Picture of the day. (2 Viewers)

[michaelmaltby]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots guys!

 

[fastmongrel]

 

[michaelmaltby]

 

[Milosh]

Any thoughts on how the turret got displaced?

 

[v2]

…

 

[michaelmaltby]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wurger]

Any thoughts on how the turret got displaced?

There is a kind of a dent on the left rear part of the turret. Also some of cracking of the armour there can be noticed . So either it was a big shell or a large piece of rubble IMHO it was a shell.

 

[Peter Gunn]

Any thoughts on how the turret got displaced?

After looking quite long at the photo, I see no evidence of burn or blast on either the turret or the hull (from what is visible), the engine deck might be scorched or the photo is just dark back there, can't tell. Possible it is in the first stages of salvage? Turrets usually popped off and got a little further away when suffering catastrophic detonation of ammo etc.,than this one is, but that's not gospel.

I'd wager a large caliber (or several medium caliber <=76mm) hit(s) in the rear or perhaps the right side through the track area.

Just my two cents.

 

[Peter Gunn]

There is a kind of a dent on the left rear part of the turret. Also some of armour cracking can be seen too. So either it was a big shell or a large piece of rubble IMHO it was a shell.

View attachment 497237

As good of a reason as any. I believe the armor is 80-90mm thick on the turret sides so even if it didn't penetrate it's plausible that it was knocked off the way you say.

 

[Wurger]

Yes I thought the same. The shell didn't penetrate the turret but the impact was so huge it was enough to displace that.

 

[Peter Gunn]

Hans... better get OKW on the horn, they are NOT gonna' believe this...

With apologies to MM for stealing his photos...

 

[Milosh]

As good of a reason as any. I believe the armor is 80-90mm thick on the turret sides so even if it didn't penetrate it's plausible that it was knocked off the way you say.

Yes I was thinking dud shell as there appears to be no other damage from an explosion. Turret knocked rubble from the building to the rear deck.

 

[fastmongrel]

Found another image of same tank. The picture is captioned King Tiger destroyed on 10 august 1944 at Le Plessis Grimoult Normandy

 

[Peter Gunn]

Found another image of same tank. The picture is captioned King Tiger destroyed on 10 august 1944 at Le Plessis Grimoult Normandy

View attachment 497253

Well, now I'm not so sure, I noticed in the first photo this tank appears to have the early (wrongly named Porsche) turret which has/had a significant angle right there below the commanders hatch. The CO's hatch was on a bit of a tube shaped section of the turret which I think is evident in the second (fastmongrels) photo.

Hmm...

*EDIT*
After further review, I think in the first photo, the side of the turret is all white and the shape blends and gets lost, I don't think that's a dent, I think that's the curvature of the turret and aforementioned commanders hatch shape. That shape is evident right behind the G.I.s uh... behind. If you look to the right of his derriere you'll see the shape of the turret curving to accommodate the commander hatch.

 

[Milosh]

KNOCKING OUT A KING TIGER - The Tiger Collection

"The story is that a platoon from A Company, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, commanded by Major Harry Parker wandered into the place and came across two Tiger tanks, one being resupplied with ammunition from a lorry parked alongside along with another tracked vehicle present.

A rear view of the knocked out tank with a British soldier alongside looking suitably amazed.

Being armed with nothing more deadly than a two inch mortar, the crew, Lance Corporal Caswell and Private Taylor, lobbed a round into the back of the lorry, and the resulting explosions dislodged the turret of the German tank and set off an internal explosion. At which point the other Tiger appears to have cleared off.

 

[v2]

...

 

[fastmongrel]

Well, now I'm not so sure, I noticed in the first photo this tank appears to have the early (wrongly named Porsche) turret which has/had a significant angle right there below the commanders hatch. The CO's hatch was on a bit of a tube shaped section of the turret which I think is evident in the second (fastmongrels) photo.

Hmm...

*EDIT*
After further review, I think in the first photo, the side of the turret is all white and the shape blends and gets lost, I don't think that's a dent, I think that's the curvature of the turret and aforementioned commanders hatch shape. That shape is evident right behind the G.I.s uh... behind. If you look to the right of his derriere you'll see the shape of the turret curving to accommodate the commander hatch.

The turret is also covered in Zimmerit anti magnetic paste which probably distorts our view. German armour at this late stage of the war had become somewhat brittle particulary at welded joints, I cant see the armour plate bending without at least a weld cracking.