Maresal tank destroyer, development

Greetings
From what I have read on the Maresal, it was developed from the Soviet T-60 light tank. What is confusing me is that a 1/72 scale model of the Maresal by Kora Models shows it with the suspension of the Czech 38(t).
While the prototypes appear to have been with the T-60 suspension (wheels & tracks) was the actual production model to have Romanian made T-60 suspension or 38(t) suspension?

Thank you,

Stephen

The prototypes from M-00 to M-03 used T-60 suspension, wheels and tracks.

M-04: Rogifer suspension and wheels, widened T-60 tracks

M-05 and M-06: Rogifer suspension and wheels, CKD LT 38 tracks.

Thank you for the quick reply. Can you please help me understand what the Rogifer suspension and wheels looked like? Any photos I can see?

Thanks

Stephen

Hi Stephen,

As I understand it, there exist only two photos of the front of the last Maresal prototype and none of the others. Furthermore there are apparently no complete plans of any of the Maresal prototypes.

The drawing in "Third Axis, Fourth Ally" is marked "provisional". It uses the front photos mentioned above, but the sides, top and rear seem to be derived from no authoritative source. I would therefore suggest that any model of the vehicle can at best be inspired guess work.

Perhaps Kubinka contains more undiscovered details?

Cheers,

Sid.

There is a third one, but you you’ll have to wait for the last book in the “Dorobantul” collection about the tanks in the Romanian army.

The picture is not much, it is from a distance and the vehicle is moving towards the camera but you can see the right side of the vehicle.

The book is going to appear in a few months. I think...

This post has been edited by mihnea on December 08, 2005 09:43 pm

Thanks for the info.

I am looking forward for this book, which will certainly fill a significant gap in the Rumanian military historiography.

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on December 08, 2005 08:52 pm

Oops sorry, corrected the mistake.

I also hope so.

This post has been edited by mihnea on December 08, 2005 09:48 pm

Hi Mihnea,

Excellent! I look forward to this book too.

Cheers,

Sid.

The "M 05 Maresal Tank Destroyer" self propelled gun, during a driving test in the "Rogifer" Plant courtyard. Starting from the T 60 Soviet tank chassis, Romanian military and civilian engineers designed a new AFV, with different size and technical performance. It was equiped with the M. 1943, 75 mm. calibre, "Resita" antitank gun. On 23rd of August, 1944, the "0 series" production was in progress. The Germans have copied the model and in 1944 have produced the "Hetzer" tank destroyer self propelled gun at "C.K.D." plants. Bucharest, 1944. (Cristian Craciunoiu collection)

Cornel I. Scafes, Horia Vl. Serbanescu, Ioan I. Scafes, "Trupele blindate din Armata Romana 1919-1947", Muzeul Militar National, Bucharest, 2005.

I think the above statement is incorrect. The Hetzer was not a copy of the Maresal.

I don't think they meant a copy of the vehicle itself, but of the conception.

The design work of the 'Hetzer' was completed in December 1943. On January 24, the full-scale wooden mock up was finished.
The first three prototypes rolled off production line in March 1944.

Thus it appears that the two designs were developed more or less in parallel, the German-Czech team having a slight headstart.
In comparison, the 6-1/2 tonne initial 'Maresal' prototypes had less than half the weight of the 16-tonne 'Hetzer'.

It's hard to prove who influenced whom; however, it's quite possible that the information flow was two sided, the Germans acting as "couriers".

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on December 26, 2005 08:52 pm

The final design of the Hetzer was completed only in January 1944, months after the Maresal prototipes were ready.

Besides, the Germans themselves admitted afterwards that they were inspired by the Romanian vehicle.

I have a copy of a report made by Col. Davidescu, who accompanied 2 German tank experts (Ventz and Naymann) who came to see the prototype of the Maresal in January 1944.

The Germans were very impressed by the vehicle. All the aspects of the Maresal were tested and here are the conclusion of the Germans:

1. Weight. Maresal was considered to have a very good power to weight ratio and very good speed.

2. Armour. The Germans considered that the armour was enough to protect the crew against small arms and Soviet anti-tank rifles. They advised not to increase the armor because the best defence for a vehicle is speed and Maresal had a good speed. They were impressed by the original turtle-shape, low profile and easy to produce.

3. Gun. The Resita gun was considered good enough against any Soviet tank.

4. Ammo on board. Maresal carried less ammo than the Stug's but it was considered enough because the Resita gun had excellent balistic qualities, allowing it to fire more accurately.

5. Engine. Good.

6. Crew. It seems that Maresal had an original driving system allowing the driver to steer the vehicle with his feet and aim the gun with his hands, at the same time. The Germans were very intrigued by this system, requested several tests on the field and even drived the Maresal themselves. The verdict was that this system was effective and allowed the Maresal to have a only 2-man crew. Ventz said: "It is incredible that you found a way to reduce the crew, we failed to find such a solution all those years."

7. Off-road performance. The Germans thought that the distance to the ground is too low and requested several tests in muddy terrain but the Maresal performed well.

Before leaving, the 2 officers said that Maresal is a very good AFV and they learned a lot from it. Ventz said that after Romania will have 1000 Maresals the Romanian army will be much more effective, and the Maresal will prove to be "ein grosser Hetzer" for the Russians.

Incredibly low profile... almost a toy.

Doesn't this imply, however, that the Hetzer was already in existence while trials were barely being carried out for the Maresal?