This is a picture from my home area, late November 1944, when the fightings had ended. It is told that this tank was turned upside down by the blast of an aircraft bomb. However it is not sure what kind of tank this is, my source alternates between a german Panzer IV and an american M4A3 with 76mm gun. Is anybody familiar with the bottom looks of these tanks?
Not easy to tell, but the track does not look like American issue, On the opposite side where the track is missing, there are several road wheel support arms, (just noticed that) and Shermans never used that suspension system.also, And, the front of the hull is not that of a Sherman, so my thought is that its German.
Well, judging by the muzzle brake, that is not an M4A3 – or at least few if any during WWII had that style, TBMK. . Also, if the tank was flipped by an aircraft bomb…well, what state was the Luftwaffe in in Nov of 44? Unless it was a freak accident/blind luck, I’d say the pilot had to be trying to hit the tank, which suggests daylight. How many daylight sorties was the Luftwaffe flying at that time?
Would seem like its a Panther…
I agree with Django, the tracks, torson bar setup & muzzle-brake give it away.
Paul
Strange enough the book just offers the choice between Sherman and Panzer IV.
this looks like a german tank maybe a panzer 4 or a tiger,i am not really sure.
The type and width of the tracks in comparison to the hull I would say a Tiger but I can’t see the road wheels well enough to tell for sure. I would defiantly think it is a German tank from the tracks and muzzle break on the gun.
Panther by the barrel and muzzle break
It is a Panther I have seen this photo in many books it is in a book about the Battle of the Bulge I cant rember the book but it was written by a belgian man I’ll look it up and re post it here at some point.
Because of the tracks i think i would say tiger or panther or even a king tiger . But i would agree with Django . I most thing it is a panther . I would not say a panzer iv because the cannon is to long to be panzer iv . And about the sherman i would say no because the tracks are to big
My guess is a Panther.
Uhm, because there weren’t any Brits fighting in that part of Germany…
Render’s Ace’s comment worth rather less than two cents, doesn’t it. :rolleyes:
Well, two Eritrean Nakfa cent maybe…
Umm – no, no! You see, it might have been a lend-lease tank sent to the USSR, which was subsequently captured by the Romanians. Then the Germans managed to snag the tank in August of 44. And then… Alright, I’m having a little fun here, and no, I don’t think its a Commonwealth vehicle. But it IS kind of funny how things can “get around” in a war – like the Japanese soldier captured by the Russians, captured by the Germans when he fought for the Soviets, and than captured by the Allies in the Normandy when he decided to fight for the Germans. (He WAS Japanese, yes? Or at least one of their Puppet states…actually, I think there might have been two such soldiers!)
100% Panther
I believe the soldier in question was Korean.
Paul
Hey, thanks Paul! That does sound right. The Koreans were not always fond of serving with the Japanese, and being Korean would help explain this soldier’s attitude re Bushido and dying for the Emperor!