homepage

Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans

Posted By: Nixer

Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/03/20 09:08 PM


Never had heard of this little engagement before.



This Felton guy does some interesting videos.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/03/20 10:13 PM

The overwhelming numerical and air superiority of the US and U.K. on the Western front more than made up for the woefully inadequate Sherman! The Firefly and Easy Eight variants fared much better though going toe to toe against German armor.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/03/20 10:18 PM

Well... when you surrender a couple of augmented tank companies to two Panthers and a guy with a pistol...


edit: Oh and another one I had never heard of:




This Felton guy is a goldmine of obscure cool WWII info.
Posted By: Ajay

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/03/20 11:56 PM

He does do some really cool stuff. There is one he does on Goerings capture that is really interesting.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
The overwhelming numerical and air superiority of the US and U.K. on the Western front more than made up for the woefully inadequate Sherman! The Firefly and Easy Eight variants fared much better though going toe to toe against German armor.


The Sherman wasn't terrible, its just that tank designs that had a similarly excellent degree of automotive performance yet had enough guns and armor to overmatch the heavier German tanks, didn't exist until at least 10 years after the war.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 02:26 AM

The Sherman was WWII's best tank.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
The Sherman was WWII's best tank.



If we are talking about super mass produced tanks that had a huge impact on the outcome of the war then the T-34 is absolutely on equal terms to the Sherman.
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by Crane Hunter
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
The overwhelming numerical and air superiority of the US and U.K. on the Western front more than made up for the woefully inadequate Sherman! The Firefly and Easy Eight variants fared much better though going toe to toe against German armor.


The Sherman wasn't terrible, its just that tank designs that had a similarly excellent degree of automotive performance yet had enough guns and armor to overmatch the heavier German tanks, didn't exist until at least 10 years after the war.

The Firefly's QF17pdr gun had better range and penetration than the much vaunted 88/36 on the Tiger I especially using the APDS round which were available during the Normandy campaign.

Though the 88/43 on the Tiger II was more powerful than the QF17, the bore on the 88/43 was the same size as the earlier 88/36, the cartridge was around 284mm longer.

A bit of WW2 propaganda film "A Date With a Tank" about the 17pdr on this link: https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/2372

Originally Posted by IWM
Production of the British 17-pounder. AT gun, presented as a race against first the probability and then the certainty of the development of a new German Tank (the Tiger) which existing 2 and 6-pounders. will not be able to match.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by F4UDash4
The Sherman was WWII's best tank.



If we are talking about super mass produced tanks that had a huge impact on the outcome of the war then the T-34 is absolutely on equal terms to the Sherman.



In terms of numbers yes, in terms of reliability and crew comfort/ergonomics it doesn't quite compare to the Sherman.

It's much vaunted "sloped armor" (which wasn't a T34 innovation as much as the History Channel would claim) was not much, if any, more effective than contemporaries, it's only real asset beyond its numbers was the 85mm gun on later variants.

If I were equipping a WWII army with only one tank I'd choose the Sherman.
Posted By: Lieste

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 11:10 AM

17Pdr was accurate with APCBC, but lacks consistency with APDS due to the early state of sabot design and inconsistent separation issues. It also had a poor HE shell compared to 76mm, and particularly to 75mm or 105mm shermans

Thus while it had excellent penetration out to extended ranges it couldn't make as much advantage of that because of the limitation of accuracy.
The 17pdr was also a bit much for the Sherman, compromising the ergonomics a fair bit after cramming the gun and larger ammunition in.

The triad of 75mm, 76mm and 105mm used by the US forces was a better mix (especially since almost all use was against light armour or in infantry support).
Posted By: Trooper117

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 12:14 PM

Let's not forget, no matter how 'good' a tank is supposed to be, there is also the matter of it's crew, and how proficient they are coupled with morale...
Posted By: David Kennard

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
The Sherman was WWII's best tank.


Oddball disagrees thumbsup "All the tanks we come up against are bigger & better then ours"

Posted By: Lieste

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 02:25 PM

FTs, H35/H39s, PzII, PzIII, PzIVH? None of those are bigger and better than the Sherman.

Sure the few Panthers, Tigers and Tiger B are bigger, some of the PzJg are tough to penetrate from the front... but they are not common - Panther is seen fairly often, but there are almost no Tigers and they are concentrated into a few points, so you either meet lots or none at all. And it is certainly a stretch to call a JgPz38 or a StuGIII 'better' than a Sherman.

Relatively few US tanks fought enemy tanks, and infrequently, especially against larger concentrations. Most were used for infantry support and against light armour used in penny packets.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 02:29 PM

Lieste knows his stuff. He's not one of those who watched "Fury" and thought it was an accurate depiction of WW 2 armored combat. biggrin
Posted By: Roudou

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Lieste
FTs, H35/H39s, PzII, PzIII, PzIVH? None of those are bigger and better than the Sherman.


FT ? Do you mean B1 ?

I mean, there is 25 years between the Renault FT and the M4 Sherman, so thankfully Sherman is better.
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Lieste knows his stuff. He's not one of those who watched "Fury" and thought it was an accurate depiction of WW 2 armored combat. biggrin

Ask Michael Wittmann if the Sherman was any good wink
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Alicatt

Ask Michael Wittmann if the Sherman was any good wink



Especially the Firefly variant. Touche'!

To be fair though, he was greatly outnumbered.
Posted By: BD-123

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 04:21 PM

Despite it's reputation and being derisively dubbed 'Ronson' or 'Tommy Cooker' the Sherman had the highest ration of crew survivability I believe, due to sprung large hatches. Unlike the Churchill which had tiny egress points especially for a man of the size of my wife's father! Luckily he didn't have the need to get out of one in a hurry.
Fortunately the Hun big Cats as mentioned were few and far between, and unservicable more often than not!
I gather the 'Firefly' Crews would camouflage the tell-tale length of the 17pdr as it would be a primary target.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 04:27 PM

Ton of interesting World War II videos on that Mark Felton YT channel. Thank you Nixer.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 04:48 PM

And while popular culture always talks about the Panthers and Tigers, the historical fact is that the Panzer IVJ was much more numerous and was an extremely effective tank against the best the Allies could muster even in 1945.
Posted By: wormfood

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 06:03 PM

The Sherman was also one of the very few tanks to fight in every theater of war. It was in Western Europe, Russia, North Africa, Italy, and all over the Pacific.It was able to handle all sorts of climates and ground conditions. Really, for the Allies, it was kind of the perfect tank. One vehicle that could be mass produced and exported all over the world... and work with few, if any, maintenance issues when it got there.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Ton of interesting World War II videos on that Mark Felton YT channel. Thank you Nixer.


You are welcome. I watched about 20 yesterday.

So, German Tanks vs Shermans.

Yes, the Firefly was a MkIV, Panther and Tiger killer. I believe that the Brits only had like one per troop?

Even ignoring Wittman's vicious romp at Villiers Bocage, in the big armored battles around Caen the Sherman losses were horrifying.

The Allies "aluminum overcast" was far more a danger to German armor than hordes of allied shermans.

Another topical Felton video:

Posted By: Lieste

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 07:09 PM

Allied aircraft did little vs tanks and other armour. They were effective vs softskins and very light armour though.

Allied artillery and operational attrition were far more significant. (OA is breakdowns and terrain casualties or lack or parts or fuel to recover all vehicles because of unavailability or loss of and on softskins).
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Nixer


The Allies "aluminum overcast" was far more a danger to German armor than hordes of allied shermans.





So was the overwhelming Allied naval shore bombardment during the early phases of Normandy.
Posted By: Pooch

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 07:12 PM

"The Sherman was also one of the very few tanks to fight in every theater of war. "

Transportability was one the biggest assets of the M4 series. The U.S had to build tanks that could be loaded aboard ships and carried to the battlefield. The Germans didn't have to worry about that. For the U.S. Army's needs, the Sherman was really just about the perfect tank.
As far as the Tiger is concerned, American tank units didn't come up against them very much. The British Army, unfortunately, did. The section of Normandy in which the U.S. was advancing was not good country for Tigers. The British sector, farther north, was, however. Flatter, wide open fields with no hedgerows. That's where that German Tigers had a field day against British tank units.
It isn't fair, really, to match the Sherman up against the Tiger and say that the Sherman was an inferior vehicle. Read up on the tank battles the occurred in the Lorraine region of France in September of 1944. Shermans against Panthers, and the Panthers got their asses thoroughly kicked.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 07:13 PM

I have been playing Panzer General and you can play as German, Italian, American, British, Canadian, Poles, Czech, even Ethiopia and what was then Yugoslavia and the more you advance in the war from 1939 on, the more prestige you earn and it opens up access to newer better tank.

One of the British tank that I was able to get later was the Crocodile. I didn't know it was a flamethrower until the first time I used it against a Tiger II and it had no effect.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 07:57 PM

Now here's Felton again, this time showing how after Normandy and the continuing meat grinder of the eastern front, the attrition of Germany's experienced tankers was really coming into play.

Arracourt in September 1944:

Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
I have been playing Panzer General and you can play as German, Italian, American, British, Canadian, Poles, Czech, even Ethiopia and what was then Yugoslavia and the more you advance in the war from 1939 on, the more prestige you earn and it opens up access to newer better tank.

One of the British tank that I was able to get later was the Crocodile. I didn't know it was a flamethrower until the first time I used it against a Tiger II and it had no effect.


A nice bit of British Patriotism and talk of the effectiveness of the Crocodile


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpIoqyjWvzI

and a tale of ATGs in the dessert


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJRd_XiDGg
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 09:26 PM

Felton is great, another good one is The History Guy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4sEmXUuWIFlxRIFBRV6VXQ
Posted By: Chucky

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/04/20 10:01 PM

The History Guy is good,I just find he speaks too fast or not clearly enough at times.
Posted By: Fidd

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/07/20 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Pooch
"The Sherman was also one of the very few tanks to fight in every theater of war. "

Transportability was one the biggest assets of the M4 series. The U.S had to build tanks that could be loaded aboard ships and carried to the battlefield. The Germans didn't have to worry about that. For the U.S. Army's needs, the Sherman was really just about the perfect tank.
As far as the Tiger is concerned, American tank units didn't come up against them very much. The British Army, unfortunately, did. The section of Normandy in which the U.S. was advancing was not good country for Tigers. The British sector, farther north, was, however. Flatter, wide open fields with no hedgerows. That's where that German Tigers had a field day against British tank units.
It isn't fair, really, to match the Sherman up against the Tiger and say that the Sherman was an inferior vehicle. Read up on the tank battles the occurred in the Lorraine region of France in September of 1944. Shermans against Panthers, and the Panthers got their asses thoroughly kicked.


This I fully agree with. The other aspect affecting US tank design was the recognition that as force that was to be attacking, in strategic terms, there was an assumption that the Germans would always blow bridges over water-obstacles. This severely limited the overall weight, as it was a given that US tanks would have to use pontoon or Bailey Bridges. The Germans were under no such limitation from '42 onwards, allowing them to make heavier vehicles with better armour protection, larger size and turret-rings, and therefore heavier weapons.

In other words, the Sherman was optimised for transport to distant theatres, and for repair without returning it to the USA; and also to be able to continue advances despite the destruction of permament bridges.
As such, it was an excellent design.
Posted By: wormfood

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/07/20 03:02 PM

It also used a regular gasoline engine making logistics way easier. It was also very survivable with only around a 2% KIA and usually only 1 dead crew member when a tank was destroyed. That was actually pretty good and I think only the Churchill was more survivable than the Sherman.
That said, it was very easy for German armor and ATs to knock them out and I'm glad I don't have to fight in one.
Posted By: Trooper117

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/07/20 03:16 PM

A radial engine is not your 'regular' gasoline type engine... lol!
Posted By: Lieste

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/07/20 03:34 PM

Radial petrol engines were only one type used, they also had options for diesel engines and a double bank of truck engines.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/07/20 03:52 PM

I can be all day watching those WW2 YouTube videos. Better than anything on TV.
Posted By: Ajay

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/08/20 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
I can be all day watching those WW2 YouTube videos. Better than anything on TV.


Youtube has been better than TV for a long time now. It's like it doesn't know how to die despite being beaten to a bloody mashed up pulp by so many other platforms. If you do insist on being bored sh/tless though, all the major news channel have a YT channel as well. One of the best things is that nearly all of the good shows that were on TV back in the day are also stashed away on YT if you want s nostalgia trip.

As for guys like Felton, Drachnifel and tons of others that cover from the caveman era to current, they have really upped the game regards historical based content. I've been on a cold war kick for a bit now regards content and YT has been a dream for finding specific stuff like certain planes, vehicles, tactics, strategies, weapons, beliefs, politics and everything in between.

With so much content you can really nail down a great picture by using so many different sources instead of the old back in day History Channel stuff like - ' Tiger tank, big gun, much scare, kills all'
Posted By: Ajay

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/08/20 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by Alicatt


A nice bit of British Patriotism and talk of the effectiveness of the Crocodile


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpIoqyjWvzI

and a tale of ATGs in the dessert


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJRd_XiDGg


Lindybeige is awesome, love his content.
Posted By: W-Molders

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/12/20 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
The Sherman was WWII's best tank.


LOL
Posted By: WOLF257

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 01:51 AM

And one point nobody has really mentioned is that the Sherman was designed as an infantry support tank and was never intended to fight other tanks.

The US doctrine at the time was to use the M4 to support the infantry and the tank destroyers to fight enemy tanks.

There was even some pushback to the notion of equipping the M4 with the 76mm gun because it was felt US crews would go looking for enemy tanks which was not what they were supposed to be doing.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by W-Molders
Originally Posted by F4UDash4
The Sherman was WWII's best tank.


LOL



Thank you for your informed and well thought out reply.
Posted By: wormfood

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by WOLF257
And one point nobody has really mentioned is that the Sherman was designed as an infantry support tank and was never intended to fight other tanks.

The US doctrine at the time was to use the M4 to support the infantry and the tank destroyers to fight enemy tanks.


There's a case to be made that that wasn't quite the case.
Start at about 8:35 here:
https://youtu.be/bNjp_4jY8pY?t=515
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 05:23 PM

The only really serious flaw the Sherman had IMO, was its almost cartoonishly tall and chubby profile.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 05:26 PM

At least the Sherman was much roomier and comfortable for the crew compared to the T-34!
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Crane Hunter
The only really serious flaw the Sherman had IMO, was its almost cartoonishly tall and chubby profile.
[Linked Image]



While you are correct I also suspect that in the overwhelming majority (75%+) of tactical situations the Sherman would be at no disadvantage to the only slightly lower T-34 pictured.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4


While you are correct I also suspect that in the overwhelming majority (75%+) of tactical situations the Sherman would be at no disadvantage to the only slightly lower T-34 pictured.


A smaller silhouette made a big difference in AT gun hit probability at the time.

Yeah, the T-34 is not vastly smaller, but you're still going to have shells missing or grazing it that would have struck a Sherman squarely.

Its not for nothing that the Soviets, with all their armored warfare experience, made a low profile such a high priority through their next 3 generations of tank designs.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by Crane Hunter

Its not for nothing that the Soviets, with all their armored warfare experience, made a low profile such a high priority through their next 3 generations of tank designs.


All of which (T-54, T-62, T-72) were, IMO, inferior to taller western tanks (M48/M60, M1, Centurion, Chieftain)
Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 10:35 PM

The Sherman was a bit tall and slabsided. But what surprised me when I was at Aberdeen Maryland, was the size of the Panther. I expected the Tiger, but the size of the Panther surprised me.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/13/20 11:48 PM

ANYONE who has trained/lived to fight a tank knows that hull down is king.

Sherman vs anything hull down...

Yeah, dig a deeper hole, but in combat, in the maneuver battle, it's a 30% bigger target. Just a fact.

I am really skeptical/wondering about the stories of Sherman crews surviving catastrophic hits. Gasoline blows up REAL Good. explode
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by Nixer
Yeah, dig a deeper hole, but in combat, in the maneuver battle, it's a 30% bigger target. Just a fact.



30% bigger would be very significant, but it's just not so:

[Linked Image]




Attached picture 8012857817_1aeb6ff2c8_z.jpg
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 01:48 AM

More evidence:

Attached picture main-qimg.jpg
Attached picture unnamed.jpg
Attached picture main-qimg-e6c7534bd47c175bd4c7d8342ff49d69.jpg
Attached picture axNn7.jpg
Posted By: Pooch

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 02:17 AM

It seems that the Sherman appears to be so much higher because it's narrower.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by Pooch
It seems that the Sherman appears to be so much higher because it's narrower.


Making its overall silhouette smaller than if it both were taller and wider. It's also a bit shorter in length. In terms of square feet of area viewed from the front or side I suspect, but have not done the math to confirm, that the Sherman is less than 10% larger than the T-34.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4


All of which (T-54, T-62, T-72) were, IMO, inferior to taller western tanks (M48/M60, M1, Centurion, Chieftain)


NATO tanks didn't really become qualitatively superior until the '80s.

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
Originally Posted by Pooch
It seems that the Sherman appears to be so much higher because it's narrower.


Making its overall silhouette smaller than if it both were taller and wider. It's also a bit shorter in length. In terms of square feet of area viewed from the front or side I suspect, but have not done the math to confirm, that the Sherman is less than 10% larger than the T-34.



Every little bit helps, especially height wise, when you're dealing with low powered WW2 tank optics with crude range finding capabilities and AP ammo that has very poor external ballistics by modern standards.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Crane Hunter
Originally Posted by F4UDash4


All of which (T-54, T-62, T-72) were, IMO, inferior to taller western tanks (M48/M60, M1, Centurion, Chieftain)


NATO tanks didn't really become qualitatively superior until the '80s.



Wherever the opposing sides respective sides tanks met in the 50's, 60's and 70's whether in the middle east or elsewhere the western tanks came out on top. Of course crew quality plays a big role but still the results were telling IMO.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
Originally Posted by Crane Hunter
Originally Posted by F4UDash4


All of which (T-54, T-62, T-72) were, IMO, inferior to taller western tanks (M48/M60, M1, Centurion, Chieftain)


NATO tanks didn't really become qualitatively superior until the '80s.



Wherever the opposing sides respective sides tanks met in the 50's, 60's and 70's whether in the middle east or elsewhere the western tanks came out on top. Of course crew quality plays a big role but still the results were telling IMO.


bolded, that is the rub, and tactics. Soviet tanks also had a problem with depression of the gun barrel which hurt then in hull down position.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/14/20 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
Wherever the opposing sides respective sides tanks met in the 50's, 60's and 70's whether in the middle east or elsewhere the western tanks came out on top. Of course crew quality plays a big role but still the results were telling IMO.


Mostly because Arabs, although India seemed to do well with its T-55s against Pakistani M48s in their 1971 war.

[Linked Image]

And the North Vietnamese ultimately did OK with their T-55s.

[Linked Image]

Regardless, none of these conflicts involved anyone with the resources and armored warfare experience of the Soviets.
Posted By: bolox

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/18/20 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Trooper117
Let's not forget, no matter how 'good' a tank is supposed to be, there is also the matter of it's crew, and how proficient they are coupled with morale...


sorry for the thread ressurection but I just rewatched this-


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrEtdMkFA00 (if link don't work)

another little known channel that does some really well researched stuff
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/18/20 09:53 PM

Thanks bolox.

Looks like a good tanker channel.
Posted By: Chef

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/21/20 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Crane Hunter
Originally Posted by F4UDash4
Wherever the opposing sides respective sides tanks met in the 50's, 60's and 70's whether in the middle east or elsewhere the western tanks came out on top. Of course crew quality plays a big role but still the results were telling IMO.


Mostly because Arabs, although India seemed to do well with its T-55s against Pakistani M48s in their 1971 war.



Because T-55 tanks were rocket powered.



The Soviet Union's Rocket Tank Was an Explosively Bad Idea
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/03/20 08:16 PM

Another videos at Felton production, you gotta wonder what the US and its allies did with all those recovered gold, platinum, silver, jewelry, precious stones they found that were hidden by Japan and Germany.

Today there are still ton of treasures hidden by Japan and Germany waiting to be found. Is it finders keepers?





Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/20/20 11:20 PM

Learn something new



Posted By: Chef

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/21/20 12:05 AM

I know it's a Mark Felton thread but I'll trot these out for show too:

BV 141 - The Most Asymmetrical Airplane of WW2


It was the Army's Only Air to Air Kill Since WW2


Footage of an Airplane Flying into a Rogue Wave
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/21/20 12:25 AM

How does that BV141 even fly?
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/21/20 01:01 AM

Nahhh...Not a Mark Felton thread.

It 's a Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans thread. SimHq style. wink
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/21/20 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
How does that BV141 even fly?



It had an engine, a wing and a pilot.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/21/20 11:05 AM

LMAO. Well played KK.
Posted By: Chef

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/21/20 12:25 PM

I enjoy watching Mark Felton, Sgt Vittie, Acedestroyer, Drachinifel and the Dark Series (Dark Docs, Dark Footage, Dark 5, etc...) youtube channels.

It would be nice if an Admin could do a sticky of links to their sites and add to it with other youtube channels with similar content.

Indy Neidell's WWI and WWII series too.
Posted By: bolox

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/22/20 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Chef
I enjoy watching Mark Felton, Sgt Vittie, Acedestroyer, Drachinifel and the Dark Series (Dark Docs, Dark Footage, Dark 5, etc...) youtube channels.

It would be nice if an Admin could do a sticky of links to their sites and add to it with other youtube channels with similar content.

Indy Neidell's WWI and WWII series too.

agreed, would be nice.
there is however a sticky thread here
https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads....mentaries-youtube-video-thread-add-to-it
I've added some other channels that might be of interest
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/31/20 12:29 AM

Learn something new again. US and Russia jet fighters over Czechslovakia. Those MIG15 look funny!



This is incredible! Stick it to the Russians!

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/02/20 04:37 AM

Do have to admit them German engineers for Nazi Germany did invent a few things that are still utilized today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%BCrzburg_radar
Posted By: Dart

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/06/20 03:13 PM

The thing to remember about WWII equipment is that we Americans were crazy good at resupply in both parts and the stuff that keeps the machines running, along with the repair and maintenance chains to keep it humming along.

NOBODY did it as well as we did. Nobody. The Soviets came close, but only after we did a huge lend-lease of Deuce and a Halfs, along with the oil and gas to run them.

Whether it was a Sherman tank, a Jeep, a rifle, or a uniform, with rare exception, once we got the ball rolling it was stupid to the point of being unfair (which is the point). Repair depots to turn around damaged equipment and a seemingly endless stream of new stuff all the time meant that unless the Germans went asymmetrical they were doomed.

Add in that the USA was going the route of both quality and quantity is scary to an opposing force. We sure did have a lot of Joes on the ground, but we didn't just throw people at the enemy waiting for them to wear out or run out of ammunition; we leveraged technology at every turn.

The Panther may have been the best tank in a technical sense, but they couldn't be mass produced or the ones fielded supported effectively.
Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/06/20 03:26 PM

Very good read about the initial fielding of the Panther. Not a stellar opening act.

https://mikesresearch.com/2019/10/27/panthers-at-kursk-1943/
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/06/20 05:54 PM

Yeah, the D model had some problems for sure.

Of course, Kursk was a huge problem all in itself, as has been discussed before here I think.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/07/20 08:44 PM

Mark's story of the Ranger Assault in Grenada.

Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/07/20 11:16 PM

One of the key weaknesses of the Panther tank was it's final drive. Untypical of the usual German over-engineering it used straight cut spur gears rather than much stronger, and more difficult/expensive to make, herringbone gears.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/08/20 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by oldgrognard
Very good read about the initial fielding of the Panther. Not a stellar opening act.

https://mikesresearch.com/2019/10/27/panthers-at-kursk-1943/



Indeed both the Panther and the Elefant left much to be desired during the battle. The technical problems with the Panther were soon resolved after the battle but the Elefant was a complete disaster. The Germans went back to the tried and true StuG for their tank destroyer needs for the most part. The heavy ones like the Jadgpanther and Jagdtiger were solid designs but too few in number to make any difference.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/08/20 08:35 AM

Those tank destroyers would have been more efficient if they had a turret instead of a fixed gun and you had to point the entire thing in the direction of what you were shooting at. It was good idea to put a bigger gun on armored body but wouldn't it be a better idea to put that bigger gun on a turret that goes 360 degrees? WIKI says only 91 Elefant and about 88 Jagdtiger were made. Not Good!
Posted By: BD-123

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/08/20 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Those tank destroyers would have been more efficient if they had a turret instead of a fixed gun and you had to point the entire thing in the direction of what you were shooting at. It was good idea to put a bigger gun on armored body but wouldn't it be a better idea to put that bigger gun on a turret that goes 360 degrees? WIKI says only 91 Elefant and about 88 Jagdtiger were made. Not Good!

The advantage of the Stug was it's low profile, difficult to detect before getting into lethal range, lost in the later behemoths you mention.
Designers of US tank destroyers seem to have the better idea!

Originally Posted by Dart
The thing to remember about WWII equipment is that we Americans were crazy good at resupply in both parts and the stuff that keeps the machines running, along with the repair and maintenance chains to keep it humming along.

NOBODY did it as well as we did. Nobody. The Soviets came close, but only after we did a huge lend-lease of Deuce and a Halfs, along with the oil and gas to run them.

Whether it was a Sherman tank, a Jeep, a rifle, or a uniform, with rare exception, once we got the ball rolling it was stupid to the point of being unfair (which is the point). Repair depots to turn around damaged equipment and a seemingly endless stream of new stuff all the time meant that unless the Germans went asymmetrical they were doomed.

Add in that the USA was going the route of both quality and quantity is scary to an opposing force. We sure did have a lot of Joes on the ground, but we didn't just throw people at the enemy waiting for them to wear out or run out of ammunition; we leveraged technology at every turn.

The Panther may have been the best tank in a technical sense, but they couldn't be mass produced or the ones fielded supported effectively.


Indeed, it was astounding how quickly the US industry adapted to war production with massive output, builing 'Liberty ships' faster than the Kriegsmarien could sink them! Output of your 'soft and decadent nation' fatally understimated by the Axis. Without it, even previously to the US entering the war, Britain would not have endured, so there would be no 'unsinkable aircraft carrier' or stepping off point for invasion to deal with 'Festungs Europa'.
Luckily for us too, the policy 'Germany First'.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/08/20 10:33 AM

Japan and Germany couldn't compete with USA industrial might, even if USA and the allies didn't bomb any of their cities and industries and factories.


A B-24 every 55 minutes and that is just one of the 1000s of things big and small of all sizes the USA made for the WW2 war effort.

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/13/20 07:45 PM

Learn new thing again


Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/17/20 12:35 AM

Didn't know this

Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/17/20 07:43 PM

Interesting comparison of the emergency egress process on various WW2 tanks.

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/19/20 01:55 PM

more learning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sky_Shield

Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/20/20 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy

Anthony Gray wrote a book in the 1960s called The Penetrators which was loosely based on those Vulcan bomber exercises, been a very long time since I read it, and they did employ different tactics in the book compared with what was said in the above video. Still it was an enjoyable read smile
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/20/20 01:12 AM

That Vulcan like a spaceship from outer space
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/20/20 01:23 AM

Yep...

dizzy



Turn it up...I dare ya!
Posted By: BD-123

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 09/20/20 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Crane Hunter
Interesting comparison of the emergency egress process on various WW2 tanks.

My wife's father served in Churchill Crocodiles towards the end of the conflict and Comets post war.
He was 6ft 3ins, how he got into them, let alone out of them in an emergency baffles me, slender as he was.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/05/20 11:55 PM

Learn something again.

Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 12:54 AM

Yes, saw that a couple of days ago.

Heck, if I was a German trooper, I am fairly sure being blown to pieces/gunned down was preferable to internment as a POW of Russia.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 02:44 AM

91000 Germans taken prisoners at Stalingrad and only 5000 lived to return to Germany. The Germans and Russians really hated each other.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
The Germans and Russians really hated each other.



The USSR lost 20 million people from 1941-1945. I can understand the hate.
Posted By: Wklink

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 05:08 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
91000 Germans taken prisoners at Stalingrad and only 5000 lived to return to Germany. The Germans and Russians really hated each other.


I can't say that the hatred the Russians had of the Germans wasn't justified. By late 1943 it was well known what the Germans were doing in the Ukraine and western Russia. It wasn't a suppression effort, it was an extermination effort.

The fact that any Germans troops made it back is more of a surprise than anything else. Compared to what happened to Soviet prisoners captured in 1941 and early 1942 the Soviets were actually much more restrained. If Germany won that war I seriously doubt any of the 4 million plus Soviet prisoners would have ever made it back home.

The only thing that I truly believe the Soviets did that was truly despicable was how they treated those Soviet troops that were captured and returned. Most of these troops had no control over whether they surrendered or fought on. While what the Soviets did to Germans captured during the war was not really right, it was somewhat understandable. What they did to their own troops, that often fought honorably and surrendered only when the situation was hopeless, was truly unforgivable.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 10:00 AM

The Soviet system was every bit as evil and corrupt as the Nazi system, The Soviets just happened to be on our side. Well, they were "on our side" for that short period between dividing Poland with Hitler in 1939 then enslaving everyone they "liberated" in 1945.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4
The Soviet system was every bit as evil and corrupt as the Nazi system, The Soviets just happened to be on our side. Well, they were "on our side" for that short period between dividing Poland with Hitler in 1939 then enslaving everyone they "liberated" in 1945.



Being on the winning side made all the difference of course when you consider that throughout human history it has been shown that it doesn't really matter which side was "just" in war but which side won. You are absolutely right about the Stalin regime being every bit as evil and corrupt as the Third Reich and as we all know from what happened during the De-Stalinization period of Soviet history, even the Soviet leadership themselves acknowledged Stalin's excesses.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 12:15 PM

Here's a little-known aspect of WWII that has always fascinated me due mostly to the incredible irony that one of the very last units to defend the Reich Chancellery in Berlin wasn't even German but French.

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Wklink
Compared to what happened to Soviet prisoners captured in 1941 and early 1942 the Soviets were actually much more restrained.

The Nazis killed them all? How many were there?
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Originally Posted by Wklink
Compared to what happened to Soviet prisoners captured in 1941 and early 1942 the Soviets were actually much more restrained.

The Nazis killed them all? How many were there?



You love Wiki so much go ahead and look it up! All I will say is that at minimum it is estimated that 3 million Soviet soldiers died in German prison camps and concentration camps.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 02:09 PM

I was busy, didn't have time to Wiki. Quicker to write a question. But now I have time to Wiki it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_mistreatment_of_Soviet_prisoners_of_war

and Wiki again

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union

[Linked Image] [Linked Image]
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/06/20 11:26 PM

If he did escape Berlin, he can't be alive. His birth year is 1900.


Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/14/20 05:58 PM

I know this. Market Garden fail = Nazis took it out on the Holland population that help the Allies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_famine_of_1944%E2%80%9345



Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/15/20 11:49 AM

Here is an interesting tidbit about the Third Reich which I doubt you will ever see Hollywood make a movie or mini-series about,






It is estimated that about 30,000 blacks lived in Germany from 1933-1945 and while they were ostracized and didn't have the same rights as white Germans, they were not shipped off to the concentration camps like other groups that were considered "enemies of the state".
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/20/20 03:11 AM

The Russian dogs were not first in space

Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/20/20 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
I know this. Market Garden fail = Nazis took it out on the Holland population that help the Allies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_famine_of_1944%E2%80%9345



In Operation Market Garden the armoured division set out from the town next to where I live, Leopoldsburg, there is a monument to the operation there. The terrain featured in the film A Bridge Too Far is reasonably correct, it is flat-ish heather and peat with plantations of fir trees for the coal mines in the area, most of the older roads here have trees along them, Oak mainly, they were planted to cover the movement of troops and equipment in the area.
Historically (1800s) our township donated a large chunk of it's area to the military for garrisons and training areas, part of that area became the town of Leopolsburg. We have artillery and tank training ranges along with small arms ranges and a couple of ranges for aircraft to fire ordnance on. We drive through the local army base a lot as we have to go through it to get to Leopoldsburg
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/20/20 11:03 AM

One thing I don't understand about Market Garden is why didn't XXX Corps keep advancing after the British 1st Airborne division in Arnhem was wiped out?
Posted By: Chef

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/20/20 05:51 PM

Three left behind and no attempted rescue mission.

Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/22/20 12:57 AM

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/23/20 04:36 AM

This is still in service !! Amazing !!

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/23/20 04:07 PM

4800 JU52 made and only 5 left stiil flyable

Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/24/20 10:04 PM

Here is another tidbit of WW 2 history that many don't know about,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_Kitty


According to multiple witnesses, the Waffen SS general Sepp Dietrich was a frequent customer of the high-end brothel and on one occasion he had an orgy with about 15-20 of the prostitutes there.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/26/20 11:24 PM

Some were not loyal happy go lucky Nazis

Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/27/20 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Some were not loyal happy go lucky Nazis



Stuff like this happens when you are desperate for manpower to fight a war in which the tide has turned against you and where you are fighting the majority of the world. The Waffen SS greatly relaxed its standards for recruitment starting in 1943 and the overall quality and loyalty of the late war divisions was nowhere near the same as those divisions that were created earlier in the war or had mostly German personnel.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/27/20 01:49 PM

There was 23 Waffen SS units formed from recruits from other countries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffen-SS_foreign_volunteers_and_conscripts
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/27/20 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by KraziKanuK
There was 23 Waffen SS units formed from recruits from other countries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffen-SS_foreign_volunteers_and_conscripts



Among those, the 5th SS "Wiking" armored division had by far the most impressive combat record. In fact, many historians agree that it had a more impressive combat record than some of the German-only Waffen SS divisions.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/27/20 06:37 PM

According to that Mark Felton video, the members of that SS unit were Muslims.

Pure Aryan race!
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/27/20 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
According to that Mark Felton video, the members of that SS unit were Muslims.

Pure Aryan race!



As we've seen so often from human history, adherence to political orthodoxy often takes a backseat to the pressing pragmatic needs of the moment.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/31/20 12:58 AM

Alien infiltrators attempt to influence humans using the secret word trunalimunumaprzure!

Supposedly, just hearing the word makes certain human sub species believe almost anything.

BTW, I started this thread about a historical report indicating how disadvantaged the allied tankers were against competent Germans in Panthers. I certainly was not advocating or cheer leading the panzertruppen.

Just lamenting how out gunned our guys were. I am still flabbergasted as to why it took the US so long to adopt a bigger gun, ala the Firefly...seriously.

So let's make a Tank Destroyer with light armor and no overhead arnor from artillery...seriously???

Same guns would have fit on a up armored, up powered Sherman.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/31/20 11:04 AM

It was the doctrine at the time Nixer. Tanks for infantry support and other FV for taking on enemy tanks. Half-tracks are an example of other FV.

Wiki has a good write up on the Sherman, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_Sherman
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/31/20 02:37 PM

Agreed on the doctrine, luckily common sense broke out and the M4A's with the 76mm started appearing right after D-Day.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/31/20 04:00 PM

The tank destroyer doctrine might have been more successful if there had been more opportunity to use them defensively, as whatever their shortcomings, they still had some advantages over the towed AT guns that everyone else was using.

Also, the M26 Pershing was originally intended to be produced on a 1:5 basis to the Sherman, but of course numerous delays meant that hardly more of them were produced before the war ended than the Tigers, and only a handful actually saw action.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/02/20 07:03 PM

Learn new thing again

Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/02/20 09:29 PM

I didn’t know about the British monitor, HMS Roberts.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/02/20 09:38 PM

Today is 1st time I heard of a monitor. In was said in the video it has 15 inch guns. Big guns for a small ship. Aren't those guns for battleships? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_(warship)
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/02/20 11:09 PM

I seem to recall that Churchill had a thing for monitors.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/02/20 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Today is 1st time I heard of a monitor. In was said in the video it has 15 inch guns. Big guns for a small ship. Aren't those guns for battleships? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_(warship)


You do know there was a Monitor during the ACW.
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/06/20 01:06 AM

Just now had a chance to check out this latest gem from Mark.

Band beach...

That UK monitor was one fugly ship!
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/06/20 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by KraziKanuK
Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Today is 1st time I heard of a monitor. In was said in the video it has 15 inch guns. Big guns for a small ship. Aren't those guns for battleships? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_(warship)


You do know there was a Monitor during the ACW.


You are right. Forgot.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/06/20 03:08 AM

https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=USS-Onondaga-river-monitor-1864
[Linked Image]

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/monitors-2.htm
[Linked Image]
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/06/20 03:18 AM

USS Florida (BM-9)
[Linked Image]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Florida_(BM-9)
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/06/20 04:18 AM

Those ships in that multi ship image don't look they have much of a beam and keel depth. I would think heavy seas and high winds and rough waves will overwhelm them.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/06/20 12:05 PM

The USS Monadnock crossing the Pacific Ocean during the Spanish–American War
[Linked Image]
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/07/20 10:30 PM

They were brave!


Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/10/20 08:29 PM

Not heard of this name

Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 01:20 AM

This is just awesome stuff I personally had no idea about...

Kinda like WWII's Gulf of Tonkin...almost. smile



I love the comment "until Hitler STUPIDLY declared war on the U.S.".

Unless this is all crap (doubtful), this guy Felton is the most awesome amateur historian I have ever come across.

Sadly, it would take a thousand more of him to counteract the mountains of garbage on Social Media.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 01:53 AM

Hitler did stupidly declare war on the USA.

After Pearl Harbor and the USA declared war on Japan, the USA still did not declare war on Nazi Germany..

Will the USA had later? Maybe. Maybe not. But at the time the USA main preoccupation was to stop Japan while continuing to supply England without getting directly involved in a war with Germany.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Slovik

^ ^ ^
Quote
During World War II, 1.7 million courts-martial were held


That many???? How many Americans were in uniform during World War 2?
Posted By: Nixer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 02:00 AM

Pretty big leap there from Eddie Slovak to FDR grand strategy.

Follow my lead and smoke another one whilst "LISTENING" instead of assuming...oh and...after three years of college, I am becoming a grammar nazi.

We are coming for you. charge
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 02:07 AM

[Linked Image]

Grammatik macht frei
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 02:32 PM

You'll never see a Hollywood movie about this for multiple reasons:

Allied invasion of Iran

Posted By: DBond

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Those ships in that multi ship image don't look they have much of a beam and keel depth. I would think heavy seas and high winds and rough waves will overwhelm them.




In the image you are referring to you can see neither the beam nor the keel depth. You are speaking about, I think, freeboard, or the distance from the water line to the deck.

Beam is how wide the ship is, which cannot be seen in a profile, and keel depth (or draft) is how far it extends below the water line, which again, cannot be seen here.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 07:22 PM

I don't know anything about boats: I never been on one. I almost got killed by a moving boat one time many years ago when I was 9.

Freeboard, will WIKI it. thank you.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 07:26 PM

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/14/20 07:37 PM

That is impressive.
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/15/20 03:25 AM

Posted By: BD-123

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/15/20 09:59 AM

More authentic and realistic than the 1965 film version Crane Hunter!
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/15/20 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by BD-123
More authentic and realistic than the 1965 film version Crane Hunter!



True but at least Robert Shaw did make a very convincing German general!
Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/15/20 02:01 PM

The Panzerlied scene is always good.


Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/15/20 02:10 PM

And Henry Fonda is always great.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/15/20 03:21 PM

How’s this for some interesting trivia? The prison where Hitler was sentenced to in 1923 for the failed coup against the Weimar Republic is still in operation today by the Federal Republic of Germany.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsberg_Prison
Posted By: wormfood

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/16/20 03:03 PM

Those frogmen were crafty:
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/22/20 01:49 AM

Did not know these

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon



Posted By: BD-123

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/22/20 10:01 AM

The Nebelwerfer was dubbed by British troops, 'Moaning Minnie'

Typical Brit lash up featured there, "I say chaps, how about this for a jolly wheeze...Bung a couple of Tiffie rockets on the side of the tank and give Jerry what-for up the wazzoo."

As to the remark regarding the Calliope, similar outraged comments was addressed to a fellow tank commander of my wife's father regarding the use Churchill Crocodile Flamethrower tank. He was admonished by a surrendering German Officer. Lambasted that this terrible and demoralising weapon was "unfair, unsporting and un-English!".
Many dispirited and poorly trained Heer by the time Mike was in action in Germany capitulated at the mere knowledge that these tanks were in the vicinity.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/23/20 04:26 AM

Originally Posted by BD-123
The Nebelwerfer was dubbed by British troops, 'Moaning Minnie'





And the Germans called the Katyusha trucks "Stalin's organ". biggrin
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/25/20 04:30 AM

History lessons time.






Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/30/20 08:58 AM

There was a second Pearl Harbor attack and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?



Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/30/20 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
There was a second Pearl Harbor attack and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?



\Why do you ask all of these incessant questions when you're the one digging up these Youtube videos and supposedly watching them? Haven't these videos already answered your questions?
Posted By: bolox

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/02/20 04:31 PM

On the subject of Pearl Harbour, this 3 part series covers a part no one thinks about- the salvage of the ships after the raid.
For those of you who haven't watched any of Drach's channel and like some really detailed 'forgotten history', you are in for a treat.





Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/02/20 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
There was a second Pearl Harbor attack and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?



\Why do you ask all of these incessant questions when you're the one digging up these Youtube videos and supposedly watching them? Haven't these videos already answered your questions?


Why do you incessantly persecute me?

It's called discussing history after learning about it. You can learn more beyond what is printed in a history book or on a website article or in YouTube video through discussing things.

When he was a young pup, Panzer was one those lassies in class who didn't raise his hand to ask questions and who didn't participate in discussions after the teachers have given their lesson lectures. He sat in the back and tweedle doo his thumbs: when the teachers ask a question, he would make himself smaller and pray teacher wouldn't call him up to the front of the classroom to answer the question.

Thank you Bolox. I did not know they salvage those sunken warships and put them back in service. INCREDIBLE!
Posted By: Crane Hunter

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/02/20 08:37 PM

[Linked Image]
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/05/20 09:49 PM

Latest video





Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/20/20 11:04 AM

More learning.





This I know. It was propaganda. I bet in the mind of those troops, the American were thinking I hate you commie #%&*$#, if they let me I will kill you all. The Russians were thinking you Yanks are not taking Berlin and Hitler. Berlin and Hitler it's ours and we will kill you all for it.



Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/26/20 12:28 PM

Christmas special video

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 01/18/21 06:21 PM

Did not know this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Himmler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleiwitz_incident

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciszek_Honiok
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/13/21 05:12 PM



Posted By: RedToo

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/14/21 04:15 PM

[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge? [/quote]

Yes, my grandfather was there.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/15/21 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by RedToo
[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?


Yes, my grandfather was there.
[/quote]

Yup. It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/15/21 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by RedToo
[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?


Yes, my grandfather was there.


Quote
Yup. It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.


The British soldiers included those from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/15/21 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by KraziKanuK
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by RedToo
[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?


Yes, my grandfather was there.


Quote
Yup. It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.


The British soldiers included those from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland.



You are right, I should have said British Empire and not just British.
Posted By: Mad Max

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/24/21 09:01 AM

Actually it was most of them were British at least early in the offensive. It was the debut of Kitchener's New Army. 57,000 casualties on 1 July 1916. I had relatives there. Pipers played in front of the troops until they were all dead. My grandfather told me how the music of the pipes were cut across by the spandaus and fell silent.

Later the Canucks, Springboks and Diggers were used to good effect.

It is a fallacy that it was a futile slaughter, the Heer was never the same afterwards, their guts were ripped out on the Somme.

The French were in the South, but very much in a supporting role as they had their hands full at Verdun.

A bad war like they always are.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/24/21 11:43 AM

Excellent post Mad Max.
Posted By: Roudou

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/24/21 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.


About the 200,000 number, it is the number of french casualties. The battle of the Somme involved 11 french divisions at the start and 48 at the end. A bit more than a supporting role.

French troops had a supporting role at Gallipoli (~80,000 troops). Another battle where the french role is overlooked is Meuse-Argonne offensive approximatively 50% US 50% french.

Unfortunately, WWII made a lot of damage to the french military history.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/24/21 12:33 PM

Battle of Beaumont-Hamel

At the northern end of the Somme front, near the village of Beaumont-Hamel, about 800 troops of the First Newfoundland Regiment were gathered on 1 July in a support trench nicknamed St. John’s Road. They were part of a third wave of troops to attack German lines. At 9:15 a.m., the Newfoundlanders began their assault, crossing no man’s land in rehearsed lines. Out in the open, they saw that the first waves of British attackers had failed — the troops lying dead, or trapped in no man’s land, cut down by machine guns and artillery fire while trying to navigate a few narrow gaps in the barbed wire.

The Newfoundlanders pressed forward into this firestorm. Some were hit before they even reached the front of the existing British lines. Others died upon reaching the base of the Danger Tree, a prominent tree halfway between the British and German lines, where enemy bullets soon found them.

Less than 30 minutes after leaving their trench, it was all over for the Newfoundlanders. Small groups of survivors attempted in vain to fight on. Hundreds of injured men were left to fend for themselves on the battlefield through the night, where they died of their wounds or were killed by German snipers.

More than 700 soldiers of the First Newfoundland Regiment were cut down at Beaumont-Hamel. Of the regiment’s 801 members, only 68 could answer roll call by the end of the opening day.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/24/21 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Roudou
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.


About the 200,000 number, it is the number of french casualties. The battle of the Somme involved 11 french divisions at the start and 48 at the end. A bit more than a supporting role.

French troops had a supporting role at Gallipoli (~80,000 troops). Another battle where the french role is overlooked is Meuse-Argonne offensive approximatively 50% US 50% french.

Unfortunately, WWII made a lot of damage to the french military history.



Thanks for this post! It clears up some things.
Posted By: Mad Max

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/25/21 07:19 AM

Hi, Roudou, I mean no disrespect to the poilu. He gave his best always.

However at the Somme the schwerpunct (sp) was up to the New Armies. The French were on the Southern flank I believe.
Posted By: Roudou

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/25/21 10:55 AM

Yup, the germans made their largest deffensive efforts on the North bank of the Somme river, what I meant is the South bank of the river is too often overlooked.

http://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/first_battle_of_the_somme.htm
Posted By: bolox

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/25/21 11:36 AM

back sort of on topic, thought some of you might find this vid on Panther armour interesting.

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 02/27/21 04:26 PM

Some of them shoulda thrown in prison. They knew what their Nazi men were doing.

Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 03/05/21 10:03 PM

The brother of my wife's grandmother was killed by a shot in the head during WW1 in a field on the edge of town, he was 2 1/2 years old.

Just came up in conversation over dinner tonight about bad luck and how that side of the family always had something go wrong in one way or another
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 03/25/21 04:56 AM

Choppers in WW2?

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 04/15/21 05:01 PM

The Hurricane???

Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 04/15/21 05:21 PM

deadhorse
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 04/19/21 04:27 PM

Watching National Geographic documentary on Nazi secret weapons. Hitler love big tanks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landkreuzer_P._1000_Ratte
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 07/18/21 11:49 PM

I never heard of HILL 112 during the Battle of Normandy



https://www.battleofnormandytours.com/the-capture-of-caen-hill-112.html

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/1119/Hill-112.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Jupiter_(1944)

Very interesting!

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/02/21 07:10 PM

Watch this yesterday. Very good with some footage I never seen. Both episodes are free, no account sign up.

https://tubitv.com/series/300006259/embedded-45-shooting-war-in-germany?
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 07/30/22 02:57 PM

Did not know about these.

German gun that can fire around corners.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krummlauf



British AA guns in the channel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maunsell_Forts

https://abluteau.wordpress.com/2010...bizarre-sea-defense-against-the-germans/

Posted By: wheelsup_cavu

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/03/22 07:35 PM

Too many to quote each post individually but there are some pretty cool videos in this thread. thumbsup


Wheels
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/03/22 10:46 PM

Posted By: Haggart

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/03/22 11:17 PM

Great WWII footage ! thanks for posting
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/04/22 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy


Geography lesson. The Channel is on the south coast of England. The forts were in the Thames Estuary and the approach, and the North Sea.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/09/22 07:37 AM

D-Day was a huge thing. They can't tell everrything with these little shorts. https://www.primevideo.com/detail/The-Logistics-of-D-Day/0JR76DWPU7DMO657YDBZOSZYM3
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/12/22 10:57 PM

Did not know this. This guy was courageous.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Carpenter_(lieutenant_colonel)

https://www.americanheritagemuseum.org/aircrafts/piper-l4-grasshopper-rosie-the-rocketer/

read the comments of his daughter and granddaughter with this YT video




Posted By: bolox

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/13/22 12:24 PM

This one is close to home- abut a mile away infact



the bomb map
https://www.invisibleworks.co.uk/the-norwich-bomb-map-digitised/

and some photos of the damage
http://georgeplunkett.co.uk/Website/raids.htm
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/13/22 12:32 PM

Here's a Felton video that caught my special attention mostly for the incredible amount of irony concerning the "ideal German soldier" who appeared on the well known recruitment poster.


Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/29/22 10:09 PM

Nazis and their strange inventions

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/b...-definitely-weirdest-tank-history-124056

https://www.historicmysteries.com/kugelpanzer/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelpanzer

Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/08/23 02:16 PM

I didn't know the full plan. Glad it didn't happen.

Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/08/23 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
I didn't know the full plan. Glad it didn't happen.




Estimated casualties were put at just over 1 million (civilian + military). Just show this video to anyone who tells you that dropping the two bombs was "immoral".
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 05/08/23 02:52 PM

Purple Heart medals produced during WWII in anticipation of the invasion of Japan were still being given to soldiers wounded/killed in Iraq/Afghanistan
Posted By: Phoenix54C

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 07/31/23 11:34 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZb7P0AUMKo


Sorry bout wrong place so i changed link...
Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 07/31/23 11:37 PM

Not sure why a video about grooming a boxer was in this thread.

But, hey. Nice dog.
Posted By: Phoenix54C

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 07/31/23 11:52 PM

Its about pantjers and animals so thats all
.Yuo guys have a pets thread but i couldnt find it.

They are very loyal dog and not visious at all.



Ive a six month old boxer called winston and he makes me lafff my ass off,

very sad eyes but as funny and LAZY as it gets,
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/01/23 11:03 AM

On a related note this is definitely one of the most famous armor engagements on the western front during WWII.

"On 8 August 1944, Anglo-Canadian forces launched Operation Totalize. Under the cover of darkness, British and Canadian tanks and troops seized the tactically important high ground near the town of Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil. Here they paused, awaiting an aerial bombardment that would signal the next phase of the attack. Unaware of the reason the Allied forces had halted, SS Hitlerjugend Division Commander Kurt Meyer ordered a counterattack to recapture the high ground.

Wittmann led a group of seven Tiger tanks from Heavy SS-Panzer Battalion 101, supported by additional tanks and infantry. His group of Tigers crossed open terrain towards the high ground. They were ambushed by Allied tanks from two sides. On the right or northeast, British tanks from "A" Squadron 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry and "B" Squadron 144th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps were positioned in woods. To the left or west, "A" Squadron Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment was located at a chateau courtyard broadside to the attack, where they had knocked firing positions through the stone walls. [45] The attack collapsed as the Canadian tanks destroyed two Tiger tanks, two Panzer IVs and two self-propelled guns in Wittman's force, while British tank fire destroyed three other Tigers.[46] During the ambush, anti-tank shells fired from Canadian tanks penetrated the upper hull of Wittmann's tank, igniting the ammunition. The resulting fire engulfed the tank and blew off the turret.[47] The destroyed tank's dead crew members were buried in an unmarked grave. In 1983, the German war graves commission located the burial site. Wittmann and his crew were reinterred together at the La Cambe German war cemetery in France.[48] In 2008 a documentary in the Battlefield Mysteries series examined the final battle. A historian, Norm Christie, interviewed participants; Rad Walters, Joe Ekins and Ken Tout, and from their testimony and the two German accounts pieced the final battle together. The Tigers left the cover of a hedge near Cintheaux at 12:30 in two prongs; one in the middle of the field with the other—including Wittman—moving slower on the right. The British 75mm armed tanks engaged the lead Tiger (Iriohn) hitting it in the transmission, bogies or track and it started going in circles trying to withdraw. Joe Ekins' tank hit the second Tiger on the right side and knocked it out. As the crew escaped and brought out their wounded, they watched another Tiger north of them go up in flames (Kisters). Iriohn partly withdrew but could not get away and was hit by Ekins—"the one that was mulling around." Wittmann signalled "Pull back!" He did not realize that a group of the Sherbrookes were immediately to his right, and in a volley they knocked out the two Tigers beside the road. The commander of the second Tiger recalled the position of Wittmann's tank and specifically the skewed turret. The tank blew up shortly afterwards. Survivors from Dollinger's tank passed by the wreck of Wittmann's tank shortly afterwards"
Posted By: bolox

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 08/01/23 11:14 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwQh_XdcISg

yes it's lazerpig- but an interesting take on Wittman -YMMV
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/10/23 11:01 AM

Came across this https://www.reddit.com/r/TankPorn/c...of_american_forces_in_cologne/?rdt=45820

Then GOOGLE for more info

Did not know the Pershing tank https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M26_Pershing was used in World War 2 and it fought the German Panther tanks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panther_tank

That Pershing was part of the Spearhead Tank Division https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Armored_Division_(United_States)

Why it took 75 years to give them medals when only one of them was still living (in 2019)???

https://www.defense.gov/News/Featur...agle-7-tankers-pinned-with-bronze-stars/

He passed last year https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/ne...be-buried-with-full-military-honors.html

RIP, Thank you and your fellow tankers for your service and sacrifice.

Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 10/10/23 01:54 PM

Yes that tank duel in Koln is very well known. Guess what is now on the street corner where the German Panther was knocked out?

A McDonalds.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/16/23 03:57 AM



https://youtu.be/Djf-kywo8oE?
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/16/23 07:30 AM

IMPRESSIVE! Those Nazi Panzer were over-rated. I think only Hitler and his officers thought their Panzer were indestructible and unbeatable and that they could win the war with bigger and heavier Panzer. Once Russia introduced the T-34 and its many versions, the Panzer were doomed.
Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/16/23 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
IMPRESSIVE! Those Nazi Panzer were over-rated. I think only Hitler and his officers thought their Panzer were indestructible and unbeatable and that they could win the war with bigger and heavier Panzer. Once Russia introduced the T-34 and its many versions, the Panzer were doomed.

Just to be clear, 'panzer' is German for 'tank'.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/16/23 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
IMPRESSIVE! Those Nazi Panzer were over-rated. I think only Hitler and his officers thought their Panzer were indestructible and unbeatable and that they could win the war with bigger and heavier Panzer. Once Russia introduced the T-34 and its many versions, the Panzer were doomed.




By 1944, the constant lack of gasoline and the frequent mechanical breakdowns more than nullified any technological advantages the late war German tanks had.
Posted By: wormfood

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/21/23 02:50 PM

USAAF Fighter Control in WW2, gives a brief overview of how the 56th Fighter group would talk to control, each other, bomber groups and get fixes for navigating back home.
Covers a few other things briefly like other bombers being used for radio relays and P47s being assigned to find, fix and direct rescue craft to downed aircraft in The Channel.

Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 11/21/23 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by wormfood
USAAF Fighter Control in WW2, gives a brief overview of how the 56th Fighter group would talk to control, each other, bomber groups and get fixes for navigating back home.



I'll watch this one at home, thanks!

Would be interesting to see something similar on US Navy carrier aviation in WWII. The radars, combat information center, communications procedures etc really matured quickly in the first year + of the war.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/16/23 09:53 PM

Some WW2 footage here I never seen

https://youtube.com/@HistoricalRecovery?si=Sc6GF971xketL84J
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/17/23 04:09 AM

Here is some WWII footage that has always fascinated me because I have always wondered how many Germans at this event knew privately in their minds that the war was lost? This "Heroes Gratitude Day" took place in March 1943 so this was only 2 months after the disastrous defeat at Stalingrad and also when the Axis were about to be kicked out entirely from North Africa.

https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675027902_Adolf-Hitler_German-flag_soldiers-greet_people-gather





Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/17/23 04:46 AM

Those troops probably didn't know they lost Stalingrad. Until the end of the war even with Berlin surrounded and destroyed, the Nazi radio was still blaring the same propaganda that victory is near, dozen of non existent divisions will soon stop and defeat the Russians at their front door, etc.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/17/23 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Those troops probably didn't know they lost Stalingrad. .



The entire German public was aware of the defeat at Stalingrad. It was that defeat which was a major impetus for this:





Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 04:15 PM

Excellent video on the best tank of WWII:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw9-EJKnRjU
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 05:17 PM

I'm not sure how you are defining "best" but if you mean winning the war via a colossal superiority in numbers over the enemy then you are correct. The late war variants like the Easy 8 and the Firefly were excellent matches against German armor but the earlier 1942-1943 variants were definitely inferior.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 06:09 PM

If you consider all attributes (reliability, speed, maneuver, firepower, protection, ease of manufacture/ease of use etc. etc) the Sherman was the best tank of WWII. It was a 1 to 1 match for the majority of German tanks (Pz3/4) and given it's numerical superiority (ease of manufacture) it was in groups a match for Panthers/Tigers.

The oft claimed "best" T-34 was an ergonomic nightmare, hard to drive and a terribly cramped turret affecting crew performance. The T-34 had a slight advantage in armor thickness but had poorer quality armor than the Sherman leading to a lot of spalling that injured/killed crewmembers without penetrating the armor. T-34 crews were killed at a much higher rate than did Sherman crews (yes much of that can be attributed to tactics, but its still true). The Sherman had a reputation for burning that was always overstated but even to the level such a problem did exist it was almost eliminated by wet stowage of ammo post ~1943. The Sherman always had better optics and a (somewhat) stabilized gun allowing for better gunnery. Sherman's had much superior radios which allowed for better tactics, such as massing/out maneuvering Shermans against tougher German tanks such as the Panther/Tiger.

There's a reason why Shermans defeated T-34's by a wide margin in Korea.
Posted By: PanzerMeyer

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by F4UDash4


There's a reason why Shermans defeated T-34's by a wide margin in Korea.



In this case I think the significant difference in the training quality and experience of the tank crews was a bigger factor than any superiority in hardware.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by F4UDash4


There's a reason why Shermans defeated T-34's by a wide margin in Korea.



In this case I think the significant difference in the training quality and experience of the tank crews was a bigger factor than any superiority in hardware.




Both played a role.
Posted By: wormfood

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 06:47 PM

Those shermans were also easy to work on, very reliable and could easily be transported by sea. Very important factors when you're fighting across an ocean. They also worked in every theater around the globe. The size and ergonomics also meant that when it did catch on fire the crew could easily bail out. It was the 2nd most survivable tank after the churchill.
Many tanks might beat the sherman in a category or two, but it does everything well enough and it does it everywhere. That's why it was a great tank and probably the best.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/22/23 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by wormfood
Many tanks might beat the sherman in a category or two, but it does everything well enough and it does it everywhere.


+1

If I had just wrote that I could have saved myself some time!
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/23/23 10:28 PM

I read somehwere can't recall where that the first 350 Shermans made went to General Montgomery and his British Army for the Battle Of El Alamein.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/24/23 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
I read somehwere can't recall where that the first 350 Shermans made went to General Montgomery and his British Army for the Battle Of El Alamein.



Not quite right, but close. The British recieved 350 OF the first Sherman's, but not THE FIRST 350. Many/most of the Sherman's sent to the British in North Africa were transferred from the US Army, so they were in essence "second hand" although practically new since they had been in US Army service for a short time before being transferred.
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/24/23 12:52 AM

I did not know that part, F4UDash4. Thank you.

But have the US Army use them in combat yet? If not, wouldn't they still be considered brand new?
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/24/23 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
I did not know that part, F4UDash4. Thank you.

But have the US Army use them in combat yet? If not, wouldn't they still be considered brand new?


They had not been used in combat by the US and no they don't remain "brand new" until used in combat. However they were (I would assume given their age, lack of much use) in excellent condition
Posted By: Wklink

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/24/23 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
I'm not sure how you are defining "best" but if you mean winning the war via a colossal superiority in numbers over the enemy then you are correct. The late war variants like the Easy 8 and the Firefly were excellent matches against German armor but the earlier 1942-1943 variants were definitely inferior.




Exactly to what? In 1942 the Germans had, in quantity essentially two tanks. The PzKwIII and PzKwIV. The Panzer IVF2 wasn't put into production until very early in 1942 so it pretty much is a contemporary of the M4 Sherman. Prior models used the short barrel KwK 37 L/24 which, while capable of engaging tanks, wasn't designed for armored warfare. The M4 was better armored, at least as well armed, faster and the medium velocity M3 gun was not as powerful as the German L48 but it certainly did have the capability to penetrate any armor of the PzIII and PzIV. Add to this the fact that the Germans didn't have a great number of these up-gunned PzIVs and had to soldier on with earlier A-F1 model Panzer IVs. Every Sherman they met had the 75mm M3 gun. The Panzer III was pretty much outdated by the time of the introduction of the Sherman.

Now if you are talking about the Tiger, well, yeah the Tiger was bigger, more powerful and better protected. It also didn't hit the battlefield until the end of 1942 and less than 1500 were produced during the entire war. Comparing a medium tank like the Sherman to a heavy tank like the Tiger is like comparing the T-34 to the Tiger. In most scenarios the Tiger is going to win. The Americans, in contrast, created 52,000 Shermans by the end of 1943. The Tiger got a reputation as unstoppable and it continues to be reinforced to this day. As far as heavy tanks go, it is probably one of the few vehicles the Germans introduced during the war that lived up to expectations but it was never going to be a game changer. There were simply too few of them and they had to be spread too thin. If Germany could have made 10 thousand of them then there would have a much bigger impact. But all it ended up doing was looking fierce, fought and killed a few enemy tanks and then was slaughtered.

And as for the Panther, which didn't hit the battlefield in numbers until late 1943, it was the most overrated armored vehicle of the war. In theory it was a great tank but it never lived up to expectations. The 76mm and 17 pound equipped Shermans could engage these tanks with ease and unlike the Panther they didn't break down on the way to the battlefield. They never did get the transmission issues fixed on these tanks. And the Germans only made about six thousand of them. Again, even if it worked properly there simply wasn't enough of them. And they didn't work. More of them were found broken down than actually killed in the battlefield. If you capture a broken down tank that is the same as killing it.

This means that the vast majority of Shermans fought two models of German tank, the PzIII and increasingly the Panzer IV L48 gunned versions. Neither were better than the Sherman and in most cases were at a disadvantage one on one.


Every nation that used the Sherman loved it. The Russians loved the ease of maintenance, ergonomics and overall capability of the tank. Most actually preferred it to the T-34 because driving and riding in it wasn't a chore. The Brits credit it for winning the war in the Middle East. Again, reliable, rugged and superior to anything the Germans had at El Alamein. It was a great tank, even in 1942. The early variants obviously fell behind quickly as armored warfare evolved but that happens with all tanks. The PzIV was much different in 1944 than it was in 1938 and the T-34 had substantial, if incomplete improvements over the life of the production run. Personally, I think the Sherman was the best overall tank of the war.
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 12/24/23 06:39 PM

+1 Wklink

Excellent post
Posted By: NoFlyBoy

Re: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans - 03/27/24 12:48 AM

80 years ago on 3/24/1944, The Great Escape

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_Luft_III

https://apnews.com/article/poland-wwii-great-escape-anniversary-fb7d7dd1388c9e5c27b13ca1d7b176f2

The Nazi murderers got off easy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_Luft_III_murders
© 2024 SimHQ Forums