(1/5) TANKS! Steel Tigers (GDH)

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This episode of TANKS! examines the development of tanks from 1918-1945

The British were the main developers of tanks and tank warfare during World War I. In fact Britain was the first nation to coin the word; tanks! A tank was a cover story for armored vehicles actually containing water reserves rather than a weapon. The 400 tank attack at Cambria was considered a limited success. The Germans, who possessed little tank warfare ability, was impressed at the scope of the offensive.

At the outbreak of World War II German forces relied heavily on the Panzer I and II. The Panzer I was nothing better than a light half-track with a 7.92 machine gun. The Panzer II possessed little use as an anti-tank platform. The Panzer II possessed a 20mm cannon.

During the invasion of France, the French actually possessed superior tanks. The Char-B and S-35 armor plating and cannon was superior to the Panzer III and IV. However, the Germans tactics, radio communication and coordination with air force units, was far superior to the Allied Forces.

Prior to the 1941 German invasion of the Soviet Union, Germany suffered from victory disease. They did little to improve their vehicles. During the initial offensive into the USSR the fast but vulnerable T-28 and BT-7 were little match for light anti-tank guns and tactics. The Soviet vehicles were lost by the thousands. The first appearance of the Soviets T-34 was believed to be in central Russia. The emergence of the T-34 was an incredible shock to the Germans. The 37mm and 50mm anti-tank cannons simply bounced off the T-34s armor. Only anti-tank infantry teams and 88mm duel-purpose guns could defeat the T-34.

The Germans answer to the T-34 was the Tiger and Panther. Both were superior to the T-34. Despite initial teething problems the Panther would emerge as probably the best tank of World War II. The Panther had excellent sloped heavy armor, a high-velocity 75mm and great road speed. The King Tiger would emerge as the most powerful tank of World War II.

British and American tanks were at least a year behind the USSR and Germany. The Sherman armor protection and firepower was woefully inadequate to combat even the Panzer IV. The Sherman suffered from a distinctive high profile and was a simple target to hit. The Sherman Firefly possessed a 17 pounder (77mm) cannon and could penetrate the Tiger and Panthers side armor at distance. However, the Firefly was developed for use in the British Army only.

Enjoy this episode of TANKS!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Tanks
• German
• Infantry
• Tiger
• Panther
• King
• World
• War
• II
• Molotov
• GDHouston
• Gas
• Bomb
• T-34
• 88mm

[SabraStiehl]

Just for the record, the Panzer III began the war with a high velocity 37mm gun, while the IV had a short barreled 50 mm and was intended for infantry support. Then after they were upgunned they switched roles, with the III becoming the infantry support vehicle and the IV taking on the antitank role. Then since the III chassis was much lighter than the IV, the Germans put all kinds of weapons on the III chassis, including a Russian 76.2mm antitank gun. Then the went to Stugs, etc. for defense.

[2bn442RCT]

@SabraStiehl There was a small number of 50mm Pzkw III during the invasion of France.

[StaffanGoldschmidt]

Bullshit, in 1940 the PIII had a 37mm gun and the PIV a short barreled 75mm gun. Please read your manuals again.

[2bn442RCT]

@StaffanGoldschmidt The Germans did deploy a small number of Pzkw III with 50mm.

[alanheath]

brilliant analysis

[2bn442RCT]

thats again Alan

[MrAapenkind]

war make evolution go 10X faster 

[StarTrekMarco]

@EarthRover

Tanks were created by man. They evolved. There are many copies. And they have a plan!

[EarthRover]

Tanks did not evolve. Tanks were created by creators, like all things have been.

[11Sparky111]

@ThePooppantsman You do realize that this was some tv show and not this guy making a vid...

[ThePooppantsman]

He has it all wrong. The lee and the grant were 2 different tanks... ish. The Grant was the UK one with no co-ax MG were the Lee was the US one with a co-ax mg. The Grant and the Lee both have different turrets. Same M3 but different load outs.

[sass225]

The french actualy had tanks as good or better than the 1940s german tanks with the exception being that german tanks had radios and were deployed together to fight in cordinated group. the french spread there tanks out as infantry support. the supperior german tactics won.

[SabraStiehl]

The Panzerfaust cost only a few marks to make and was distributed in huge numbers at war's end. Deutsch older couples called into service had a habit of rising from a foxhole to nail a Sherman and then quickly surrendering. When news of this habit reached higher American headquarters, the word was sent back down that these people were not to make it to a POW camp - justifiably so. There were 3 versions, each one more powerful than the previous model, and which used a shaped charge to penetrate.

[SabraStiehl]

To the yokel who asserts that the Panzer(campfwagen) III started out with a 75mm gun and is arrogant enough to suggest that those who dispute him should go back to their manuals, I say you should take a serious look at yourself to possibly realize that you could be wrong, which I believe you've never considered. There are much better educated people than you online here - in my case a service academy grad and a veteran of two wars as a pilot (175 sorties). Where do you stand reference that?

[TokyoXer]

@SabraStiehl the Panzer IV at the beginning of the war had a short-barrelled 75mm cannon, not 50mm.