Sturmgeschütz IV (SdKfz. 167) was found in Poland

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dect
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Sturmgeschütz IV (SdKfz. 167) was found in Poland

#1

Post by dect » 02 Oct 2006, 20:44

Link to polish discussion board http://odkrywca.pl/pokaz_watek.php?id=371132 with some pics and galleries there.

It was found in river, in mid western Poland. Seems to be in a quite a good shape.

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Daimyo
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#2

Post by Daimyo » 02 Oct 2006, 21:34

Great news! Is it now government property? I hope it's going to be restored and get the right treatment.


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dect
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#3

Post by dect » 03 Oct 2006, 22:22

Yes, it belongs to the goverment now.

Some more pics http://www.dws.org.pl/viewtopic.php?t=15331

Early this year the wreck was pointed by 91 yo eye-witness. He claimed in 1945 two StuG's were trying to cross the river. One succeded, the other drowned. Two crewmans died and were found in the river when the spring came. He also said that the rest of the crew came to his home and asked for some water and food - they weren't aggresive. They were completly wet and freezing. Few hours later they were captured by the Russians and shot. Probably beacuse of the black uniforms and sculls on the collars they were taken as SS guys by mistake. They are burried in the near village.

The other story is that the entire crew drowned in the wreck - two were found in the spring (this is the fact), others are probably still there...

We will see which one is true when the hull will be raised from the mud.

According to the uniforms Russians said that they fought on Krim (they had "Krimschilds").

First atempt to pull it had taken place in early 50' - and it failed. During this one polish and russian soldiers were using two T34s and a railroad crane and later were trying to blow it up - probably (and luckilly) they failed to do so.

First attempt nowadays was in August, 29th. It failed too and the search team found only a wheel (some of them were kept on the hull) and some minor parts.

Second try began Septembrer, 28th. Now they had better and more pumps to get rid of water and the entire action had a better plan and organisation.
They succesfully pulled out damaged turret and the gun - it was partially separated from the hull because of the action taken in 50'.
The wreck has tactical number 981. Some guy discovered that probably it belonged to the Brandenburg division, 9th or 10th company from capt. Spielvogel's 3 rd battalion. On Jan 45 they recieved StuG's and were sent back more or less that way to the west.

When the entire StuG will be recovered it will be transferred to military museum in Poznan and its curator, cpt. Ogrodniczuk and his men will try to restore it and maybe repair to running condition. He is a really good mechanic and I mean it - he successfuly repaired Iosif Stalin 2 tank back to running condition.

Hope this short note will give you a better view And please forgive me all grammar mistakes.

Regards

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Wars98
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#4

Post by Wars98 » 04 Oct 2006, 12:40

Hi! :D
I and my team in 28- 30 August (phase I) and 28 September - 1 October (phase
II) recover from small river Rgilewka in Grzegorzew near Kolo (in mid western Poland) wreck an assault gun Sturmgeschütz IV /StuG IV/ (Sd.Kfz.167 – Sonderkraftfahrzeug 167).
We find this wreck at the end of February. In phase I we excavate only a wheel and some minor parts. In phase II we recover damaged turret with the gun.
It's StuG IV (late version produced by Krupp) with "Saukopf" (pig head) gun mantlet,
without antimagnetic cement or Zimmerit.
We find too: 1 machine gun (MG 34 with ammunition), 2 panzerfaust, 2 missiles (to the 75 mm guns) and 1 helmet.
Our StuG IV we delivery to the Museum of Armour in Poznan.
My pics:
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Please, forgive me all mistakes.
Best regards
Piotr Lewandowski

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Daimyo
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#5

Post by Daimyo » 04 Oct 2006, 15:52

Thank you both for great pictures and the background story. Keep us posted if anything new comes up. :)

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#6

Post by Cyprek » 04 Oct 2006, 18:06

I think that it's a tragedy that it is the state that is in possession of that vehicle right now. For instance the Army Museum in Warsaw has a complete sdkfz 251 Aufs.D. If this halftrack belonged to a private collector it would be fully operational and running. But it's a state property and it's dead for years.

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Grzesio
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#7

Post by Grzesio » 04 Oct 2006, 20:08

I wouldn't be so pesimistic!
Private property does not always mean better! E.g. the Lufcik is in private hands and in full running order. The front wheels were replaced for incorrect ones. And what? It ended up last year with broken track and demolished gearbox.
Fortunately, the StuG is not going to Warsaw. ;)

Regards

Grzesio

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kat
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#8

Post by kat » 05 Oct 2006, 10:10

Grzesio wrote:I wouldn't be so pesimistic!
Exactly, the Stug went to Poznan and this is the best place for it with the best people to take care of it - if we are talking about government institutions. Respect for captain Ogrodniczuk.
In the river left the rest of the Stug and it is going to be dig up next year. Even now there was found many small parts of this vehicle and many elements of the interior equipment. (See discussion on "Odkrywca" forum) With such material "golden hands" from Poznan will be able to restore it to running conditions I think.
A propos Wars98 - are You and TPS members going to pick up another item in near future? Cause you have suggested in few places that this Stug is not the only "kitty" that You know about. I am not asking for its location. I just would like to know if You will provide us another "jewel" cause this Stug is the real jewel.


Regards
R.K.

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Sander D
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#9

Post by Sander D » 05 Oct 2006, 14:07

.

It’s a great find indeed.

The colours a kept in a great shape and that after 62 years

I also wonder why the stop digging for the rest of the vehicle ,now was the time i would say .
Was the under carriage of the stug IV to diep in the mud ,and would it take to mutch time to salvage it ,can somebody awnser that question.


I hope they make the best of it ,a driving or a non driving museum piece.

Some picture of the salvage

http://www.odkrywca.pl/galerie.php?nazwa=348

http://www.odkrywca.pl/galerie.php?nazwa=347

http://www.odkrywca.pl/galerie.php?nazwa=346


The last picture showing some clean parts on a truck

http://www.odkrywca.pl/galerie.php?nazwa=351


Grzesio wrote :
Lufcik is in private hands and in full running order. ......................... And what? It ended up last year with broken track and demolished gearbox
It's a pitty to hear that .


Regards

Sander

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kat
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#10

Post by kat » 06 Oct 2006, 11:06

Sander D wrote:.
I also wonder why the stop digging for the rest of the vehicle ,now was the time i would say .
Hi Sander
The rest of the StuG left in its tomb cause the diggers were defeated by terribly hard geological conditions - thats what they clim.
They also clim that taking out of the rest of this vehicle is just the matter of time. And this time they will be prepared in the best way to dig it up.

Regards

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Wars98
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#11

Post by Wars98 » 29 Oct 2006, 19:21

Hi! :)
My next pics:
http://www.dws.org.pl/viewtopic.php?t=15331&start=25.
Regards
Piotr Lewandowski

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Daimyo
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#12

Post by Daimyo » 29 Oct 2006, 19:34

Thanks for sharing. :)

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dect
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#13

Post by dect » 01 Nov 2006, 14:20


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Wars98
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#14

Post by Wars98 » 04 Feb 2007, 17:04

Hi! :D
Couple days ago we find small nominal plate inside the superstructure of ours StuG IV:
gp. Sfl. für Stu.G 7,5 cmk - gepanzerter Selbstfahrlafette für Sturmgeschütz 7,5 cm Kanone,
Sd. Kfz. 142 ! Ausf. H Pz (inside rhombus: "4") - Sturmgeschütz IV modifirte Aufbau des StuG III auf Fahrgestell Panzer IV Ausf. H??,
Aufbau Nr. 1 6 9 8 1
Fahrgest. Nr. ? ? 0 9 6 8
- from the right side WOA.
P ? s t o r t n / M and I

Photo of small nominal plate:
Image

Sd. Kfz. 142 (StuG III)... :lol: :lol: :roll:

Regards
wars98

spannermann
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data plate

#15

Post by spannermann » 04 Feb 2007, 22:17

Hi,

The last stamping is [ Entstortn M ], in full this would be "Entstortnach Gruppe M", this information will tell what electrical supression category the vehicle has been built too, usually it is "Gruppe I" for fully-supressed, "Gruppe II" for partially-supressed and "Gruppe III" for no supression at all. What the "M" means is unknown, but for sure it must represent the same as "Gruppe I", as this vehicle must have been fully electrically supressed because it carries a radio.

It is possible that the "square" area on the right of the data plate is for a WaffenAmpt stamp, that is the swastika and eagle inspection stamp with WaA ???? underneath it, maybe your WOA is really WaA.

cheers spannermann

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