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

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Videos Running Time 00:54:00 in 6 Parts


This episode of TANKS! examines British and German tanks in North Africa. Great Britain was at the forefront of amour development during World War I. However, Britains lead in tank design and tactics fell woefully short in the 1930s and during World War II. British tanks were so poor; it affected the moral of the troops. The Matilda was too slow and used an ineffective 2 pounder (40mm) main gun. The Crusader looked excellent on paper but turned out to be a complete disaster. Britain finally turned to America for reliable tanks.

The Sherman, although inferior to most German tanks, was extremely reliable. The British Sherman Firefly was fitted with the excellent 17 pounder (77mm) anti-tank gun during the western France campaign. Britain learned great lessons from armor development during World War II. Britain was determined to; never again fall so far behind all the major warring nations with amour. British development of tank cannons and laminated amour stem from their World War II experience. The Chieftain and Challenger are a direct result of this mentality.

The Germans were the masters of the battlefield during the early years of World War II. The Panzer II and III werent monsters, but where handled with great care. Most British tanks could hold their own against the Panzer III. However, the use of excellent tank tactics and skillful deplyment of anti-tank screens, was far superior than outdated British cavalry style tactics.

The Panzer IV long barreled 75mm was the first German tank to dominate the battlefield in North Africa. Its excellent high velocity gun could knock out even the well armored Matilda at distance. This design probably was the most influential of all the German machines during World War II.

The Panzer VI Tiger first entered service, against the Western Allies, with the 5th Panzer Army in Tunisia. The Tiger, was a monster. A very heavily armored, frontal, hull and turret coupled with a deadly 88mm, made this tank a legend till the end of the war. The Tigers frontal amour was completely impervious to any Allied anti-tank round. The Sherman had no choice but to defeat the Tigers rear amour, from close range. The Tiger was capable of knocking out a Sherman from at least 3,000 meters. The Allied tankers only hope was to gain a lucky shot against the Tigers tracks, mantlet or gun.

Enjoy this excellent episode of TANKS! Tigers in the Desert.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• World
• War
• II
• TANKS
• Panzer
• German
• British
• Tiger
• Allied
• Great
• Britain
• Americans
• Sherman
• North
• Africa
• armor
• France
• 75mm

[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

[metkic94]

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

[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 :(

[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 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 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 :(

[123mrresidentevil]

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

[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...

[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!

[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 :)