In 1942 Germany was running over countries until they attacked Russia and the Panzers ran right into the new T34 tank and the heavy tanks KV1 and KV2.
The Panzer III and IV tanks couldnt stand up to the Russian armor so the call went out to develope some manner in getting the 88 mm mobile to effectively defeat these vehicles.
The German high command wanted a heavy tank destroyer that was fully enclosed , highly armored and carrying the new Pak 43 88mm anti tank weapon, and they wanted this weapon system operationial by the summer of 1943.
The Porsche company had failed in their attempt to provide and build the Tiger tank and it had 90 chassis available for use. This was the fastest method that the military could hope to fulfill the heavy antitank role.
The chassis and drive train was inovative and untested, and it was designed to become a 45 ton heavy tank. I am sure that the Porsche engineers assurred the military they would solve the unreliability problems and since Hitler was a friend of Dr Porsche-------the order went to develope those unused chassis into the Ferdinand.
It was a stopgap measure to fill the heavy antitank role, and not a substitute for the Jagdpanther (which wasnt on the drawing board at that timeframe).
Only the 90 chassis were built up with no further thoughts to further production. It simply made use of what the Porsche company had on hand.
It was classified as TOP SECRET--mainly because of the Pak 43 gun which was a more powerful 88 than being built into the Tiger I, and because it had 8 inches of armor plate protecting the forward surfaces of the vehicle. Nothing on the battlefield at that time could penetrate this surface.
The vehicle weight soared to 65 tons on a chassis and drivetrain designed for 45 tons so the machine was basically self-destructive by being overweight.
If we could go back to 1943 and train with the Ferdinand crews Im sure we would feel superior to whomever we would meet on the battlefield---knowing nothing could penetrate our forward armor and we were fielding a weapon with superior sighting and penetrating power. We would defeat anyone in our path. That type of confidence was built in training in new vehicles that in time and miles traveled would prove to be heavily overloaded and prone to rapid undercarriage wear, byt no one would know this while the vehicles were untested and new.
We could also expect air support in attacks as well ample infantry support.
Germany was so confident in their new weapons they literally broadcasted where they would attack and dared the Russians to come out to fight.
A lot of what actually happened at Kursk is history now-------and the Ferdinand was more than a match for any weapon it faced in a head to head combat situation in Russia or anywhere on the battlefield.
Terribly overweight meant it was limited to where it could be deployed effectively, the undercarriage damaged easily by mines and multiple antitank measure stripped the vehicles of infantry support when attacking. Limited visability in the Ferdinand may have put many units at risk from side or rear attacks by antitank units.
All of these things spelled death for many Ferdinand crews at Kursk and in the following battles.
Sadly most of the Ferdinands were destroyed and later photographed in Russia and limited photos are available of these remarkable vehicles. Only one Ferdinand survived and its being well kept in a museum near Moscow.
The surviving Ferdinands were withdrawn and modified to make them more survivable and these were renamed Elefants.
Anyone with photos of Ferdinands and Elefants are encouraged to post them here. I would love to see and share them.
Randy
The Panzer III and IV tanks couldnt stand up to the Russian armor so the call went out to develope some manner in getting the 88 mm mobile to effectively defeat these vehicles.
The German high command wanted a heavy tank destroyer that was fully enclosed , highly armored and carrying the new Pak 43 88mm anti tank weapon, and they wanted this weapon system operationial by the summer of 1943.
The Porsche company had failed in their attempt to provide and build the Tiger tank and it had 90 chassis available for use. This was the fastest method that the military could hope to fulfill the heavy antitank role.
The chassis and drive train was inovative and untested, and it was designed to become a 45 ton heavy tank. I am sure that the Porsche engineers assurred the military they would solve the unreliability problems and since Hitler was a friend of Dr Porsche-------the order went to develope those unused chassis into the Ferdinand.
It was a stopgap measure to fill the heavy antitank role, and not a substitute for the Jagdpanther (which wasnt on the drawing board at that timeframe).
Only the 90 chassis were built up with no further thoughts to further production. It simply made use of what the Porsche company had on hand.
It was classified as TOP SECRET--mainly because of the Pak 43 gun which was a more powerful 88 than being built into the Tiger I, and because it had 8 inches of armor plate protecting the forward surfaces of the vehicle. Nothing on the battlefield at that time could penetrate this surface.
The vehicle weight soared to 65 tons on a chassis and drivetrain designed for 45 tons so the machine was basically self-destructive by being overweight.
If we could go back to 1943 and train with the Ferdinand crews Im sure we would feel superior to whomever we would meet on the battlefield---knowing nothing could penetrate our forward armor and we were fielding a weapon with superior sighting and penetrating power. We would defeat anyone in our path. That type of confidence was built in training in new vehicles that in time and miles traveled would prove to be heavily overloaded and prone to rapid undercarriage wear, byt no one would know this while the vehicles were untested and new.
We could also expect air support in attacks as well ample infantry support.
Germany was so confident in their new weapons they literally broadcasted where they would attack and dared the Russians to come out to fight.
A lot of what actually happened at Kursk is history now-------and the Ferdinand was more than a match for any weapon it faced in a head to head combat situation in Russia or anywhere on the battlefield.
Terribly overweight meant it was limited to where it could be deployed effectively, the undercarriage damaged easily by mines and multiple antitank measure stripped the vehicles of infantry support when attacking. Limited visability in the Ferdinand may have put many units at risk from side or rear attacks by antitank units.
All of these things spelled death for many Ferdinand crews at Kursk and in the following battles.
Sadly most of the Ferdinands were destroyed and later photographed in Russia and limited photos are available of these remarkable vehicles. Only one Ferdinand survived and its being well kept in a museum near Moscow.
The surviving Ferdinands were withdrawn and modified to make them more survivable and these were renamed Elefants.
Anyone with photos of Ferdinands and Elefants are encouraged to post them here. I would love to see and share them.
Randy
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