Anti-Tank Dogs

[tankmad]

I read in the paper today about anti tank dogs during the second world war I never heard this story before does anyone else know about them here is what the paper said.
Anti-tank Dogs (1939-1945)
During world war two the russians faced the mechanical might of the german armys tanks so soviet engineers came up with the idea of canine mines or anti tank dogs.  The dogs fitted with expolsives would be starved before battles and trained to search for food under vehicles where they would explode.

But the biggest problem was the dogs often ran towards their own lines blowing up tanks on their own side.
Stevie

[fv432]

heard this story a little while ago still makes me chuckle somewhat

almost as good as the russian flying tank

[fv432]

seen here  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AntonovA40.jpg

also found this mmm conversion anyone?

[vonrundstedt]

Poor Lasie she thought she was rescueing a trapped boy. Funny, yet horrifying story. As for that air tank thingy???? obviously a T-34 with what looks like a Sukhoi Frog foot with two tails???

[Rivetcounter]

there are countless stories about the anti tank dogs, the Germans where horrified by the Russians using them as weapons, the Germans kept a constant visual looking for dogs and shot them on sight then worried about them carrying explosives

[Matdragon]

yes they were a somewhat failure, as they were trained to find food under tanks, and the tank the russians used to train the dogs with was a t-34, so when released in battle they looked under, the you guessed it, t-34's. to the dogs the tigers and other Panzer's were not the same target, they looked completely different.

Yes it seems mean, but when you put it this way, the choice between ferral and dieng dogs - or humans ? which life form is more important in the end ?

cheers,

Matt

edit: yes rivit your right, many german tanks even had there hull MG's replace with flamthrowers to stop the dogs

[Rivetcounter]

not entirely true Matt the Russians didn’t just have T34's and KV1's there ws a whole load of light tanks and the multi turreted tanks not to mention captured and knocked out tanks, the Russians did have some failures but they also had quite a few successes with the dogs it's my understanding that they run under anything trucks, tanks and halftracks hence the Germans being so tetchy don’t forget the average German had a Kar98 not an MP40 it was only in late 44 before the automatic weapons where widely available this includes various semi-automatic rifles like the Gwre43, in truth the German where terrified of these mobile weapons that could be hiding only a few feet away

[Matdragon]

yes but what i meant was the sheer avalibility meant that they had t-34's just lying around, meaning they were most likely the .. mosy likely to be tested on. anyhow the prospect is the same, and yes there were successes, i didnt say there were none and also the dogs would run under Kv-1's if they were trained to do that lol.

Most of the dogs were taken from the streets anyway, so wasnt a big loss.

[Rivetcounter]

in 1943 the Russians didn’t just have T34's laying around maybe in 1947 but in 43 they where very much new and in short supply hence the desperate measures the Russians undertook, Stalin once said "It takes a brave man to attack the enemy but a braver man to retreat in Russia" meaning at the time the Russians shot retreating troops as cowards even tough only the first wave had a weapon the second and third waves where expected to collect the weapons of the dead, death or victory usually death at this time

[Matdragon]

yeah, but the Russians used or tried to use the tank dogs throughout the whole war...