PANZER ACE | FRANZ BÄKE « THE DENTISTE »
 
A new historical figure joins our PANZER ACE collection: Franz Bäke, together with his Panther crew.
The dentist who became a Panzer commander
Franz Bäke had a particularly unusual background. A dentist by profession before the war, he went on to serve in Germany's armored forces and took part in some of the major campaigns on the Eastern Front.
An experienced frontline officer, he notably served with the 6th Panzer Division and distinguished himself during the heavy fighting around Kharkov in 1943.
By late 1943, he was given command of schwere Panzer-Regiment Bäke, a formation that included Panthers and Tigers, and which fought in early 1944 during the operations to relieve German forces trapped in the Korsun-Cherkassy pocket.
His military career eventually earned him the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
For this new release, we wanted to portray not only Franz Bäke, but also the men who fought alongside him: his Panther crew, captured in natural poses designed to create a complete scene around the tank.
⚔️ PANZER ACE – Franz Bäke “The Dentist”