Best Tank in Normandy

Hi.
I'd be interested to know what everyone thinks was the biggest, toughest, most powerful tank during the Normandy campaign, after D-Day.
Was it British, American, or German?

Thanks.

the Commando.

 

The Tiger was used in Normandy (Villers-Bocage) in the middle part of June, 1944. Not many of them and I don't think any survived the campaign. There were also Panthers which had a better showing but still not many of them.

The Allies had a good variety of tanks such as the Shermans, Stuarts, Churchills, etc. The Allied tanks were out matched against Tigers and Panthers in single combat but the overwhelming numbers of Allied vehicles far outweighed the Tiger/Panther advantages. Against the much more common Pz III and Pz IV the Allied tanks stood a better chance.

 

Yeah. I thought the Tiger was the strongest tank in Normandy, but I wasn't sure because the Sherman was pretty big as well. I guess the reason the Germans couldn't make many Tigers was because of the allied bombing campaign.

Also did you know that on D-Day, and after although the allied fighter-bombers couldn't penetrate the Tiger's armor, a shell from one of the battleships offshore could flip the tiger tank onto its back. :lol:

 

I'm not sure this is true, AFAIK a Rocket Projectile could make a real mess of any tank in Normandy, hitting the tank was another matter and has been covered elsewhere on here, but to say fighter bombers couldn't penetrate a Tiger's armour I don't believe is accurate.

 

Sorry, I meant to say that as far as I know, no fighter-bomber's machine gun or cannon could penetrate a Tiger's armor.

 

Weren't there a few Tiger II's in Normandy?

 

Ricky;
I'm not sure but I think I recall they didn't arrive before the breakout. I could be wrong though.

 

What exactly was the Sturm Tiger? Was there ever such a vehicle?

 

Google and ye shall recieve...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturmtiger

(With all the usual warnings associated with Wikipedia)

 

Thanks for the link. Oh boy do they look funny with that short fat gun on the front :lol:

 

A rocket launcher if I'm not totally mistaken... Wich I am from time to time..

 

Sorry! A ROCKET LAUNCHER THEN!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:. I didn't mean anything by it. :lol:

 

The SturmTiger had a short large caliber mortar.

 

Hmm. Yeah. Gun, Mortar, or Rocket Launcher, they're all the same thing aren't they. :lol: Just joking. :lol: The Sturm Tiger was used during the Warsaw uprising wasn't it?

 

Yes.
Working off memory, they saw their first action during Operation Goodwood.

 

Yes, it says so in the Wikipedia link simon posted...

 

Lone Snetry - Tiger I battalions in Normandy (mentions TigerII).

http://www.lonesentry.com/panzer/tiger- ... mandy.html

WWIIvehicles.com
http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/tan ... w-vi-b.asp

Looks like there were a few Tiger IIs in Notmandy, but only a dozen or less before the breakout.

 

Those are good websites. Thanks.

 

Would have thought the Churchill would be a reasonable choice on grounds of:
Speed isn't an issue in the boggage
Very good cross country even by tank standards
Heavy armour
Gun is less of an issue at close range

 

I think that even though they were limited in number the Tiger II tops everything else when it come to the three questions asked.

the biggest,- Tiger II
toughest,- TigerII
most powerful tank,- Tiger II

As for aircraft taking out tanks- well I'm sure an aircrafts machine guns/cannons couldn't penatrate a tanks front or side armour but they'd make one hell of a mess to the thinly armoured engine deck.


PS. Hi everyone this is my first post (been a long time reader)