Com-Central.net

hello all

just watched the three-part documentary "Stalingrad", and I noticed what appeared to be Matildas in Russian use. I've never heard of this before, but then again I am no armour expert. Of course, this could be a mistaken use of stock footage, but where would Matildas ever have operated in the snow? You'd think that the British would want all they could get for North Africa at the time.

any info appreciated.

greg v.

I believe Britain sent a number of their tanks to Russia. Even ones like Covenator, Churchill, etc.

I remember reading that the British sent Matildas and Churchills among other tanks.

The Soviets did not like the Matilda or the Churchill. The covered trackways would get clogged with mud (and snow) and hinder operation.

The Russian Battlefield says the USSR received over 1000 Matildas.

Hi All;

An EXCELLENT web site that cover all Lend-Lease shipments to Russia can be found at:-

www.o5m6.de

Oliver Missing of Germany gives figures, dates, photo, illustrations, you name it. Even a map showing the routes they used to reach Russia.

George Bradford

thanks guys!

very interesting, I had no idea.

cheers

greg v.

- George_Bradford

Hi All;

An EXCELLENT web site that cover all Lend-Lease shipments to Russia can be found at:-

www.o5m6.de

Oliver Missing of Germany gives figures, dates, photo, illustrations, you name it. Even a map showing the routes they used to reach Russia.

George Bradford

Little addition of Olivier Missing info:

- In Red Army used Matilda III, IIICS, IV, IV CS;
- typical lend-lease Matilda have original Khaki Drab color, factory marking and WD-numbers. All simple - WD-numbers need for post-war checking.
- First Matildas arrived in USSR in 11 october 1941. Also with Matildas arrived first Valentines. Tanks used in Battle of Moscow.
- One of biggest lack of Matilda constuction - 2-pdr gun withount HE ammo. For infantry support tank is't a nonsense. Soviet engineers try to replace this gun to 76-mm F-96 (modification of ZIS-5 gun from KV-1), but it's only tests...
- Last combat using of Matildas in Red Army - end of 1943. From 1944 used only for training units.

Some profiles of lend-lease Matildas:
"Tank of Four Heroes"

Matilda III of 5-th Mechcorps, South Front, fall 1943

Matilda IVCS of 5-th Mechcorps, South Front, fall 1943. Matilda from Kubinka right now have current paintscheme



P.S. George, i send to you four e-mails in last two months. Mail server sent messages back...

Nice info. However, note that there was no such thing as "Khaki Drab" despite what has crept into modelling circles. This was a term coined by BT White (?) to distinguish British SCC15 versus US Olive Drab.

But factory fresh SCC15 looked like US OD.

For Matildas (I and II), they were painted either G3 (light bronze green #22) or G4 (deep bronze green #24).

Source is Mike Starmer's latest research:
www.mafva.org.uk/PDF/B...flage1.pdf

HTH

That (now pretty old - came out in 2002?) tactical combat sim "Combat Missoin :Barbarossa to Berlin" included the Matilda among its listing of 3-D Soviet tanks to play with. Oh God, what an AWFUL beast to try to fight with in that game, especially compared to the contemporary T34 or PzIV. Sometimes you really DO find it useful to be able to move at something above walking speed! How long was Matilda II's front-line service life (not including Australia) - something like two years?