Why the USAAF gave up on the A-36 in favour of the P-47.

[Juha]

Hello Tony
IMHO Matilda, CharB, KV-1 and-2 and IS-2 showed, that some kind “supertank” wasn’t the answer to complex problem, even if they had real merits. It was possible to handle them. German answer to them was not only 88s, but also field artillery firing over open sights, for ex in 41 they usually attached to their leading units a couple of 88s and a couple of 10cm FK 18s and that usually worked, but not always. Also panzers in 1941 usually first shot up the lighter Soviet tanks then ganged up against remaining KVs and T-34s, confusing them and then eliminated them with short range hits on sides and rear with special APCR shots. Tiger I was really effective in 43 but of course had many problems because of its weight. Elefant/Ferdinand and Tiger II were IMHO too heavy and problems in their employment outweighed their merits, For ex Elefants were very effective when they happened to be in right place when Soviets attacked but moving them around was very complicated because of their excessive weight. Of course it always depends on situation, Matildas did well against Italians and Tiger Is were not very effective in Sicily.

Finns, being used to be the underdogs usually tried to position themselves so that they were difficult to pinpoint and the terrain helped much, even supply columns were much more difficult targets here than from example in open terrain in Ukraine.

Thanks for the story of that PzJg IV

On the films. I have not seen Tali-Ihantala but IMHO Talvisota is a good, realistic film based on true warpath of a Finnish unit. IIRC what I have heard on Tali-Ihantala filmis that it is realistic but maybe difficult to follow without some knowledge on the battle of Tali-Ihantala.

Hello Laurent
Yes, IMHO good infantry and good artillery were essential. IIRC according to German Field Regulations the most important thing in layout of main line of defence was good positions for artillery FOOs and the Soviet veterans of the Leningrad Front said that the worst thing they remembered was German artillery fire. On German Paras, yes the “new” para units were usually “gun fodder” even if 5th ParaD did surprisingly well during the Battle of Bulge. Also LW Field Divisions were very stupid invention but that kind of use of surplus ground crews has more to do with illogical inner working of the Third Reich than with the idea of retrain suitable surplus ground crews to infantry.

Juha