Soviet Anti-tank Teams

Soviet Anti-tank Teams

The armies of the Soviet Union had many weapons at their disposal to counter the threat of German armoured formations – from orthodox anti-tank rifles to strange ‘Molotov cocktail’ launchers and the unconventional use of dogs as living anti-tank mines.

Whilst most nations found the anti-tank rifle to be an inferior weapon against the latest armoured vehicles, the Soviets continued to field them in great numbers, though to be truly effective they had to be fired at a dangerously short range. The Ampulomet was a strange, mortar-like device that launched a glass sphere containing a mix of phosphorus and sulphur up to 400 metres, albeit inaccurately.

Arguably the most unusual and controversial anti-tank weapon are the ‘dog mines’. Fitted with a simple lever that detonated the carried charge when the dog sought shelter underneath enemy tanks or vehicles. Many animals simply ran away from the noise and smells of battle, whilst others fled to the safety of Soviet machines or trenches. The Germans were sufficiently spooked to shoot any dogs on sight – the Dog Mine teams are credited with destroying a number of German tanks in the Battle of Kursk.

Contains the following Soviet metal figures:

• 2-man anti-tank rifle team
• 2 dog mine teams
• Ampulomet team
• Plastic base

Models supplied unassembled and unpainted.