The KV-2 near Rasyeinyia

A book by Osprey refers a story of an specially armoured KV-2 tank (the 1940 version, with the big turret), which was blocking a key cross and stopped by itself the 6th Panzer Division for days. Apparently, it was invulnerable to all German weapons but the Flak cannon. Is this a true story, or a fake? Because it's looks fishy, but if true it's an example of how good were the Russian tanks in 1941 compared to the German ones, considering only quality. Bye!

 

Its true. Down to the lack of a good upgrade after the Low Countries/French Campaign for German tanks just as much as to good Russian tanks. The KV2 was good as a static pillbox if you could not bypass it, just like all very armoured tanks of the period

 

I have the same book.Take a good look at some of the photos and you'll see KV-1'S and KV-2's with numerous hits that didn't penetrate.

 

I don't have anything decisive on this, but I've heard this story about the invincibility of the KV1 in the early years of the war:

It seems that in the winter of 1941, near Leningrad, a KV-1A dispatched 22 German tanks and an entire AT battery in a single battle. After the action, the KV-1 was examined carefully. It turned out that the tank had taken no less than 156 hits from enemy AT rounds, none of which head penetrated the armour!

That would qualify as the nightmare of the German troops.

 

Well, in the book I am talking of there's an story that talks of a KV-1 in the city of Berdichev that destroyed eight german tanks receiving more than 36 hits from close ranges. We have to consider that at close ranges (50 metres or less) the short Panzer IV was able to destroy the pierce the T-34's armour.
One report form Lieutenant Yeremenko speaks of another KV that destroyed by himself an entire AT artillery group, being hit 200 times without any sustantial damage. So, at least in 1941, the KV was able to make great things, just as the Tiger I later.
Roel: the story you refer look similar to that of Michael Wittman in his Tiger I in France, when he and his crew destroyed the 4th Cavalry "County of London", which consisted of 20 tanks, 4 tank destroyers, one command tank, 14 half-tracks and 14 Bren carriers.

 

Look at the "tank aces" thread :

http://www.fun-online.sk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=123

 

Well now, there it is. Apparently 'my' count of hits was a little more Soviet, but obviously this is the same event. Thank you Skua!

Poncho: the unit Wittman got at in Villers-Bocage was the 1st Rifle Regiment of the 7th Armoured division, wasn't it?

 

Absolutely untrue!

 

Indeed. And what would have made things worse was the fact that the KV-1 was available in large numbers.

 

The book I have (which introduces the Tiger tank with that anecdote) says he engaged the unit I mentioned, I have checked it. Maybe the book is wrong, but it never failed me before! Good luck!

 

Which book is that?

 

It is an set of books edited here in Argentina which speak of the Second World War in general. I have its bibliographical references, so if you want I can post them. It is a good book, dates from the late '80s or a little bit before, and despite it isn't very precise when refering to technical aspects of tanks, the stories depicted their are all true and are accurately told.

 

If it's form the eighties, then it isn't surprising that the story is wrong. I would suggest 'Villers Boccage through the lens', and 'Villers Boccage' by Henri Marie.

 

Shouldn't a Stuka solve the problem?

 

Assuming you can persuade the Luftwaffe to send one. If you already have tanks, AT guns and combat engineers you might be told to get lost if you start asking for skukas as well. There is after all only so many to go round.

 

I think it also depended on the place the KV-2 was located: it was on a very narrow road, in the middle of a grove. Thus is how the picture shows it, and it wasn't too easy to spot it, and I guess attacking it from the air wasn't so easy too. Besides, I don't think the Stuka "Kanone" (the best at taking out tanks) was available in 1941.

 

Just a question - are you sure it was a KV-2?
The KV-2 was armed with a howitzer, and was not anti-tank...

(standing by to be corrected! )

 

Yes, but the 152mm was powerful enough; in fact it was much more powerful than the KV1's 76.2mm guns that were available then. And the KV2 had just as much if not more armour than its little brother.

 

It is just that I have heard a similar story about a KV-1 (and have posted it on here somewhere in response to Sarco...) and wondered if it was the same with a typo.

Was that huge slab-sided KV-2 turret really that heavily armoured?
Wow!

 

Frontal armour on the KV-2 was 110mm thick and side armour was 75mm thick. But then the turret alone weighed 12 tons.