns are different but the tank has the same name ...

I quote here the text in Regenberg's book :

.../... The British Expeditionary Corps lost 29 Matilda II tanks in France (personal note : AFAIK the BEF had only 40 Matilda II tanks in France right ?)
.../... Two of these vehicles were utilized for testing purposes by the Army Weapons Office.
Another Matilda II, with turret number 111, was used for loading practice by the High Seas Instructional Command at Terneuzen. At the end of 1942, the vehicle's turret was removed and a 5cm KwK L/42 gun was installed on a pivot mount. This vehicle, nicknamed "Oswald", was also armed with two machine guns.
All 6 Matilda II tanks that the British had on Crete were captured during the invasion of Crete in 1941 and taken over by the Panzer Unit 212, which was organized there. In mi-1943 the vehicles were still reported among the unit's equipment.
.../...
The 15th Panzer Division included a captured tank platoon, with up to 7 Matilda II tanks in service as part of Panzer Regiment 8 from June to August 1941.
.../...
In the 21st Panzer Division too, there was a captured tank platoon, with 5 Matilda II tanks, in Panzer Regiment 5 in June of 1941. From July to August, though, only 1 such vehicle was at hand.
A few Matilda II tanks were also cpatured in Russia. The Russians had obtained 1084 Matilda II tanks through the Lend-Lease program.

According to this source only one vehicle then ... except if he speaks only from the first one of a following serie. But as you see few Matilda II were used, especially if we talk from 1942 and later.

Regards,

David