Many foreign vehicles were used by the Wehrmacht of Germany during World War II. The German terms Beutepanzer (Loot Tank) and Beutefahrzeug (Loot Vehicle) were a general application for those vehicles. Whilst the majority were captured, vehicles produced by occupied countries are also included.
Beutepanzers were usually repainted to sport distinctive national emblems and unit insignia in order to reduce friendly fire from other Axis forces.
First World War During World War I, the Germans had many Beutepanzers in their arsenal, far exceeding the production of their own tanks. Beutepanzers were given a German national cross and new camouflage. By the end of the war, a total of 170 Beutepanzers were still in running condition with 35 reported to be battle ready. In comparison, over a third of the 20 A7V tanks built by Germany had been destroyed or captured by then.
Most Beutepanzers were British Mk IVs, but also a small amount of Whippet tanks and various types of French tanks were captured too. The Germans first captured Mk IVs during and after the Battle of Cambrai (1917). They were further modified including the replacement of their guns. They first saw action in March 1918, during Operation Michael and later during the Hundred Days Offensive. By the end of the first world war most tanks used by the Germans were beutepanzers.
Second World War
Beutepanzers played an important role in the Wehrmacht. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939, many Czech tanks were claimed. In October 1940, the Heeresamt ordered two of each Beutepanzer type to be delivered to the Army Weapons Office for evaluation. Beutepanzers were used by the German Army on all fronts.
During the Western Campaign, Germany had captured 691 British tanks in total with an estimate of 350 being reusable. Most Beutepanzers captured during the campaign were modified into observation tanks or ammunition transports. Heavily damaged units were salvaged for spare parts. Additionally, roughly 1,800 modern (non-FT-17s) French tanks were captured during the May–June campaign and returned to service as Beutepanzers, alongside a similar number destroyed beyond repair.
The Germans captured many T-26 and BT tanks on the Eastern Front from 1941 to 1942.
The Germans were not the only users of captured tanks, though other nations usually did not deploy captured vehicles into combat. The Soviets were able to secure a Tiger 1 at Leningrad captured on 16 January 1943, with the British later capturing a Tiger 1 tank (Tiger 131) in Tunisia on the 21st of April 1943.
Designation format The Wehrmacht re-designated captured vehicles with a structured formula. With some of the elements being optional and depending on the overall vehicle type or intended use, the following elements could be utilized: Calibre (expressed in centimetres) The type of vehicle or main armament A model number (or name) adapted from the original designation A year A new series-related model number A subvariant, indicated with a number after a "/" A letter indicating the national origin of the vehicle
+Vehicle type model numbersSeriesGermanEnglish200PanzerwagenArmored cars300HalbkettenfahrzeugeHalf-tracks400Gepanzerte HalbkettenfahrzeugeArmored half-tracks600Vollketten-ArtilleriezugmaschinenFully-trackedartillery tractors630Gepanzerte ArtilleriezugmaschinenArmoredartillery tractors700PanzerTanks800WaffenträgerSelbstfahrlafettenSelf-propelled artillerySelf-propelled guns+Designations for countries of originLettercodeGermanEnglish(a)amerikanischAmerican(b)belgischBelgian(d)dänischDanish(e)englischEnglish(f)französischFrench(g)griechischGreek(h)holländischDutch(i)italienischItalian(j)jugoslawischYugoslavian(n)norwegischNorwegian(ö)österreichischAustrian(p)polnischPolish(r)russischRussian (Soviet)(s)schweizerischSwiss(t)tschechischCzechoslovak(u)ungarischHungarian
Vehicle types Tanks +Tank designationShortdesignationFull designationVehicle typePz.Kpf.Wg.PanzerkampfwagenTankFlamm. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Flammenwerfer PanzerkampfwagenFlame tankInf. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Infanterie PanzerkampfwagenInfantry tankKr. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Kreuzer PanzerkampfwagenCruiser tankle. Pz.Kpf.Wg.leichter PanzerkampfwagenLight tankSchw. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Schwimm PanzerkampfwagenAmphibious tank
Self-propelled guns +Vehicle designationShortdesignationFull designationVehicle typeStuGStuHSturmgeschützSturmhaubitzeAssault gunAssault howitzerPz.Jg.Jg.Pz.PanzerjägerJagdpanzerTank destroyerG.W.GeschützwagenGun carriageFgst.FahrgestellChassisSfl.SelbstfahrlafetteSelf-propelled gun
Other vehicles +Vehicle designationShortdesignationFull designationVehicle typePz.Beo.Wg.PanzerbeobachtungswagenArmouredobservation vehiclePz.Sp.Wg.PanzerspähwagenArmoredreconnaissance vehicleGep. MG.Tr.Gepanzerter MaschinengewehrträgerArmoredmachine gun carrierle. SPWleichter SchützenpanzerwagenArmored personnel carrierGep. M.Trsp.Wg.Gepanzerter MannschaftstransportwagenArmored personnel carrierMun.Trsp.Kw.MunitionstransportkraftwagenAmmunitiontransport vehicleS.SchlepperTractorArt. S.ArtillerieschlepperArtillery tractorInf. S.InfanterieschlepperInfantry tractorZgkw.ZugkraftwagenTractor
Captured combat vehicles List of some captured vehicles used by the German forces on the Western front, Russian front and others areas. Certain models were modified in factories or army workshops for infantry support, armed reconnaissance, antitank or antiaircraft units or as self-propelled guns or tank destroyers and many other operative or utility uses.
Tanks Captured (with number designation) Num.ShortdesignationTankTypeImageNotes35(t)Pz.Kpf.Wg. 35(t)LT vz. 35Light38(t)Pz.Kpf.Wg. 38(t)LT vz. 38Light730(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M1 730(a)M1 LightLight730(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.17R 730(f)Renault FT-17Light730(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.18R 730(f)Renault FT-18Light731(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M2 731(a)M1A2 LightLight731(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.35R 731(f)Renault R35Infantry(Light)731(h)Pz.Kpf.Wg.FT 731(h)Renault FTLight731(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.L3/35 731(i)Carro VeloceL3/35Tankette731(p)Pz.Kpf.Wg.7TP 731(p)7TPLight731(r)Schw. Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-37 731(r)T-37ALight(Amphibious)732(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M2A1 731(a)M2A1 LightLight732(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.D1 732(f)Char D1Infantry(Medium)732(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.L3/33 731(i)(Flamm.)Carro VeloceL3/33 LfTankette(Flame)732(j)Pz.Kpf.Wg. 732(j)T-32 (Š-I-D)Tankette732(r)Schw. Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-38 732(r)T-38Light(Amphibious)733(e)le. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.II 733(e)Light, Mk IILight733(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.D2 733(f)Char D2Infantry(Medium)733(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.L6 733(i)Carro ArmatoL6/40Light733(r)Schw. Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-40 733(r)T-40Light(Amphibious)734(e)le. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.IV 734(e)Light, Mk IVLight734(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.35H 734(f)Hotchkiss H35Cruiser(Light)734(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M11/39 734(i)Carro ArmatoM11/39Medium734(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-27A 734(r)T-27ATankette735(e)le. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.VI B 735(e)Light, Mk VIBLight735(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.38H 735(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.39H 735(f)Hotchkiss H38Hotchkiss H39Cruiser(Light)735(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M40 735(i)Carro ArmatoM13/40Medium736(e)le. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.VI C 736(e)Light, Mk VICLight736(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.40R 736(f)Renault R40Infantry(Light)736(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M41 736(i)Carro ArmatoM14/41Medium736(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.MS 736(r)MS-1Light737(a)le. Pz.Kpf.Wg.M2A3 737(a)M2A3 LightLight737(e)le. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.VII 737(e)Light, Mk VII,TetrarchLight737(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.FCM 737(f)FCM 36Infantry(Light)737(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.P40 737(i)Carro ArmatoP40Medium737(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-26A 737(r)T-26Model 1931Light738(b)738(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.AMC 738(b)Pz.Kpf.Wg.AMC 738(f)RenaultAMC 35Cruiser(Medium)738(e)m. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk IIA 738(e)Vickers MediumMark IIAMedium738(i)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M42 738(i)Carro ArmatoM15/42Medium738(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-26B 738(r)T-26Model 1933Light739(a)m. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk III 739(e)Vickers MediumMark IIIMedium739(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.35S 739(f)Somua S35Cruiser(Medium)739(r)Flamm.Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-26B 739(r)KhT-130Light(Flame)740(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M2A4 740(a)M2A4 LightLight740(e)s. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk II 740(e)Vickers A1E1IndependentMedium740(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.B2 740(f)Char B1Infantry(Heavy)740(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-26C 740(r)T-26Model 1939Light741(e)Kr. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.I 741(e)Cruiser, Mk ICruiser741(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg.3C 741(f)Char 2CInfantry(Super-heavy)742(e)Kr. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.II 742(e)Cruiser, Mk IICruiser742(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.BT 742(r)BT seriesLight743(e)Kr. Pz.Sp.Wg.Mk.III 743(e)Cruiser, Mk IIICruiser743(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-60 743(r)T-60Light744(e)Kr. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.IV 744(e)Cruiser, Mk IVCruiser745(e)Kr. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.V 745(e)Cruiser, Mk V,CovenanterCruiser746(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M2 747(a)M2 MediumMedium746(e)Kr. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.VI 746(e)Cruiser, Mk VI,CrusaderCruiser746(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-28 746(r)T-28Medium747(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M3 747(a)M3 LeeMedium747(e)Inf. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.I 747(e)Infantry, Mk I,MatildaInfantry747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/76A 747(r)T-34Model 1940Medium747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/76B 747(r)T-34Model 1941Medium747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/76C 747(r)T-34Model 1942Medium747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/76D 747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/76E 747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/76F 747(r)T-34Model 1943Medium747(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-34/85 747(r)T-34-85Medium748(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M4 748(a)M4 ShermanMedium748(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M4A2 748(a)M4A2 ShermanMediumLend Lease-onlytank748(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M4A3 (76)W (a)M4A3(76)WShermanMedium748(a)Pz.Kpf.Wg.M4A4 748(a)"Firefly"M4A4 ShermanFireflyMedium748(e)Inf. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.II 748(e)Infantry, Mk II,MatildaInfantry748(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-28V 748(r)T-28EMedium749(e)Inf. Pz.Kpf.Wg.Mk.III 749(e)Infantry, Mk III,ValentineInfantry751(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-35A 751(r)T-35Heavy752(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.T-35C 752(r)SMKHeavy753(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.KW-1A 753(r)KV-1Model 1940Heavy754(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.KW-2 754(r)KV-2Heavy755(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.KW-1B 755(r)KV-1EHeavy756(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg.KW-1C 756(r)KV-1Model 1941Heavy
Captured (without number designation)
Short designationTankTypeImageNotesPz.Kpfw. M3 (a)M3 StuartLightPz.Kpfw M3A1 (a)M3A1 StuartLightPz.Kpfw M3A3 (a)M3A3 StuartLightPz.Kpfw. M5 (a)M5 StuartLightPz.Kpfw M5A1 (a)M5A1 StuartLightKr. Pz.Kpfw. Mk.VIII (e)Cruiser, Mk VIII,CromwellCruiserKr. Pz.Kpfw. Mk.VIII (e)Cruiser, Mk VIII,CentaurCruiserInf. Pz.Kpfw. Mk.IV (e)Infantry, Mk IV,ChurchillInfantryPz.Kpfw. T-70 (r)T-70LightPz.Kpfw. T-80 (r)T-80LightPz.Kpfw. JS (r)IS-2Heavy
Modified +Modified TanksNum.Short designationTankTypeNotes731(f)Pz.Kpf.Wg. 35R 731(f)mit T-26 TurmPanzerkampfwagen 35R 731(f) mit T-26 Turm. Willkerrs. April 23, 2016. Tanks-encyclopedia.comRenault R35(w/ T-26 M1939 turret)Infantry(Light)748(e)5 cm KwK 38 L/42 aufInf. Pz.Kpfw. Mk.II 748(e)5 cm KwK 38 L/42 auf Infanterie Pz.Kpfw. MK II 748(e) “Oswald”. Mark Nash. September 18, 2016. Tanks-encyclopedia.comInfantry, Mk II, Matilda(w/ 5 cm KwK 38 L/42)InfantryNamed "Oswald"by crew756(r)Pz.Kpf.Wg. KW-1C 756(r)mit 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43Panzerkampfwagen KV-1B 756(r) (KV-1 with 7.5cm KwK 40). Mark Nash. April 20, 2018. Tanks-encyclopedia.comKV-1 Model 1941(w/ 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43)Heavy
Command vehicles +Converted command vehiclesNumberShort designationVehiclechassisTypeNotes735(f)Pz.Beo.Wg. 38H(f)Hotchkiss H38
Self-propelled guns and artillery Captured Num.ShortdesignationVehicleTypeImage430(a)Sfl. M3 430(a)M3 GMCTank destroyer770(i)StuG L6mit 47/32 (i)Semovente L40da 47/32Assault gun801(b)Pz.Jg. (Sfl.)CL 801(b)Carden-Loyd Mk VI(47 mm SA F.R.C.)Tank destroyer801(i)Gep. Sfl. 90/53 (i)Semovente M41Mda 90/53Self-propelledgun802(b)Pz.Jg.VA 802(b)T-13Tank destroyer850(i)StuG M40mit 75/18 (i)StuG M41mit 75/18 (i)StuG M42mit 75/18 (i)Semovente M40da 75/18Semovente M41da 75/18Semovente M42da 75/18Assault gun851(i)StuG M42mit 75/34 (i)StuG M43mit 75/34 (i)Semovente M42da 75/34Semovente M43da 75/34Assault gun852(i)StuG M43mit 75/46 (i)Semovente M43da 75/46Assault gun853(i)StuG M43mit 105/25 (i)Semovente M43da 105/25Assault howitzer854(i)StuG M43mit 150/42 (i)Semovente M43da 149/40Self-propelledgunSfl. T-48 (a)T48 GMCTank destroyerPz.Jg. M10 (a)M10 GMCTank destroyerPz.Jg. M18 (a)M18 GMCTank destroyerPz.Jg. M36 (a)M36 GMCTank destroyerStuG 76 (r)SU-76iAssault gunPz.Jg. SU-76 (r)SU-76MSelf-propelledgunJg.Pz. SU-85 (r)SU-85Tank destroyerJg.Pz. SU-100 (r)SU-100Tank destroyerStuH SU-122 (r)SU-122Assault howitzerStuH SU-152 (r)SU-152Assault howitzerStuH JSU-152 (r)ISU-152Assault howitzer
Converted