german anti tank manual

the tank cracker

how-to 77/3

manual for the anti tank fighter




you, too, can crack tanks!

you have to be brave and alert, but most of all superior ability brings victory!
always remember: tanks are not only where pak are. everyday somewhere a tank sneaks through. you, too,
can suddenly stand before such a box.
everybody, in a convoy or in the front, is in this situation sometimes. the tank doesn't ask if you have been
trained in cracking tanks.

everybody can do that - you, too!



every 150 meters a tank
what a lot of people can do every day
is possible for you as well
more than 10 000 german soldiers have been awarded the anti tank fighting medal. so many cracked tanks equal 200
russian tank brigades and the entire russian tank production of half a year.
and this with only the most primitive tools. but they were in the hands of bold guys and that's what matters.
you wonder how this is possible under such unequal circumstances? it's clear: first a tank attacks equal opponents:
tanks, pak and flak. it doesn't care about you in the first place. and then, attention: you, too, can crack tanks!



even the strongest tank has got it's weaknesses.
have you ever attacked together with tanks? or did you ever sit inside of a tank? then you'll probably have noticed:
the battle man against tank is not that unequal, because

a tank, too, has got it's weaknesses!
it doesn't see what happens directly around it, not at all.
it doesn't hear well.
it can't defend itself against you at close distance.
it depends on the environment (i mean the floor, and the shape of the surface)
you have to know the weaknesses of a tank. you can find every model's weaknesses in specific anti-tank-manuals
(attached to H.Dv. 469/4).
get them and study them! most important thing is: recognise the model! know it's weaknesses!
this of course means: watch, watch, watch!



cracking promises success
if you know the weaknesses

memorize the weak points by this basic sketch

front:
lids
optics
weapons and lid
turret ring
mg
tracks

rear:
lids
turret ring
lids
tracks

side:
main gun
weapon lid
vision slits
exhaust
tracks
turret ring

the text for the boozy guy:

his tuxedo has worn out parts
just like tanks have weaknesses

the weak points differ. so learn your anti-tank-manuals and tank-recognising-manuals


more dangerous than the tank itself
is the terror it causes




you have to recognize these most important models at once. only then learning their weaknesses makes sense.

first memorize the elegant one with sloped sides

the elegant one with schräge surface parts, round edges, 5 wheels - that's the T34

you got a KW1 when it's got sharp edges, steep surface parts, 6 wheels, a massive chassis
dangerously often you see the strong KW85:
it's got the KW1 chassis, a bigger turret, round edges and it's fast

the sherman is, honestly, dangerous from up front. it's rather quick and always remember: 6 wheels, round edges

we recognize the churchill by it's many small wheels, steep surface parts, despite it's huge tracks it's not manouverable

the small and fast one with 2 x 3 wheels should be valentine: fast but weak.

study the latest tank-recognizing-manuals! (attached to H.Dv. 469/2a or 2b)

recognize at first sight!



dangers are no longer dangerous
as soon we see them
under the rear sketch:

(black) from here it can see you
(red) here it's dangerous

but a tank is not entirely defenseless in close combat. it has got holes through which the tank guy shoots pistols and machine guns
and through which he can throw handgranades.
rear mg are dangerous, too. you only have to know: where does it see me easily? where is it dangerous?

always remember: with handgrenades it can reach his dead zone, too.

at the bottom: pay attention, here it's dangerous!


















p.s. sorry if there are errors in the translation,

 

Me262, thank you so much, that is really very interesting.

 

tank busting.

Brilliant, where did you get it ?

 

Excellent.

(But it's the one & only time that I have ever seen the Valentine described as fast! The author must have seen one falling off a cliff!)

 

Great info! Thanks for sharing!

PS;I think Valentines' speed (if i recall) was about 28-32 km/h...Less than the Tiger I...

 

I think 20 Km/h, downhill with a good tailwind, max.

 

Re: tank busting.

i found its years ago but it was in my old comp, foud it when i transfer my old files to my actual pc

 

aziz

Have just noticed that the 'Nut Cracker' on the front cover is just about identical to the one on the shelf beside me now, apart from the 'Totenkopf' badge, I notice it even has a cartoon type Kraut pulling the lever down, not cracking a nut but a tank.
B.B.B.