I have been doing some research about the german behemoth known as the MAUS. I have seen it hinted a few times that one may have been use in the defence of Berlin. Is there any truth to this? I've read that the MAUS in Kubinka museum had no turret originally and that it was added later. Anyone have any light to shed on this subject?

Brian

From what I've read, they never saw combat

Brian, yes, those rumors have been circulating for years however, I honestly believe they wre simply that - rumors.

The reason the vehicle in Kubinka has a different turret, is because they captured both the prototype turret and the hull (with test turret) and decided to fit it with the former...Jim

Yeah as far as I know there were two vehicles built, one hull with a concrete weight to simulate the turret during trials, and the other one with a complete turret.
The one with the turret was blown up by the technicians shortly before the russian army reached the prooving grounds. Its´ turret remained undamaged and so the russians took this turret and attached it to the hull which had carried the concrete weight and shipped it to Kubinka.

I found this article. According to the article, both of these tanks left the prooving grounds to fight and one broke down and was destroyed. The other one was captured.
Check out the link
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/1167/emausber.html

Brian

Well that article could be true. Sounds realistic, but I guess that place was pretty far away from Berlin and even the Maus with the turret never actually saw combat.

Some impressive pictures of the recovery of the Maus by the Red Army here.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=47207&messageid=1097282886

Anyone got that many FAMOs?

a good Maus Link

http://freespace.virgin.net/shermanic.firefly/maus.htm