White Tiger (БЕЛЫЙ ТИГР) movie

[r_hufschmied]

Russian language, no subtitles. I wish they would have waited for the accurate Tiger I replica.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH4_4xWpLxs

[steverobertsbbc]

Russian language, no subtitles. I wish they would have waited for the accurate Tiger I replica.

The accurate Tiger I was never supposed to be the White Tiger though. It would have just played the part of a Tiger I. In the book, the White Tiger is an experimental super-heavy tank, definitely not a Tiger I.

[Jim Merit]

Thoughts About White Tiger

I enjoyed the movie but I want to point out some tactical mistakes in the movie.

First of all, every Soviet WW2 movie that I have seen exaggerates the combat prowess of the Red Army and fraudulently depicts the Wehrmacht as so many corpses and combat amateurs. At least this movie showed the type of Tiger lethality displayed by a number of German Heer and Waffen SS Tiger aces, e.g. Otto Carius in the the Baltic coast battle area.

Tiger panzermen knew that they were in war, not a singleton gunfight and their task was to slaughter as many enemy tanks and infantry units as possible. The Tiger tank was a great asset and therefore the Germans attempted to protect the Tigers from T-34s or other Soviet tanks or assault guns.
They used a screen of P4 medium tanks around pairs of tigers to prevent any lucky T34 shots. Depending on the terrain, a platoon or more of infantry (or pioneer squad) might be used to kill Soviet tanks in broken terrain with mines, panzerfausts, molotov cocktails, special explosives and expedient means. They also helped keep Soviet human wave infantry off of tanks.
There were two examples of broken terrain in the movie, the woods road and the road through the village, ideal for infantry and antitank gun ambushes. Antitank mines could have been laid by three or four teams on the Tigers back trail, and in its tread path, as the tiger pulled back and the T-34 charged after it. The same could have been done in the abandoned village. Each was broken terrain facilitating panzer knacker and antitank gun, or pakfront, ambushes.

Especially bad moves were made by the German Tiger tank and Jadgpanzer in the deserted communist village. The jadgpanzer was hidden in a barn with a close range shot possible. The T-34 paused long enough aiming its cannon, so that the Jadgpanzer could have destroyed it easily by shooting first. Instead the Jadgpanzer waited until the T-34 fired first, a glancing blow. Instead of firing and backing out quickly, the Jadgpanzer charged out of the barn and then stopped to fire at point blank range. The T-34 GIVEN enough time to aim, blew the Jadgpanzer to Hell and Back.

Then the T-34 just sat there for a minute and then began turning 360 degrees. When it did, there was the Tiger at close range with its 88mm. Then the T-34 was allowed AGAIN to fire first and the Tiger continued to miss. Its then that I quit watching.

The Tiger did not fire into the rear of the T-34 when it had the chance
The Tiger did not hit the T-34 as it turned, when it had the chance
The Tiger allowed the surprised T-34 to sit there without the Tiger firing.
Then in the exchange the Tiger missed several times.

How could the "White Tiger" that had just destroyed, what looked like a Soviet Tank Battalion, single handedly, and was equipped with the best targeting optics, fail to hit a T-34 at danger-close range in several shots?

The Soviets were again guilty of exaggerated and heavy handed propaganda.

War is not an honorable duel. It is a slaughterhouse where the best soldiers kill as many enemy command posts, personnel and tanks as they can.

I am a veteran.

[petopoint]

thanks

Thanks for the thread and subsequent reviews. I'll wait for the Captioned English version before critiqueing.

[PanzerJohn]

Crap film with a few nice scenes.A wasted opportunity with an unconclusive ending.

[recceboy]

After watching the movie, and realizing that it is a "movie" thought that it was not that bad. It shows a few mistakes, but show me a "WAR" film that is 100% correct.

The movie is well done, and showing a tank crew in action under fire was great to see. Plus seeing a company of T-34's ploughing across the field, spitting mud was fantastic. It also shows the horror of war as well , they did a good job with this.

Remenber that history is written by the victors, and it will show up in movies. Remember that this movie has a story line , not how well they shoot. You try and shoot under stress, with everything going on, it doesn't happen like it is supposed to happen on a static range............

I served 6 rotations across the pond with the last 2 being combat tours in the sandbox, fighting in a tank. Nice to see that they caught what it is like being under fire in a steel box, trust me they got it right.

Not bad and would recommend this to see by anyone.

Anton

I am a TANK veteran

[steverobertsbbc]

I think you're taking what you saw far too literally. The White Tiger is a sort of supernatural entity, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. Perhaps this text taken from a review might makes things a little clearer:

"Shakhnazarov discovered a new perception, which was the inspiration behind his decision to make a war film not long before his 60th birthday, in the novel Tankman by Ilya Boyashov, on which this film is based. The main character, tank driver Ivan Naidenov (played by Alexei Vertkov) receives severe burns in a battle with a German tank, the White Tiger. His 90% burns miraculously heal quickly and the hero, who has lost all memory of his past, develops new amazing abilities: he can now talk to tanks, which tell him their stories and ask him to help them fight the White Tiger. The White Tiger is a mystic incarnation of the German spirit, the Nazis’ conviction in the legitimacy of their actions. At the most unexpected moments, this non-existent tank appears on the battlefield only to strike down Soviet tanks with superhuman precision and, unharmed, to vanish again. Engineers designed an experimental model T-34-85 specifically to combat this tank. Delirious with a bitter craving for victory and praying to the “tank god,” Naidenov sets off in search of the monstrous ghost."

[Gran Sasso]

Especially bad moves were made by the German Tiger tank and Jadgpanzer in the deserted communist village. The jadgpanzer was hidden in a barn with a close range shot possible.

Thats been a Panzer IV (Mark IV), not a "Jagdpanzer"...

[Jim Merit]

White Tiger

That was NOT a Panzer4.

I disagree completely with the so-called "tank veteran."

No US "tank" veteran has a spoonful of experience fighting other tanks. My own comrades and family will attest to that!

There are so few honest people on the internet . Surely there will not be as many jealous she males here as on other forums?

[DonC]

Folks, it's a movie, and a fantasy piece at that. Don't look for Frunze-quality tactics and maneuvering.

Don

[Jim Merit]

White Tiger

I see no reason to consider that tiger tank a "supernatural entity." Whatever the intention of the screen writer.


I do not respect any Canuckistan Army tank experience either recently or in WW2.
Red Army T-34 tankmen were in no way like the mobile pillbox doctrine of air conditioned Canadian tanks. You were in "recce?" Since when do main battle tanks participate in "recce" ops except in the Canuckistan army? Do you know anything at all about mobility tiers? You are quivering on a life time of recognition on "the hall of shame."
I have shot under stress. A tank being shot at by RPGs is not a tank on tank battle. I know of no Canadian tanks firing at any enemy tank (in Afghanistan or Iraq) but on ranges, perhaps that where you got your "tank vet" experience! I dispute your "tank battle" experience.

You wanna pissing contest, bring it on!

I do respect Canadian snipers.

[DonC]

Interesting Karlshorst surrender scene at about 1.19.00.

Don

[Gran Sasso]

That was NOT a Panzer4.

THIS (mock-up) is a Pz.IV!

[Hagen]

THIS (mock-up) is a Pz.IV!

No doubt about that.

[recceboy]

Well, Well

Mr Merit

I think you might require a good history lesson. No Canadian tanks were in Iraq. We fought in Afghanistan and faced more than RPG's. I never mentioned that AFV's were fought againt, so not quite sure where you brought this up. I was the first tank out, leading what we call combat teams. A squadron of Leopards, followed by a company of Lav-3's and extras. We lost over 32 good soldiers throught the tour in the summer of 2007. We fought in urban and open areas. We faced all sorts, and fought back.

And by the way, it looks like it was the Canucks killed Wittman during WW 2. And they faced the SS Panzer Divs just after D-day, and not taking in the nice drive.

I spent 16 years in and out of a RECCE squadron, with my last years serving in a Leopard Tank Squadron.

I hope you will calm down and enjoy this site, as thier are many people here with thier own opinions and it makes for good banter.


Anton