Amazing T-34/76 Recovery

[Berthier92]

In 1944, a few days after the German Forces retreated from a small village called Kurtna, in Estonia, a young boy discovers tank tracks leading into a pond from which several days after, air bubbles apeared on the surface.

In 1999, that young boy (obviously older now) mentioned what he saw to a local historical club, who investigated the pond using fathoms and a depth sounder, which proved there was indeed somthing down there that shouldn't be. Not being able to convince the government to pay to pull that mystery object out of the pond, it took a year to make enough funds to afford to try a recovery.

Divers who volunteered from other countries to help out, attached a steel rope to the objects hull. Due to bad weather and the soft ground, the operation was almost cancelled, however, a local contracter brought his 68 tonne bulldozer to the site and attached the rope to it and began hauling it out. It took 6 hours until a T-34/76 in german markings finally appeared and was pulled ashore.

The T-34/76 was in remarkable condition, there was next to no rust or corrosion (except hull machineguns and tank shells) and after an hours work on the engine, and a top-up of diesel and oil, they managed to get the engine started. True Russian engineering .

It turns out that the Germans had captured the tank in 1943, and during their retreat, they ran out of diesel, so the crew set the gears to neutral and let the tank roll into the pond and sink, therefore avoiding the Russians recapturing it.

Truely amazing .

[Vegard T]

I think this has been reviewed a couple times already on this forum, but thanks for sharing anyways.

[Paul D]

This has been circulating on the internet since 2000 when it was found and has featured on this forum quite a few times !! Our Forum Admin Dimas was present when the T34 was recovered.