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KEY: Location markers are coloured from Green meaning exact to Red meaning gone or unknown (details here)

Unique ID: 1528 Added to Database: 27 January 2011 Last Edited: 30 January 2011 Type (ID): Sturmgeschütz III (80) Model (ID): Ausf G (161) Location Category (ID): Piazzale Garibaldi (5410) Location (ID): Castiglion Fiorentino (5410) Serial Number: Registration: Name: Other Identification: Missing fourth roadwheel on left side. Shell case fixed on superstructure front. Painted overall with camouflage scheme of green stripes over desert sand. Collection Reference: Links: Historia Militaria Ferrea Mole Axis History 1 Axis History 2 DalVolturnoACassino DeAgostini Video References: Wheels & Tracks 56 p2 Associated Tanks: Location History: (see map) 1: Altmärkische Kettenfabrik (Alkett) GmbH, Berlin-Spandau, Germany (Primary manufacturer) 2: La Capannacce – Arezzo, Italy (Recovered 27 April 1991) 3: Menci & C – Montecchio, Italy (Restoration 1991-93) 4: Piazzale Garibaldi, Castiglion Fiorentino, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy (Current location) Text in original Preserved German Tanks publication: [No entry] Text in Preserved German Tanks Update: New entry. Text in original Preserved Tanks In Italy publication: This is an early production Ausf G model. It has a plaque fitted to the right side of the superstructure that reads: ‘FERREA MOLE – FERREO CUORE’ ‘IRON HULL IRON HEART’ MONUMENTO DEDICATO AL CARRISTI CADUTI IN TUTTE LE GUERRE CANNONE D’ASSALTO TEDESCO MARCA STURMGESCHUTZ III ANNO DI COSTRUZIONE 1940 LA CARCASSA E’ STATA RECUPERATA IN LOCALITA’ ‘LE CAPANNACCE’ IN DATA 27 APRILE 1991. LE ALTRE PARTI SONO STATE RIGOSTRUITE FEDELMENTE DALLA LOCALE ASSOCIAZIONE CARRISTI, CON LA FATTIVA COLLABORAZIONE DELLA DITTA MENCI S.P.A. DI MONTECCHIO di CASTIGLION FIORENTINO E DI ALCUNI SUOI DIPENDENTI E’ STATO INAUGURATO IN DATA 30 MAGGIO 1993 MONUMENT DEDICATED TO ALL FALLEN TANK CREW OF ALL WARS GERMAN ASSAULT GUN MODEL STURMGESCHUTZ III YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION 1940 [sic*] THE WRECK WAS RECOVERED IN THE LOCATION ‘LE CAPANNACCE’ ON 27 APRIL 1991. THE OTHER PARTS HAVE BEEN FAITHFULLY RECONSTRUCTED BY THE LOCAL TANK CREW ASSOCIATION, WITH THE ACTIVE COLLABORATION OF MENCI S.P.A. OF MONTECCHIO OF CASTIGLION FIORENTINO AND SOME OF ITS EMPLOYEES IT WAS INAUGURATED ON 30 MAY 1993 *Note that this particular model of Sturmgeschütz did not enter production until 1943. In the early summer of 1944 a retreating German column had an accident – the bridge at Capannacce yielded under the weight of its armoured vehicles and one fell through. They were constantly harassed by Allied forces and under attack by enemy aircraft so there was no time to attempt recovery of the vehicle or repair of the bridge. The commander of the column ordered the other vehicles to drive over the wedged vehicle and so they continued their retreat north. After the war and over the years many external parts were removed from the vehicle and vegetation grew up around it. It remained hidden until it was recovered from the riverbed through the intervention of the local tank crew association, Menci and the Italian Ministry of Defence. The latter provided information and drawings to aid the restoration, primarily recreation of the complete superstructure above the level of the hull, including the gun and mantlet, plus other missing parts such as the tracks. Internally all that remains are the torsion bars and some of the drivetrain. (Source: Historia Militaria, Axis History). This vehicle probably originally belonged to the Hermann Goering Division (source: DVaC). It has a used shell case fixed with brackets to the left front of the superstructure.

Images - Photographs and NavPix (click to expand or browse)

November 2007 1: Rear left view Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4418 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 040_StuG... Views: 226 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		2: Lower front left view Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4419 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 044_StuG... Views: 213 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		3: Lower front view Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4420 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 035_StuG... Views: 203 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
4: Lower front right view Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4421 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 043_StuG... Views: 183 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		5: Rear right view Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4422 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 034_StuG... Views: 204 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		6: Running gear Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4423 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 049_StuG... Views: 178 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
7: Close-up Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4424 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 036_StuG... Views: 176 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		8: Engine compartment Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4425 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 042_StuG... Views: 164 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		9: Rear view Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4426 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 041_StuG... Views: 166 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
10: Underside Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4427 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 048_StuG... Views: 174 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		11: Close-up of running gear Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4428 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 039_StuG... Views: 167 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		12: Front left sprocket Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4429 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 038_StuG... Views: 170 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
13: Fighting compartment Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4430 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 037_StuG... Views: 175 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		14: Memorial plaque Taken: 22 November 2007 Contributor: F. Monti Photo ID: 4431 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: 033_StuG... Views: 173 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
June 2007 15: Lower front left view, photo by Stefanomencarelli Taken: 21 June 2007 Contributor: Wikimedia Photo ID: 4432 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: Dig_Stug... Views: 223 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		16: Nose, photo by Stefanomencarelli Taken: 21 June 2007 Contributor: Wikimedia Photo ID: 4435 Added: 30 January 2011 Filename: Dig2_Stu... Views: 155 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		17: Shell case on hull front, photo by Stefanomencarelli Taken: 21 June 2007 Contributor: Wikimedia Photo ID: 4436 Added: 30 January 2011 Filename: Dig4_Stu... Views: 163 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
18: Running gear, photo by Stefanomencarelli Taken: 21 June 2007 Contributor: Wikimedia Photo ID: 4437 Added: 30 January 2011 Filename: Dig3_Stu... Views: 163 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		19: Memorial plaque, photo by Stefanomencarelli Taken: 21 June 2007 Contributor: Wikimedia Photo ID: 4438 Added: 30 January 2011 Filename: Targhett... Views: 163 Select/Has Priority: 22/0
1996 20: Lower front right view Taken: 1996 (Estimated) Contributor: D. Guglielmi Photo ID: 4433 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: Scan_Stu... Views: 185 Select/Has Priority: 22/0		21: Rear left view Taken: 1996 (Estimated) Contributor: D. Guglielmi Photo ID: 4434 Added: 29 January 2011 Filename: Scan2_St... Views: 170 Select/Has Priority: 22/0

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