Author: Melcher Stikkelorum
Haustenbeck’s Heritage: Journey of Tiger II V2
For the past two years, I have been working on a series of articles on Henschel’s test site at Haustenbeck. So far, I have covered the origin and use of the site, as well as most of the vehicles that were present during and after the war. All these articles have paved the way for…
The Loss of a TOS
After the start of the unjust invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, we have already seen large numbers of Russian armoured vehicles pouring into the country. Alarm was raised again last Saturday when a CNN crew captured the transport of a TOS-1A flamethrower south of Belgorod en route to Ukraine. This Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)…
![[Video] Tiger II V2 Extra: On the Move](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI2MDE2IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQwMDAiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA2MDE2IDQwMDAiPjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEwMCUiIHN0eWxlPSJmaWxsOiNjZmQ0ZGI7ZmlsbC1vcGFjaXR5OiAwLjE7Ii8+PC9zdmc+)
[Video] Tiger II V2 Extra: On the Move
On January 14, 2020, Tiger II V2 was placed in the Nationaal Militar Museum, the Netherlands. The plan was for it to stay till September 2021. Due to the COVID-19 situation, plans changed, however, and the loan was extended several times, until January 2022. Tiger II V2 served as one of the highlights of the…
![[Book] Sturmtiger: The Combat History of Sturmmörser Kompanies 1000-1002 by Archer and Haasler](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI1NDcyIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjM2NDgiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA1NDcyIDM2NDgiPjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEwMCUiIHN0eWxlPSJmaWxsOiNjZmQ0ZGI7ZmlsbC1vcGFjaXR5OiAwLjE7Ii8+PC9zdmc+)
[Book] Sturmtiger: The Combat History of Sturmmörser Kompanies 1000-1002 by Archer and Haasler
The Sturmtiger, although only produced and employed in small numbers, easily rivals the Tiger’s fame. This vehicle was used in three specially created units, Sturmmörser-Kompanien 1000, 1001 and 1002. In their new book “Sturmtiger: The Combat History of Sturmmörser Kompanies 1000-1002” Lee Archer and Timm Haasler aim to tell the story of these units. From…
What’s in a name? From Tiger II to Königstiger
As is customary with German tanks, the successor to the Tiger I received many names. Initially, the new tank was named VK 45.03 (H), or Tiger III. Because the VK 45.02 (H), the original Tiger II, was cancelled, the Tiger III was later renamed back to Tiger II. In technical contexts, the same tank was…
Minenräumgerät “Dreschflegel”
In the course of the Second World War, mines proved to be one of the most effective weapons to thwart an enemy tank offensive from the outset. It was often the case that thousands of mines were laid as part of defensive lines, to consolidate key points and slow down the enemy. Clearing mines by…
Buffel & Kodiak – Leopard 2 Variants
On the motorway, I was pleasantly surprised by a convoy of Boxer AFVs. I could not have imagined that an even bigger surprise was waiting for me at the next lay-by. By chance, two low loaders of the Dutch army carrying specialized Leopard 2 variants were parked here. In this short post, we take a…
Tiger II V2 Extra: Off the Beaten Track
The size of my original article on Tiger II V2 got a little out of hand. To keep the length down, the section with a comprehensive background on Tiger II tracks is published here as a separate article for the tech-savvy readers. Being a test vehicle, it is not surprising that Tiger II V2 covered…
Haustenbeck’s Heritage: Jagdtiger 305 004’s Journey
A rare beast on any account, this particular Jagdtiger is unique in being the only surviving specimen featuring Porsche’s alternative suspension design. How did this vehicle make its way from a small town in Austria to Henschel’s proving ground in Senne to finally arrive at its final destination: the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK?…
![[Resource] D 655/27 Die Pantherfibel](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI0NDM1IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjI4NDgiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA0NDM1IDI4NDgiPjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEwMCUiIHN0eWxlPSJmaWxsOiNjZmQ0ZGI7ZmlsbC1vcGFjaXR5OiAwLjE7Ii8+PC9zdmc+)
[Resource] D 655/27 Die Pantherfibel
Apart from the infamous Tigerfibel (D 656/27) for the Tiger, there was an equally richly illustrated for its younger cousin the Panther, called the Pantherfibel. These richly illustrated manuals taught the Panther-crews everything they should know about their respective tasks and their vehicle. Although parts of the Tigerfibel were in rhyme, especially the motto sections,…
Rüstungstagung in Hillersleben
In this article I’d like to discuss a relatively unknown armaments conference, held at the Hillersleben artillery range on June 6 and 7, 1943. This Rüstungstagung was presided by Reichsminister Albert Speer and attended by leaders from the armaments industry, high-ranking Nazi officials as well as senior officers. Unlike during the regular Vorführungen neuer Waffen,…
Haustenbeck’s Heritage: Taking Inventory
In this second part of the “Haustenbeck’s Heritage” series, we will take a look at which vehicles were still present on the site after the war. All vehicles are described one by one in the sections below. Some of these vehicles were eventually taken back to England for further inspection. I will write more about…
![[Video] Tiger II V2 Extra: On the Move](https://panzerplace.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/IMGP9835.jpg)
![[Book] Sturmtiger: The Combat History of Sturmmörser Kompanies 1000-1002 by Archer and Haasler](https://panzerplace.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/P1040032.jpg)
![[Resource] D 655/27 Die Pantherfibel](https://panzerplace.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/IMGP4971.jpg)
