Kursk 2006

Hello, I am sorry for being a little bit late, but I just noticed this section on this forum. Last month in Czech republic was reenactment tank battle named Kursk 2006. There were some 500 soldiers, 14 tanks and 12 halftracks and armored cars. Hope, You enjoy these photos:

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/myrecek/Kursk%202006/

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/myrecek/Famo/

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/myrecek/Praga/

Hello Miro,

Thanks for letting us know about such an interesting event. That FAMO is surely an awesome sight!
Cheers,

Ruy

Yes, I already knew, that it is BIG, and I expected it - but anyway, I was surprised, that it is SO HUGE!

Wow!
That is some serious reenactament!
Are the "Tigers" on loan from a film studio? Because they are obviously modiffied T34s, the type used in numerous film productions, such asa "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers"
Also, I bet the SdKfz 251 C's are in fact czech OT-810s, of which extensive numbers still exist.
As for the FAMO, it's good to see a working one.. most halftrack in museums (like the one at the MMN) have missing parts and are far from functional.

This post has been edited by Wings_of_wrath on September 13, 2006 05:55 pm

There were 4 Tigers, all were based on T-34 and as far as I know, they are all from private hands - but they are sometimes loaned to film studios.
As for halftracks - all were less or more modified OT-810´s, except one. The vehicle with license plate WH-1274920 (2nd page of my Kursk photoalbum) was real wartime SdKfz 251 Ausf. D - it is from the same private collection as FAMO. The owner has several wrecks of trucks and other vehicles and he is currently restoring Hetzer (wartime, not postwar one). He has also SdKfz 7 in working order.

Then the latest book of MBI Publishing comes very handy, I bet.

I made a series of photos of a Hetzer exhibited here, in Canada, which were included in the aforementioned book.

Gen. Dénes

Yes, I think, that it will be very useful for him. People from tank museum Lesany finished restoration of one Hetzer this year (pictures of this machine are also in MBI book), so this will be the second Hetzer restored in Czech republic in recent time.
I found few pictures of this machine at one Czech forum:













And here is repaired place, where this Hetzer was hit in WW2 - just above the wheels:

I guess that the engine presented here has something to do with the 2 hetzer's that you mention... http://www.armytech.com/ (got the link from AHF)

Also I know that in the Czech Republic there are also a PzKpfz IV and a T 34/76 both in running condition.

Yes, it is the one from tank museum Lesany (Leshany), which is already finished. And again yes, PzKpfw IV and T-34/76 are both in running condition and they are both from the same museum. They also have LT vz.38 and some other stuff regularly shown running at Tank Day (each year at the end of the summer).

Amazing stuff Miro. Thanks for posting the photographs taken during the restoration of that Hetzer. I plan to visit the Lešany museum early next year if everything goes as planned.
By the way, back in 1992 I saw and photographed the PzKpfw IV stored at the Kbély aviation museum. Many things had changed when I returned to Kbély in 1992. Miro, can you please tell me whether the PzKpfw IV I saw and the one currently in running condition are the same?

Miro, could you post a photo with that LT-38 from these days? LT-38 is my preffered tank.

Thank you,

Iama

On this website You can find some photos from Tank Day 2005 at Lesany museum. There are pictures of LT-38 and Panzer IV as well:

http://www.valka.cz/galerie/thumbnails.php?album=250

Ruy,
I am almost sure, that this Panzer IV was in Kbely museum in 1992. There were several AFV's, which were later moved to Lesany, since Kbely became pure aircraft museum. Panzer IV was completely repaired with new schurzen added.

As for LT-38 - I have several pictures of the machine from Banska Bystrica museum. When I will find them, I can post them as well.

Wow. It's rare to see a fully restored, functioning PzIV, even though it apears as if it broke down during the show...
More puzzling is the plane seen doing a fly-by . It looks like a Macchi MC 200 Saetta, but from what I know, there aren't any functional in the world..
Also, did they fire any panzerfausts by any chance? I thought I saw a discarded rocket in one of the pictures....

This post has been edited by Wings_of_wrath on September 15, 2006 03:46 pm

Maybe it broke down - I don't know, because I wasn't there in 2005. But I saw this Panzer IV at other action and I remember thick black smoke from exhuasts. It hasn't original engine and this one as a replacement is probably not working very well.

I think, that the plane is Jak-11 trainer painted to represent wartime Lavochkin La-7 with radial engine. This particular plane is common sight at such actions in Czech republic.

Jak-11. Of course!

I must have been on drugs or something not to recognise it, especially since I've seen the type on many ocasions... But it sure looks quite similar to a Saetta in that picture, and after all, the Italians did fight on the Eastern Front.