Hans Ulrich Rudel, Tank Destroyer...

[cheddar cheese]

Originally Posted by Nonskimmer

I see Vegafox is impressed with the large selection of smilies!

Anyone willing to do a post including every smiley?

[the lancaster kicks ass]

man that'd be one seriously big post

[cheddar cheese]

Also it would tell a story

I would do it if the box with all the smileys in actually worked when I clicked on it

[Vegafox]

He found that the best way to knock out tanks was to hit them in the back (T-34's rear mounted engine and its cooling system did not permit the installation of heavier armor plating) or the side....

In scale...
Any question?

The 100k Rubles was a fact.. I have ssen Russian propoganda posters stating this fact...

Show me, please...

p.s. All tank`s casualties of Red Army from enemy aviation in 1941-1945 ~ 3.500 tank`s and SU`s...

[Nonskimmer]

Ju-87-G armed with two 37mm cannons.
It's purpose was to approach very low and shoot Soviet tanks from the rear, where they were weak.

[Vegafox]

I know.
I simply not believe in "519+ Tanks, 800+ other Military Vehicles, 150+ Gun Emplacements, 4 Armored Trains, 70 Landing Craft, 1 Battleship (the 'Marat'), 1 Cruiser, 1 Destroyer, and (while flying a FW190) managed to shoot down 11 enemy planes as well..."

Yes, Rudel was very brave pilot. Yes, he really sink "Marat". It`s fact.
I belive, what he destroy russian tanks - it was his work.
But, when somebody tell me what he destroy 519+ Tanks.... It`s... No comments. Because, when i read his memories...
In some moments i don`t believe what he was pilot...

[GermansRGeniuses]

Originally Posted by Vegafox

In scale...
Any question?

Show me, please...

p.s. All tank`s casualties of Red Army from enemy aviation in 1941-1945 ~ 3.500 tank`s and SU`s...

See the photo and comment, Vega...

[Vegafox]

Comment: crash... Bum-bah-ba-bah...
speed (in dive) Ju-87 ~ 420 km\h
Pilot begin going out from dive on 500, phisically strong may ~ 400 meters...
On your picture ~ 20-25 m.

[GermansRGeniuses]

The planes would come down at something like a 45 degree angle, at around 300km/h...


Besides, the Stukas had auto pullout once the bomb was released, saving the pilot if he blacked out...

[cheddar cheese]

When you see clips of Stuka's dive-bombing they aint that far off the ground...

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it's herd to tell from grainey vidie clips......

[lesofprimus]

Although I believe something different from some, heres a different twist.... While some like our pals Erich and Vegaboy doubt the 519 tanks, I myself could believe his #'s could have been even HIGHER.... Rudel wasnt the type of guy to fly a sortie and claim every tank he shot at a kill.. He would have assed and his back seater would have as well....

Some of the tanks that he deemed were not kills, may have been.... A damaged tank sometimes would not be removed and/or salvaged due to front lines changing.... Some damaged tanks that were not kills ended up being such....

I understand the proganda portion of what is said of Rudels #'s, but think about it... There werent that many -87 Tank Busters left at the end of that show, and Rudel was a hell of a pilot.. And his closet competitor was some 300 tanks behind him... Look at all the chances (Russian Tanks) Rudel had......

Another way to look at it is how many 37mm shells he fired.....

He flew more than 600,000 km and used more than 5,000,000 liters of fuel... He dropped over 1,000,000 kg of bombs, fired over 1,000,000 machine gun rounds, over 150,000 20mm rounds and over 5,000 37mm rounds...

In early March of 1944, he flew his 1500th mission and was promoted to the rank of Major... In late March, during a mission, Rudel's squadron was attacked by a squadron of Soviet Lavochkin La-5 fighters.... One Stuka was shot down and crash landed with its crew unharmed... Rudel decided to land and rescue his comrades stuck in the enemy territory...... He landed and rescued his friends but could not take off because of the soft ground..... They were forced to escape on foot towards German lines being chased by the Russians...... Rudel and his comrades reached the river Dniestr and swam 600m in the ice cold water and just before reaching the other side, Rudel's rear gunner drowned.... Eventually, the wounded Rudel was the only one who managed to escape and reached German lines.... He then returned to his unit, where he was cheerfully welcomed by his comrades.... On March 29th of 1944, for his bravery, Major Hans-Ulrich Rudel was awarded Diamonds to his Knights Cross with Oakleaves and Swords, the highest German military award.....

Thats no BS.... No propoganda there... He earned those Diamonds.... The guy was a hero.. And a hell of a Tank Buster... #'s aside, this guy really was a pro.... Too bad he wasnt Russian or British or American....

Imagine what he coulda done to German formations in a IL2/M3.......

[cheddar cheese]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

it's herd to tell from grainey vidie clips......

Not really, you can see the height off the ground fine...

[Vegafox]

http://www.iremember.ru/pilots/khukh...hukhrikov.html

Especially this

A.D. And did you install 37mm guns?

We had 37mm guns, 40 shells per gun. I didn't fly one of those. They didn't work out.

Why? Why "they didn`t work out"?

Statistics:
LaGG-3 IT (37mm) hit at tank 3 shells of 35 (simple - hit in tank, not in his back)
IL-2 - 3 shells of 55...

G.M. Ryabushko (HSU, 828 GShAP)
(It`s my translate, from http://www.airforce.ru/history/ww2/ryabushko/index.htm
)

" VYa (37mm) was more powerful gun than ShVAK. In our regiment was several (in REGIMENT) event, when VYa knocked out german tank`s - powerfuf gun. Burn tank - not simply, therefore that causes was rare. You need, that you hit in tank - AP shell (every third in ribbon), and you need hit tank in back and with angle 45-90 grad." (it`s time to learn English...)

[lesofprimus]

That was a pretty good interview.... Kinda curious myself as to what he means "They didnt work out"......