German panzerturm in Antwerpen

[JKernwerk]

Nice discovery Tom!
JK

[Bunkerfreak]

Here another Panzer-part in the same region in Antwerp.

It's a half, 20cm thick, 78P9 Stahlschartenplatte. The other half is still missing...

Regards, Tom

[JKernwerk]

Hi Tom, We want to renew a part of our gardenfence, could be a nice replacement......
JK

[Bunkerfreak]

Perhaps you need to contact the Belgian Army for this piece, its lies very abandonned between other steel parts where once shooting test where commited to. Maybe if you ask politely it is possible to recover for museum?

[AvB]

Awesome finds Tom! Congratulations.

I've compared the bases of several turrets and I'm pretty sure this must be a 441P01 Artillery observer's turret.

[Bunkerfreak]

Great work Avb, Thanks!

Any idea on what bunker this could been placed? perhaps a destroyed bunker on belgian soil? Zeebrugge area perhaps?

Tom

[Bunkerfreak]

Dirk Peeters,

Perhaps some item to recover for SK1 museum? its a shame to spill such a nice coupola...
If interested, i can hear at work for the right contact person for this.

I know there are some Sherman tanks recovered in the last years from the same shooting range for musea and restoration projects, maybe this turret is also possible...

Tom

[Bunkerfreak]

For those who are interested in american tanks, there are some M47 Patton tanks (thanks Roland for the ID) and M10 Wolverines remaining also in the same shooting range north of Antwerp.

One M47 (edited):

Another M47 (edited):

[Bunkerfreak]

And some hulls of wolverines, only some spare have turrets, But still no sign of the Panther-turm that could lie in this same area...

Some years ago i heard some examples of German kettenkraftrad where also found there, and recovered for a museum, i'm sure there are still lots of things to discover here in Antwerp. Its an very old shooting-range, dating back to 1860 and from another member here i received the message that a lot of prototype guns and equipment where tested here; But again, its a no-go-zone for civilians. I had the luck i was working there for some time, the second day i had my camera with me, its one big playground for militaria fanatics there

The area with the tanks is still an very active impact-zone for the Belgian army, so its not allowed to walk there without permission and the area is still littered with unexploded ordenance, so only some pics from the main road through the area here.

Tom Oliviers,
Bunkerfreaks Antwerpen

[Bunkerfreak]

For the completion of the subject, this trainingground was also in german use during WW2, there are still 36 Luftschutzbunkers left arround the encampments, and some masonry guardhouses. During the german occupation, this zone was called "Truppenubungsplatz Maria-ter-Heide".

[ROLAND1369]

Excellent photos, thanks for sharing. One small correction. the M10 id is correct but the tanks are US M47s, not M26 as ided by the different turret shape.

[wimve]

If the tank remains are the targets: they miss a lot. Even the surrounding grass land is undisturbed.

[Bunkerfreak]

Excellent photos, thanks for sharing. One small correction. the M10 id is correct but the tanks are US M47s, not M26 as ided by the different turret shape.

Ok, thanks for the correction! as i told earlyer, my expertise on US equipment is verry noobish

[AvB]

Great work Avb, Thanks!

Any idea on what bunker this could been placed? perhaps a destroyed bunker on belgian soil? Zeebrugge area perhaps?

Tom

Most likely a 120a, (Stp Udet in Zeebrugge?)

[Bunkerfreak]

Is there a list from all 120 in Belgium? because that coupola must been from one of them. Thanks