Sherman vs Panther

[goat major]

a very interesting post from Twitter highlighted by Nick from TooFatLardies. Not the sort of Sherman vs Panther report you might have expected

[Essex Boy]

Very interesting. Thank you.

Iain

[FreddBloggs]

Also read Breaking the Panzers, about the Tyneside Scottish at Rauray where a 6pdr did great damage as the Germans had laid smoke and appeared 500 yards in from of him from it (meaning they were also blind until they exited). Close to him were 2 or 3 brewed up shermans and a hit 6pdr, all of which drew fire letting it aim carefully and take its time

[Subedai]

A few yars ago there were three programmes about the Canadians in WW !!. One of them was about the Normandy campaign and I distinctly remember one veteren mentioning that becuase the Shermn main gun wasn't that effective against later German tanks, they used to aim for the turret ring as soon as they were in range. I can't remember him saying how effective the tactic was but I'm sure it must have been interestiing.

[Essex Boy]

What's "World War :o :o "

[Tim Hall]

On the subject of the much vaunted quality and superiority of German tanks against Allied tanks in Normandy and beyond, so beloved by so many WWII wargamers, a couple of counter arguments spring to my mind, based on no research other than my previous reading, Argument One: Who won the war Adolf? Argument Two: A tank is an inanimate object, a machine. It can be the best bloody machine in the world, but it is still only as good as the humans that operate it. Given that report deals with action in the British sector, it is more than likely that the Allied tanks were fighting against either Panzer Lehr or 12th SS. So that could also mean that they were fighting German crews with a lot less combat experience than the Allied tankers had. (Calling a unit "Elite" doesn't actually make it so.) With the rate of attrition not being in the Germans favour post Eastern Front and so on, they would have had a higher proportion of hastily trained and less experienced crews. As a counterpoint to that argument, just look at the effect one highly trained, battle hardened and close knit crew had at Villers Bocage. Many of the British crews in Normandy were veterans of the Italian and African campaigns. Food for thought eh?

[Count Belisarius]

And don't forget Brad Pitt....

[grizzlymc]

I would if I could.

[Etranger]

Interesting that there's no mention of the Firefly in that account. The diarist is quite specific that these were 75mm armed tanks.

[grizzlymc]

'Were the 24th lancers in an armoured brigade perhaps?