DOCSLIB.ORG

PANZER BRIGADES on the EASTERN FRONT by Phil Yates

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
PANZER BRIGADES on the EASTERN FRONT by Phil Yates By Phil Yates UPDATED ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2014 1 PANZER BRIGADES ON THE EASTERN FRONT Y HIL ATES B P Y After the destruction of Army Group Centre in Byelorussia by the Soviet Operation Bagration, there was little left to stop them short of the German border, 600 kilometres to the west. Hitler ordered twelve new panzer brigades created to ‘surprise and destroy the attacking armoured spearheads’. The first four of these entered combat on the Eastern Front in late August 1944, launching immediate counterattacks against the Red Army’s deepest thrusts. When the Red Army launched its counteroffensive after the The first four were to be ready in just over one month. Bearing Battle of Kursk in August 1943, the German Army had little in mind that a panzer division was usually given six months to stop it. The much vaunted panzer divisions had worn to rebuild after being mauled at the front, the timetable for themselves out attacking the Soviet defences around Kursk, creating whole new units was incredibly short. The Army had leaving the new Panther and Tiger battalions being rushed to suggested rushing refitting panzer divisions back to the front, the front as the only significant armoured forces. A number but Hitler had insisted on forming new units instead. of Kampfgruppen, ad hoc battlegroups, were formed around The first of these was 101. Panzerbrigade under the command these battalions and the remains of various panzer divisions of the highly decorated Generalmajor Hyacinth Graf von under the command of experienced panzer leaders. Wherever Strachwitz und Camminetz (Major-general Hyacinth Count they were employed these powerful battlegroups halted and of Strachwitz and Camminetz), known as the Panzergraf or threw back the Red Army’s thrusts. ‘Panzer Count’. Von Strachwitz was awarded the Knight’s It was natural then, when the Red Army launched Operation Cross with Swords as commander of the Grossdeutschland Bagration on 22 June 1944, that the German Army would (Greater Germany) Panzer Regiment, the lowest ranking attempt to recreate their success in halting the Soviet rampage. officer given the award at the time, and was then the third The idea was mooted by Hitler on 2 July, and by 11 July Army officer to be awarded the Knight’s Cross with Diamonds orders had been issued to form twelve new panzer brigades. for the relief of the Cherkassy Pocket. 2 The core of the brigade was 2101. Panzerabteilung Army. The other six divisions were to attack from Lithuania (2101st Arm oured Battalion) equipped with 36 Panther up the main road from Tauroggen (now Tauragè) through tanks. It was planned to equip the battalion with a light Schaulen (Siauliai) to Mitau (Jelgava), cutting off the Soviet company equipped with Panzer IV/70 self-propelled guns 2nd Guards Army. This route added 100 km (60 miles) to the as well, but these had not yet been produced. The brigade’s distance they needed to cover, but would clear the main road other battalion was the small 2101 Panzergrenadierbataillon and railway line to Riga. (2101st Armoured Infantry Battalion) with two companies Von Strachwitz punched through the Soviet 51st Army to mounted in Sd Kfz 251 armoured half-tracks and a company link up with Sixteenth Army the next day, then moved south of mortars and assault guns. The resulting battle group was to retake Mitau (Jelgava). The attacks by 39th and 40th equipped with the best Germany had to offer, but had less Panzer Corps were not as successful. While the Germans had than half the number of Panther tanks and armoured half- been bringing up their armoured divisions, the Red Army tracks of a Panzer division, not to mention lacking the Panzer had reinforced its positions with the 5th Guards Tank Army. IV tanks, motorised infantry, and artillery that made up the The reinforced defences stopped all of the German divisions bulk of the division. after advances of just six to twenty kilometres (four to twelve On 18 August, 1944, three days after its hasty formation, miles). The German attacks were called off and much of the 101. Panzerbrigade went into combat as Panzerverband von ground won was given up. Strachwitz (Armoured Unit von Strachwitz) alongside SS- The Red Army, thinking that the Germans had given up, Panzerbrigade Gross, an even more hastily-formed group of withdrew the 5th Guards Tank Army, only to be caught by SS training units. The Soviet offensive had reached the Baltic surprise when the German Third Army launched a concen- Sea coast just west of Riga in Latvia, cutting off the German Sixteenth and Eighteenth Armies. High Command had ordered Operation Doppelkopf (Doubled Head), an attack FINLAND by the Panzerverband and six armoured divisions under the WEDEN NORWAY 39th and 40th Panzer Corps of the Third Panzer Army to cut S ESTONIA off the Soviet spearhead and re-open communications with Moscow the trapped armies. LATVIA Panzerverband von Strachwitz was given the northern-most LITHUANIA position, attacking from Frauenberg (now Saldus) towards Tukums where it would link up with an attack by Sixteenth DENMARK SOVIET UNION THE RELIEF OF GERMANY ARMY GROUP NORTH, Berlin Warsaw AUGUST 1944 SIXTEENTH Tukums RIGA ARMY 22 ARMY 18 Aug L ATVIA PANZERVERBAND 20 Aug VON STRACHWITZ CORPS KLEF Libau Frauenberg 43 ARMY CORPS (Liepāja) (Saldus) Doblen 51 ARMY (Dobele) Mitau (Jelgava) THIRD PANZER ARMY 25 Aug 1 ARMY CORPS 2ND BALTIC FRONT COUNTERATTACK Auce 43 ARMY 6 GUARDS ARMY 12 PZ DIV 2 GUARDS ARMY 4 PZ DIV 20 Aug 5 PZ DIV 1ST BALTIC FRONT THIRD 5 GUARDS Schaulen TANK ARMY Dünaburg PANZER (Siauliai) (Dvinsk, ARMY Daugavpils) 14 PZ DIV MEMEL Kvederne 20 Aug (KLAIPEDA) ė (Kv darna) 7 PZ DIV Kelmė 5 ARMY L ITH U ANIA TH GD PZG DIV Rossenie 40 PZ CORPS (Raseiniai) Skaudvilè t 0 Miles 50 100 s u 0 Kilometres 50 100 150 Tauroggen g u A (Tauragè) 3 1 E A S T 39 ARMY e n i l P R uss IA t n 3 o r F 101. PANZERBRIGADE PANZERBRIGADE HQ 2101. PANZERGRENADIER- BATAILLON 2 7 5 6 6 1. KOMPANIE 2101. PANZERABTEILUNG 2 1 3 4 1 1 1 1 3 1. KOMPANIE 3 3 3 2 2 2 2. KOMPANIE 3 3 3 2. KOMPANIE 2 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 3. KOMPANIE 3. KOMPANIE 2 2 3 3 3 6 5 2 5 2 KEY Panzerpionier Company Panzergrenadier Platoon Aufklärungs Platoon 12cm sGW43 Panther G Möbelwagen Sd Kfz 251/9 Sd Kfz 251/1 Sd Kfz 251/16 Sd Kfz 251/1 Sd Kfz 251/17 Sd Kfz 251/2 (7.5cm) Stuka zu Fuss (Flamm) (2cm) (8cm) 4 trated attack from Doblen (Dobele) a week later. This succeeded in widening OPERATIONS BY PANZERVERBAND Hungerburg von Stachwitz’s corridor to 30km, but (Narva-Jõesuu) left the highway and rail line in Soviet VON LAUCHERT TALLINN hands. EIGHTEENTH LENNINGRAD ARMY FRONT On 24 August, Oberst (Colonel) Meinrad von Lauchert took over from Dagö Lake Peipus (Hiiumaa) von Strachwitz, who had been injured N ESTONIA (Peipsi jarv) in a car crash. Panzerverband von Ösel 23 Sep 17 Sep Lauchert as it was now known, moved (Saaremaa) Pernau Dorpat north into Estonia, defending Tartu (Pärnu) (Tartu) near Lake Peipus. When the Red Army launched their operation to clear Estonia 3RD BALTIC on 17 September, the Panzerverband FRONT formed the rearguard as the German Army Group Narva was evacuated SIXTEENTH KURLAND ARMY through Pernau, finally leaving on (COURLAND, 26 September. When it arrived back in 2ND BALTIC KURZEME) RIGA FRONT Riga, the SS-Panzerbrigade Gross was Tukums disbanded, leaving 101. Panzerbrigade Libau Doblen (Liepāja) (Dobele) to fight on alone. Mitau LATVIA (Jelgava) Auce Jakobstadt Now just a shadow of its former self, (Jēkabpils) THIRD the panzer brigade formed the rear- PANZER guard in early October, fighting across ARMY 6 Oct Schaulen 1ST BALTIC MEMEL (Siauliai) the old battlefields of Schaulen, Kelmė, FRONT (Klaipeda) 9 Oct DÜNABURG and south to Tauroggen, counterattack- Kvederne 8 Oct (Dvinsk, ing at Skaudvilè and Kvederne on the (Kvėdarna) Daugavpils) Tauroggen 8 and 9 October. Retreating through 7 Oct (Tauragè) Tilsit (Sovetsk), it fought at Gołdap, Tilsit LITHUANIA Wirballen (Virbalis) and Nemmersdorf (Sovetsk) (Mayakovskoye) on the East Prussian Gummbinnen VILNIUS border in mid October. By this time (Gusev) Wirballen (Vilnius) the brigade was almost completely de- 20 Oct (Virbalis) SOVIET 16 Oct RD stroyed and at the end of the month, KÖNIGSBERG 3 BYELORUSSIAN FRONT UNION the survivors were used to reform the (Kaliningrad) 20th Panzer Division. GERMANY 0 Miles 50 100 MINSK Despite its small size, 101. Panzer- 0 Kilometres 100 200 brigade had formed an important part of the German defence of the Baltic THE DESTRUCTION OF States at a critical time, vindicating ARMY GROUP NORTH, the panzer brigade concept in combat SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1944 against the Red Army. 5 PANZERKOMPANIE Armoured Company Tank Company MOTIVATION AND SKILL RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT With the Red Army on the borders of East Prussia, it is do-or-die time for the German Army. CONFIDENT TRAINED Despite its hasty formation, the new Panzerbrigade is performing well, throwing back the FEARLESS VETERAN Russian spearheads wherever it fights. The Panzerkompanie is rated as Confident Trained. HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each box shaded grey. Panzerkompanie HQ 7 HEADQUARTERS ARMOUR ANTI-AIRCRAFT INFANTRY 9 Panzergrenadier Platoon 7 Panther Platoon Anti-aircraft Gun 7 Platoon INFANTRY 12 COMBAT PLATOONS PLATOONS COMBAT WEAPONS PLATOONS PLATOONS WEAPONS Panzerpionier Platoon ARMOUR 13 Aufklärungs Platoon 13 VERBAND SUPPORT PLATOONS SUPPORT VERBAND Volksgrenadier Platoon 15 7 SS-Grenadier Platoon Panther Platoon ARMOUR ARTILLERY 15 Naval Gunfire Support 14 SS-Artillery Battery 7 Panther Platoon AIRCRAFT 14 Air Support REICH DIVIDED Heer and SS Platoons in your force are Allies and follow the Allies rules on page of 70 rulebook.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Les « Vampir
    1944-45 Allemagne NACHTJÄGER Les « Vampir » du Reich ! La Panzerwaffe et ses dispositifs de combat nocturne Par Yann Mahé L’auteur tient à adresser ses plus sincères remerciements à Petr Pechar, sans qui cet article n’aurait pu voir le jour. Note : le lecteur voudra bien nous pardonner quelques lacunes iconographiques mineures tant il est, encore aujourd’hui, extrêmement difficile de se procurer des clichés corrects sur ce type de dispositifs et, surtout, sur les unités allemandes les ayant utilisés ! Nous vous réservons néanmoins quelques « scoops visuels », à l’instar de ces rarissimes clichés de tenues Leibermuster présentés dans nos colonnes ! 1 Nachtjäger, les « Vampir » du Reich ! La Seconde Guerre mondiale, conflit qui a vu les différentes nations belligérantes accomplir des progrès remarquables dans le domaine de la technologie militaire, reste surtout associée à la bombe atomique, aux avions à réaction, aux fusées balistiques ou aux radars. Ces innovations concernent principalement la troisième dimension. Mais l’on oublie bien souvent que des avancées tout aussi spectaculaires ont vu le jour au sein de diverses armées de terre. C’est ainsi que plusieurs puissances se sont intéressées à la technologie infrarouge, seul le III. Reich ayant sérieusement étudié la possibilité de munir ses chars de moyens de détection autorisant le combat de nuit. Dans ce domaine, au fil des mois, les ingénieurs et penseurs militaires allemands vont mettre au point un système d’armes complet et ultramoderne. Et, de fait, les Panzer parviendront à remporter des succès locaux prometteurs contre les Alliés durant les derniers mois de la guerre. Comme bien souvent, l’aversion des hauts responsables de la Wehrmacht pour les nouvelles technologies et les incessants raids aériens anglo-américains sur les usines allemandes n’ont permis que l’introduction tardive et à une échelle négligeable de ces équipements précurseurs de ceux des armées d’aujourd’hui.
    [Show full text]
  • The United States Atomic Army, 1956-1960 Dissertation
    INTIMIDATING THE WORLD: THE UNITED STATES ATOMIC ARMY, 1956-1960 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Paul C. Jussel, B.A., M.M.A.S., M.S.S. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2004 Dissertation Committee Approved by Professor Allan R. Millett, Advisor Professor John R. Guilmartin __________________ Professor William R. Childs Advisor Department of History ABSTRACT The atomic bomb created a new military dynamic for the world in 1945. The bomb, if used properly, could replace the artillery fires and air-delivered bombs used to defeat the concentrated force of an enemy. The weapon provided the U.S. with an unparalleled advantage over the rest of the world, until the Soviet Union developed its own bomb by 1949 and symmetry in warfare returned. Soon, theories of warfare changed to reflect the belief that the best way to avoid the effects of the bomb was through dispersion of forces. Eventually, the American Army reorganized its divisions from the traditional three-unit organization to a new five-unit organization, dubbed pentomic by its Chief of Staff, General Maxwell D. Taylor. While atomic weapons certainly had an effect on Taylor’s reasoning to adopt the pentomic organization, the idea was not new in 1956; the Army hierarchy had been wrestling with restructuring since the end of World War II. Though the Korean War derailed the Army’s plans for the early fifties, it returned to the forefront under the Eisenhower Administration. The driving force behind reorganization in 1952 was not ii only the reoriented and reduced defense budget, but also the Army’s inroads to the atomic club, formerly the domain of only the Air Force and the Navy.
    [Show full text]
  • Errors in American Tank Development in World War II Jacob Fox James Madison University
    James Madison University JMU Scholarly Commons Masters Theses The Graduate School Spring 2013 The rW ong track: Errors in American tank development in World War II Jacob Fox James Madison University Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019 Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Fox, Jacob, "The rW ong track: Errors in American tank development in World War II" (2013). Masters Theses. 215. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/215 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the The Graduate School at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Wrong Track: Errors in American Tank Development in World War II Jacob Fox A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of History May 2013 ii Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................... iii Introduction and Historiography ....................................................................... 1 Chapter One: America’s Pre-War tank Policy and Early War Development ....... 19 McNair’s Tank Destroyers Chapter Two: The Sherman on the Battlefield ................................................. 30 Reaction in the Press Chapter Three: Ordnance Department and the T26 ........................................
    [Show full text]
  • REFERENCE BOOK Table of Contents Designer’S Notes
    REFERENCE BOOK Table of Contents Designer’s Notes ............................................................ 2 31.0 Mapmaker’s Notes ................................................. 40 26.0 Footnoted Entries ........................................... 2 32.0 Order of Battle ....................................................... 41 27.0 Game Elements .............................................. 13 33.0 Selected Sources & Recommended Reading ......... 48 28.0 Units & Weapons ........................................... 21 29.0 OB Notes ....................................................... 33 30.0 Historical Notes ............................................. 39 GMT Games, LLC • P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232-1308 www.GMTGames.com 2 Operation Dauntless Reference Book countryside characterized by small fields rimmed with thick and Designer’s Notes steeply embanked hedges and sunken roads, containing small stout I would like to acknowledge the contributions of lead researchers farms with neighbouring woods and orchards in a broken landscape. Vincent Lefavrais, A. Verspeeten, and David Hughes to the notes Studded with small villages, ideal for defensive strongpoints…” appearing in this booklet, portions of which have been lifted rather 6 Close Terrain. There are few gameplay differences between close liberally from their emails and edited by myself. These guys have terrain types. Apart from victory objectives, which are typically my gratitude for a job well done. I’m very pleased that they stuck village or woods hexes, the only differences are a +1 DRM to Re- with me to the end of this eight-year project. covery rolls in village hexes, a Modifier Chit which favors village and woods over heavy bocage, and a higher MP cost to enter woods. Furthermore, woods is the only terrain type that blocks LOS with 26.0 Footnoted Entries respect to spotting units at higher elevation. For all other purposes, close terrain is close terrain.
    [Show full text]
  • Orders at Sedan 1940 by Brendan B
    Orders Orders at Sedan 1940 by Brendan B. McBreen On 10 May 1940, the German Army invaded France. The lead German divisions punctured the French frontier defenses at Sedan and then raced to the English Channel. In ten days, the Germans surrounded the French and British armies in Belgium. British units evacuated the continent at Dunkirk and the French Army surrendered on 22 June. In combat, German orders were short, and often verbal, because map exercises and unit rehearsals had embedded in all ranks a shared understanding of the mission. Rapid orders made German units more flexible and responsive than their French opponents. One-hundred-thirty-five German divisions invaded France. In the center, Army Group A was the main effort with 45 divisions, including seven of the new Panzer Divisions. The Panzer Division was not a pure tank division, but a balanced combined-arms formation of four tank battalions and four infantry battalions, supported by artillery, anti-tank, engineer, and reconnaissance battalions, with every unit motorized for rapid movement across all terrain. The Germans had only ten Panzer Divisions in 1940. The remainder of the Army, except for eight other motorized divisions, used horse-drawn transport. Over one hundred divisions walked into France. The German Army was weaker than its opponents. The French and British had 151 divisions to the German’s 135. The French had 4000 tanks to the German’s 2500, plus more, and better quality, artillery and aircraft. The advantage the German Army did have was tactics—a flexible combined-arms doctrine executed by well-trained commanders.
    [Show full text]
  • User Documentation. Panzer Campaigns: Moscow
    Whenever I think of this attack, my stomach turns over … Adolph Hitler speaking to Heinz Guderian, 14 May 1943 THE BATTLE The Battle of Kursk is probably one of the best known Eastern Front battles in the West. That said, there has only been deep research on the battle in the last twenty years after the opening of the Soviet archives in the early 1990’s. Many of the ‘truths’ of Kursk have been found to be based more on fiction than fact. Claims such as the largest tank battle of the Second World War are wrong (that crown is held by the armoured battles in the Southern Ukraine around Dubno in the first fortnight of Operation Barbarossa) as is the heavy losses of troops and tanks suffered by the Germans. Many of the operational details of the battle are well known, but there is much less information available at the tactical level. Amazingly there has only been one detailed review of the pivotal battle of Prokhorovka written to date and available in English (Valeriy Zamulin’s: Destroying the Myth). Page 2 This first release in the Panzer Battles franchise is focused on the Southern flank of the Kursk battle. The offensive action by Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Sud) was countered by the defence and ultimately offense of Voronezh and Steppe Fronts. The dates covered are from July 4th 1943 to July 12th 1943. THE MAP The map used for the Battles of Kursk scenarios is based off a section of the Panzer Campaigns Kursk ’43 map. The map creator took the base map and expanded it to 250 meter hexes from the original 1km.
    [Show full text]
  • Men at Arms Books
    Osprey Men-at-Arms PUBLISHING German Army Elite Units 1939-45 Gordon Williamson * Illustrated by Ramiro Bujeiro CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ‘GROSSDEUTSCHLAND’ ‘FELDHERRNHALLE* GORDON WILLIAMSON was INFANTERIE-REGIMENTER 119 & 9 ‘LIST’ born in 1951 and currently works for the Scottish Land Register. He spent seven years with the Military Police PANZERGRENADIER-DIVISION TA end has published a ‘BRANDENBURG* number of books and articles on the decorations of the Third Reich and their winners. KAVALLERI E-REGIMENT 5 He is author of a number of World War II titles for Osprey. ‘FELDMARSCHALL VON MACKENSEN’ 44. REICHSGRENADIER-DIVISION ‘HOCH UND DEUTSCHMEISTER’ 116. PANZER-DIVISION {‘Windhund’) 21. PANZER-DIVISION 24. PANZER-DIVISION (130.) PANZER-LEHR-DIVISION RAMIRO BUJEIRO has illustrated many Osprey titles including Warrior 23; US 3. GEBIRGS-DIVISION Afanne in Vietnam and Men- at-Arms 357: Allied Women's 5. GEBIRGS-DIVISION Service. He is an experienced commercial artist who lives and works in his native city THE TIGER TANK BATTALIONS of Buenos Aires, Argentina. His main interests are the political and military history THE PLATES of Europe in the first half of the 20th century. INDEX first published In Great Britain In 2002 by Osprey Publishing. Artist’s Note Qms Court. Chapel Way. BotJay, Oxford 0X2 9LB United Kingdom GERMAN ARMY ELITE UNITS Email] info® osprey publishing, com Readers may care to note that the original paintings from which the colour plates in this book were prepared are available for private © 2002 Osprey Publishing Ltd. sale. All reproduction copyright whatsoever is retained by the 1939-45 Publishers, All enquiries should be addressed to: All rights reserved- Apart From any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs end Ramiro Sujeiro, GC 28, 1602 Florida, Argentina Patents Act, 1983.
    [Show full text]
  • Autumn 2018 Contents Autumn 2018 Titles July 2 August 5 September 8 October 11 November 13 December 14 January 16
    THE MEDIEVAL KNIGHT THE NOBLE WARRIORS OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF CHIVALRY AUTHOR NAME Amber Books Ltd United House North Road London N7 9DP United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7520 7600 [email protected] www.amberbooks.co.uk www.facebook.com/amberbooks twitter: @amberbooks pinterest: amberbooksltd instagram: amberbooksltd BOOKSAutumn 2018 Contents Autumn 2018 Titles July 2 August 5 September 8 October 11 November 13 December 14 January 16 eBooks Many of our titles are also available as eBooks from major online stores. For details and links, please visit www.amberbooks.co.uk/ebooks JULY 2018 PUBLICATION Dark History of Russia MICHAEL KERRIGAN Native American Myths & Legends In the past 100 years alone, Russia has seen immense revolutions: CHRIS MCNAB from monarchy to the world’s first Native American culture is founded socialist state, from Communism to Dark History of Russia on stories told orally and handed Capitalism, from mass poverty to 244 x 186mm (9¾ x 7½”) down through the generations, Europe’s new super rich. In that time, Extent: 224pp Native American Myths & including myths that reveal the origin it has endured civil war, world war Word count: 58,000 words Legends Illustrations: 180 col & b/w photos of a tribe, legends that chronicle and the Cold War, as well as famines, 244 x 186mm (9¾ x 7½”) & a/ws heroes who fought gods, yarns that assassinations and massacres. tell of malevolent trickster spirits, Extent: 224pp ISBN: 978-1-78274-631-7 Word count: 50,000 words Ranging from medieval Kievan Rus and canny morality tales for the £19.99 Hardback Illustrations: 180 b/w and colour to Vladimir Putin, Dark History of ages.
    [Show full text]
  • The T-34-85 in Detail
    ASSEMBLY GUIDE STEP 1 THE T-34-85 IN DETAIL The three-man turret on the T-34-85 was one of several significant innovations that greatly enhanced its combat effectiveness in comparison with its earlier versions. Here is a view of the turret seen from above, and this is the part with which you start when you come to assemble the model. he turret roofs on the T-34-85 varied depending on scope. The most important diference between the turret the factory at which they were manufactured. Its designs was the location of the commander’s cupola. T turret armor thickness was 20 mm, as compared to In 1944, cupola production was increased, and the early 16 mm, on, for example, the German “Panther” tank. versions were given a small ledge on the left side of the All T-34-85 roofs had two covers above the ventilators. At turret intended for this cupola. The turret roof took the the end of 1945, one of the ventilators was placed in front form of an armored plate that rotated on a ball bushing. of the loader’s hatch. There were two diferent periscope It comprised two parts, one of which was hinged and able designs: some T-34-85s had a high PTK-5 periscope from to open. On the early version of the T-34, both parts of this 1943, but the majority were equipped with a low MK-4 peri- hatch could be opened. In 1944 this Т-34-85 was equipped with a commander’s cupola, for which a ledge was provided on the side of the turret.
    [Show full text]
  • The U.S. Military's Force Structure: a Primer
    CHAPTER 2 Department of the Army Overview when the service launched a “modularity” initiative, the The Department of the Army includes the Army’s active Army was organized for nearly a century around divisions component; the two parts of its reserve component, the (which involved fewer but larger formations, with 12,000 Army Reserve and the Army National Guard; and all to 18,000 soldiers apiece). During that period, units in federal civilians employed by the service. By number of Army divisions could be separated into ad hoc BCTs military personnel, the Department of the Army is the (typically, three BCTs per division), but those units were biggest of the military departments. It also has the largest generally not organized to operate independently at any operation and support (O&S) budget. The Army does command level below the division. (For a description of not have the largest total budget, however, because it the Army’s command levels, see Box 2-1.) In the current receives significantly less funding to develop and acquire structure, BCTs are permanently organized for indepen- weapon systems than the other military departments do. dent operations, and division headquarters exist to pro- vide command and control for operations that involve The Army is responsible for providing the bulk of U.S. multiple BCTs. ground combat forces. To that end, the service is orga- nized primarily around brigade combat teams (BCTs)— The Army is distinct not only for the number of ground large combined-arms formations that are designed to combat forces it can provide but also for the large num- contain 4,400 to 4,700 soldiers apiece and include infan- ber of armored vehicles in its inventory and for the wide try, artillery, engineering, and other types of units.1 The array of support units it contains.
    [Show full text]
  • Otto Skorzeny: the Scar-Faced Commando
    Otto Skorzeny: The Scar-Faced Commando Rob Vest Few in the Third Reich cut as colorful a figure as Otto Skorzeny, Hitler's favorite commando. At one time considered "the most dangerous man in Europe," by the Allies, Skorzeny was responsible for rescuing Benito Mussolini from a mountaintop resort in Italy, kidnaping the son of Hungarian regent Miklos Horthy, wreaking havoc at the Battle of the Bulge, and preventing Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D Eisenhower from leaving his headquarters in Versailles during Christmas week of 1944 for fear of an alleged assassination plot. At the end of the war, Skorzeny surrendered to the Allies, but was only interned for a few years before managing to escape. Skorzeny's post-war exploits rivaled, and in many ways, surpassed his accomplishments during wartime. He was courted during the Cold War by both the Americans and the Soviets, served as an advisor in the Peron government in Argentina, and helped to relocate and protect several of his fellow Nazis. Skorzeny also developed terrorist tactics used to this day by organizations as diverse as the IRA, PLO, and the Symbionese Liberation Army. This paper will provide a brief overview of Otto Skorzeny's life before, during, and after World War II. The Making of Scarface The man who would one day be celebrated as the greatest adventurer of the Third Reich came from a rather unexceptional background. Otto Skorzeny was born June 12, 1908, in Vienna, Austria. Otto's father owned a successful engineering firm, and the family lived quite comfortably until the depression that ravished Austria at the end of World War I.
    [Show full text]
  • Catalogos Modelismo Enero 2021.Xlsx
    AEROBONUS 350001 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor #1 (Standing, Arms Bent) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350002 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Crew #1 (Sitting, Arms Up) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350003 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Crew #2 (Sitting, Arms Bent) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350004 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor #2 (Bending) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350005 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor w/Rope Bs150 AEROBONUS 350006 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor #3 (Posed as Climbing Ladder) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350007 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor #4 (Sitting, Arms Down) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350008 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor #5 (One Knee Bent) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350009 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Sailor #6 (Standing, Arms at Side) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350010 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Officer w/Binoculars Bs150 AEROBONUS 350011 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Ceremony Officer #1 Bs150 AEROBONUS 350012 1/35 WWII German Submarine Kriegsmarine Ceremony Officer #2 (Saluting) Bs150 AEROBONUS 350013 1/35 WWII German Schnellboat Kriegsmarine Ceremony Sailor #1 Bs150 AEROBONUS 350014 1/35 WWII German Schnellboat Kriegsmarine Ceremony Sailor #2 Bs150 AEROBONUS 350015 1/35 WWII Geramn Schnellboat Kriegsmarine Ceremony Sailor #3 Bs150 AEROBONUS 350016 1/35 WWII German Schnellboat Kriegsmarine Ceremony Sailor #4 Bs150 AEROBONUS 350017 1/35 WWII Geramn Schnellboat Kriegsmarine Ceremony Sailor #4 Bs150 ACADEMY 12115 1/35 AH60L DAP Black Hawk Helicopter Bs865 ACADEMY
    [Show full text]