Tank Chats

Join Curator David Willey in his latest Tank Chat as he delves into the Springer, a WW2 German demolition vehicle.
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00:00 | Intro
00:22 | History
14:22 | Development
#tankmuseum #tankchats #DavidWilley #springertank #springertankchat #germanspringertank #demolitionvehicle

[@stuartb9194]

I see that 'Shrinkflation' has finally impacted the Tank chats. I still remember back when we had much larger tanks to talk about, tsk tsk

[@leeboy26]

I assume it's something David Fletcher found in a christmas cracker.

[@rogerpartner1622]

Lol. And much longer sentences about the tiny tanks.

[@Anonymous-fu5ok]

And the green screen to save money. lol

[@stewartellinson8846]

An excellent presentation, as ever. Clear, concise, well delivered and very informative. Mr Willey really does represent the gold standard for popular military vehicle history.

[@davidgreen5099]

So it's a German Tank? That makes it a Jerry Springer.

[@HauntedXXXPancake]

Hehehhe, I had one along those lines, but yours is better 😄. Well done Sir, well done.

[@davidgreen5099]

@@HauntedXXXPancake thank you so much.

[@biker6991]

😂😂😂😂

[@davidgreen5099]

@@biker6991 Hey, thanks

[@vicioussyd6870]

Very good

[@robinburt5735]

I love the message on the back of that mine clearing vehicle "Don't get too close thankyou!" hehe, totally must be a british vehicle (or maybe Canadian)

[@davidgreen5099]

Most certainly, dear Lady.

[@thetankmuseum]

Hello Tank Nuts! What do you think of our latest Tank Chat? We look forward to hearing your thoughts and stories on The Springer.

[@callumbrankin883]

Just keep them coming!

[@samholdsworth420]

I think they're always a pleasure. It's the kinda content that keeps me coming back to KZbin. 👍🏻

[@Hachaimenesch]

Many thanks for covering this important topic! The impact of other units enabling tank forces to become effective cannot be stressed enough.

[@jamestrim9578]

⁵⁵⁵⁵ttýýyyyyýýýyýyýýýý

[@james.black981]

Any chance of David Wiley doing a chat on the Aussie Sentinel tank soon?

[@MrRnipperBrockleBroadcasting]

And about 40 years later this idea re-emerged as a means of dealing with terrorist IEDs, car bombs and the like although with camera feeds, remote manipulators and other equipment. Thanks for another fascinating and informative tank chat David

[@rickblackwell6435]

Today I learned: 1. I depend on reminders to ‘like’ the video. 2. Great info about WWII German engineering vehicles.

[@VowToThee]

hop in tank, drive tank in the middle of enemy's, walk away, tank goes boom simple

[@MacChew008]

Another Fabulous video Mr Willey

Very interesting Video. I just did an interview with the German Tank expert Wolfgang Schneider (Author of "Panzertaktik" for example). And as an add on I asked him why in his book about Tigers, some Tiger units had these in their table of organisation. According to him the few Tiger units which got themd didnt think very much of them and they were rarely used. Quite nice to get a deeper dive about this topic from the tank museum.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

As a former Royal Engineer, thanks for the discussion of combat engineering!

[@tasman006]

In the background the mighty Tortise and Cheiftian gives you a good comparison with David Willey how small this little German funny tank is.

[@frankboyle6229]

Nice to see an old Chieftain in the Background 😁 happy days

[@FieldMarshalFry]

And the monstrous Tortoise!

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

In its normal condition: stationary :)

[@frankboyle6229]

@@bob_the_bomb4508 What else🤣😂 as long as the BW still works.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

@@frankboyle6229 is a BW like a BV but a later model? :)

[@frankboyle6229]

@@bob_the_bomb4508 aye. My mobile writes what it wants

[@reganmahoney8264]

This is extremely interesting. I never knew about this vehicle. I would love to hear more about engineering vehicles that are in the collection.

[@adt70hk33]

Very informative as always!

[@christopherwebber3804]

You found some great pictures I hadn't seen before, and explained it all very well, but forgot to mention the Sdkfz 251 (7)

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Pionering in both meanings of the Word.

[@anothersucker-Youcantfixstupid]

I always look forward to the Tank chats.

[@FW190D9]

Great Video Sir. Thanks

[@longie751]

brilliant, informative, fantastic as always 👍👍

[@allanpowell7208]

Good stuff as usual David, Cheers and I owe you a drink.

[@paulgreen7906]

Another excellent video Mr Wiley. Many thanks to all of you at the tank museum. So how are we going to clear a minefield? Typical German response...over engineer/over complicate the solution by building remote control vehicles. Allies...ok lets put a big heavy roller on the front of the tank. Simple and practical in the field. Soviet....that is way too expensive . Send in a Shtraf (penal) battalion to walk through and clear it!

[@christopherwebber3804]

Mine rollers weren't practical. The Allies and the Germans tried it - wouldn't work over rough ground. The Allies used a flail.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

@@christopherwebber3804 flails aren’t 100% reliable on rough ground either: they won’t find mines in the bottom of deep undulations or behind rocks. But compared to trying to get across a Normandy beach with a bayonet, flails are ‘good enough’.

[@darreng745]

@@christopherwebber3804 The later flail Shermans were fitted with a box counterweight so that a more accurate rise and fall method could be used to keep the flail head parallel to the area it was sweeping, but yes they did have blind spots but they were a vast improvement over sending out pioneers to probe the sand with bayonets and using metal detectors as the Wehrmacht used wooden casings on some of their mines to avoid detection.

[@bebo4374]

This seems a perfect vehicle for using small but clever children as operators. Their small size and naïveté would work well in conjunction with the purpose of this machine.

[@andrewblake2254]

Excellent idea. Horrible noisy little...

[@voiceofraisin3778]

At last, a combat use for the pimpfe

[@mbr5742]

Hobbits. Just tell them 2nd breakfast is served at the other side of the mine field

[@jimmydesouza4375]

Why bother with the vehicle? Just ask the iranians.

[@brandonshofner5806]

At 18 most of us were still naive children.

[@vulpsturm]

Landmines the Germans were making these for, specifically in France around the Maginot line were either anti-personal or anti tank. The first model Borgward wouldn't set off the anti-tank mines that were expected to be found, and the anti-personal wouldn't hurt it, that's why they drove forward. Schiffer has a really good book on these tanks that The Tank Museum should pickup.

[@michael5265]

Excellent and very informative chat, as an ex sapper I only have one thing to say combat engineer= Engineers, Panzer Pioneers = assault and engineering, Assault Pioneers= Infantry, Pioneers = The old and the bold

[@Susbaguetteman]

Tank crew: we need a bridge here! engineer: all righty then, erecting a bridge

[@andrewdowns3403]

Thank you David , for another video to us to watch , my question is , is that the original paint scheme on the vehicle ?

[@michaelmulligan0]

Interesting vehicle

[@andrewallason4530]

I can really see this as an infantry support vehicle with a MG42 and between 4-6 Panzerschreck in a 180’ turning half-ring mount. It could also carry 4 soldiers seated on fold out seats on the sides, in addition to the driver, as well as ammunition and other supplies.

[@jimmydesouza4375]

So basically an Ontos? That didnt work well IIRC

[@andrewallason4530]

@@jimmydesouza4375 g’day Jimmy. I dunno about that, because the reports indicated “The Marines consistently reported excellent results when they used the Ontos for direct fire support against infantry in numerous battles and operations during the Vietnam War.” However, I’m talking a WW2 light armoured ‘micro- tank’, able to move forward with infantry, capable of dealing with the most common armoured vehicles of it’s era, but being a ridiculously small target itself, and expending minimal resources in it’s manufacturing. It could also be used to carry several infantrymen, as it’s unarmored ‘cousin’ the Kettenkrad.

[@jimmydesouza4375]

@@andrewallason4530 Instead of quoting wikipedia you should just type "oof" in block capitals. Its more efficient.

[@andrewallason4530]

@@jimmydesouza4375 well, instead of trying to compare a WW2 era vehicle CONCEPT with a Vietnam era light tank, which you missed the point of the US Marines WERE impressed with, you should just leave the discussion to the adults.

[@jimmydesouza4375]

@@andrewallason4530 Wow... You failed this badly and still try to act as if you're my better. Seriously though, you should stay away from wiki. Its not a great information source.

[@walterspringer565]

Never knew we had a "family" tank. But at 6'4" I doubt I'd ever be able to drive it.

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

Wicked to see the genesis of drone warfare. Those little goliath things and those B-17s they rigged to fly pilotless. It's all been done but with modern materials and manufacturing methods the possibilities are literally endless. We are living in great times my bros. Cheers for the vid.

[@tommeakin1732]

If you don't know, the beginning of remote control drones goes back to like 1917 where I believe the British were messing around with remote control planes, and I believe the US did too around that time. At the start of ww2 the US even had a purpose built anti-ship "suicide drone" that was used in combat to reasonable effect against the Japanese. It's surprising how far back some tech goes

[@colbeausabre8842]

@@tommeakin1732 See the Kettering Bug. The force in France was led by a Major HH Arnold - anybody know what happened to him? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettering_Bug

[@nickraschke4737]

Those bloody interleaved wheels. No wonder they lost 🥸

[@saladiniv7968]

but they look so good and worked so well back on the test track. what do you mean there is mud/debris/rocks on the battle field?

[@mbr5742]

@@saladiniv7968 They actually work well on the field. The 'freezing mud" problem is massively overblown. Basically the german "Bradley Cooper"

[@saladiniv7968]

@@mbr5742 yes, the problem with them is overstated. but they are kind of the perfect summary of german engineering during ww2. i think the chieftain put it best in his video on panther "they're an engineering dream and a mechanics nightmare"

[@mbr5742]

@@saladiniv7968 What the Chieftain often ignores is that germany had to work with/around some shortages. Ie rubber.

[@saladiniv7968]

@@mbr5742 sure, but i don't really see what the design of road wheels hat to do with material shortages. if anything overlapping wheels would use more steel and rubber to produce.

[@dogeclanleader1]

This video is 2 hours old and has more knowledge than all of tiktok

[@colbeausabre8842]

Not hard

[@dogeclanleader1]

@@colbeausabre8842 lol your right

[@jeffhawley2441]

I miss him having to stop and toss the ball for his dog

[@Craig-wp3pz]

Bovington tank museum 👍

[@peterjones4180]

I note the vehicle is quite well known, and its pattern is reproduced in a number of books, however i notice that it has the standard Dunkelgelb, Olivegrun and Rotbraun camouflage BUT has squiggles of Black as well, something i was not aware of. Has this been noted on other vehicles i wonder ?

[@colbeausabre8842]

Troops in the field with time on their hand, a bucket or two of paint....I served 25 years as an Armor officer - official paint patterns are suggestions....liable to be "improved" by the crude and licentious soldiery

[@Chaosrain112]

Hello friendly background Tortoise!

[@MililaniJag]

German Funnies! Cheers!

[@NOTtrained69420]

Why did the germans add interleaved wheels to everything? What benefits do they add?

[@herecomesthatboy1961]

It eez becauze ve have ze best engeeneering javhol!

[@nickraschke4737]

@@herecomesthatboy1961 hahahaha yes.

[@darthcalanil5333]

Weight distribution and balancing ground pressure.

[@kleinerprinz99]

@Ioannis-Alexander Nannos, @@darthcalanil5333 Also about calmer drive behavior. The vehicle will move more smoothly. Its advantages are best seen when they drive around the Tiger 131 they have in Bovington.

[@andreww2098]

@@kleinerprinz99 unless they get filled with mud that freezes, and disables the tank until it thaws, they found that out the hard way in Russia!

[@bullettube9863]

The Russians had a much simpler solution to clearing mines: the officer pointed to some of his men and said "you, you, and you, run down that road and don't stop until I tell you".

[@chrissouthgate4554]

If your defending you have less need to move through minefields. Its a weapon for attack.

[@Treblaine]

Germany had a hard time accepting they were on the defensive.

[@peterszar]

Around 02:20 min. The way that fella is being filmed almost looks like he's on green screen or photo shopped, to me anyway.

[@sealove79able]

A cute little coffin on tracks. Were the drivers recruited from punishment battallions?

[@mbr5742]

The driver would remote control it during the "last ride" while singing Wagner. So naturaly they used sturdy females with names like Brunhilda as drivers.

[@sealove79able]

@@mbr5742 Thank you.

[@ColonelBragg]

I'm hoping the M60 unofficially called a Patton gets covered at some point.

[@colbeausabre8842]

The only people who call it a Patton are ignorant wannabers. I served on the them for a decade and NO ONE called them the P name

[@ColonelBragg]

@@colbeausabre8842 I know preaching to the choir

[@joshuajgrillot]

Would the German blitz be as effective if Hitler waited until 1942-43? I think so, seeing as the allied countries would have still been using old tactics and strategies. The Germans would have had more armor and equipment at their disposal with a much larger army. But that's just Me being an armchair Field Marshall lol

[@sabotabby3372]

the allies had also been preparing for war during the time though, Part of what made Barbarossa so effective initially was that the Soviet Union was essentially caught mid reforms and a lot of equipment hadn't been fully developed or deployed to the troops yet they might've actually had enough time to field things like the T34 and SVT-40 in more significant numbers given a year or two more.

[@timbehrens2863]

In the computer game Company of Heroes the developers got creative these kinds of vehicles and let the player deploy the vehicle against tanks in a suicide manner. Is it known about wether this kind of action has ever been done in reality?

[@seanmalloy7249]

Nothing about the Alkett VsKfz. 617 Minenräumer, the Minenräumpanzer III, or the Krupp Räumer-S, the abortive bizarre forays into manned direct-pressure mine-clearing vehicles? But I suppose they're both insufficiently notable to be mentioned.

[@erikdekuil4629]

5:06 did I really hear it’s really a musician carrier??? Really! The Germans thought of everything and everyone!

[@bebo4374]

They were such swell fellows!

[@kanrakucheese]

It's the Tonk's exploding German cousin!

[@AsbestosMuffins]

funny that it seems like they never considered using rocket launched mine clearing charges, like we have today...

[@JackDrinkn2DollarJim]

Russians just used a crap ton of arty to clear everything.

[@SlinkyTWF]

I think I mistakenly posted a letter at "Pillboxes, Etc." once.

[@S7midnight]

This Borgward demolition vehicle exploded at a square during Warsaw uprising killing few hundred people at once

[@obsidianjane4413]

Kamakaziwagen

[@gerry343]

Jerry springer!😂

[@kansascityshuffle8526]

The jerry springer?

[@davidgleinbach7316]

This gas operated version much larger than Anti-Tank Gargantuan...we owned a post war Bourgward coupe... Right to cancel it....doesn't sound typical of German enginering Hitler probably saw a Fiat blow up, thought good idea...

[@leoroverman4541]

sounds to me that it should be "Sprenger". Links to Goliath?

[@zebradun7407]

No German word for Springer is Springer. Spring is Feder. If we are talking dogs it is Springhund. Which is where springer comes from a Dog, a cow and the bottom of the arch of a bridge.

[@leoroverman4541]

@@zebradun7407 Yes I am aware of the subtle distinction, but given that the vehicle's prime purpose was to detonate, i.e "Sprengen" it has to be moot unless the German documents actually uses the term Springer. Moreover the term Springer as in the Dog is English origin, so the Germans tend to use the original word. Unlike Schnauzer, which is of course German derived from the slang of nose and the sniffing. Feder from Spring, well it depends a Feder tends to be a fine spring as in a watch spring however the word Spring can also be used as intended in relation to it's function. Alles Gute.

[@mbr5742]

@@leoroverman4541 Feder is the general term and does not distiguish between the spring in a clock and the spring in the railroad car transporting a TIGER tank. Springer is the german word for a chess figure (The Knight) and also means "one who jumps". But that is typically qualified (Hight jumper - Hochspringer, Long Jump - Weitspringer, Parachutist -- Fallschirm Springer, Parachutist not pulling the Ripcord - Möllemann)

[@salty4496]

:)

[@realkekec4028]

Minesweeper Windows WW2 german edition :)

[@JHamList]

The tank museum should do an exhibit of a Ukrainian Tractor towing away a russian t-72

[@loddude5706]

Would a downward facing Claymore on a sacrificial drone clear anti-personnel mines effectively?

[@JohnyG29]

No.

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Yes.

[@brandonshofner5806]

Maybe

[@MRKapcer13]

German weapons development during the Second World War seems to always come back to "but they realise they can use this for everything else." Truly the Wunderwaffe approach, where everything eventually does everything.

[@smallwonder843]

More correct way to call it "shpringer" as sp in german reads as shp

[@dikkekater]

''musicians carrier''

[@davidgleinbach7316]

Account Of D_-day beach bunker corporal operated _3 all fails allied flame throwers really defeated operator bunker 3 smaller tracked version Gargantuan called I believe? Battery operated though.

[@SMlFFY85]

What a needlessly complex and time consuming solution.

[@maxpayne2574]

No surprise the Germans would have a plan for how to use these. A German doesn't go to the WC without a plan.

[@mbr5742]

We even have plans what to do if a brit squadie drops a training grenade down the air exhaust of a DIXI toilet. And what to do with the Bloke if he is caught (Our staff Sergeant was not just pissed and tried to stuff the brit head first into the DIXI)

[@randyhavard6084]

Blowing up an expensive vehicle to clear a small area seems a little inefficient to me

[@mbr5742]

They later went for a vehicle that would drop the charge (Borgward Ladungsträger)

[@randyhavard6084]

@@mbr5742 seems like a much more economical decision

[@jimmydesouza4375]

Its not as bad as it seems when you consider it was envisioned as a way of clearing mines under fire. The armor lets it do its job and it isnt as risky as sending a flail tank.

[@dukeallen432]

Dry dry dry

[@alamore5084]

I heard a rumour Russia has recently adopted the Springer as their Main Battle Tank.

[@tarjei99]

Demolition is basically an offensive undertaking. By the time these vehicles arrive most of the pioneers are lost in battle as infantry. So there are nobody left to use them.

[@Xenophaige_reads]

Any chance he can redo the early david frost chats. So much more information in them.

[@knightstemplar6243]

It’s that small you wouldn’t see it you would probably have to trip over it to realize it was there it’s tiny 😂😂😂

[@chrisabraham8793]

Shame to blow up such a vehicle.

[@Cancun771]

I get better and better at smashing the mute button in time to muffle the annoying director subscribe-shtick.

[@SMlFFY85]

Get a grip

[@Cancun771]

@@SMlFFY85 A mute grip? That would be so great! Where do I get one of those?

[@bebo4374]

I grabbed a mute once. Didn’t work out so well.

[@mbr5742]

@@bebo4374 Sure that it was a mute and not a mule?

[@bebo4374]

Ok. I admit it. It was a donkey. On my girlfriends dad’s farm. We weren’t getting along. Lots of bickering. We wanted to be together but it wasn’t going to work out. So it happened with the donkey. My girlfriends dad eventually married someone else. I still think about him…

[@michaelwilliams9574]

I still don't understand why the British say Zed for the letter Z.... Weird.

[@manuwilson4695]

...boring!

[@garybrookfield6661]

boring

[@stewartellinson8846]

edgy comment there

[@rogerpartner1622]

Lol for added war like feel. While the GUY sitting on the tank is talk. The SMOKE flare tube should launch a small Banger. Make him jump. 🥸👍Jeez these are WAR machines. Not just a charity to Buy more OLD TIN HATS. . That’s have more humour. If monty Python did a 30mns vid of the tank museum. You’d double your Punters. Imagine. The Green parrot blown out of his cage with The cheese shop getting blown up. With a witty commentary about the diffrent track heights and Old lemon tanks. You guys all fit the bill of MR CHUMLYWARNER SORT OF FILMS With the Pathe chicken. Ok. Put a red rubber glove over the Head of the DIRECTOR. If the Museum. Wooble wooble. Click clack caak. Come on. This is ENGLAND.