Let's Build: Pz Abt zBV-66

[Bob_Mackenzie]

Gents

Pz Abt zBV-66 formed for the aborted invasion of Malta. It had many odd AFVs: PzKfw-IF, PzKfw-IJ, PzKfw-IIF2(?) with 80mm frontal armour, KV's (2 & 1s?) and T-34(?). It was then sent to the Russian front and the German tanks were absorbed in to 12 Pz Divs in 42. The Russian parts were absorbed in to the 1 Ski Jager Div in 44 - does anyone have more details?

Cheers

Bob

[Bob_Mackenzie]

Synopsis in French

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/did.panzer/Heer ... ilung.html

Panzer-Abt. z.b.V.66
Formée avec deux Kompanien le 30/05/1942 (la 2.Kie. est formée comme une Beutepanzer Kie. avec des T34 et KVI capturés). La 1.Kie. est tranferrée au Heeres Gruppe Nord en août 1942 et rattachéee à la 12° Pz.Div. La 2.Kie. est envoyée au Heeres Gruppe Mitte en août 1942. La 1.Kie. est renommée le 02/10/1942 : 8./Pz.Rgt.29. Est absorbé par le s.Ski.Btl. en mars 1944.

Bob

[Bob_Mackenzie]

Fron an old old posting on the feldgrau forum:

Posted by Akira Takiguchi on July 12, 2001 at 03:40:00 from 61.114.198.208 / h198208.ppp.asahi-net.or.jp


The VK 1801s used by 12.Pz.Div. were from the 5 examples delivered to Pz.Abt.z.b.V.66 for Malta operation. The operation was cancelled and the Abteilung was sent to HGr. Nord).
They were believed to be (I say so because I don't have a clear photo - I have to guess from Pz.IV and VK1601) marked "B.." (B=Bethke, commander's name). 4 can be confirmed from this photo.
I've been told that 12.Pz.Div. incorporated the rest of Pz.Abt.z.b.V.66 into 8.Kompanie in October 1942 but photographic evidence suggests 3.Kompanie (?).

Bob

[Jan-Hendrik]

Complete overview about this unit and its commitment you may find here :

http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic.php?t=4086

Jan-Hendrik

[Davide Pastore]

Complete overview about this unit and its commitment you may find here :
http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic.php?t=4086

What about the unfortunate fellows who 1) doesn't read German and 2) cannot copy the text into Altavista Babelfish, since it's the picture of a scan?

I can add KV tanks were probably ten (I am unable to say if this information is contained in the linked scanned text ) since ten out of twenty MFP built in 1942 at Palermo were converted from the standard type 'A' into type 'A1' ('Behelfsausführung zum Transport von 52-t-Beutepanzern (sowj.) bzw' according to Gröner).

It is unclear if this meant they should have carried ten KV-II (52t by chance) or they should have carried ten KV in total, any of them able to take the (how many?) KV-II too.

I don't know the number of T-34 in the unit (nor I know if such number is contained in the scanned text ) however the number of German MFP present would have allowed a maximum of 12 such tanks carried in addition to the other ones.

According to Jentz's 'Panzertruppen' the paper structure was as follows:


I wonder if the extra vehicles shown above includes also reserve tanks.

I also wonder about the battalion inner structure (again, I don't know if the topic is already covered in the German text ). My guess is as follow, tell me your comments:

1.Kompanie
Stab: 2x Pz IV
1. Zug: 5x Pz IV
2. Zug: 5x Pz IV
3. Zug: 5x VK 1601
4. Zug: 5x VK 1801
(I know five tanks each is the 1942 strength of a light, not a medium, Zug, but I don't know how to fit the numbers)

2.Kompanie
Stab: 2x KV-I/II
1. Zug: 4x KV-I/II
2. Zug: 4x KV-I/II
3. Zug: 4-5x T-34/76
4. Zug: 4-5x T-34/76

P.S. if it is not clear enough: could someone please translate at least some parts of...?