The History of the Tiger Tank.
History of the Tiger tank began many hundreds of thousands of years ago, when several species of big cats decided to abandon the long saber-like fangs, acquire tails and implement new camouflage schemes. In spite of the ridicule of their arrogant saber-toothed cousins, they grew their long tails patiently and thoroughly investigated various types of masking color. After a few tens of thousands of years of hard work the first tiger finally sharpened its claws on a palm tree and up until 1930s, things more or less settled down.
Meanwhile, AA Schicklgruber, colloquially referred to as Hitler, came to power in Germany. Barely five years into his evil reign, he began to implement varios military-megalomaniacal fantasies. Of course, this affected the Panzerwaffe as well. The first German tanks were not bicycle-powered as some unscrupulous researchers claim, but, nevertheless, they were only considered tanks by overtly biased people. Fuhrer wanted something more...
At the end of January 1937 the Henschel Company has received an order for the design of a vehicle euphemistically called "war machine." The first produced model was not a tank at all, and was assembled from two halves with screws. The running gear, however, was quite normal and there were no signs of the horror that awaited the thousands of German technicians in 1943-1945. At the time Germany did not use the progressive Soviet methods of managing design process (putting entire research communities in regulated, well-organized institutions where they had all the conditions for productive work, complete with barbed wire and machinegun towers), so when Panzerwaffe representatives arrived to see the experimental tank, they were quickly shown something without a turret and loaded with railroad rails.
- Where's the tank? - Asked the tankers.
- That’s it, - said the designers.
- This??
- Well, actually, it's not a tank. This is the first concept- concept prototype of the prototype.
- Couldn’t you make the prototype right away?
- Well, such projects can’t be rushed. In addition, we have tested some interesting ideas on it.
Then one of the Panzerwaffe officers said that he has friends who work in the Gestapo, so if this Quatsch continues, the designers will be used to test some interesting ideas about the pain threshold, breaking points of the joints, and general anatomy.
In less than a year, the designers have presented a second prototype. To avoid Gestapo and other problems, they simply added a turret from PzKpfw IV and proudly showed it to the Panzerwaffe representatives.
- So? - Asked the representatives
- That's it! - Proudly replied the engineers.
- What do you mean "That’s it?"? - Guderian hissed ominously, reaching for his holster.
Guderian was stopped by Goth and Manstein, and then the random engineers were quickly executed to raise overall morale. This incredibly motivated the rest, and a new experimental prototype came just a year later. It still didn’t have a turret, but it had something else...
Dark legends about the childhood of engineer Knipkamp circulated among employees of Henschel. His evil stepmother forced the poor boy to wash, wipe and arrange dishes on the shelves from morning till late evening. Endless rows of plates - that forever scarred the memory of the unfortunate child.
For a time, adviser of the imperial arms bureau Knipkamp coped with his repressed trauma, although his project of an automatic cannon shooting flat disk-shaped projectiles scared the management to the point of several heart attacks (witnesses said that the prototype looked very much like a dishwasher run amok, and the water-cooled barrel emitting clouds of steam only increased the similarity). So the unsuspecting chief designer Erwin Aders instructed the engineer to design the chassis. It is said that when he saw the first sample, Aders ate two full packs of heart disease medication, including the packaging. He then hid three of the strongest engineers in his office, put a P-38 in his jacket, and called up Knipkamp for explanations.
- What is that? - Chief Designer’s hands trembled visibly.
- An experimental model of a new progressive chassis - an unhealthy gleam in the eyes of the engineer scared Aders so much that he forgot about the gun.
- But why four rows of rollers??!
- Because! This! Gives! Better! Smoother! Movement! – Insane voice of Knitkamp caused the hidden engineers to quietly faint.
- But in a month we have to show the prototype! - Aders groaned, wondering whether he’ll be sent to a concentration camp or simply shot at the spot.
- Everyone will be delighted - Knipkamp assured him.
I must say that after seeing the second prototype, the management decided not to risk it and assigned the development of heavy tanks to Porsche as well. Fortunately for the Allies, Porsche had his own extensive psychological issues. Ferdinand Porsche was very fond of all sorts of electrical gadgets, so as an engine for his monster, he chose not a primitive Maybach diesel, but instead a chain of a gas engine, a generator and an electric motor. To complete the picture, we should add that each of the driving wheels relied on its own electric motor, so the total number of engines and generators in the tank reached six. It is rumored that after the submission of the draft proposal, the smarter Porsche employees volunteered for the Wehrmacht and went to Poland, extremely pleased with themselves. The smartest ones fled to France and joined the Resistance.
Meanwhile, Germany invaded the Soviet Union. In early July, Porsche and Aders were urgently summoned to Kummersdorf. Right at the parking lot they were met by Guderian, who had flown from the front for a short visit. He gently put his arms around their shoulders and led them to a hangar.
- Well, gentlemen, what do you say? – Heinz’s voice could be spread on bread instead of butter.
- Donnerwetter! - Aders sat down where he stood, and Porsche clutched his heart.
In the middle of the hangar was there was a soot-covered monster without tracks, with armor resembling a lunar landscape.
- What is this? - Rasped Porsche.
- This? - Guderian's voice was sweet as saccharin. - Oh, this is a very interesting thing. This is a Russian heavy tank. Half of the 6th Division was shooting at it, and it stopped only when it ran out of fuel. Leeb had a nervous breakdown... And Now!!!
The temperature in the hangar fell by ten degrees, Aders longingly looked for Manstein ... Todt and Speer were holding back Guderian. He was struggling and screaming:
- Arsch mit Ohren!!! These Bierfickeren were making tracked urinals for four years and calling them heavy tanks! Mit solchen Arschloecher werde ich bald fertig! Todt, bastard, let me go, I'll tear theirarsch ! While the German people under the leadership of the great Führer...
At these words, Todt and Speer made a "Heil Hitler", releasing Guderian, who kicked the crap out the designers for a bit. After losing his breath, he straightened his uniform and said: So, Arschlochen. You saw the Russian tank. If in six months at my eagles will not have the same, only better, I'll rip your Eier. Or no, I'll call Himmler and say that you are both hidden Jews.
Constructors wiped the bloody snot and learned the lesson. The work continued at a greatly accelerated pace. Very soon, it became clear that the promising 75mm gun which was to be installed on the Aders tank was of course a very good weapon, but it has a rather exotic armor-piercing shell containing 1 kg of tungsten. Tungsten was so rare in the Reich that that the gun’s designers were immediately sent to a penal batallion on the Eastern Front, and Aders had a very unpleasant conversation with Muller. So Aders had to go to Porsche and beg for a spare turret.
This turret had a 88mm tank gun, which was an anti-aircraft weapon in a previous life. It was a very powerful gun, but the tankers often noticed that the Tiger would inexplicably lift the barrel and twist the turret when enemy aircraft appeared over the battlefield.
On April 20, 1942 one sample from each firm was brought to Hitler's headquarters in East Prussia. When unloading, the brave Porshe people stuck their tank into the ground. The cunning Henshel engineers unloaded theirs with a 70-ton crane, triggering a vague feeling of anxiety among the watching tank crews, especially technicians. Tanks were shown to Hitler and he immediately awarded Porsche with a Cross of Military Merit. After that, the tanks did a little show. Porsche’s tank moved quickly, but had wider turns than the "Lancaster". Henschel’s tank moved slowly, but turned around on the spot. However, the engine overheated to the point of needing liquid nitrogen to cool off.
For further testing of the tanks were taken to the polygon in Burke. Electric transmission of Porsche’s tank constantly broke down, blew fuses, electrocuted the crew, and the tank trailed a smell of burnt insulation. After inspecting, the Fuhrer went back to the designers.
- Verden, what did you use for the engine in your tank? - Fuehrer patted the shoulder of his pet. Porsche began to explain its electric transmission system. Fuhrer slightly changed color.
- Electric? Ferdi, are you insane? We won’t find enough batteries for your elephant in the entire Reich! What is its estimated range? 50 km?? And then what, look for a wall outlet? Oh it also has a gas engine? Ferdinand , are you an idiot?? Two engines in the tank?? Not two? SIX?? Hand me my carpet!
Fuhrer gnawed through a small rug, slightly calmed down and gave the sobbing Porsche his handkerchief:
- Well, do not cry, I still love you. You were just overworked. Go on vacation to the Alps or Paris, rest, and then I'll get you another thing , I have one idea... " Maus" it’s called, - the Fuhrer chuckled and walked over to Aders .
- Well, what have we here ... WHAT IS THIS??
- Rollers - Aders has reported with hysterical cheerfulness.
- I see that they are rollers! Why in four rows?!
- For smoother movement! Designed by our engineers under me! The fruit of the Aryan genius! Enables the tank to shoot on the move!
- And before that, was it impossible to shoot? - Asked the puzzled Fuehrer.
Aders knew that any tank can shoot on the move, or even falling or upside-down, as long as the cannon is loaded. Because shooting and hitting something specific are fundamentally different things. But it was too late to go back on his word:
- Yes, my Fuhrer ! When the tank bounces on the move, the projectile can be skewed in breech!
Since all present tankers were previously bribed by Aders and promised an exemption from the Eastern Front, they confirmed his words and the tank was put into service. That moment opened a dark page for Allied tank crews and German technicians, but that's another story...
...
The first four Tigers were ready by 18 August 1942, and Hitler immediately decided out to send them out to war. Stalingrad was a long drive away, Rommel was having an easy time against the British in Africa anyway, so it was decided to send Tigers to Leningrad.
- Imagine – giggled the Fuhrer. - The Russians are relaxing, and suddenly - TIGERS!
Tankers had their own opinion , but it was only voiced by Guderian:
- But my Führer, there is a Russian swamp there...
- So what?
- Uh -uh , how should I say this... The tank – it’s very heavy. Accordingly, if it goes through the swamp, it can get stuck.
- But the Russian tanks go there!
- The Russians are children of nature! They eat moss, sleep under the open sky, know all the paths and drag their tanks by hand. And then, is not it better to wait two months and BAM – drive a hundred Tigers into Moscow?
Fuhrer defiantly ate a small carpet and Guderian admitted he was wrong. Four Tigers were sent near Leningrad. The Tigers were not stupid animals overall, so at the start of the first attack, two of them suddently broke the gearbox, and the third had an engine fire. Tanks were towed to the rear, and then specially assigned Gestapo officers showed them pictures of the scrap metal press at the Krupp factory. The Tigers gulped and said they got the point.
The next advance was in two weeks. Tigers were passed on to the 170th Infantry Division. The division commander scratched his head, wondering what to do with the four monsters. Tigers, the image of the running press still vivid in their memory, expressed firm determination to crush and destroy.
- This is some Dingsda – the commander said, finally. - All right, drive down this path. Anything you find - you can run over. I don’t think there are any of our guys that way. If you reach St. Petersburg, give me a call.
- And the infantry support? - one of the Tigers asked.
- What infantry? What do you mean? - division commander unconvincingly dodged the question.
- Nevermind... - the Tigers gave up, and drove along a narrow path in the middle of the swamp, encouraging each other.
That day, the hungry Russian gunners were particularly angry – they did not get tobacco for a week. When the commander of the anti-tank battery saw four huge tanks moving along the road, he did not, as expected, start running around and shouting, "We surrender ! Right now, just give us a moment to shoot the commisars!" Instead, he spat out his blunt, which instead of tobacco was stuffed with ground moss mixed with straw, and with the words: "You basterds, you will pay for me having to smoke this crap" personally manned the gun. The first Tiger was simply knocked out. The three others were not ready for such a turn of events and panicked. As the Russian gunners continued to shoot, the Tigers quickly broke down and pretended to be dead. At night, they were towed away.
A little later, the number of Tigers at Leningrad was brought up to seven. In response, the Russians killed five of them, although the Germans claim that three Tigers actually committed suicide simply because of their contempt for the Russians. After killing the first Tiger, Soviet soldiers spent a while walking around it and scratching their heads, until someone offered to send the carcass to Comrade Stalin.
After reviewing the Tiger, Stalin gnawed up his pipe and called Tankograd’s chief designer Kotin.
- Tavarysch Kotyn, vot do you say to zis?
- Mother*******...
- Ve vill think you said zis about Hitler - Stalin smiled wisely.
Kotin examined the tank from caterpillars to the muzzle brake and grimly stood in front of Stalin.
- Comrade Stalin, one of two things - either it’s a mutant, or ...
- “Or"? - Gently encouraged Stalin
- Or – we’re screwed – firmly said Kotin, who knew that until the end of the war he won’t be shot.
- As tavarysch Lenyn said, if vey are screwed, ze bolsheviks can screw back!
- We will try, Comrade Stalin – said the designer.
- Sure you will, - Said Stalin absolutely without accent, and Kotin realized that jokes were over.
Meanwhile, the summer of 1943 loomed ahead. The German command was preparing to surprise cut off the Kursk salient. The Soviet command was preparing to surprise defend it. In complete secrecy the Germans focused their enormous strength at the base of the salient. Russians diligently pretended that they know nothing about it, and all the frenzied trench digging is simply a traditional Russian pasttime. Flocks of T-34s crept to the front line by night, sleeping in forests during the day. Those that were spotted by the German aerial reconnaissance took on a most carefree behavior, frolicking, chasing each other, playing fetch and trying to look completely innocent.
By the beginning of the Kursk -Orel operation, which the German commanders (already having an idea of the level of awareness of the enemy) called "The Citadel" with traditional grim German humor, 146 Tigers had gathered at the Kursk salient. At the night on July 5, command of the Central and Voronezh Fronts ordered a “welcome!” artillery barrage on the positions of the German troops - just to remind them that everything is ready for them and they can go.
The Germans, for some reason, have started with some delay. German tanks went at the Soviet positions. Tigers crawled at the front of the attack, extremely proud of the honor. Initially, the honorable task of slaughtering German armored animals was assigned to the artillery and anti-tank infantry. Despite the losses, they more or less coped with the task. Insidious Soviet artillery, knowing about Tiger’s impenetrable armor, got the habit of shooting off everything outside the armored hull - from the gun barrel to the much-maligned rollers; Russian infantry mostly cunningly maneuvered around the tank , hiding, then popping up again to put a bundle of grenades or a bottle with gasoline on top of the engine grate.
Another huge problem for the Germans was the so-called “brash mining”. Moving to attack, German tanks would suddenly see a weathered Russian truck, and several unshaven persons with the most unpleasant faces busily burying something in the ground right on the road.
- Hey, hey, what are you doing there – the lead Tiger would cry.
- Don’t you see - road work - Senior Russian would say, continuing to dig small holes.
- And what are you putting in the ground?
- I do not know. We were told to - we dig holes and put stuff in em.
- This is outrageous! We have a schedule ! We have to get to the village, called... err… "Goreloe"… By 12:30!
- And we have a schedule too. By12:15 we need to dig forty holes.
- We will complain! Who is your commander?
- Military Secret - Russian engineers responded sarcastically.
- All right, guys, let's be good. Is there a detour?
- There is of course. Ravine on left – the Russian would say a little too quickly.
Tigers would leave in the direction, only to come back in half an hour:
- You call that a detour?! Is it is impossible! There are mines! Dietrich got blown up!
- Oh, guys, I'm sorry - the eye of Russian sapper glimmered with crystal clear tears of remorse. – In any case, we're finished, so you can safely go, BYE.
However, the time came when Soviet tanks had to go on the offensive, and then the Tigers finally got a chance to shine. A typical tank battle between T-34s and Tigers looked like this:
- It’s awfully quiet – a suspicious Soviet commander would say.
- BAMMMM!!
- WTF – said the tank crew, getting out of the smashed tank.
- Holy crap - said the surviving T34s, hiding everywhere.
Tigers on the horizon grinned with satisfaction.
Pretty soon it became clear that the mighty tank attacks, that had already been rather difficult before, have now become quite impossible. The Soviet tankers especially resented the fact that the Tiger couldn’t be penetrated not only in the front, but also in the side.
- This is, after all, unfair - they shouted at the Tigers. - Where do we shoot you then?
- Nowhere - Tigers laughed mockingly. – In Soviet Russia, Tiger shoot you.
Soviet tankers could only grit their teeth.
When Zhukov laid the report on the Battle of Kursk before Stalin, Comrade Stalin nearly choked:
- Tavarysch Zhyukov, you are, of course, a great leader, but have some decency! What do you mean 600 destroyed Tigers?
- Well, of course, this is a bit exaggerated... - Sighed Zhukov. – We got eighty of em though.
- How many of ours did we lose?
- You won’t hit me?
- I will not, - said the leader without an accent, and Zhukov silently placed before him another piece of paper.
- Yeah-ah - the leader grunted , ramming tobacco in the tube. - How do you explain that, Comrade Rotmistrov?
- Well we have it so, and they are there, it's that... - A brave tank commander replied.
- They have more powerful tanks - translated Zhukov .
- As far as I heard, tanks do not fight other tanks! - Stalin raised his finger.
- This is certainly true, but then it isn’t! – said Rotmistrov.
- There are exceptions, - Zhukov translated again. - And when "exceptions" happen...
- You know, comrades – Stalin said thoughtfully - when comrade Stalin was exile in Turuhanskoe, he once hunted a bear...
Zhukov and Rotmitstrov looked at each other skeptically.
- So, you know, comrades, - Stalin continued, pretending not to notice - the most difficult thing in this case is to lure the bear out of his den. While he is in the den – can’t get to him... But if you lure him out... In general, comrades, be more flexible. Draw the fascist beast out if its lair, and even better - lure into ours! All right?
- That's right!
In fact, the soldiers themselses came to the same conclusions long ago. Fighting Tigers face to face quickly became unpopular, instead, the Soviets used all sorts of Asian tricks. For example, near Kharkov the tankers of the 1st Mechanized Corps used the following tactic:
Tiger (reading from a phrase book) “Open field! Have you a challenger? Ten Russian tank come face me at dawn!”
T -70 ( from the bushes ) “Vot are you talking about? As we know, tanks and tanks do not fight. Tanks and infantry fight, I'm sorry. If you’re into other tanks, I don’t know... Are you a tankosexual, by chance?”
Of course, from such insults the Tiger would lose his head and rush into the bushes to deal with the bastard... And he would lose his head for real.
In another location, a T-34 spent a week driving along the frontlines very quickly, bearing an inscription: "This is the Tank of the Twice Jew of the Soviet Union, Moses Finkelstein Abramovich. All fascists are pederasts, sorry."
Despite the fact that the inscription was largely false (the tank commander was actually named Solomonovich Eugene Ivanov, he was an ordinary Jew and was not yet made Hero, and not quite all faschists were pederasts), brave tankman managed to lure two Tigers into a minefield.
Interesting technique was once used by the tanker Peter Geroev. One time, left one-on-one with a Tiger, he began to drive very fast around him. The Tiger, in turn, had started to turn the turret, trying to get the annoying T-34. Faster and faster the tank of Peter Geroev was circling, faster and faster was the Tiger’s turrent was spinning. Eventually the turret stopped, the commander of the Tiger got out, fell on all fours, and was violently sick. The rest of the crew, as it later turned out, threw up inside the tank.
But the most effective tactics were something like the one used in the indirect destruction of an entire Tiger Battalion under Fastov. The battalion was deployed to the front to eliminate a Russian breakthrough. Before reaching the front line, the Tigers saw a destroyed German supply truck column. Among the trucks, there was a pole driven into the ground with a note saying "We broke through the front line, now we’re trashing all your stuff. If you’re not weak – we are waiting for you at hill 235.7. Two hundred Russian tanks"
Driving twenty miles, and abandoning two broken vehicles, the Tigers found hill 235.7 with a run over German flak battery and a new note: "We were waiting for you, got bored. We are now in the village, hunting your HQ. We will wait for you there, if you make it on time. Two hundred Russian tanks”.
Moving forty miles, and losing another four tanks, the Tigers came to the village. In the village they found only German officers with track marks all over and a third note: "Well, you are slow! Spent two hours waiting for you, this is BS! In short, we’re waiting for you in Fastov, if you’re unable to arrive in time, you are total weaklings."
Straining all their remaning strength, the Tigers used the last drops of gasoline to crawl to Fastov, leaving another six damaged tanks at the roadside, and found the last note: "Have we tricked you well? The Red Army had already advanced a hundred miles, and there were not two hundred of us, but only one hundred!" The remaining Tigers committed suicide from shame.
Also, although the Tigers have been an extremely dangerous opponent, they did have one weakness. That was their chassis... Countless are the epithets with which the German mechanics referenced Knipkamp while changing rollers on this monstrous device. Since the replacement of just one of the inner row rollers could take up to day, many would break under pressure, foam from the mouth and throw themselves at the Tiger, beating the innocent vehicle with a crowbar. It is known that the tankers who fought on the Tiger couldn’t eat from multiple plates for the rest of their lives, or even see stacked plates. A monstrous fight between officers of Panzerwaffe and Luftwaffe, which occurred in May 1944 in the Drei Ferkels und Sieben Gnomen Bar in Berlin, the fight that put the majority of the officers from two Gershvader and one Sheverpanzerabtelung in the hospital for three months, broke out because of a seemingly innocent joke. Some Russian spy had sent the tankers a large stack of staggered plates on behalf of the pilots... As a result, the spy escaped, pilots and tank crews had to be separated using water cannons, and those fighting did not even notice an American bombing raid.
However, we should recognize that the Tiger was very easy to drive. It could be driven by any member of the crew, and, in general, the position of a Tiger driver was considered something for the less skilled Panzerwaffe crewmen. The commanders wanting to shame careless drivers would often say "You should go drive a Tiger."
In addition, the Tiger had a very powerful gun that allowed individual German tank crews to get unimaginable personal scores. For example, six Tigers of the 101st Heavy Tank Battalion under the command of SS Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann destroyed three hundred Soviet tanks in half a day (*this was approximately double the total number of tanks the Red Army had ever deployed in that sector). Not content with this, the next day they destroyed two hundred Soviet tanks, and only a sudden attack by a thousand Soviet tanks had forced the heroes to retreat.
However, the allies did not want to understand that they must, by definition, lose to such wonderful and terrible machines, and continued to advance against, and sometimes even destroy Tigers. By March 1, 1945 only 185 Tigers survived out of 1200 produced. Survivors were euthanized according to the terms of surrender.
And its friend
The History of the Sherman Tank.
History of the Sherman tank begins in 1939. It was then that the U.S. military, somewhat stunned by the scale of the tank battles in the Old World , suddenly remembered that the U.S. Army had barely three hundred of these useful machines. And most of the European tanks would be ashamed to even share a hangar with those. The Army urgently demanded a medium tank.
We must say that until now American designers did not make medium tanks, and did not know how the latter should be different, for example, from light tanks. Guided mainly by rumors that spies passed on as intelligence, the designers decided that a meduim tank should be bigger than a light one and have more powerful weapons. What was considered powerful armament in Europe was not known, so it was decided to simply plug eight machine guns into the tank and see what happens. Thus the medium tank M2 was born. It is known that a out of the six-member committee of the Department of Artillery that first saw the new tank, three shot themselves, two fainted, and one became agitated and nearly killed the chief designer. As a result, instead of 1,000 tanks, USA built fewer than a hundred, and hid them from anyone's sight to escape embarrassment. A number of them later sent to the USSR. Russians were having a tough time against Germans somewhere on the Volga River, and were ready to consider anything a tank, as long as it had caterpillars and a hole to shoot out of.
As for America, Russian Design process management methods were considered objectionable, so none of the designers were shot, and they weren't even even exiled to the Yukon. However, the Army still needed a medium tank with powerful weapons.
One of the designers, whose brother fought in England on a Hurricane, offered to bring the number of machineguns up to twelve, but it was already clear to everyone that the main weapon of the tank has to be a cannon. The question of where is should be placed remained open, however. Part of the designers, the so-called " turreters", considered that, according to the latest trends, the gun should be located in the turret. The other, "hullists" were ridiculing them, arguing that only an idiot would stick a powerful gun into a weird rotating thing. In their opinion, the best place for a three-inch gun will be some small protrusion on the front hull. As a result of a compromise decision, the tank got two guns, the bigger one on the hull, and a smaller one in the turret. Also, the evil "hullists" played a prank on the "turreters" - the night before final test they attached a smaller machinegun turret to the top of the first one. This meant something like "if you like turrets so much - here's another one, try not to choke". Tank was named "M3 General Lee", although many objected, believing that this could be seen as a Chinese influence.
This time, none of the members of the commission shot themselves, and only one fainted, which was considered to be a good sign. The tanks were sent to Africa, where at the time Rommel was chasing the British around the deserts, stopping only to put on sun cream and drink some water. Driven as far as Cairo, the British politely accepted the gift from overseas, although their thoughts likely were not as polite. The effectiveness of the tank in the field surpassed all expectations: during the first combat encounter, crews of three new Pz IIIJ died of laughter and left the battlefield to the British. Tank was pointedly called "the last hope of Egypt", to which one of the British tankers grimly said that if Egypt can only rely on THIS, the Empire is finished.
Soon American tank crews also arrived in the the theater. Very soon, they demanded that they be given a tank with one gun, located in the turret. Many of the engineers objected to such revolutionary redesign, rightly pointing out that in such a tank it will be impossible to play basketball, and the plans to install a shower would also have to be nixed. But tankers stood their ground, pointing out that they are ashamed to fight in tanks which are laughed at by their British and German counterparts. General Patton sided with the tankers, promising to shoot the Chief Designer with his famous personal revolver with a pearl handles, so the engineers crunched a bit, and at last produced a normal tank.
This tank like a mirror reflected all the features of the American tank building school. In particular, Americans believed that the height of the tank must always exceed its width. In addition, one of them, who had gone on a trip to Russia, argued that the gun should be as short as possible, so as not to stick in the ground when going over potholes. Therefore, the designers used a very short gun of the kind Germans or Russians would have been ashamed to put in a tank at that point of time. The new tank was named Sherman and sent to Africa to finish off the Germans.
The M3 Lee tanks were again given to Russia - the Russians were getting ready for a major scuffle at some salient with an unpronounceable name, and they were willing to take any self-propelled shed, as long as it had a gun. The Germans were fighting stubbornly, and their newest monstrosities called "Tiger" taught the U.S. tankers a common wisdom: "Tanks should not be fighting other tanks. At least not Tigers." American tank crews felt a bit cheated - seemed that they finally got a medium tank with the turret and all, but again, something is lacking.
The landing in Sicily gave American tank crews new combat experience, which was that you can knock out any tank if you surround it and shoot in the ***, and that attacking an enemy that does not have enough anti-tank weapons is fun.
The landing in France loomed ahead...
Meanwhile the Russians had finally straightened their incomprehensible salient, and told the Allies that Tiger is bad, but the Germans have another cat, "Panther", and that one is much worse. And generally, in light of the Russian experience, the longer the gun on a tank - the better it copes with enemy tanks. Designers, taught by experience, began to move faster, and just in time for the Normandy landings presented two Sherman prototypes with long guns (by American standards, anyway). But the military contemptuously rejected the new tanks, and landing craft cheerfully disgorged Shermans with short guns.
The first clash with German armor caused a flurry of letters from the tank crewmen to the engineers. The content of most of them came down to the enumeration of things tankers will do to the engineers, provided they manage to come back alive. We must say that the cunning British, having received Shermans from the Americans, have put very long anti-tank guns on em and now boldly fought the Germans. The Americans were forced to resort to all sorts of tactics, military cunning and meanness.
For example, one battalion of Shermans feigned a retreat to lure several Panthers to the beach. Having crested the dunes, Panthers saw the main caliber guns of the battleship "Nelson". The Battleship grinned and said, " Well well, who's hurting the little ones" and instantly vaporized two Panthers, forcing the rest to flee. But, of course, this could not last for long - the Sherman needed a more powerful gun. However, during comparative tests it was found that the long gun had a weaker explosive charge, less ammo, and in general, threw up smoke and dust. The military began to argue. Some have argued that the tanks are not supposed to fight other tanks and general, preference for long barrels hints at repressed desires of a sexual kind. Others, especially those who had to sit in Shermans under fire from Panthers, would become physically violent and shout that they’re gonna quit repressing and start smashing faces if they’re not given a better gun. Patton once again began to clutch his revolver, but finally some calm Texan said that there is no reason not to have both kinds of Shermans in the platoon. Supply guys, which did not want the hassle of moving around two types of ammunition, tried to object, but they were promised a trip to Saint -Lo and back to Shermans with short guns, so they immediately shut up.
Closer to the fall of 1944, American tank crews finally received Shermans with a long guns, although not many. However, this did not solve the Tiger/Panther problem, so new tricks were invented. In particular, in combat with the enemy tank a Sherman was supposed to shoot (and hit) it as often as possible. Sometimes, this led to young German tank crews getting out of the tanks and laying on the ground, holding hands over the ringing ears. Also, American tank crews sometimes weighted the tank down with sandbags. This method allowed to suddenly increase the speed of the tank by dropping the bags all at once, as well as to fool the simple-minded German tanks, like in the following dialogue :
Panther : I'm sorry, but you would happen to be the American tank M4A3E8 Sherman ?
Sherman : Of course not, ma'am, I can’t even pronounce that.
Panther : And who are you then?
Sherman : I think it's obvious . I am a bunch of sandbags.
Panther : And why are moving, then?
Sherman : I do not see why a bunch of sandbags can’t move around, if it wants . Also it’s very windy today...
Panther : So you are certainly not an American tank M4A3E8 Sherman ?
Sherman : You can be absolutely sure of this .
Thereafter, Panther would usually drive off, only to get an AP round to the rear. Another trick was to create a Sherman modification M4A3E2 " Jumbo " (contrary to the tradition of calling their tanks after generals - participants of the civil war, this tank was named after an elephant that could fly on his ears) . This tank looked like a normal Sherman, but was armored as much as possible. As a result, one of the Tiger commanders, seeing the Sherman moving after the fifth hit, started laughing uncontrollably, got out of his tank and surrendered. They say he kept laughing until his repatriation.
As a result of these activities, as well as due to the fact that the American tank crews have learned, finally, the wise rule that seven on one is the perfect ratio, Americans won most of the battles. At least, in the sense that they still had Shermans in the end, whereas Germans ran out of ammo.
Despite all these shortcomings, the American tank crews loved their tanks. Because those who are not like them were transferred to " Stuarts", and those tanks were laughing stock even compared to the Japanese machines. Also the tank was easy to maintain and firm gave it a three-year warranty, and the damaged tanks could be exchanged in the service centers to new ones, free of charge. Tanks drove well on flat roads, and those that were delivered in Russia - on uneven ones as well. In addition, the Sherman tank commander had separate work area and could, during combat, instead of frantically throwing shells into the gun, read a book or map, or listen to the radio or look in the observation slits. For this reason, in the Soviet Union the Sherman deservedly received the honorary nickname: "The best tank for peacetime service".
