Hobby Master 1/72 Ground Power Series
HG3008 - Soviet KV-2 captured
PzKpfw KW II 754, Panzerkompanie (z.b.v.) 66
Malta invasion force, 1941
Features:
Fully assembled
True to Scale (1:72)
Die-Cast chassis, turret and gun
Turret turns
Main gun can be elevated
Realistic tracks
Individual moving wheels
Highly detailed features
Professionally painted in accurate colors
Weathering
Markings Tampo (pad) applied
THESE ARE PRE-PRODUCTION
PICTURES NOT THE FINISHED MODEL
Looking at the KV-2 now one might say “what were they thinking”. But at the beginning of
WWII this monster of a tank was a fearsome sight on the early battlefields. There was
nothing else like it and the heavy armor made it almost impenetrable by any tank the
Germans had at the time. As the war progressed, the Germans developed better tanks
with greater firepower. The large KV-2 became an easy target and because of it being
under powered for its size it was slow moving. Another drawback was it was designed as
a break-through tank and was deployed in small units.  One of the most costly factors for
the KV-2 was the inability of the Soviets to keep these machines supplied with fuel and
ammunition. As a result many were just abandoned by their crew when they realized re-
supply wasn’t coming.

During the Spring of 1941 Germany was debating whether to attack the British stronghold
of Crete or Malta. Newly acquired tanks captured from the Soviet forces were going to be
used for the operations. T-34s and KV-2s were combined into a special company
designated (z.b.v.) 66. This company was to be used specifically for the invasion of Malta
where the KV-2s would make perfect bunker busters. In March of 1941in preparation for
the Malta invasion the captured KV-2s were painted in tropical camouflage schemes of
Gelbraun (yellow-brown) and Graubraun (grey-brown) along with a small Balkenkreuz
(black cross – national symbol) on the side of the turret. Another modification made to the
KV-2s was the addition of a PzKpfw III Commander’s cupola.
The decision was made to assault Crete first and on May 20, 1941 Germany launched an
airborne assault on the island. This assault was the first attempt to capture a large area
using only airborne forces instead of using them to support the Wehrmacht. Crete was
defended by Greek partisans and Allied forces and along with the geography this attack
became very costly for the Germans. Because of the high cost during Operation Merkur
the invasion of Malta was cancelled. In August of 1942 these same KV-2s were assigned
to fighting around Demiansk.


KV-2 (Klimenti Voroschilov) Specifications:

Weight:
52 tonnes

Dimensions:
Length:
23.3 ft – 7.1 m
Width:
10.9 ft – 3.32 m
Height:
10.6 ft – 3.23 m
Clearance:
1.4 ft – .43 m

Engine:
Diesel V-2K 600 hp
Maximum speed: 21 mph – 34km/h
Maximum range: 155 miles - 250 km

Armor:
Hull front /  2.95 in – 75 mm
Hull side/  2.95 in – 75 mm
Hull rear/  2.36 to 2.76 in – 60 to 70 mm
Turret/  2.95 in – 75 mm

Armament:
1 x 152 mm M-10 model 1938/1940 Howitzer
3 x 7.62 mm DT machine guns

Crew:
6

Production total:
Approximately 334
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