Tanks for Russia ID

Discussion in 'General' started by Peter Clare, Jun 6, 2008.

  1. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Do we have a tank expert :) These tanks are being loaded at a British port for transit to Russia, any idea what they are?
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    It's Matilda day!

    they're Matilda 2's Peter, also known as the A12 Infantry tank.

    Cheers,
    Adam.
     
  4. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Thanks guys for the very prompt reply, thought there was an expert somewhere on the board :D
     
  5. kfz

    kfz Very Senior Member

    And that is liverpool, (the Matidila was made just down the road in Newton) in fact I think its the Princess Landing stage.

    Kev
     
    von Poop likes this.
  6. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Hi Kev,

    Didn't expect the port or dock to be identified, thanks.

    Peter
     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Sure this has been posted before.
    Description: Matilda tanks being loaded onto ships at Liverpool docks for shipment to the Soviet Union, 17 October 1941.
    [​IMG]
     
  8. kfz

    kfz Very Senior Member

    Sure this has been posted before.

    [​IMG]

    Ive changed my mind it dont think its the princess landing stage.

    Kev
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  10. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Interesting pic!

    Going by the size of the barrel of the one in the foreground, compared to all the rest...is it a Matilda II CS tank? The howitzer-armed Close Support version for throwing smoke???

    Can anyone confirm what "T23341" was?
     
  11. urqh

    urqh Senior Member

    Ive changed my mind it dont think its the princess landing stage.

    Kev

    Its not mate but it is Liverpool..Ill have to dig out me old image books. The dock name is mentioned in one.
     
  12. Ferahgo

    Ferahgo Senior Member

    How would the Matildas have coped in this arena of combat. I know they performed relatively will in the desert but became wildly outmatched by German armour in the area. I also know that the German armour on the eastern front was geared towards heavy (like Panzer IVs etc), or tank destroyers (like the Stug III). I cannot imagine the Matildas doing well against other armour so maybe they were infantry support weapons for use against troops and structures?
    (Note the massive anti-tank rifle held by the Russian in the trench as the Matildas appear!)
     
  13. urqh

    urqh Senior Member

    Local history mag has it as Sandon dock PQ2 1941 to Archangel but there are lots of mixed pics of other docks and tanks on same page. I know nofink.
     
  14. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Well, that's was what there was to be had. Somewhat a let down for the Sovs who had that superlative T-34, but the Valentines were well-liked up to 45.
     
  15. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    How would the Matildas have coped in this arena of combat. I know they performed relatively will in the desert but became wildly outmatched by German armour in the area. I also know that the German armour on the eastern front was geared towards heavy (like Panzer IVs etc), or tank destroyers (like the Stug III). I cannot imagine the Matildas doing well against other armour so maybe they were infantry support weapons for use against troops and structures?

    The vital thing for the Russians at Xmas '41 is that that was what was being fought outside Moscow - the infantry and armour-backed counteroffensive. At that time the British armour made up something like 10% of their strength. Plus like all fronts - there was a HUGE asortment of Axis armour mustered for Barbarossa.

    As for how they coped - unsurprisingly, the Matilda was found to be too slow when the weather improved, and unreliable. Crews often complained that snow and dirt were accumulating behind the "skirt" panels, clogging the suspension - same issue as the British had with sand in the desert. The slow speed and heavy armour made them comparable to the Red Army's KV-1, but the Matilda had nowhere near the firepower of the KV. Obviously it was the Matilda's 2pdr gun that "aged" first...but in armour terms it was proofed until the L/43 began to appear on PzIVs ;)
     
  16. Ferahgo

    Ferahgo Senior Member

    At least it helped them hold out. I think, in my opinion that as soon as the Germans failed to win that winter, they were doomed. The Americans had joined our side, the Russians were able to bring their massive forces and production capabilites up to scratch.
     
  17. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

  18. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    A constant stream of Covenanters! Not something the Soviets wanted, even as a stop-gap.
     
    TTH and Chris C like this.
  19. riter

    riter Well-Known Member

    The Russians still have a Matilda. Saw it in some movie.
     
  20. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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