Finland's tanks

[Gud]

I just saw vehicle list for Axis a few topics below and I see that some Finn tanks are not included...

Apart from T-28 (which we have to live without, IMO T-34 M40 is close proxy since it has same gun and similoar armour), Finns had two KW's, two ISU-152 and one T-50. Also, the Panzer IV H (Panssar IV) arrived too late to fight against the Soviet - ironically enough they were used in Lapland War against Germans in late 1944...

[Ex-WWIIOL Player]

Finlands Tanks available May 31, 1941

11 BA-20

10 BA-10

1 Landsverk 182

29 T-37

13 T-38

26 T-26E (Vickers 6-ton with 45 mm)

10 T-26 Model 1931

20 T-26 Model 1933

4 T-26 Model 1937

2 T-28

2 OT-26

4 OT-130

62 Komsomolets

1 Vickers M 1933

1 Vickers Mk III

4 FT-17

30 StuG III purchased in 43

29 StuG III purchased in 44

15 PzKpfw IV purchased in 44

[Gud]

The KW's and ISU were captured during the Continuation War (1941-1944). Al KW's, ISU's, T-34's and T-28's served in one unit called Raskas Psv Pat.

(Russian Tank Unit).

[Jarmo]

I thought there was just one KV-1?

Anyway, I'd hope it could be included in a patch since it was present in some important battles.

And if the side change is not in (no finns fighting germans)

the PzIV could be patched out? But since IS-3 is in too...

[Juha Ahoniemi]

Jarmo, check this out: http://www.skalman.nu/third-reich/axis-fi-army-sov-tanks.htm

I already put that link among others to "axis vehicle list"-thread. Quite good and accurate list IMO.

Yes there was 2 KV's, different models, and both are at Parola museum.

-Juha

[Jarmo]

So it seems. I'll add a link to Nabla thread on finnish OOB.

http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=23;t=000987

[Gud]

One of the JSU's was lost three days afer it's capture. The other fought with great success against advancing Soviets. The solitary T-50 was recon tank for the unit. It's also in that Finn museum.

[Jarmo]

Having the KV would be cool, since (as far as I know) the only finnish "heavy tank company" in existence was built of KV (KV's?) T-28's and a T-34.

Am I right in that the "company" was thrown pretty much everywhere where

the fighting is toughest? (Or when the Stugs were unavaillable)

Hard to model the company with only T-34's.

[Ari Maenpaa]

Here are the Finnish KV-1s photographed couple of days ago at the Armor Museum in Parola:

KV-1 m 1942

This one was captured at the River Svir Power Station in April 1942.

The tank took part in the battle of Portinhoikka, in the Karelian Isthmus in 1944, when a Red Army T-34 fired on it with 85 mm gun. The traces can still be seen on the front armor (marked with red):

The 85 mm wasn't enough to knock it out although the crew went deaf for a moment.

And the other one:

KV-1E m 1941

This tank was captured near the town of Petrozovodsk in late 1941. It is painted with the Finnish camouflage color from the Continuation War.

Let me know if the pics are too big and I'll try to post smaller ones.

Ari

[ParaBellum]

Great pics, thx for posting!

[wbs]

From Ari Maenpaa:

KV-1E m 1941

This tank was captured near the town of Petrozovodsk in late 1941. It is painted with the Finnish camouflage color from the Continuation War.

Question: What was the "Continuation War"? Would I perhaps know it by a different name?

[Juha Ahoniemi]

Question: What was the "Continuation War"? Would I perhaps know it by a different name?

Finns considers the campaign against Soviet Union alongside with the Germans simultaneously with the barbarossa as "the continuation war" because Finns were determined to take back what they have lost in the winter war. It was thought as a continuation to the winter war.

Juha

[ September 24, 2002, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Juha Ahoniemi ]

[wbs]

Ok, thanks