Tank uncovered in Estonia

[Leon]

This WWII Russian tank with German markings was uncovered after 62 years. Even after 62 years (and a little tinkering), they were able to fire up the diesel engine!

A Komatsu D375A-2 bulldozer pulled the abandoned tank from its tomb under the boggy bank of a lake near Johvi, Estonia. The Soviet-built T34/76A tank had been resting at the bottom of the lake for 56 years. According to its specifications, it's a 27-ton machine with a top speed of 53km/hr.

From February to September 1944, heavy battles were fought in the narrow,50 km-wide, Narva front in the northeastern part of  Estonia  . Over 100,000 men were killed and 300,000 men were wounded there.

During battles in the summer of 1944, the tank was captured from the Soviet army and used by the German army. (This is the reason that there are German markings painted on the tank's exterior. On 19th September, 1944, German troops began an organized retreat along the Narva front. It is suspected that the tank was then purposefully driven into the lake to conceal it when its captors left the area.

At that time, a local boy walking by the lake, Kurtna Matasjarv, noticed tank tracks leading into the lake but not coming out anywhere. For two months he saw air bubbles emerging from the lake. This gave him reason to believe that there must be an armored, vehicle at the lake's bottom. A few years ago, he told the story to the leader of the local war history club 'Otsing'. Together with other club members, Mr. Igor Shedunov initiated diving expeditions to the bottom of the lake about a year ago. At the depth of 7 metres they discovered the tank resting under a 3 metre layer of peat.

Enthusiasts from the club, under Mr Shedunov's leadership, decided to pull the tank out.  In September of 2000 they turned to Mr. Aleksander Borovkovthe, manager of the Narva open pit company AS Eesti Polevkivi, to rent the company's Komatsu D375A-2 bulldozer. (Currently used at the pit, the Komatsu dozer was manufactured in 1995, and has recorded 19,000 operating hours without major repairs.)

The pulling operation began at  09:00 and was concluded at  15:00, with several technical breaks. The weight of the tank, combined with the travel incline, made for a pulling operation that required significant muscle. The D375A-2 handled the operation with power and style. The weight of the fully-armed tank was around 30 tons, so the active force required to retrieve it was similar. A main requirement for the 68-ton dozer was to have enough weight to prevent slippage while moving up the hill.

After the tank surfaced, it turned out to be a "trophy tank" that had been captured by the German army in the course of the battle at Sinimaed (Blue Hills) about six weeks before it was sunk in the lake. Altogether, 116 shells were found on board. Remarkably, the tank was in good condition, with NO RUST, and all systems (except the engine) in working condition. This is a very rare machine, especially considering that it fought both on the Russian and the German sides. Plans are underway to fully restore the tank. It will be displayed at a war history museum in the Gorodenko village on the left bank of the River Narv.

Preparing to pull it out:





Komatsu D375A-2 is ready to go:



Here it comes:



Through the muddy bank of the lake:







In mint condition:



Hosing off 62 years worth of muck:



Incredibly, after a few minor repairs, they were able to start its diesel engine!

[Blaker]

WOW!!   

This is a very cool recovery, and is such good shape to boot!

[OldenBUA]

Yeah, you got to love those peat bogs, real time capsules. But imagine what a find it would be if they had only found it a thousand years from now.

Then again, if that happened, it would probably end up labelled as a 'Tiger tank from the Hussite Wars, ca 2000 AD'. 

[Sandinista]

T34's  , now, if you could only have one tank what would it be?

[Maenoferren]

I will now be out on the peat bogs up here just in case 

[Leon]

I will now be out on the peat bogs up here just in case 

Tell us what you find...!

[Maenoferren]

Bugger could only find a MK1 Male, was looking for a T34. I however do know where there is a crashed Mosquito.

[Leon]

Bugger could only find a MK1 Male, was looking for a T34. I however do know where there is a crashed Mosquito.

Quite a few aircraft came down on the hills near us.  Dave used to go up there as a kid and remembers the wreckage still being there, but it's long gone now.  I would guess that if you had a good wander around the North Yorks Moors, you'd eventually find something.