Tygři v bazině: Tigři ve výzbroji a boji

Tématem článku jsou legendární tanky Tiger a jejich posádky, spolu s historií jejich výcviku, nasazení a boje. K textu se váží také stovky fotografií, barevné ilustrace od Jeana Restayna zaměřené na výstroj, maskování a označení a inventáře a časové osy pro jednotlivé jednotky.

Co nabízí kniha a jak ji chápat

Hundreds of photos--many of them rare--of Tiger tanks and their crews. Color illustrations by Jean Restayn focus on markings, camouflage, and insignia. Inventories and timelines for each unit. In this follow-up to Tigers in Combat I (0-8117-3171-5), Wolfgang Schneider turns his attention to the Tiger tanks of the Waffen-SS and the Wehrmacht''s "named" units, such as the Großdeutschland Division, Company Hummel, and Tiger Group Meyer. Based on combat diaries, the text tells the history of each unit, but most of the book is devoted to photos of the tanks and the men who manned them.

Co vše Tigři znamenali pro protiletecké a protitankové boje

By the end of World War II, the dreaded Tiger tank had achieved mythical, almost mystical status. In this much-sought-after volume on the Wehrmacht's numbered Tiger units, Wolfgang Schneider tells--in pictures--the story of these renowned tanks. Hundreds of photos depict Tigers in all situations and terrain, and a section of painstakingly detailed drawings brings the tanks to life in the metallic grays, snow whites, desert tans, and forest greens and browns that colored them.

was one of the fiercest and most feared tanks of the Second World War. Its deadly 88 mm gun, seemingly impenetrable 120 mm armor, coupled with the ghostly tales it carries, traveled from soldier to soldier and proved for a gut-wrenching combination. It struck as an imposing figure on the battlefield, and at first, Allied tanks were outgunned and outranked in comparison. But was the Tiger a true goliath or just a figment of Nazi propaganda? We thought we'd turn back the history pages and examine how Allied crews were able to disable this intimidating German hunter.

Průběh války a první zápasy

A German Tiger I tank crew preparing for battle. A German Tiger I tank crew heading into battle. Left image: A German Tiger I tank crew preparing for battle. September 1942. The first Tigers roll out to face the Red Army on the Eastern Front near Leningrad. Less than three months later, they square up against the Allies in the Tunisian desert. During that time, the Tiger quickly established a fearsome reputation. Its thick armor startled crews that despairingly saw their shells bounce off the Tiger's hull and turret. By contrast, most Allied tanks were vulnerable to the Tiger at 2,000 meters, but most had to come within a few hundred meters to stand any chance of disabling the Tiger.

Even with the rapid upgrade of the 75 mm gun to the high-velocity 76 mm gun, the original Sherman was only capable of defeating the Tiger at close range or from the flank. A German Tiger I tank crew preparing for battle. A Tiger I on the move. Left image: A German Tiger I tank crew preparing for battle. 1,347 Tiger I tanks left the factory doors from August 1942 until the end of the war. While production greatly lagged behind compared to the 40,000 American M4 Shermans and 50,000 Soviet T-34s in circulation, the Tiger I claimed a phenomenal 9,850 kills for the loss of just 1,715 machines (including tanks recovered and returned to service).

Hrdinové a slabiny Tigra

“The most important strengths of the Tiger I were the 88 mm gun, the optics, and the armor. It could face T-34s and destroy enemy tanks from distances we never could dream about before. We never shot at 2,000 or 3,000 meters. It was a waste of ammunition!”

Goebbels' relentless propaganda machine played an important role in glorifying the Tiger. Notorious tank aces, such as Michael Wittmann, were thrust into the spotlight and generously decorated for their battlefield successes. A Tiger I loaded onto a special rail car at the Henschel plant, 1942. A Tiger I in Italy. Left image: A Tiger I loaded onto a special rail car at the Henschel plant, 1942.

Naturally, this is not exactly true, and you should not believe everything you're told. Many Tigers encountered limiting technical issues. The Allies captured several of them and conducted extensive performance and penetration tests throughout the war. "We have nothing to fear from Tiger and Panther tanks." Burnt-out Tigers near Cori, Italy. An American soldier inspecting a Tiger I shell penetration. Left image: Burnt-out Tigers near Cori, Italy.

Taktičky a taktika proti Tigru

Fresh tactics required nerves of steel, while others called for a steady hand and pinpoint accuracy. Out-Gun and Out-Perform Soon, the Tiger had to face the powerful IS-2 and the ISU-152-armed with powerful 122 mm and 152 mm armaments, respectively. They were highly effective at destroying enemy Tigers. The Soviets also developed the 85 mm anti-tank gun, which was mounted on the ferociously mass-produced T-34s to form the T-34-85. The 17-pounder gun, mounted on the Sherman Firefly and some M10 tank destroyers, was the British answer to the Tiger problem and could effectively penetrate their armor. Over 2,000 were produced, while the 90 mm guns of the American M36 tank destroyer-later of the M26 Pershing-also demonstrated a capable counterthreat.

Spolupráce a lov na Tigra

Interactive image. Get Up Close and Personal. Either flank and engage from the side and rear, or let the Tiger come close to you. Hold your nerve and wait until they are within range. That was the advice given to tank crews. Luring the Tiger from cover, getting it to expose its side and rear armor, then knocking it out from a range of around 450 m seemed to be the way to go. Target Tiny Weakspots. The Tiger was littered with small weak spots. For example, the commander's cupola was exposed as a high and flimsy hatch and merely welded onto the turret. As a result, it was easy to aim at and immobilize the commander.

Crews were encouraged to aim at the gun, machine gun port, tracks, commander's cupola, and fuel tanks. A German tank crew inspecting a non-penetrating hit on a Tiger I. Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-022-2935-24 / CC. Shell penetrations inside a Tiger I. Left image: A German tank crew inspecting a non-penetrating hit on a Tiger I.

Spolupráce v boji a taktiky útoků

Hunt in Packs. Ambushing Tigers through coordinated efforts proved highly successful. Blinding their crew and targeting them from multiple angles meant they struggled to identify the main threat, select multiple targets, aim, and return fire effectively. American tank units also relied on close air, artillery, and tank destroyer support. Five-tank platoons were instructed to split into two groups: one to draw the German fire, the other to maneuver to the flank and engage the tanks from the side or rear.

King George VI inspecting the captured German Tiger I-later Tiger 131-with the British army in Tunis, June 1943. The captured German Tiger I tank-later Tiger 131-on May 6, 1943. Left image: King George VI inspecting the captured German Tiger I with the British army in Tunis, June 1943. -a legend captured during the German advance in North Africa that ultimately made its way to The Tank Museum in Bovington. In 1943, the British 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters were ordered to engage several Tiger tanks from the German 504th Heavy Panzer Battalion at Gueriat el Atach, known as Point 174, in Tunisia. After forming a pincer movement, one of the Churchills managed to secure a lucky hit on the Tiger's turret ring and wedge the gun as it was traversing. The supposedly injured or immobilized German crew then abandoned the tank in good working order.

• Foto: stovky snímků Tigrových tanků a posádek
• Ilustrace: zaměřené na označení, maskování a insignie
• Databáze jednotek: síly, vybavení, velitelé a střetnutí

Tabulka: klíčové technické parametry a srovnání

Závěrečná poznámka k obrazu Tigra

Abychom pochopili, zda byl Tiger skutečným goliášem nebo jen médii potěšením, je nutné sledovat nejen sílu zbraní, ale i taktiky, logistiku a průběh boje. Ačkoli jeho dodávky byly omezené a technické problémy existovaly, Tiger zůstává ikonou druhé světové války a inspirací pro mnoho vizí o mechanizaci a boji v následujících letech.

tags: #tygri #v #bazine #tigers #in #combat