André Posted June 24, 2001 Share Posted June 24, 2001 Hi all As a former tanker on a Leopard 1 tank I am very interested in the different tank crew training programmes for the Germans and the Russians during WW2? What kind of changes where made to the training programmes over the years? How often where larger training manouvers held to improve the experience with larger mechanized formations? Have there been any books written on the subject? We have all heard about the excellent German tank crew training and the follwing quality of the German crews. It seems as though they realised early that tank crews needed extensive training. Heinz Guderian worked hard for this during the mid-war years. "Achtung Panzer" is a good book talking about German tank development during the mid-war years. But what about the Ruskies? Did they also realise the need for well trained crews, or did they just put people inside the tanks and hoped for the best? Did they get to drive their tanks in peacetime, or didnt they get the fuel for that? Writer and author John Erickson spoke of this in an interview on the Discovery Channel. He said that the Russians didnt have proper tank crew training before -43. He also said that they had very few training excersises, because of fuel and money shortages, etc. It would be interesting to know much more about this subject. It can tell us alot about the experience levels on tank crews during the eastern front campaign, and how it changed over the years. This will of course be appliable to CM2. Heinz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
André Posted June 25, 2001 Author Share Posted June 25, 2001 Doesnt anyone have any info on this? Come on you grognards! Heinz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco QNS Posted June 25, 2001 Share Posted June 25, 2001 About soviet tank crew training in the Spanish Civil War you can read parts of this excellent article: Soviet Tank Operations in the SCW by Steven J. Zaloga <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>the Soviet military attaché at the Madrid embassy, Kombrig Vladimir Gorev, had arranged for the creation of a training center near the town of Archene in Mursia, about 90 km. from the port. The Soviet government did not plan to provide crews for the tanks sent to Spain, but rather to train Spanish personnel to operate them. Archene became the main training and technical center for the Republican tank force for much of the war. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> It is of note that: the training center at Archena, in Murcia, was a former spa hotel. ((what a change!)) and: Von Thoma and the german staff officers who were training spanish crews in the other side also complained about the number of gear-changes his pupils were breaking in the battleground. But, as a spanish officer replied: "When a german driver take a tank and drived in the same circunstances, he broke one, too. And, moreover, the new gear-changes were reinforced from the factory." Busy bussiness, that of outmanouvering the enemy better armed tanks. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TankDawg Posted June 25, 2001 Share Posted June 25, 2001 Hi Heinz, I have a pretty good armor book library, and I only have one book on Soviet Tanks. Am forgetting the name, but it is the one by the Russian TC who commanded Shermans. It has a little on their training, but not much if I recall. Other than that, there just is not that much out there. Hopefully we will see more books some day. I just got an incredible book on Hungarian Armor in WW2. So now I have as many books on it as I do Soviet Armor. :eek: Sorry I could not help more. (BTW, I am out on business for 2 days and will then get your PBEM turn back to you) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PzKpfw 1 Posted June 25, 2001 Share Posted June 25, 2001 Heinz the problem is most of the data on Soviet tank crew training available concerns 1940 - 1941. If you'd like I can provide some info on training in thistme period but not much. Regards, John Waters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stalin's Organ Posted June 26, 2001 Share Posted June 26, 2001 Nothing specific, but I was reading the Vanguard book on the T34 last night & it noted that in 1943 the quality of Soviet tank drivers dropped in 1943 as the "stock" of pre-war tractor and truck drivers had been "used up" in 1941 and 42. This was in reference to a particular driver who had been a test driver at a factory then requested a tranfer to the front, so was a LOT better than the usual run of the mill crowd & went on to win a hero of the SU IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Duquette Posted June 26, 2001 Share Posted June 26, 2001 Heinz: Charles Sharp has translated some Red Army tank training manuals\field manuals from WWII. Check out: “Soviet Armor Tactics in WWII” by Charles Sharp. For some bits on German WWII Panzer crew Training take a look at: “PanzerTaktik” by Wolfgang Schneider. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Heinz Said: But what about the Ruskies? Did they also realize the need for well-trained crews, or did they just put people inside the tanks and hoped for the best? Did they get to drive their tanks in peacetime, or didn’t they get the fuel for that?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I think Red Army Tank crews also tended to be made up of somewhat brighter and more motivated recruits, however the losses in tank crews no doubt limited optimal training time. I am guessing that as the war progressed into 44-45 it became easier for the Red Army to give tank crews a full 3 months of basic and advanced individual training. I reckon that there may have been some better-trained units scattered about toward the beginning of the war. In addition The Siberian Army units transferred west in December of 1941 also would have had some proportion of experienced tank crews from the Kalkin-Gol campaign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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