From scrap to veteran: Pavel Rogl restored the tank himself

2023-05-09 14:50:00

He had the wreckage of an M4A4 tank brought in from a junkyard in Buenos Aires. First he repaired the outside of the machine, then the engine, and for the last two years he has been putting together the inside of the tank.

Grind, boil, paint

The turret was removed, put aside and the lower part of the tank was done first. “It was seats, internal communication equipment and a machine gun mounted,” Rogl said. This winter, it was the tower’s turn. “It was empty and damaged from the Argentinians setting up their stuff there. We had to sand it all down, boil it down and paint it,” Rogl described.

Parts from USA and Europe

Then the assembly of the tower equipment began. Everything inside is as it was during the war. Rogl searched for parts in the USA and Europe. “There’s a ballistic curve calculation quadrant, a gyroscope, aiming optics, and spare periscopes,” stated Jan Šulc (45), who helped Rogl repair the tank. They also remembered such details as storage shelves, field bottles with drinks and binoculars.

Grenades like real ones

In addition to the cannon, there is also a 7.62 mm light machine gun in the turret, which is linked to the main gun and is aimed using the optics of the cannon. It is controlled by a pedal. There are also imitation grenades. “We used old original brass grapes and made replica bullets out of wood,” added Rogl. Finally, the finished turret was placed on the chassis and the renovation of the tank ended.

Five tankers

There are three in the tower. A shooter who shoots from a cannon and, with the help of a pedal, also from a machine gun and aims the target with optics. The charger then charges the cannon and machine gun. The tank commander is at the back of the turret, controlling the radio and deciding what to do. The driver and his assistant sit below. He operates a light machine gun, but it is controlled manually.

The armored man fought in Europe

Rogl’s tank Sherman M4A4 was produced in 1943 in its factory by Chrysler. The armored man then fought on European battlefields. After World War II, the Americans sold it to Argentina. There are three more Sherman tanks in the Czech Republic. It is owned by the Military Historical Institute in Lešany. But they are immobile.

Pavel Rogl (right) and Jan Šulc (45) at the tank during the celebrations in Pilsen.

Author: Flash: Zbyněk Schnapka