Michael Wittman, Germany's Best Tank Commander.... (3 Viewers)

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plan_D said:
And I see your another one that just states numbers without looking at the combat potential. The IS-2 had 120mm frontal armour, which looks impressive but it was crap! The Panther could destroy it at 800 m with a direct hit when the Soviets claimed it was invincible.
The Panther could destroy a Firefly at twice that range, because the frontal armour on the Firefly was only 50-76mm.
Bringing all aspects of a tank (manuverability, ease of produce, durability, chance of strike, armament, armour, fuel consumption etc.) the Firefly could still be argued as the best of both Soviet and Allied armies.
Did ypu know that until late September 44 the Firefly was only equipped with AP ammo, it was only after that, that the Firefly received HE ammo. :shock:
 
I know, the Panther was good. My personal favourite and possibly the best tank of the war (Panther Ausf G), design anyway.

And did you know the IS-2 only carried 28 rounds!
 
of course you know what would happen with a high velocity 8.8cm round of AP coming from a Königstiger could do to an IS 2 or 3.

true the Panther ausf G was a fantastic maschine in the hands of a skilled crew
 
A round coming from the 8.8cm KwK43 L/71 on a Tiger II would rip the IS-2 apart at over 2000 kilometres.
 
plan_D said:
A round coming from the 8.8cm KwK43 L/71 on a Tiger II would rip the IS-2 apart at over 2000 kilometres.
:shock:
Amazing. You mean a Tiger II tank could KO a JS-2 in Moscow, while it was still in Berlin.
I knew it was a good gun, but I didn't know it was that good. :lol:
 
:lol: Something went wrong there. I meant 2000 metres, obviously. The KwK43 L/71 had 152mm penertration at 2 km.
 
To a Soviet tank crew it probably felt like they got hit from 2000 km.

the accts that I have read from the German involving the Königstigers of the W-SS 503rd Schwere Panzer Abt. really indicate an almost overwhelming presence when they combated Soviet T-34/85's and JS I and II tanks in the Pommern/Danzig and towards Berlin.....

Erich ~
 
this maybe of interest ? Karl Brommann with the head bandage and his Abteilung Kommandeur Herzig in the Black Panzer uni. Ceremony or just a moral booster in front of severl well marked Königstigers of the unit, spring 45 Brommann had knocked out some 66 plus soviet tanks/vehicles with his big boy gun and crew
 

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It is a great pic. The KwK43 barrel has seen some action on that thing. I don't know if you have read the Duel at Dessau thread about a King Tiger Vs. Super Pershing?

The King Tiger had mixed experiences on the eastern front. Soft ground and poor weather gave it a lot of trouble at 68 tonnes it was a beast.
This picture was taken sometime during the Ardennes offensive 1944, as far as I know. It's one of my favourite pictures from the war.
 

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Nice.

When did he join the Panzer Korps? Was he in since before the war?
 
not sure. here is anotehr chapa of the W-Ss unit who scored over a 100 kills. quite proficient I might add with the Königstiger

Herr Korner. I have his bio somewhere.....another RK winner
 

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back to the subject of wittman , I met Joe Ekins at the tank fest at Bovington last year. He's convinced it was him who destroyed Wittman with his Firefly.Shortly after his firefly was brewed up ,he was later transfered to another sherman as a radio operator and never fired a shot again!
 
How can anyone be sure how his tank was destroyed without examining it.

Are any photos of the destoyed tank available? do those photo's dipict the damage.


Without concrete evidence, all the interesting stories are just theories.
 
There are pictures of the tank, actually. I've seen them but I can't find them at the MOMENT.
 
Anonymous said:
How can anyone be sure how his tank was destroyed without examining it.
Eyewitnesses from his own unit have given evidence to the fact

Are any photos of the destoyed tank available? do those photo's dipict the damage.
Yes, but of poor quality and only showing the rear.

Without concrete evidence, all the interesting stories are just theories.
There are several German eyewitness accounts, which match the British post-battle report.
If thats not enough evidence, I don't know what would be :confused:
 
did you guys also know that Michael was not the top scoring Panzer ace of the Wehrmacht ?
 

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