Tank Graveyards

Japanese Ha-go tank resting under the sea. 

Jagdpanther acting as a firing range target

Various wrecks of panzer IV and panther tanks. Just imagine what these would be worth now

Destroyed Tiger 1 tank. You can clearly see the torsion bar suspension system. 

Rusted up japanese tank

 Beautifully preserved rusty Japanese Chi-Ha tank on the battlefield

Wrecked Tiger Tanks

German Tiger and King Tiger tanks were some of the most feared tanks of World War 2. With their powerful 88mm guns, they could destroy any tank that faced them. A lack of fuel and superior numbers by the Allies inevitably whittled down their numbers. Here are some of the wrecks abandoned or destroyed on the battlefield.

Panzer III Minenraumer

This unusual modification for a Panzer III chassis was meant too have a high ground clearance because it was a mine clearer.

Panzer Graveyard

World war 2 German tanks are so rare nowadays. Here is small a panzer graveyard just after the war. It does contain alot of Panther tanks. These were probably melted down later to make Volkswagens or railroads.

If only the neighborhood dumpster looked like this

Tightrope Tank

Russian BT tank walks a tightrope

Abandoned Japanese Tanks

These Japanese tanks were recovered in a jungle where they were left during World War 2

Goliath Demolition Tank

It sounds ironic but like the Maus Super Heavy Tank, these tanks are anything but massive, so they were aptly named Goliath! It is a type of remote controlled demolition tank invented by the Germans during World War 2. They were designed to be steered by remote onto an enemy tank or a strong-point and to be detonated upon contact.

Demonstration of how Goliath tanks are used

German newsreel on the Goliath Tank

A soldier with his new toy

Piles of abandoned Goliath Tanks

Goliath Tank internals

British Tortoise Tank

The British Tortoise tank was designed to penetrate heavy defenses such as the Siegfried line. It weighed in at 78 tons and was the heaviest British tank built during World War 2. Today a restored example can be found at Bovington Tank Museum in the UK.

 Two trucks pulling the Tortoise Tank on a trailer

T-28 Super Heavy Tank

Developed at the end of World War 2; the American T-28 Super Heavy tank was designed to punch holes through heavy defensive fortifications like the Siegfried Line. Weighing in at 90 tons, it was so heavy that it needed 4 tracks to support its weight. It was very slow, but it was impenetrable to any Anti-tank weapon of the era. The war ended before it could see any combat.

German Maus Super Heavy Tank

    

The Germans were always at the forefront of tank design. They always wanted to make their panzers bigger and badder! This resulted in the heaviest tank ever made: The Maus (Mouse) superheavy tank. While most modern main battletanks only reach a maximum of 60 tons. The Maus superheavy tank weighed in at an earth shattering 180 tons! This also meant it had to drink alot of fuel so it wasn't a very mobile tank.

Maus tank with snorkel device

The steel behemoth was developed by Dr Ferdinand Porche and was to use a similar electrical-drive system he developed for the Elefant tank. It was to be armed with a 128mm main gun along with a 75mm secondary gun. The sheer weight of the Maus meant it couldn't use bridges so it had to go underwater when crossing rivers. It was equipped with a snorkel device.

It could have quickly destroyed any tank that came against it and was impervious to any anti-tank round of the era. Aside from rumors of it seeing action during the last days of the war, there is no evidence that this tank ever saw combat. For all  its supposed benefits, the tank was simply too expensive and thirsty to have been useful during the last days of World War 2.

The sole survivor Maus tank is located in Kublinka Tank Museum in Russia.

Maus Tank in the Kublinka Tank Museum showing hits on the front armor

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