Michael Wittman, Germany's Best Tank Commander....

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Njaco said:
I saw that episode also and I agree. Its kinda like , "Who shot down the Red Baron?"
Click to expand...
I thought it was pretty conclusive , the use of photo recce photos from the same day and time the , plotting out of the area using todays technology showing how Wittmans tank was on the otherside of a rise, where the Sherbrookes tanks were was plain to see as where they were sitting behind a wall that shows signs of where the tanks were and where Wittmans tank wreckage was found sounded pretty conclusive to me
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqdUafuKEpA
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILtL4qeDjFM
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deXKmVed-SQ
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL0H5fnwevM
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp2GKAEup5I
 
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I have just seen the Discovery Channel investigation into who killed Michael Wittmann.An Excellent program and very convincing!
It does show how a large slice of luck can play its part in any engagement. For example in Villers Bocage, one British tank had a perfect side on shot at point blank range - but could not shoot because the gunner was out of the tank relieving himself! How lucky / unlucky is that!
During the engagement were Wittmann's Tiger was knocked out - a Yeomanry Sherman Firefly engaged 3 Tigers from a position about 800m away (in a wood) knocking them out!
Wittmann's Tiger was engaged by Canadian Shermans from his left flank at under 200m. It looked like the hit that brewed up his Tiger hit at the rear left corner and set the fuel on fire - which ignited the ammo blowing the turret off!
A Typhoon rocket case was found nearby - but the damage done by a direct hit did not match the damage to Tiger 007.
 
Pretty interesting stuff.

I've read in several locations that fighter bombers claimed way more than they hit, much less destroyed. Similar to AAA, they had a value in harrassment if not in actual effect.
 
Thanks Pbfoot
very interesting videos, there were also 2 Fireflys of B Sqn of Sherbrooke Fusiliers firing from NNW, so rather frontally, so if the fatal hit was onto the left rear side, they probably can be left out as possible candidates.Of course that depends on was the Wittmann's Tiger still parallel to the main road when hit.

Juha
 
The Firefly was a British tank yes, but Michell Wittman was the greatest tank ace of all time, if you ask me!! Don't you know Your history or not? The proper and full name for the Firefly is the M4A1 Sherman Firefly Tank Destroyer! If you don't believe me, just do some more history research!
 
How to win friends and influence people !

Great first post....
 
If you have any respect for the German citizens, then you will know, that they didn't want anything to do with World War ii.
Hitler was only a great leader to those who were in the Nazi Party! FYI. I am Jewish decent, and have german in my family history.
 
You seem to be arguing with yourself !
Take a breath and try harder to make the point you trying to get across a little clearer.
 
For your information, the Firefly variant of the M4 Sherman was the M4A4 and was either known as the Sherman Firefly or Sherman Vc. Simple research would show that - perhaps you should try some of your own advice?

As far as Wittman goes, I think he was certainly good, but suggest the Kurt Knispel was perhaps the better of the two.

And this:
is bullsh!t pure and simple.

I won't comment on that any further because it will turn into a political sh!tstorm, but I have a tremendous amount of German/Prussian ancestry and it dis-gusts me at what happened (from start to finish). 'Nuff said.

Oh, and welcome to the forums.
 
As always Dave is spot on. The highest scoring tank ace of WWII was Germany's Kurt Knispel. Knispel total tank kills were confirmed at 168, with some unconfirmed estimates stating that total could actually be closer to 195 kills. Knispel is considered by some as the greatest tank ace in history. His awards included the Iron Cross, Panzer Badge and German Cross in Gold. There was some speculation that the Army sergeant named Don "Wardaddy" Collier in the movie Fury was based on Knispel
Franz Kurowski credits Wittman with the destruction of 138 tanks. Awarded both the Iron Cross (1st and 2nd), Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, Panzer Badge, and Wound Badge (black) among others
 
Thanks Mike and you know, I have to admit that any time I see Knispel's photo, I immediately think of Oddball - woof!

Another interesting thing about Knispel, is that he was a mere Feldwebel. His promotions and awards were slow in coming because of his "free" manner and certain incidents, such as "looting" a supply train, which was actually based on his searching for desperately needed supplies for his Tiger and discovering rations and rum along the way. The other incident, which was also controversial, was putting the beat down on an SS officer for his mistreatment of Soviet POWs.

It's not my intention to steal Wittman's thunder in his own thread, but Knispel must be considered when the discussion of the great tank aces comes up. I would also submit Otto Carius in the pantheon, too and more importantly, because he actually made it to the end of the war in a Jagdtiger, of all things. You would think that all the heavy AFVs would have been gone by May 1945, but on 7 May 1945, he surrendered his tank and crew to U.S. forces. By the way, Carius passed away a year ago: 24 January 2015.
 
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