What is it?

[Iwo Jim]

It looks like it might be a heavily modified Russian T-40 with a German Mk. II turret

[Ricky B]

The rear wheels don't really come close to matching the T-40, as far as I can tell. It actually looks close to the PzKpfw I road wheels throughout except the extra space between the last two at the rear doesn't match any versions I can find a picture for - otherwise the number of road wheels is right on for that chassis.

Rick

[alaric99x]

The road wheels are what make it confusing. All the PzKw had a rear sprocket, most Axis allied tanks too, but this tank simply has one more road wheel in the rear. However, this tank is at a museum near Minsk and in Belarus it's not uncommon that they freely modify cars, maybe tanks too, maybe they replaced a damaged sprocket with an extra road wheel.

It has very narrow tracks which indicate that it's not Soviet. It also has a very unusual MG sponson on the port bow, I think that might be the best clue, but I still haven't found a match for that.

[alaric99x]

*bump*

One more chance for all you self-proclaimed experts and military history whiz kids.

[alaric99x]

Sorry to interrupt.

I posted a picture some months ago and still haven't found out what tank I took a picture of. Now that there's an actual organized quiz going on, maybe you guys could look at the Historical Discussion thread and tell me what tank this is?

[Steel God]

The wheel arrangement matches the T-70 and the later version (1942) of the T-60. The bow sponson has me confused though.

And I almost want to say it's a French H-35, but the wheel arrangement doesn't fit.

I do not know...but am pretty sure it's not really German

[Steel God]

I posted on the thread in the History forum...not much help though I'm afraid. Where was the picture taken?

[Hawk Kriegsman]

The last wheel in the picture is on the ground. The T60-T70 rear wheel was off the ground. They also did not have that little side hatch.

My guess on the sponson is that it once housed a flamethrower of some sort.

Thanx!

Hawk

[alaric99x]

The picture was taken at an outdoor museum outside of Minsk in the so called "Republic" of Belarus. It's a pretty large site including some "Stalin Line" fortifications and quite a few vehicle and aircraft displays. (I know that's not really where the Stalin Line was, the trenches, etc. would have been on the border between Poland and the CCCP prior to the invasion and partitiion of Poland in '39.) The tank was out in back with some other junk vehicles and spare parts, not part of the maintained displays. I'm sure the cross on it is phony, the Wehrmacht used a different style. It might also be some kind of Frankenstein vehicle, who knows what parts may have been added or replaced?

[RedDevil]

I've seen tracks like this before on a German tank..
Berlin 1945 comes to mind
it was a last ditch /prototype patched together and was barely visible in some of the famous Berlin battle pictures...

give me time, I will find it