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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2011 - 11:51 AM UTC
I happened across this photo, while researching the Panzer IV. The mineroller is on a earlier Panzer IV. Does anybody have any more information on this mineroller or any other ones implemented by Germany during WWII?
GaryKato
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Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2011 - 01:58 PM UTC
According to Panzer Tracts #14: Armored Combat Engineer Vehicles, that mine roller was developed by Krupp but was found to be too difficult to steer.
dmiles
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Queensland, Australia
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Posted: Friday, October 14, 2011 - 12:59 AM UTC
According to Encyclopaedia of German Tanks of World War Two (which shows the picture you have posted) it is a Panzerkampfwagen IV mit Minenrollern (Pz, Minenräumgerät IV). The front rollers cleared a path for the tracks while the trailing rollers detonated the mines between the path swept by the front rollers. An Ausf C was used as the trial vehicle.
Bodeen
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Pennsylvania, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 12:14 AM UTC
According to Otto Carius, in his book "Tigers in the Mud", even the Tigers received mine rollers during the battle of Narwa on the Eastern Front but the crews refused to use them because they slowed the tank down too much.
That is a very cool picture. It would make for a very interesting conversion.
I have the VM kit of the T-34 85 with the huge mine roller. It's pretty impressive.

Thanks for sharing.

Jeff
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