DONE +++ 1:72 756M [SdKfz. 756(r)/KV-1B], Royal Hungarian Army, summer 1944

Dizzyfugu · October 31, 2020, 02:39:06 AM

Almost a whif-out-of-the-box, since Trumpeter offers a kit for the originally German SdKfz. 756(r), basically a modified KV-1 with a German gun and commander cupola. At least one captured KV-1 was modified and tested at Kursk, but what if Germany had devised a conversion kit for more captured tanks and supplied it, together with more KV-1s, to allies like Hungary?

Nothing complex, but the story is good...

Dizzyfugu · November 02, 2020, 12:39:04 AM

Things started moving, rapidly, since the Trumpeter KV-1 kit is a really simple affair. However, trouble struck when I tried to assemble the turret: mantlet and mount do not match at all and it took some lengthy cosmetic surgery to make the parts match and move. And it's still not O.K....

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); "348 (1H-083)", Royal Hungarian Army; August 1944 - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Assembly of parts has been finished and painting already started. Fit is good, only on the turret some PSR was necessary.

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); "348 (1H-083)", Royal Hungarian Army; August 1944 - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Sport21ing · November 02, 2020, 03:24:08 AM

Good

Dizzyfugu · November 02, 2020, 11:44:26 PM

Further progress with painting, weathering and first decals - lots of improvisation, since I want to give the tank oversized national markings in order to avoid frontline confusion and friendly fire.

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); "348 (1H-083)", Royal Hungarian Army; August 1944 - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); "348 (1H-083)", Royal Hungarian Army; August 1944 - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The paint scheme is quite colorful - inspired by Hungarian benchmark tanks and the Turan II at the Kubinka tank museum (yes, such exhibits have to be taken with a grit of salt), which also sports this kind of spotty scheme and pretty bright colors. Normally, Hungarian tanks were painted in an overall dark olive drab with streaks in red brown and sand added, but this more integral scheme was also used.

Dizzyfugu · November 03, 2020, 11:59:33 PM

Pace went down, because I decided to procure some extra decals for this build. In the meantime, decal application and more weathering made good progress, I also added some scratched tarpaulins and a headlight cover.

In the meantime I am "mentally" preparing two more submissions - an aircraft and probably another 1:72 tank.

Dizzyfugu · November 04, 2020, 09:43:46 AM

Current status (plus updates pics above):

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); "348 (1H-083)", Royal Hungarian Army; August 1944 - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

NARSES2 · November 05, 2020, 06:39:39 AM

I like the camouflage scheme Dizzy

Dizzyfugu · November 13, 2020, 12:17:11 AM

Hooray, missing parts arrived, so that #1 can proceed now, too.

Dizzyfugu · November 14, 2020, 01:09:25 AM

On the finish line!

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); "348 (1H-083)", Royal Hungarian Army; August 1944 - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Dizzyfugu · November 15, 2020, 04:09:56 AM

With some delay, here's the original #1 for this GB: a 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944.

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The KV-1 was the unsuspecting winner of a Soviet contract for a new heavy tank to replace the obsolete T-35A Multi Turreted Heavy Tank. The KV tank beat the SMK and T-100 to make it to mass production. Immediately prior to the invasion of the USSR in June 1941, roughly 508 KV-1 tanks were in Red Army service.
The KV-1 was an unpleasant surprise to the advancing Germans in June 1941, due to its excellent armor protection. The KV-1 quickly gained a fearsome reputation on the battlefield, being able to withstand point-blank shots from the standard 37mm anti-tank guns fielded by Germany. Many KV-1s returned from combat peppered with dents and gouges from ricochets which had failed to penetrate its armor. However, the KV-1s made little impact on the actual fighting during the months of Operation Barbarossa, with the exception of a small number of engagements. Poor crew training, poor logistical support and inept command and control meant that the Soviet tanks, including the mighty KV-1, where deployed in small packets that were easily swallowed and terminated by the better organized German units.

The KV-1 tank weighed 45 tons and was powered by the 660hp V2K engine. The suspension was the first Soviet use of torsion bars, and it consisted of six road wheels, a rear drive wheel, a large front idler wheel and three return rollers. The tank had a crew of five. Soviet engineers constantly updated the tank and, between 1941 and 1942, the armor was thickened from 90mm to 200mm in places. The firepower was improved too, from the 30.2 caliber long F-32 76.2mm gun, to the 42.5 caliber long 76.2mm Zis-5 gun. The F-32 gun could penetrate 50mm of armor at 1,000m, whereas the Zis-5 gun could penetrate 60mm of armor at the same range. In 1942, this made the gun a significant threat to most German tanks. However, the gun was similar to the one on the T-34 medium tank, which was far more mobile and far cheaper to build.

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1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

When the Wehrmacht first encountered the KV-1, they were horrified and greatly impressed with its capability to take extreme punishment from the main German tank and anti-tank guns of the time. Contrary to popular belief, there were only a handful of KV-1 tanks that were ever pressed into German service. The captured tanks were known as 'Beutepanzer' or trophy tanks.
In 1941, the Germans had a categorizing system for those units captured from the enemy, this was an "Ebeuten" number. The number for KV tanks of all sub-types was "E I". The overwhelming majority of these tanks were either dismantled at the roadside or returned to the Reich for museums or testing. However, there were some KV tanks pressed into Wehrmacht service.

The earliest known Beutepanzer KV-1s, which in the German numbering system were known as the Pz.KpfW KV-1a 753 (r) (r = Russia) were deployed in the Autumn of 1941. German changes were minimal, with most Beutepanzer KV-1s retaining the original Soviet radio and equipment, however, occasionally German radios and tool sets were issued. The most interesting German acquisitions were the two OKV-1 tanks pressed into service. The Kirov works in Leningrad had manufactured six prototype flame throwing KV tanks, with a flame unit in the hull. All were used in combat, and two were subsequently pressed into Wehrmacht service after their capture.
Between 1941 and 1943, the German army likely dealt with thousands of lost KV tanks, of which perhaps several hundred were captured in working condition. It is thought however that less than 50 KV-1 tanks were pressed into German service. A multitude of factors can explain this, from lack of spare parts, to German overconfidence in their own tanks, to ideological doctrine that viewed anything manufactured by a Slavic race to be inferior.

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Nevertheless, a small number of selected KV-1 was converted for field tests at the front, and in order to develop a standardized pattern. This specific model was called the the Sd.Kfz 756(r) and based upon the 1942 KV-1B model, manufactured at Factory 100 Chelyabinsk (ChTZ). It was fitted with the applique armor on the nose and on the glacis plate which increased the armor up to 200mm (7.9 in) thick in places. It was equipped with the lightweight cast turret. Sometimes, this model also carried a heavyweight cast, or simplified welded turret. Standard armament remained the same, being the 76mm ZiS-5 gun. The construction work was carried out by the maintenance battalion of Panzer Regiment 204 of the 22nd Panzer Division.

The most drastic modification was the alteration made to the main armament. The original Soviet 76mm ZiS-5 gun was removed to make way for the German's own 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43. This gun was derived from the 7.5cm PaK 40, a towed anti-tank gun that entered service in 1942. In 1942-43, the gun was also mounted on Germany's main medium tank, the Panzerkampfwagen IV, replacing the short barreled 7.5cm KwK 37 howitzer. It was a deadly weapon, with a wide range of ammunition types that included Armor Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap (APCBC), Armor-Piercing Composite Rigid (APCR) and High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT). The APCBC was its most deadly round, with a 990 m/sec muzzle velocity, capable of piercing 80 mm (3.15 in) of armor at 2.000 m. At this time, the 7.5cm KwK L/43 was a rare gun, as only 135 Panzers were equipped with it, and probably the weapons used for the Sd.Kfz 756(r) conversion were salvaged from other tanks that had been irreparably damaged in action, but retained an operable gun. With this modification, the Sd.Kfz 756(r) was intended as somewhat of an 'Anti-KV' or 'Anti-T-34' vehicle. The Soviets' own 76mm Gun could not penetrate the front of a standard KV-1 (without 200mm armor) or T-34 at 1000m, but the German 7.5cm could handle both. Putting this gun on a chassis the 76mm could not penetrate would prove deadly to any Soviet vehicle facing it.

Though the ZiS gun was removed, the mantlet was retained. The new gun was posted through the void breach first and mounted into position, complete with its coaxial MG 34 machine gun. It is unknown as to what internal modifications took place concerning the placement of the trunnions and elevation/depression gears, since neither vehicle nor any construction drawings survived.
Being the more powerful gun, the KwK 40 was larger in the breach than the ZiS. The 7.5cm shell was 100mm longer than the 76mm shell of the ZiS, meaning the breach was also 100mm longer, and considerably less rounds (78 vs. 114) could be stored. Recoil length would also have been longer, meaning there was even less room behind the gun, and the KV-1's turret was – despite the tank's huge bulk - not very spacious.

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

However, minor modifications were also made to the turret. Salvaged commander's cupola from either a Panzer III or Panzer IV were added atop the turret, but this was not added over the original commander's hatch at the rear of the turret. A new hole was cut in the roof towards the right front of the turret, and the cupola added above it. This cupola gave the commander far better visibility, allowing him to spot targets, navigate terrain and observe friendly units easier. On the left, a protected air filter was added, another German standard piece.

At least one Sd.Kfz 756(r)s was operated by German forces at the Eastern front and took actively part at Kursk, even though details of the deployment remain obscure. However, the tests must have been successful, because the Sd.Kfz 756(r) was standardized. It was not adopted by the German army, though, because German doctrine would not allow the KV-1 as a standard panzer within the own ranks. Instead, complete conversion kits were produced in a limited number for allied forces. The Germans already had a number of captured examples in their arsenal which they were more than willing to part with. With this background, Hungary became the biggest operator or the Sd.Kfz 756(r). About 25 conversion kits were delivered to the Institute of Military Technology of the Hungarian Army (HTI) and the DIMÁVAG factory, where KV-1s of various standards, both captured by Hungarian forces, but mostly delivered from Germany, were revamped in the course of late 1943 until summer 1944. The only local adaptation was the use of Hungarian 8 mm Gebauer 34/40.M machine guns instead of Soviet or German weapons.

Within the Royal Hungarian Army, the tank was known as 756M "Kalapács" (= Hammer) and served alongside weaker and obsolete vehicles like the indigenous 40M "Turán" medium tank, light Panzer 38(t)s delivered from Germany or the light 38M "Toldi" tank. The total number of conversions remains unclear, but less than twenty (probably only a dozen) modified tanks reached frontline units. The 756Ms primarily served in the defense of Budapest in late 1943 and, after its fall, in the defense of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The supply of usable KV-1 hulls for conversions was unreliable, though, and resources for the modifications scarce, so that 756M production was rather erratic, even though the 756M's firepower and armor was direly needed. Hungary also worked on an indigenous heavy tank with promising potential, the 44M "Tas", but it did not proceed beyond the mock-up stage and only two were partially built until August 1944. With the advance of the Red Army into Hungary the project was eventually dropped.
Germany, in order to mend the situation, supplied the Hungarian Army in 1944 with the heavy tanks it needed to fight Soviet T-34s and heavier/new types, in the form of a small number of the famed Tiger tanks, even though this was rather a symbolic gesture. In German service, the Tiger had, despite its firepower and heavy armor, turned out to be technically complex, and therefore unreliable and expensive to build and maintain, so that the original Tiger was quickly replaced with the more sophisticated Tiger II and the medium and heavy tanks of the E-Series. The former German Tigers, which had served on the Eastern front beforehand, gradually replaced the leftover 756Ms and other captured KV-1s in Hungarian service. By early 1945, no Hungarian 756M remained operational.

Specifications:
Crew: Five (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio-operator/hull machine gunner)
Weight: 45 tonnes
Length: 7.70 m (25 ft 2 ¾ in) incl. gun facing forward
6.75 m (22 ft 2 in) hull only
Width: 3.32 m (10 ft 11 in)
Height: 2.81 m (9 ft 2 1/2 in)
Suspension: Torsion bar

Armor:
30 – 90 mm (1.18 – 3.54 in)

Performance:
Maximum road speed: 38 km/h (26 mph)
Off-road speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
Operational range: 200 km (140 mi) on road
Power/weight: 13 hp/tonne

Engine:
1× Model V2 V12 diesel engine, 600 bhp (400 kW)

Armament:
1× 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43 gun with 78 rounds
2-3× 8 mm Gebauer 34/40.M machine guns with a total of 3.000 rounds

1:72 756M "Kalapács" (Panzerkampfwagen Sd.Kfz 756(r)/modified KV-1B); vehicle "348 (1H-083)" of the 1st Cavalry Division, Royal Hungarian Army; Great Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) near Kecskemét, August 1944 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A rather simple project, but the outcome looks good. The bright camouflage is unusual for a KV-1 (somehow looks a little Japan-esque?), and the Hungarian markings add to this exotic look. Not unbelievable, I think?

Old Wombat · November 15, 2020, 04:20:39 AM

Nice work, Dizzy! Looks really good in that scheme, too!

Dizzyfugu · November 15, 2020, 04:25:47 AM

Thank you very much. The idea was to create a KV-1 with a very different look - and with the high contrast tri-color scheme this works very well. It really looks unusual, but not unplausible.

NARSES2 · November 15, 2020, 06:40:56 AM

That's very nice Dizzy and personally I think the scheme makes it

buzzbomb · November 15, 2020, 01:42:35 PM

Yep.. that works. Nice colours

Rheged · November 15, 2020, 01:53:22 PM

Looks good (but then, your backgrounds always make the model look good) and a detailed and plausible backstory.