Captured German Pz.III Tank Commanded by Soviet Ace N.I. Baryshev, July 1942

November 28, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Captured German Pz.III tank under Soviet ace N.I. Baryshev, Volkhov Front, July 6, 1942.

This photograph shows a captured German Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. J medium tank, pressed into service by the Red Army under the command of tank ace Senior Lieutenant N.I. Baryshev. Taken on 6 July 1942, the image was captured on the Volkhov Front during the fierce battles surrounding Leningrad.

The tank, originally a part of the Wehrmacht’s armored formations, was seized during front-line operations and reassigned to the 107th Separate Tank Battalion of the Red Army. Soviet crews, including skilled tankers like Baryshev, utilized captured vehicles to strengthen armored units rapidly, often modifying them to suit Red Army tactics and logistics.

This Pz.III Ausf. J, equipped with the long-barreled 50-mm KwK 39 L/60 gun, was capable of engaging Soviet heavy tanks such as the KV series and medium T-34s, though Soviet crews often relied on surprise and superior coordination to compensate for any limitations. The photograph highlights the ingenuity of Soviet armored forces in using captured equipment to maintain offensive momentum during the Siege of Leningrad.

The image stands as a testament to the adaptability of Red Army tank crews, who not only mastered their own machines but quickly learned to operate and fight with enemy tanks, turning captured assets into a tactical advantage on the Eastern Front.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: Leningrad Region, USSR
📅 Date: 6 July 1942
📝 Subject: Captured German Pz.III tank commanded by Soviet ace N.I. Baryshev
📷 Photographer: Unknown

• Soviet use of captured German tanks
• Pz.Kpfw III in Red Army service
• 107th Separate Tank Battalion USSR
• Eastern Front armored operations 1942
• N.I. Baryshev tank commander