Elefant Tank Walkaround

This is a video of the Elefant tank, formally "Sturmgeschuetz mit 8.8cm PaK43/2 (Sd.Kfz. 184)" (translates to stormgun with 88mm Pak43/2 Special Vehicle 184)... used by the Germans in the second world war. It was designed by Porshe and produced in small numbers in April and May of 1943 as a heavily armored vehicle to carry the new version of the famous 88mm anti-aircraft gun which was too bulky to fit into the current tank carrying the 88, the Tiger. The new L/71 version had a higher muzzle velocity and fired a longer cartridge than the previous L/56 version, allowing increased armor penetration.

Based on the Porsche Tiger Chassis and Marder superstructure, the elefant weighed in at around 68 tons, making it the 3rd heaviest vehicle that saw service in World War 2, and the heaviest when it entered service. A large part of the weight is owed to the extra 100mm (3.8in) armor plate bolted onto the already 100mm thick armor on the hull and the 200mm (7.7in) armor at the front of the Superstructure. Driving the beast are two of the Maybach V12 engines used to drive a panzer IV, 11.8 liters each, mounted in the middle of the hull producing a total of 600hp and allowing for a maximum road speed of 30km/h (18mph)

This is one of the 48 Elefants which were modified to house a machine gun in a hull mounting similar to that of the StuG III to protect better against attacks from infantry. A total of 91 were made.

The vehicle was originally named Ferdinand after the designer, Ferdinand Porsche, but was later renamed the Elefant, by Hitler.

This video was filmed at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Ferdinand
• Elephant
• panzer
• Sturmgeschuetz
• tank
• destroyer
• jagd
• artillary
• ordinance
• museum
• restored

[drod103164]

why did the germans waste so much time building all of these tank destroyers. all they needed was the "tiger". it outclassed everything on the battle field.

[lorirocks777]

@drod103164 Well, the Tiger was slowly outclassed itself. I mean... Tigers could be destroyed by the Comet, M 26 Pershing, Js II, Js III...

And on the economic side of things it was cheaper to build vehicles without a turret. The elefant also had twice the armor of a Tiger.

[drod103164]

@lorirocks777 ok. i just checked on the history on the m26. now i know why i know nothing of this tank. there where only 20 tanks sent to europe in 1945. so can you really say that it would have outclassed the "tiger". right now i'm reading "tigers in the mud". it was a killer on the battlefield. 4 "tigers" and 30 "t34s" was no problem. that may be do to the fact that the soviets went into battle with there tanks "button up". you have to respect the tiger and what it could do.

[lorirocks777]

@drod103164 There's no doubt about it, Tigers were amazing and fearsome.. but the Germans really did the right thing by bringing out the Tiger 2, because the allies were also bringing out tanks with more powerful canons, not to mention field artillery.

Yeah it's sad that only 20 Pershings saw action in WWII, considering that there were more Pershings produced in WWII than Tigers.

I agree with you, if Germany had concentrated on 1 tank, they might have had better chances.

[HeirofGojira91]

@lorirocks777 Well - the Pershings did well in Korea didn't they? Plus later they developed to the M46-M47 and later the M48 Patton and the M60 lineage Patton tanks where eventually we got concepts to the MBT-70 (I am not sure if there's a relationship between the M60 or Pattons to this failed project) whilst later the M1 Abrams today more or less :D - and we can see the legacy of the Pershing -> Patton in a sense :)

[lorirocks777]

@HeirofGojira91 Thanks for your comments. Very interesting. I guess it's a question we can't know the answer to. I personally like the way the Germans built their tanks... and all the different versions that they made... whether it helped them or not we don't know... But the history is all very interesting, as are the stories from crews.

[12valvepower4]

didnt the huge tanks, sink into soviet soil.. and the engines blew up.. crossing the steppes..

it was a amazing idea.. but it blew up alot.

[TheDexda]

@drod103164

the elefant was actually supposed to become the tiger but the vehicle was rejected in favour of the henschel version which became the tige we know. the spar vehicles were the modified to become tank destroyers - the elefant

[allesscheisse88]

google Hetzer

[HeirofGojira91]

@moochkin If it was engine it was heavy and difficult to replace and need I not need to mention what a nightmare it was to German engineers to repair the road wheels and prepare the tracks for crossing or what ever purpose. Not to mention the fact there are photos of Tiger I's towing another Tiger I - despite restrictions Tiger I's tended to tow crippled comrades back to a repair park and practically every Tiger I commander/crew could experience this...

[HeirofGojira91]

@moochkin are we talking armor or the wheel drive? If its armor actually there is a story of a Tiger I that was briefly abandoned in a battle prior to being retrieved; the German mechanics counted at least 11 76.2mm shots, 45-57 57mm shots, 227 14.5mm shots and rolled over 3 mines - it was eventually repaired. A British test analysis of a captured Tiger I showed that the armor was extremely durable - most shots didn't penetrate the Tiger at all! But if ti was engine or wheels

[HeirofGojira91]

@tyskbulle Panther also has disadvantages compared to Panzer IV or Sherman; while better in field performance such as power-weight or ground pressure in the mud the Panther however has the long barrelled 75mm PaK/KwK 42; in Normandy this was a serious tactical weakness where manuerving in woods/towns the Panther could struggle. Also the Panther had a slow turret traverse to the SHerman and the final drive was of weak grade steel and had double gears rather than herringbone gears...

[HeirofGojira91]

@tyskbulle Hmm - historians claim if the Panzer IV was invested more with more priority on simplifying Pantehrs rather than huge Tiger behemoths the war would have been different in a sense. Its ironic the Panther - was abel to be used for the excellent Jagdpanther (not that you care but I personally like the Jagdpanther more than the Panther) - where it retained the Panther's speed and armor - yet sacrificing a turret for a bigger gun :) while Tigers got bigger and bigger :(

[HeirofGojira91]

@tyskbulle The Tiger Ausf B was said to be so huge sometimes JS-2 crews would run away in fright by the size of it; I havne't seen one in person but I'm guessing the Tiger Ausf B would be a frightening giant amongst tanks even today - and another colleauge mentioned to me the Jagdtiger was even bigger in a sense with a comparably big gun the KwK 44 - arguably among the most powerful (though expensive) AT/Tank guns in WWII...

[HeirofGojira91]

@tyskbulle Targu Frumos was one; a Panther and Tiger I squad destroyed a bigger '34/85' and JS-2 force despite the fact the Tiger I's initially failed to penetrate JS-2 armor at 2000 yards+ and despite the fact the Tiger I's were forced to go within at least 1000 yards or so - the JS-2's ability to spall/knock the German tanks; the combination of crew skill, superior optics, single shells and a faster mv of the Panther's gun meant JS-2 crews would recive some hard knocks before firing back :)

[HeirofGojira91]

@tyskbulle The Panther indeed was a fine tank; although many state it had weight and final drive problems - it was at first at Hitler's insistence it be used a Kursk; it suffered drive and engine problems as the battle went in history and all salvaged Panthers had to be recorrected; later Panthers while still having final drive problems and complexity nonetheless in the hands of a fine crew could still demand respect and proved superior to Allied Armor