berni82 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hallo, do you have same information obout germany civil car opel P4 rebuilted as a tank (at the WW2). I have same photos of this and I dont know the reason of this. Do you know the history of this project? (I have same photo of opel 1.2 -1932/5 masked as a tank even). than you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels v Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 There was a opel p4 that was armoured with boiler plates by a guy how used it to escape from east germany, it is in a museum near Check point charlie in Berlin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Can you post some photographs, please? I wonder if you are referring to the dummy tanks (Panzerattrappe) used as training aids during the German re-militarization. The publishers Tankograd have published a book on the subject (Whermacht Special 4013) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I think this might well be PanzerAttrappe as I've seen photos Opel P4s converted as such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 there are a few smallish photos of practically all inter war Panzertrappes in the book Panzerwaffe vol 1 which deals with the evolution of the Panzerwaffe from WW1 to the Polish war. The Panzertrappes went on many bases depending on the purpose. From fixed a/t targets to skidding targets and wheeled "vehicles" from twin bicycles -side by side to those mounted on light cars to give the impression of proper tank movements at least on the road. Unfortunately I can't upload anything as I have reconfigured the puter and the scanner won't work:computerrage: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berni82 Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berni82 Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berni82 Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 one nice. BMW Dixi in the back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berni82 Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 But, I am not sure, if this car was built for training of drivers (for example of drivers of real tanks), or it was built as a dummy simulating real tank/amoured car (but, why they used opel p4, it is very small car??? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mash Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Looks like it is shaped to be similar to the FT17, maybe they were trying to lure in allied armour into an ambush?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) A Panzerattrappe is a dummy tank. The German Army extensively used them for a variety of training purposes, from basic armoured vehicle familiarisation through to anti-tank warfare. Heroic as the German soldiers could be, they were not used in action. Edited March 10, 2011 by mcspool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 berni82 But, I am not sure, if this car was built for training of drivers (for example of drivers of real tanks), or it was built as a dummy simulating real tank/amoured car They were purely training aids and those shown were during the Weinmar republic 1919 to 1933, when germany was legally forbidden to have tanks under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles 1919. The Wienmar Army had links with other countries and had developed some tanks, Leichter Traktor and Grosstratkor are examples and were tested at Kaznan in USSR. (but, why they used opel p4, it is very small car??? ) Economy the inter war period was extremely difficult the economy colasped (because of war reparations) even before the gobal economic crash of 1929. mash Looks like it is shaped to be similar to the FT17, The Panzertrappe reflect the style of tanks either developed at the end of the Great War or were tested in secret in the Soviet union. most of these are based on LK3 which was developed in 1918 and was actually based on a heavy car chassis. LK3 was based on designs influenced by the Renault FT but were significantly different -The components to build LK2-3s were sold off to Sweden in 1920 after being hidden in railway trucks and moved around to stop the Allied commison finding them. These components were developed into the STRV m21/29 the first swedish tank. Some also found there way to Hungary -which was also under the Allied demilitrisation control and the components were again hidden in railway trucks until the Allies lost interest -but nothing seems to have been done to put the 10 or so tanks into service with the Honved Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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