(3/5) TANKS! Tigers in the Desert North Africa

[metkic94]

British noobs!!! better armor calibar but no tactic.. romel won with cheap anti tank guns and tank buster infranty...

[PerfectDeath4]

@metkic94 The desert war was an example of changing perspective in mobile and tank combat. Each army learned and implemented new things, got the upper hand, then lost it. The british had tactics; they were just quickly obsoleted by the demands of the changing desert war. =P

[123mrresidentevil]

6:40 this is from the wiki for the tiger 1 "The infrastructure to support such a heavy vehicle was found wanting. For example, the standard German heavy recovery tractor could not tow the tank; up to three tractors were usually needed to tow one Tiger. Therefore another Tiger was needed to do this, but on such occasions, the engine of the towing vehicle often overheated and sometimes resulted in an engine breakdown or fire, so Tiger tanks were forbidden by regulations to tow crippled comrades

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil But Tiger I's in particular - for the mattter the crew would still tow crippled comrades anyways when Famo tractors weren't available - as a result it was said almost every Tiger I driver would have the experience of having to tow a crippled comrade back to base. Hmm - no wonder the Jagdtiger and the Tiger Ausf B Konigstiger were more likely abandoned/destroyed by crews rather than being captured/towed back to base :( Must have been sad for the crews by then :(

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil Oh on the bright note - did you know Tiger I crews, inaddition to training in thier Tiger tanks - they would also be sent to the factory to assist in construction of the Tiger I they would use - as a better means to get a hands on working knowledge/experience on thier tank :)

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil And the Tiger I engine - whilst many would claim to be a bad engine - if in good hands the Tiger I was maneuverable for a heavy tank of WWII and the Maybach engine was essentially a scaled up version of the generally reliable Panzer IV's engine - and that in turn was based on the proven British Merrit-Brown system - though in anycase it was by no means easy to manage/maintain...

[123mrresidentevil]

@HeirofGojira91 the only problem was the engine was put into a tank that was too heavy for it

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil Yes unfortunately - like I mentioned the Maybach was a bigger version of the Panzer IV's engine in a sense - but natrually given Hitler's incentitives and High Command of the Werhmatcht's demands for thicker armor, better transmission and gun power (original 1937 requirement was a 45 tonne tank with up to 80mm or so armor and carrying a higher velocity 75mm gun comparable to the Panzer IV Ausf H and Panther's 75mm PaK 42 gun) that vamped the Tiger up to 56 tonnes :(

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil The engine indeed also contributed to the weight of the Tiger I tank - but likewise the Tiger was manueverable and compact for a heavy WWII tank - its ground pressure was actually not too far off from the Sherman's (14.8lb/inch sq vs 14.3lb/inch sq) and in country/muddy areas it was surprisngly better than the Sherman tank. But likewise the engine was vulnerable to attack,straffing, breakdowns and was very fuel-hungry unfortunately - limiting the Tiger I's range

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil And don't forget on occasion in the desert sandstorms could muffle up and jam the engine if protection wasn't properly installed. Heck even the Panther tank was noted to suffer fuel line problems near its engine during Kursk and Normandy where it was noted the material made for its fuel line was not only porous but also allowed flammable hazards if gasolene seeped through. Again the Tiger I's weight - and not tomention the famous roadwheel suspension was nightmare for mechs

[HeirofGojira91]

@123mrresidentevil It was said mechanics for a Tiger I sometimes could get mixed up wit hteh road wheels when repairing or maintining them hence they would number them to get it easier to maintain. Unlike say the Panther; whilst lighter and having an easier manual steering the lack of durable gears (the Panther utilized double spur system gears) - final drives were still a problem throughout the Panther's career - not helped by the fact the gears were made of tempered low grade steel :(

[notaire2]

Rommel was really the most ingenious commander in the north African front.

[HeirofGojira91]

@notaire2 Indeed - he was admired and liked by both sides in the Desert War. Not to mention he treated his POW's quite well and made sure the Afrika Korps did not commit extreme atrocities commited by the SS, notably the Totenkofp, LSAH and Das Reich - even though the SS was a different command/organization to the Wehrmacht. Rommel was also said to be a 'soldiers soldier' - in Tobruk (novel) unlike the higher ranking aristocratic Wehrmacht Officers Rommel could go days without needing a shower!

[joeyyyXD]

making smoke haha!

[redreaper2020]

@joeyyyXD god, early ww2 british tank officers were DUMB. HEAT rounds would have made a HUGE difference...

I love that scene at 5:34. Maybach hl230 (?) crank shaft...one of hte few with that weight arragnement.

[Togeita]

@redreaper2020 Well, that's why they took such heavy losses. :P Never knew they had a "close-supporting" Matilda though. Sadly, doesn't seem very effective...

[dappadan22]

@redreaper2020 its not down to the individual officers to pick their own ammo, they had to use whatever they were issued with.

[redreaper2020]

@dappadan22 "tank officers" doesn't necessarily mean the actual ones driving the tanks, it also includes those who assign said loadouts.

[Fenris86]

It's "kLotzen nicht kleckern" not "kotzen". Nearest translation i have heard is: "Hit them with boulders, not with gravel."

[higfny]

@Fenris86 that makes a lot more sense :)

[epelayom]

Excelent Expalantaion

[hockeydudeluv]

fascinating stuff! Thanx for posting