Crank_GS Posted October 5, 2000 Share Posted October 5, 2000 Good day, all. I am most curious about this tank. As a boy, I saw many German tanks on display at the Aberdeen Proving Ground Museum. It was 1975, and I was actually able to climb all over them - not likely to happen in this day of liability. It did indeed have the turret number of 332, but it was on an unbelievably inaccurate paint job! I know from Patrick Agte's book "Michael Wittmann and the Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte" that this particular Tiger II was assigned to Unterscharfuhrer Otto Blase. Also that it was left behind in Bourgomont after Wacht am Rhein. In "Tigers in Combat II" by Wolfgang Schneider, the author claims this Tiger to be displayed at the Patton Museum in Fort Knox, while Agte claims it to be In the Münster Panzermuseum. Horst Scheibert says it is in Aberdeen. While all three may be correct, assuming this panzer has moved around a bit, which is true? For evaluation purposes, it would have gone to Aberdeen first, and was probably still there when I was (I doubt they brought back two Königstigers from Germany in 1945). Who knows the "rest of the story" with this panzer? I am very curious about it, as it is the only "real" war relic I have climbed on! Thanks ------------------ Capt. Byron Crank, US Army Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinpoet Posted October 5, 2000 Share Posted October 5, 2000 the tank was at aberdeen but was sent back to germany as a trade, since they lacked one of that particular model turret. This if I recall correctly happened in the late eighties, early ninties. I havent been down there yet, but was disappointed to hear when I was younger in heavily into modeling that I wont be able to see it now unless I go to Germany...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzertruppen Posted October 5, 2000 Share Posted October 5, 2000 I was there a couple of years ago and it's true that the Tigers are no longer there. However, there are still two Panthers, a Jagdtiger, and a Jagdpanther present. Also an Elephant tank destroyer which is quite impressive. The vehicles are still just sitting outside rusting away, but there was some type of effort being made to build a museum to house and restore all the AFVs. I'm not sure what the status is on that project. Let's hope they can get something done. Don Panzertruppen Maddox Combat Mission Deputy Custodian Blitzkrieg Wargaming Club [This message has been edited by Panzertruppen (edited 10-04-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McAuliffe Posted October 5, 2000 Share Posted October 5, 2000 I post here comments I made in another thread regarding this tank : <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Emos: Great work as always Tiger! BTW, did you receive my pics of KT 332 from the Patton Museum? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> If I am not mistaken, the 332 belonged to the same unit as the 213(Cdt. Dollingen). The 501. Abteilung. Von Westerhagen. The 332 was taken out during the attack of Coo-Biester af few km of La Gleize where the 213 was found. So guess same scheme applies. You will find pictures of the 213 at : http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/010508.html Tiger used this scheme to make his Hi-Res Mod for the Königstiger. Do not know about the whereabouts of the 332, guess you could find it in the "Patton" Museum. ------------------ http://users.pandora.be/aneric/index8.htm#Projects [This message has been edited by McAuliffe (edited 10-04-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Hofbauer Posted October 5, 2000 Share Posted October 5, 2000 not sure if this is the case with your 332 issue, and most probably I'm teching you how to suck eggs here, but... you have to keep in mind that 332 isn't exclusive to Wittmann's tank. in the german code system, as a general rule (however there were more exceptions to the rule than the rule itself adhered to) 332 means, IIRC: third company, third platoon, second tank. therefore, 332 is a decidedly non-rare tank code. also, keep in mind that what museums / exhibitors paint their vehicles in doesn't necessarily have to be the historic job. Often they use a vehicle, and paint it in the colors and markings of some other vehicle, because that other vehicle was better documented or more famous (both usually coincides). The worst IMO is when they use prototype etc. vehicles which are obviousl different in outward features to the paint job they get. Seen this with aircraft, too. Again, all this might not apply to your problem/question, but I thought I'ld comment, maybe it helps. ------------------ "Say i think u all need to chill out." (GAZ_NZ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crank_GS Posted October 5, 2000 Author Share Posted October 5, 2000 Thanks, all. McAuliffe, I would guess by your comments that the Königstiger was mover from Aberdeen to the Patton Museum sometime in the early 80s, thence to Münster. Does anybody know if this is true? Or were there in fact 2 King Tigers in the US? I know that the number painted on it and the camo paint job are meaningless, because they are re-painted by the museum. But it is fairly well documented that 332 of the 501st is the King Tiger brought to America in 1945. I have somewhere a 1947 color picture of it sitting at Aberdeen - before being repainted. M Hofbauer, nobody said anything about Wittmann's Tiger - most of us probably know that he never took a Königstiger into battle. And that he was in 2 Kompanie, not 3. I only mentioned his name as a part of a book title. ------------------ Capt. Byron Crank, US Army Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Warphead- Posted October 5, 2000 Share Posted October 5, 2000 The Königstiger in Munster (not "Münster"; not every "u" is an "ü" in German ) definitely was in the USA once. The museum-pages mention it at http://www.panzermuseum.com/halle3/tour__pzkfw6-d.htm "Built 1944 at Henschel (Kassel), active at the front with 1./schwPzAbtlg 101 (Waffen-SS) in France, captured by US-forces in September 1944, followed by a transport to the USA, returned as a gift to the Kampftruppenschule 2 (KTS 2) of the Bundeswehr in 1960." (Rough translation of the history infos given on this page) Hope this helps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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