Guy w/gun Posted January 17, 2001 Author Share Posted January 17, 2001 Now that I have read this board, I have learned just how much Hitler was in control. Before I started posting here, I had no Idea that Hitler actually ORDERED tanks to be built! Excuse me if I'm wrong, but did FDR or Churchill ever express a desire for a certain type of tank? Isn't that a little out of a Pres, Prime Minister, Dictators jurisdiction? Shouldn't military equipment be recomended from the MILITARY? Wow. I always believed that Nazi politics were screwed up because of the atrocities we all know about. But a head of state ordering production of military equipment? With absolutly no respect to Hitler, what the hell did he know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dar: I'm reading your post as if you are skeptical about such bombs even existing, so correct me if I'm wrong. No, you are 100% right on the money. I'm not sure what they weighed, but among other countries the US has also had suitcase "dial-a-yield" nukes. They are man-portable, and they contain a dial that lets you set how much of a yield you want (within a limited range, of course--i.e. we're not talking 20 megatons, but more like 5KT). If I find some links, I'll post them. Always willing to learn. And now a dial! What'll they think of next? Click, click, just ignore the rest of the fissionable material here 8 inches to my left when you go thermal. What implosion technology do these marvels use? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skott Karlsson Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 Wow.. lots of threads within this thread so I'll add my two coppers worth too. In 1940 Germany didnt have the best tanks. France and Britain had tanks with better guns but they were limited in numbers. Basically the Germans outmaneuvered the allies. The French held back too long and believed the Maginot line would stop anything. If I were Hitler I'd go through the Lowlands too. Worked in WW1. In 1943 Hitler limited production of planes and armor. Why I'm not sure. Resources maybe, I don't know. Certain people pleaded with him to increase production but he turned them down supposedly. Result was fewer tanks and planes to do the job. And I remember reading an article that starting in the 1960's (Not sure exact date) certain select infantry men were carrying nuclear bombs on their backs in Europe. Supposedly these nuclear backpacks were for demolition of large dams and bridges. Imagine being the poor soul who had to carry one of these babies around on his back. Call him Private Nervous Norris, Yep!! ~Skott~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 As Jason pointed out, the German tank models after 1941 were not designed in any response to Western tanks, but rather to what the Germans were facing on the Eastern Front. The Soviets were already fielding the T-34 in 1941, and they were produced throughout the war, a total of over 10,000. In response, the Germans designed the Panther which was originally copied on the T34 (Hitler rejected the original design), and the Panther's design kinks had still not been worked out at the Battle of Kursk in 1943. Yes of course the Panther was a better tank than the T34, but it came out two years later and only a couple of thousands were fproduced, and most of those in the last two years of the war. In the meantime, the Soviets were developing heavy tanks -the KV1 was already available in small numbers in 1941. The KV1 was followed by the KV2 and then by the JS series of heavy tanks, which made it clear to the Germans that they needed a heavy tank, which led to the Tiger. So in sum, the Germans were NOT obsessed with heavy tanks: the Panther was a medium tank, and the Tiger was a late response to the Soviet's much earlier fielding of their own heavy tanks. As it turned out, heavy tanks were not all that useful because of their weight, slow speed and slow turret rotation, and the more agile medium tanks (versions of the T34, Panther and Sherman) dominated the battlefield until the end. Henri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Henri: The KV1 was followed by the KV2 and then by the JS series of heavy tanks, which made it clear to the Germans that they needed a heavy tank, which led to the Tiger. *snip* the Tiger was a late response to the Soviet's much earlier fielding of their own heavy tanks. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Not quite - the first Tigers were fielded at Mga in the Heeresgruppe Nord sector in 1942, about a year before the Panther. I am sure they were in development quite a long time before the Panther, and before either the T-34 or KV-1 were encountered. The Germans had a prototype heavy tank (forgot its designation) that took part in Weseruebung (Norway) in April 1940. Have a look at www.tankmuseum.co.uk and their Tiger restoration page for pictures of field trials etc. of the Tiger I. Very interesting. ------------------ Andreas Der Kessel Home of „Die Sturmgruppe“; Scenario Design Group for Combat Mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevetherat Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 There goes that politics bit again... Commy, are you on a secret mission? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 Here's the story on suitcase nukes from a recognized authority: http://www.fas.org/nuke/hew/News/Lebedbomb.html Nothing like CBS News for the "facts".... though they didn't get into dial-a-yield. The smallest known bomb was the Davy Crockett W54 arty shell with a .1 kt yield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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