Kummersdorf was also the location for the analyses, studies and testing of various German-captured Allied tanks and armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). Many
tanks from all combat-fronts, from North Africa to the Eastern Front, were tested there, with
American tanks being multiple variant-models of the
M4 Sherman tank, the
M3 Lee, the
M10 tank destroyer, amongst several others, and
Soviet tanks consisting of the
T-34 (the mainstay of Soviet armoured forces) and the
T-28 medium tanks, the SU-series of self-propelled artillery/guns (such as the SU-85) and the
IS-2 heavy tank, just to list a few. There were also
British tanks there, including a
Churchill tank fitted with a Y-shaped exhaust outlet (an early variant-model of the Churchill) for deep-wading and amphibious operations which was used at the
Dieppe Raid, along with many
Matilda I and
Matilda II infantry tanks (with the former being largely seized following the evacuation of Allied troops at Dunkirk and the latter from both Dunkirk as well as in North Africa). There were also many
French tanks there as well, such as the
Char B1 heavy tank. Also, an
Italian Carro Armato P40 heavy tank was present at Kummersdorf. The
Wehrmacht also tested new
German tanks there, including the
VK 4501 (P) (the losing
Porsche-hulled competitor for the
Tiger I production contract), the
Hetzer tank destroyer, the
Panzer V Panther medium tank, the
Tiger II heavy tank, possibly the
VK 4502 (P), and the 188-tonne
Panzerkampfwagen Maus super-heavy tank.
Albert Speer refers to the tanks testing station at Kummersdorf during the 1942 offensive against the Soviet Union. The station showed that the treads or motor of a heavy tank need repairs every 400–500 miles. This was a limiting factor in the offensive as supply lines became stretched and spare parts carried by the tanks were consumed. In late 1944, a unit was formed, and at a meeting in the Fuhrer's headquarters it was referred to as tank company "Kummersdorf". This unit consisted of three tank platoons (mostly still mobile), one recon platoon of armored vehicles, an infantry (Grenadier) platoon and one tank platoon, consisting of a
Tiger II, a single
Jagdtiger heavy tank destroyer, two American
Shermans, the
Carro Armato P 40 Heavy Tank and several
Borgward IVs armed with machine guns. According to a
Telex on April 4, 1945, at least part of a tank company should have been transferred to the district of Dresden. Non-mobile equipment, including a
VK 4501 (P) took part in combat south-east of Kummersdorf, where they and workers, civilians and other people at the facility were thrown together to make a makeshift grenadier unit. By the battles end, the VK 4501 (P) had destroyed a single T-34 and the Grenadiers had destroyed several others, a nearby
88 mm (8.8 cm) flak gun destroyed another advancing T-34. The entire unit failed in their mission and dispersed into the nearby woods. Another tank unit was formed at Kummersdorf and participated in combat on April 21, 1945. The fighting took place to the south in the direction of
Baruth, with the objective of stopping the
1st Ukrainian Front, coming from the direction of
Golßen. Joining up with Battle Group Käther with 43 vehicles, including one
Panzer V Panther. During the fighting near the settlement of Baruth, the entire unit was destroyed by the Russian forces. The fate of the tanks left at the facility is unknown, though some information suggests that several American made tanks were sent to
Panzer Brigade 150, being used in
Operation Greif. A
T-35 Heavy Tank became a member of Combat Group Ritter, who fought in the area of
Zossen, it was quickly knocked out in combat. It is also believed that a
Renault Char D2 saw combat in the Zossen area. There is also a photo of knocked out
British Cruiser tanks sitting next to a knocked out
Panther, which was taken on the outskirts of Berlin, these were believed to be from Kummersdorf. On March 9, 1945 the commander of Army Group Vistula signed the order for all tanks still at Kummersdorf to be sent away in parts to the occupying defences around
Stettin. What became of these tanks is still unknown. ==See also==