the greatest armies in the world

[javaguru]

Hell in The Pacific
Part 3 of 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt2HaMwGYcs

Part 4 of 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE1mITIqd7E

 

[javaguru]

A very real account of the Pacific War in WWII........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-idSRLjg9A

 

[javaguru]

Found some footage of less commonly recognized vehicles....


Stug III + IV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw_pnYypYwo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65AwLiKUFgo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFXBfCbqii8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPByoerT6IY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJMTIV6ZPL4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQMoL453Nwg

Hetzer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koRys_DCB0s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fTHYz9XzQY

 

[javaguru]

I learned a thing or two from the Stug III-IV documentary.

Note: I already knew they were part of the artillery.

 

[javaguru]

The assault gun is making a comeback. The Soviet Union re-activated its mothballed assault guns for the war in Chechnya and the US has the Stryker.

 

[Spartacus]

I learned a thing or two from the Stug III-IV documentary.

Note: I already knew they were part of the artillery.

it's a helluva lot cheaper to manufacture a turretless tank than that with a turret
so the germans produced many assualt gun battalions to attach to non-panzer divisions

 

[javaguru]

it's a helluva lot cheaper to manufacture a turretless tank than that with a turret
so the germans produced many assualt gun battalions to attach to non-panzer divisions

I hadn't realized how much they relied on them and how effective they actually were operationally. The low silhouette was also a major bonus, something that was very evident in the videos. I've worked extensively with the auto industry and they talk about man hours in production. I found the man hours to produce a stug Vs. a panther and it was a substantial differential, wish I still had the citation.

 

[Spartacus]

I hadn't realized how much they relied on them and how effective they actually were operationally. The low silhouette was also a major bonus, something that was very evident in the videos. I've worked extensively with the auto industry and they talk about man hours in production. I found the man hours to produce a stug Vs. a panther and it was a substantial differential, wish I still had the citation.

michel wittmann regarded as the best tank ace of WWII(I think 119 kills)
started his career in a stugB I believe
stugb was armed with the short barrel 75mm and was primarily an infantry support vehicle that used mostle HE(high explosive) ammo
but had some AP rounds too
but basically the short 75mm was not an anti-armor weapon

he made do with what he had
anbd of course his talnet was soon recoginized and he got a real tank

let me google this info to check my recall

 

[javaguru]

michel wittmann regarded as the best tank ace of WWII(I think 119 kills)
started his career in a stugB I believe
stugb was armed with the short barrel 75mm and was primarily an infantry support vehicle that used mostle HE(high explosive) ammo
but had some AP rounds too
but basically the short 75mm was not an anti-armor weapon

he made do with what he had
anbd of course his talnet was soon recoginized and he got a real tank

let me google this info to check my recall

In the video they showed Stug aces, one was the only NCO to ever receive oak leaf clusters for his Knight's cross. If memory serves I think the Stug generally used the PZ IV gun. It was interesting to watch a Stug take out a captured Panther used by the red army.

 

[Spartacus]

In October of 1939, Michael Wittmann joined the 5th Panzerspähkompanie (the depot company of the Leibstandarte) based at Berlin (Lichterfelde), which was an assault gun "academy". In February of 1940, Wittmann was transferred to the newly formed SS-Sturm-Batterie (assault gun battery - Sturmartillerie) of LSSAH, equipped with Sturmgeschutz Ausf A assault guns.The reason for his transfer was that Wittmann held a rank below officer with three years of service and experience on an armored vehicle.At the same time, Wittmann became friends with Hannes Philipsen, Helmut Wendorff, Alfred Günther and other members of that unit. In late 1940, Michael Wittmann started his true panzer combat career in the Balkans (Yugoslavia and Greece). While in Greece, Wittmann was in command of the platoon of Sturmgeschutz III Ausf As (part of LSSAH SS-Sturm-Batterie) and fought there until mid 1941.

On June 11th of 1941, Wittmann along with LSSAH was transferred to the east, in preparations for the upcoming operation "Barbarossa", which started on June 22nd. LSSAH was ordered to advance into southern Russia. On July 12th of 1941, Michael Wittmann received an Iron Cross (Second Class) for destruction of Soviet tanks. Some time later, Wittmann was wounded in combat, but remained with his unit and received the Wound Badge. On September 8th of 1941, he received Iron Cross (First Class) followed after fighting in the Rostov area by the Panzer Assault Badge (for destroying six Soviet tanks in single engagement). Wittmann was also promoted to the rank of SS-Oberscharführer. Until June of 1942, Wittmann fought with his unit in Russia.On June 5th of 1942, because of his outstanding service Wittmann was accepted as a cadet for the officer training in the SS Junkerschule in Bad Tölz (Bavaria).On September 5th of 1942, Wittmann left Bad Tölz school as a Panzer instructor (SS-Panzerausbildungs und Ersatz-Abteilung).

http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen3.htm