"nipple" tank?

Aug 04, 2009 7 Replies

Okay, a club member found a couple of photos of a 1930's era tank that I have dubbed the "nipple tank", because the turret(s) have a rounded protrusion on them/it that looks like a nipple.



This tank has 5 road (fairly large) road wheels, is rear sprocket drive, and the sprocket looks very similiar to the Czech LT vz. 35 tanks. The track is very fine in pitch, like some of the late 20's/early 30's French AMR tanks. There is no sponson, like a Char or Churchill, although the tracks do run up and over, no fenders.



The reason I say "turret(s)" is there is a 37mm gun in the top turret. Below that is possible a second turret, with water cooled MG's port and starboard, and what looks to be a fairly long barrel 75mm gun.



So, we have some classic Soviet design clues, (wide track, plenty of MG's), some French design clues (fine pitch track, possible hull mounted cannon) and a Czech drive sprocket. What the hell is this thing?



Bruce


Okay, never mind, I now know what it is.

Bruce

Sounds like the TG or "Tank Grotte" which was a medium tank design that a German engineer (Eduard Grotte) developed for the Russians. Couldn't come to terms (I think the Soviets were suspicious of the German anyway) so only wound up as a prototype.

Cookie Sewell

Sounds like the TG or "Tank Grotte" which was a medium tank design that a German engineer (Eduard Grotte) developed for the Russians. Couldn't come to terms (I think the Soviets were suspicious of the German anyway) so only wound up as a prototype.

Cookie Sewell

Interesting, hadn't heard of that one.

Many years ago I was a member of the MAFVA (1), the mag often had pics of scratch built models of prototype-only machines, one chap produced a rather good model of Da Vici's cone topped tank.

(1) Had to let membership lapse when I ran away to sea

Regards

Mike

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: : : Sounds like the TG or "Tank Grotte" which was a medium tank design : that a German engineer (Eduard Grotte) developed for the Russians. : Yep. One "t", however, for the last name. Looks like the most difficult part to scratching it would be the tracks.

There are a couple sites that have this, "Soviet Battlefield" I believe has several photos, the other that I don't remember had a good 4 view (front, back, side, top). Length is given as 7.5m if you want to give it a whirl.

Bruce

Perhaps this one?

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