Post by 2nd Bat on Apr 19, 2014 21:03:47 GMT -5
Following the end of WW2 a great deal of academic research went into armored engagements during the war. The US ARMY perused after action reports, anecdotal recollections, unit histories and ballistic tests by the Ordnance Department at Aberdeen and the Armor School at Ft Knox. Much of the research drove tank development and armored tactics through the 70s where everything once again was turned upside down by the Yom Kippur war and prevalence of hand held anti tank weapons and especially wire guided munitions. Much of the research from WW2 remained classified up until the Late 80s.
The following quiz is based on that research and recent published articles and pamphlets which in large part debunk some of the long standing myths about armored engagements during the war. Please try to supply the right answers based on your reading, research and best guesses.
Please just answer no more than three questions per post. Select the BEST answer for each question. If you are comfortable doing so supply the reasons for your response.
1. The most effective weapon against most German armor in tank to tank engagements (Highest percentage of kills vs lowest losses) was:
A. A towed tank destroyer AT gun.
B. An Allied tank. (drew) Indeed the best weapon against a tank is another tank. Following WW2 tank destroyers and towed AT guns were discontinued.
C. A mobile Tank Destroyer (Gun Motor Carriage)
D. A Bazooka
2. The types of ammunition most commonly fired by US tanks was
A. Smoke at 45%
B High Explosive at 65%
C. High Explosive at over 80%. (Drew). Most tank engagements were tanks vs Infantry by a considerable margin. Tank vs Tank battles were not uncommon but were far less frequent then attacks on troops, bunkers and thin skinned vehicles.
D. Armored Piercing ammunition both HVAP and APDS
3. A Significant advantage(s) of US Tanks vs German Tanks through the fighting in Europe was:
A. Reliability
B. A more powerful machine gun
C. Better Hill climbing Capability
D. A faster turning turret
E. All of the above. (SHIFTY got this one). Indeed all four responses were correct. upsides for US and British Tanks were few and far between so allied tankers had to know how to recognize their shortcomings and adapt their tactics to optimize what they could. Strategically the greater reliability was an enormous benefit but for the average tanker the advantage afforded by the M2 .50 Cal machine gun was the thing they appreciated the most.
4. An M4 Sherman w/ a 75mm main gun
A. Could not penetrate the primary German Tank beyond 500 yards
B. Could not penetrate the frontal Armor of the primary Medium Tank German had beyond 300 yards
C. Had a much more powerful HE round then the later 76mm gun. (TOMG) This IS the best and only truly correct answer. The primary German tank faced throughout the war and in Western Europe was the PZ IV which our 75mm could penetrate at normal engagement ranges. The 75mm HE round was more effective against non armored targets then the HE round fired from the 76mm Since over 80% of the rounds fired by tanks were HE this was significant.
D. Was the main tank killer of the US Arsenal. This is a curious choice as in truth I don't know what the primary tank killer was? possibilities are: mines, aircraft, bazookas 76mm guns, 57mm. This choice may in fact be correct as well?
5. The average engagement range in Western Europes Tank to Tank Encounters was:
A. Approximately 800 yards. (TOMG) according to Aberdeen Proving Grounds ballstic report, (post war). The average engagement range in tank to tank encounters was 825 yards with fewer then 5% of the engagements beyond 1500 meters. The terrain and weather dictated that it was rare that your sight lines extended beyond that. Also for WW2 tanks odds of a first round hit were less then 25% at 800 yards but improved to 74% by the end of the war. The curve dropped dramatically beyond 1000 yards.
B. Less then 500 yards
C. Over 1200 yards
D. Over 1500 yards 32% of the time.
6. The German Panther and Tiger Tanks frontal armor was
A. Impervious to US AT weapons at any range.
B. Subject to cracking when struck by AP rounds inside 1,000 yards. cracking did happen due in large part to late war production which lacked precious alloys no longer available to the Germans which made their armor as much as 20% less effective but cracked frontal armor was quite rare.
C. Almost completely impenatrable beyond 500 yards. (TOMG). This is the best answer as the Panther and Tiger front armored bounced all but the luckiest of shots
D. NOT nearly as thick or dense as frequently reported
7. The primary defense used by US Infantry when faced with German Armored Assaults was:
A. Change road signs and hide
B. Surrender in mass
C. Call for Artillery. ( Drew). Though not especially effective in destroying tanks artillery was very good at driving them off.
D. Bazookas
8. The Reliability percentage for US Medium tanks in Western Europe was:
A. Over 95% for most campaigns
B. On parr with German Tanks
C. A Critical factor in our design at the expense of increased vulnerability. (C is correct, our reliability wasn't quite 95% for military vehicles anything over 80% is excellent)
D. both A and C
9. The primary cause of US tank fires when penetrated by tank fire was:
A. Poor storage of ammunition
B. Fuel Lines pierced by enemy ammunition and the fragments they produced.
C. We used gas and the Germans tanks were diesels
D. Ammunition propellant igniting. VOLKS got it. In fact the Sherman was no more flammable then German tanks but with thinner armor it was FAR more likely to be penetrated by enemy shells. As mentioned by Volks steps were taken following our experience in North Africa to improve the ammunition storage but the Sherman kept its reputation as a RONSON lighter prone to fires. German tanks were NOT diesels by the way which was a common misunderstanding. Many of our tank destroyers were however.
10. We had the ability to fire accurately when moving, where German tanks had to stop to fire because:
A. Our crews were better trained than German Crews (especially late in the war)
B. We had a gyroscopic sight that remained on target while moving
C. In practicality we did NOT have that capability. (SSGJOE, got this one right). We had a gyroscopic sight but few tankers used it as designed.
D. Our low velocity round allowed us to watch and adjust the round even while moving
11. If we hit it on their side armor with 76mm AP rounds we could consistently knock out Panther tanks
A. Anytime they were within range and could be hit.
B. Out to 1200 meters. (Volks) for all practical purposes this is the best answer in fact Panthers could be pierced in their side armor beyond 1200 meters but the odds of hitting them beyond 1200 meters (especially if moving) goes down so much, few allied tank crews would waste the shot and expose themselves. Also beyond 1200 meters the side armor began to create glancing blows and increased ricochettes to where a penetration became less and less consistent. Our tanks, front or rear were regularly penetrated by shots from enemy tanks so long range engagements definitely favored the HUN.
C. inside of 1000 meters
D. Even with a side hit the likelihood of penetrating their armor was less then 20% beyond 500 meters.
12. A Bazooka was:
A. Lethal against all German tanks
B. seldom effective beyond 150 yards
C. The best anti tank Infantry weapon of WW2 in terms of enemy tanks knocked out.
D. Both A and B. (Volks). Indeed Both A and B. the powerful shaped charge and the rocket technology made the bazooka an effective tank killer although the courage it took to face a tank was not something an engineer could build into this weapon. Once you fired everyone knew just where you were and the warhead had to hit flush onto the tanks armor in order for the shaped charge to channel sufficient energy to penetrate the enemy armor. A very dicy situation. Add to it that few of the operators who used them got much time to practice and you had to think about factors such as backblast and how exposed you naturally would have to be to fire it. A bazooka man hauled his balls in a wheelbarrel in my book.
13. The most common tank encountered in Tank to Tank engagements
A. Were either Panthers or Tigers although the TIGER II was extremely rare
B. Were without turrets
C. Was the PZ MK IV. (TOMG). got this one. The PZ MK IV was a tank that was produced throughout the war and was quite equal to the American Sherman although late versions had a slightly more potent main gun then our 76mm Sherman. it was the tank most likely to be encountered and engaged although the Sturg III and IV were a close second (though not technically a tank). By the Ardennes the Panther was supposed to replace the PZ Mk IV altogether it was only slightly more numerous in the Panzer Divisions. With the long barrel and muzzle break and armor skirting on the turret the mk Iv was often mistaken for a TIGER I tank.
D Both A and C
14. The Side skirts on German tanks were primarily
A. Protective covers to keep foliage from causing the tracks to come off.
B. To increase camouflage by hiding the motion of the treads
C. Protection against magnetic mines. (paste was applied). Zimmerit paste was indeed applied to many German tanks but not the reason for skirts!
D. Protection against bazookas. (D is correct, thanks Volks and thanks for the extra details)
15 Place in order of frequency (Most likely to least likely)
During the Ardennes Offensive German tanks were most often lost to: (TOM G got this with much discussion)
A. infantry crew served weapons. #2. Bazookas and towed AT weapons
B. Air attacks once the weather cleared. 3. This is often missunderstood as many of the tanks "knocked out" by airstrikes were already knocked out or abandoned
C. Mechanical breakdowns and lack of fuel. #1
D. Impassable roads and terrain. # this too is arguable as they caused many reroutes that lead to no fuel but few actually were lost to getting stuck or collapsed bridges.
16. The primary role of Medium Tanks is:
A. Mobile Artillery
B. Infantry Support during Assaults
C. Infantry Support in Defense
D. Once enemy defenses are penetrated by Infantry, exploitation and pursuit. (TOM G) this is why the Sherman was arguably the best tank of the war because in the role
for which medium tanks were designed it performed brilliantly. Many of the tanks in the Ardennes had travelled 1ooo miles without major overhaul. German tanks were lucky to get 200 miles of functional service without breakdown or major overhauls. Not much consolation when facing a Koningstiger. 2000 meters away on a ridgeline. Interestingly at the beginning of the war the US Army thought light tanks would be the predominent tanks and originally they had three light tank companies and one medium tank company in a battalion. This was reversed following our experience in North Africa.
17. The primary role of Light Tanks was:
A. By the time we entered the continent following D-Day they had no role as they were obsolete. (They absolutely were obsolete but still had a role)
B. Scouting and Screening. ( Volks). Scouting and screening was their primary role throughout the war. There was one light tank Co for every 3 Medium in a tank Battalion
C. Drawing enemy fire to expose their positions.
D. Direct Infantry support.
18. The German High Velocity 88mm Anti tank gun could
A. Use our ammunition when necessary.
B. Engage and destroy US tanks out to 2000 yards. (B) The German 88 was lethal out to AND BEYOND 2000 meters incredibly devastating weapon originally designed as a FLAK anti aircraft gun.
C. Be mounted on an eight ton Halftrack as a counter our Tank Destroyers
D. Both A and B
19. Our 76mm anti tank gun was:
A. Our most lethal anti tank gun
B. A modified Naval 3 inch gun
C. The same as the British 17 pounder but with a shorter barrel and less propellant
D. Was ordered specifically by Patton to defeat Germanys new Panther Tank (Mk V)
E. Both B and C. (Drew). Patton specifically asked NOT to receive any 76mm as he did not see the need and didn't want his tankers distracted from what they had trained
on. He also disliked the reduced power of the 76mm HE round. The British version of this gun was more lethal then the 88 as a tank killler.
F. All of the above.
20. The simple truth about Tank to Tank engagements in Western Europe was:
A. we defeated Germany entirely because we had way way more tanks than they did. (Lots of factors way outside the realm of tank to tank engagements resulted in Germanies defeat)
B. Our tanks were inferior to German tanks in every critical way.
C. Whichever side saw the enemy tank first usually was victorious. (VOLKS ) Corrected response should be "C". Contrary to common belief inspite of the fact that German tanks frequently enjoyed better armor and more lethal main guns, in Western Europe because the engagement ranges were almost always inside 1000 meters the first tank to see the enemy tank usually took it out.
D. Other then mechanical breakdown German tanks were unstoppable.
21. German Armor became less and less effective as the war dragged due to:
A. Reductions in the availability of strategic alloys which weakened their armor noticeably.
B. Strategic Bombing reduced production of tanks and spare parts
C. Panzer Crews received less training due to fuel shortages
D. Sabotage by conscripted workers
E. All of the above. (Volks ). Stated correctly that all of the above were true
22. A German King Tiger.( PZ Mk VII)
A. Had thicker armor even in its rear than our Sherman frontal Armor
B. Weighed over 70 Tons
C. Had a top speed of 34 MPH
D. Was produced and designed by Ferdinand Porsche
E. None of the above. (E) None of the above. It weighed 68 tons, was slow the rear armor was thick for rear armor but not as thick as a Shermans frontal armor and while there was one turret design submitted by Porsche they never built the TIGER. Their prototypes were modified into the Ferdinand SP guns which were ineffective in Russia.
23. Though Superior in Armor and Firepower than an M4 (76mm) The Panther PZ Mk V in fact:
A. The Sherman was the better tank for its intended purpose. VOLKS is correct. the medium tank is designed for expoitation and pursuit once a defense has been pierced.
B. The lack of qualified and well trained German tank crews eliminated any tactical advantage it had.
C. Without air superiority it was incapable of defeating American Armor
D. American Tank Crews absolutely preferred their tanks.
24. The primary advantage with most German tank main guns was:
A. Far better predictability and accuracy
B. higher muzzle velocity and inertia. (VOLKS). Indeed this was their primary design advantage.
C. More destructive round against Infantry targets
D. A better selection of purpose built ammunition.
25. German and US Armored Platoons
A. Varied in numbers from light tanks to heavy tanks. ( they were all supposed to have five although TDs and German assault guns had four vehicles per platoon)
B. Were by design supposed to have five tanks. (B) is correct, two manuever sections of two and a command tank. The Germans rarely entered a campaign with their full and designed compliment of tanks and even for the allies numbers quickly changed due to attrition.
C Were lead by a Captain or Hauptman. ( platoons were supposed to be lead by a lieutenant)
D Provided six platoon to a company. (there were three platoons of five and a company HQs of two or three tanks)
26. The German Assault guns such as the Hetzer or Strumgeschutz III and IV had no turret primarily
A. To provide a lower sillhouette making them harder to hit
B. To save weight and insure the frontal armor was always facing the target tank.
C. To reduce materials and production costs. (VOLKS). "A" was true also but was an unplanned upside not the primary reason.
D. Because German tank tracks could operate in opposite directions allowing them to rotate faster than a turret and with greater precision
27. The US decided against adopting the British 17 pounder because:
A. They didn't like the intense muzzle flash which temporarily blinded the crew
B. They thought the Panther was going to be faced in very limited numbers
C. They believed the 76mm gun could handle all frontal armor at normal combat ranges
D. their doctrine called for Tank Destroyers NOT tanks to engage enemy tanks
E. All of the above (VOLKS). Indeed all were the reasons we failed to adopt it and as Volks pointed out the "Not invented here" mentality. The 17 pounder was a wickedly crude, "jury rig" solution to a need and as it turned out had even greater penetration power then the dreaded 88 and could take out any enemy tank even from the front beyond normal engagement ranges. A very lethal tank round.
28. A sad fact about the German Panther Tank was:
A. It was originally intended to weigh half what it ended up weighing hence it was automotively unsound. (Not double actually, 25 to 40 tons but...)
B. It only had a service life mechanically about one tenth of a US Sherman
C. It had very thin upper armor especially over the engine making it very vulnerable to air attack and artillery.
D. its optics were much worse then American Tanks
E. All of the above except D. (Volks). Optics had pluses and minuses for each but were fairly equal
29. In the Ardennes Offensive
A. Panthers were rarely able to cross bridges because they were too wide.
B. they were too heavy for most bridges
C. More Panthers were abandoned due to mechanical failures then enemy action. (VOLKS). More Panthers were lost to breakdowns then enemy fire
D. All of the above.
30. Though great for propaganda the KING TIGERS in Dietrichs Korp
A. Never actually engaged US ground Forces
B. Slowed down his advance and were arguably more hinderance then help. (VOLKS). their low speed, consumption of prescious fuel an inability to cross SOME bridges...
C. Were all knocked out by US Airpower
D. A and C
The following quiz is based on that research and recent published articles and pamphlets which in large part debunk some of the long standing myths about armored engagements during the war. Please try to supply the right answers based on your reading, research and best guesses.
Please just answer no more than three questions per post. Select the BEST answer for each question. If you are comfortable doing so supply the reasons for your response.
1. The most effective weapon against most German armor in tank to tank engagements (Highest percentage of kills vs lowest losses) was:
A. A towed tank destroyer AT gun.
B. An Allied tank. (drew) Indeed the best weapon against a tank is another tank. Following WW2 tank destroyers and towed AT guns were discontinued.
C. A mobile Tank Destroyer (Gun Motor Carriage)
D. A Bazooka
2. The types of ammunition most commonly fired by US tanks was
A. Smoke at 45%
B High Explosive at 65%
C. High Explosive at over 80%. (Drew). Most tank engagements were tanks vs Infantry by a considerable margin. Tank vs Tank battles were not uncommon but were far less frequent then attacks on troops, bunkers and thin skinned vehicles.
D. Armored Piercing ammunition both HVAP and APDS
3. A Significant advantage(s) of US Tanks vs German Tanks through the fighting in Europe was:
A. Reliability
B. A more powerful machine gun
C. Better Hill climbing Capability
D. A faster turning turret
E. All of the above. (SHIFTY got this one). Indeed all four responses were correct. upsides for US and British Tanks were few and far between so allied tankers had to know how to recognize their shortcomings and adapt their tactics to optimize what they could. Strategically the greater reliability was an enormous benefit but for the average tanker the advantage afforded by the M2 .50 Cal machine gun was the thing they appreciated the most.
4. An M4 Sherman w/ a 75mm main gun
A. Could not penetrate the primary German Tank beyond 500 yards
B. Could not penetrate the frontal Armor of the primary Medium Tank German had beyond 300 yards
C. Had a much more powerful HE round then the later 76mm gun. (TOMG) This IS the best and only truly correct answer. The primary German tank faced throughout the war and in Western Europe was the PZ IV which our 75mm could penetrate at normal engagement ranges. The 75mm HE round was more effective against non armored targets then the HE round fired from the 76mm Since over 80% of the rounds fired by tanks were HE this was significant.
D. Was the main tank killer of the US Arsenal. This is a curious choice as in truth I don't know what the primary tank killer was? possibilities are: mines, aircraft, bazookas 76mm guns, 57mm. This choice may in fact be correct as well?
5. The average engagement range in Western Europes Tank to Tank Encounters was:
A. Approximately 800 yards. (TOMG) according to Aberdeen Proving Grounds ballstic report, (post war). The average engagement range in tank to tank encounters was 825 yards with fewer then 5% of the engagements beyond 1500 meters. The terrain and weather dictated that it was rare that your sight lines extended beyond that. Also for WW2 tanks odds of a first round hit were less then 25% at 800 yards but improved to 74% by the end of the war. The curve dropped dramatically beyond 1000 yards.
B. Less then 500 yards
C. Over 1200 yards
D. Over 1500 yards 32% of the time.
6. The German Panther and Tiger Tanks frontal armor was
A. Impervious to US AT weapons at any range.
B. Subject to cracking when struck by AP rounds inside 1,000 yards. cracking did happen due in large part to late war production which lacked precious alloys no longer available to the Germans which made their armor as much as 20% less effective but cracked frontal armor was quite rare.
C. Almost completely impenatrable beyond 500 yards. (TOMG). This is the best answer as the Panther and Tiger front armored bounced all but the luckiest of shots
D. NOT nearly as thick or dense as frequently reported
7. The primary defense used by US Infantry when faced with German Armored Assaults was:
A. Change road signs and hide
B. Surrender in mass
C. Call for Artillery. ( Drew). Though not especially effective in destroying tanks artillery was very good at driving them off.
D. Bazookas
8. The Reliability percentage for US Medium tanks in Western Europe was:
A. Over 95% for most campaigns
B. On parr with German Tanks
C. A Critical factor in our design at the expense of increased vulnerability. (C is correct, our reliability wasn't quite 95% for military vehicles anything over 80% is excellent)
D. both A and C
9. The primary cause of US tank fires when penetrated by tank fire was:
A. Poor storage of ammunition
B. Fuel Lines pierced by enemy ammunition and the fragments they produced.
C. We used gas and the Germans tanks were diesels
D. Ammunition propellant igniting. VOLKS got it. In fact the Sherman was no more flammable then German tanks but with thinner armor it was FAR more likely to be penetrated by enemy shells. As mentioned by Volks steps were taken following our experience in North Africa to improve the ammunition storage but the Sherman kept its reputation as a RONSON lighter prone to fires. German tanks were NOT diesels by the way which was a common misunderstanding. Many of our tank destroyers were however.
10. We had the ability to fire accurately when moving, where German tanks had to stop to fire because:
A. Our crews were better trained than German Crews (especially late in the war)
B. We had a gyroscopic sight that remained on target while moving
C. In practicality we did NOT have that capability. (SSGJOE, got this one right). We had a gyroscopic sight but few tankers used it as designed.
D. Our low velocity round allowed us to watch and adjust the round even while moving
11. If we hit it on their side armor with 76mm AP rounds we could consistently knock out Panther tanks
A. Anytime they were within range and could be hit.
B. Out to 1200 meters. (Volks) for all practical purposes this is the best answer in fact Panthers could be pierced in their side armor beyond 1200 meters but the odds of hitting them beyond 1200 meters (especially if moving) goes down so much, few allied tank crews would waste the shot and expose themselves. Also beyond 1200 meters the side armor began to create glancing blows and increased ricochettes to where a penetration became less and less consistent. Our tanks, front or rear were regularly penetrated by shots from enemy tanks so long range engagements definitely favored the HUN.
C. inside of 1000 meters
D. Even with a side hit the likelihood of penetrating their armor was less then 20% beyond 500 meters.
12. A Bazooka was:
A. Lethal against all German tanks
B. seldom effective beyond 150 yards
C. The best anti tank Infantry weapon of WW2 in terms of enemy tanks knocked out.
D. Both A and B. (Volks). Indeed Both A and B. the powerful shaped charge and the rocket technology made the bazooka an effective tank killer although the courage it took to face a tank was not something an engineer could build into this weapon. Once you fired everyone knew just where you were and the warhead had to hit flush onto the tanks armor in order for the shaped charge to channel sufficient energy to penetrate the enemy armor. A very dicy situation. Add to it that few of the operators who used them got much time to practice and you had to think about factors such as backblast and how exposed you naturally would have to be to fire it. A bazooka man hauled his balls in a wheelbarrel in my book.
13. The most common tank encountered in Tank to Tank engagements
A. Were either Panthers or Tigers although the TIGER II was extremely rare
B. Were without turrets
C. Was the PZ MK IV. (TOMG). got this one. The PZ MK IV was a tank that was produced throughout the war and was quite equal to the American Sherman although late versions had a slightly more potent main gun then our 76mm Sherman. it was the tank most likely to be encountered and engaged although the Sturg III and IV were a close second (though not technically a tank). By the Ardennes the Panther was supposed to replace the PZ Mk IV altogether it was only slightly more numerous in the Panzer Divisions. With the long barrel and muzzle break and armor skirting on the turret the mk Iv was often mistaken for a TIGER I tank.
D Both A and C
14. The Side skirts on German tanks were primarily
A. Protective covers to keep foliage from causing the tracks to come off.
B. To increase camouflage by hiding the motion of the treads
C. Protection against magnetic mines. (paste was applied). Zimmerit paste was indeed applied to many German tanks but not the reason for skirts!
D. Protection against bazookas. (D is correct, thanks Volks and thanks for the extra details)
15 Place in order of frequency (Most likely to least likely)
During the Ardennes Offensive German tanks were most often lost to: (TOM G got this with much discussion)
A. infantry crew served weapons. #2. Bazookas and towed AT weapons
B. Air attacks once the weather cleared. 3. This is often missunderstood as many of the tanks "knocked out" by airstrikes were already knocked out or abandoned
C. Mechanical breakdowns and lack of fuel. #1
D. Impassable roads and terrain. # this too is arguable as they caused many reroutes that lead to no fuel but few actually were lost to getting stuck or collapsed bridges.
16. The primary role of Medium Tanks is:
A. Mobile Artillery
B. Infantry Support during Assaults
C. Infantry Support in Defense
D. Once enemy defenses are penetrated by Infantry, exploitation and pursuit. (TOM G) this is why the Sherman was arguably the best tank of the war because in the role
for which medium tanks were designed it performed brilliantly. Many of the tanks in the Ardennes had travelled 1ooo miles without major overhaul. German tanks were lucky to get 200 miles of functional service without breakdown or major overhauls. Not much consolation when facing a Koningstiger. 2000 meters away on a ridgeline. Interestingly at the beginning of the war the US Army thought light tanks would be the predominent tanks and originally they had three light tank companies and one medium tank company in a battalion. This was reversed following our experience in North Africa.
17. The primary role of Light Tanks was:
A. By the time we entered the continent following D-Day they had no role as they were obsolete. (They absolutely were obsolete but still had a role)
B. Scouting and Screening. ( Volks). Scouting and screening was their primary role throughout the war. There was one light tank Co for every 3 Medium in a tank Battalion
C. Drawing enemy fire to expose their positions.
D. Direct Infantry support.
18. The German High Velocity 88mm Anti tank gun could
A. Use our ammunition when necessary.
B. Engage and destroy US tanks out to 2000 yards. (B) The German 88 was lethal out to AND BEYOND 2000 meters incredibly devastating weapon originally designed as a FLAK anti aircraft gun.
C. Be mounted on an eight ton Halftrack as a counter our Tank Destroyers
D. Both A and B
19. Our 76mm anti tank gun was:
A. Our most lethal anti tank gun
B. A modified Naval 3 inch gun
C. The same as the British 17 pounder but with a shorter barrel and less propellant
D. Was ordered specifically by Patton to defeat Germanys new Panther Tank (Mk V)
E. Both B and C. (Drew). Patton specifically asked NOT to receive any 76mm as he did not see the need and didn't want his tankers distracted from what they had trained
on. He also disliked the reduced power of the 76mm HE round. The British version of this gun was more lethal then the 88 as a tank killler.
F. All of the above.
20. The simple truth about Tank to Tank engagements in Western Europe was:
A. we defeated Germany entirely because we had way way more tanks than they did. (Lots of factors way outside the realm of tank to tank engagements resulted in Germanies defeat)
B. Our tanks were inferior to German tanks in every critical way.
C. Whichever side saw the enemy tank first usually was victorious. (VOLKS ) Corrected response should be "C". Contrary to common belief inspite of the fact that German tanks frequently enjoyed better armor and more lethal main guns, in Western Europe because the engagement ranges were almost always inside 1000 meters the first tank to see the enemy tank usually took it out.
D. Other then mechanical breakdown German tanks were unstoppable.
21. German Armor became less and less effective as the war dragged due to:
A. Reductions in the availability of strategic alloys which weakened their armor noticeably.
B. Strategic Bombing reduced production of tanks and spare parts
C. Panzer Crews received less training due to fuel shortages
D. Sabotage by conscripted workers
E. All of the above. (Volks ). Stated correctly that all of the above were true
22. A German King Tiger.( PZ Mk VII)
A. Had thicker armor even in its rear than our Sherman frontal Armor
B. Weighed over 70 Tons
C. Had a top speed of 34 MPH
D. Was produced and designed by Ferdinand Porsche
E. None of the above. (E) None of the above. It weighed 68 tons, was slow the rear armor was thick for rear armor but not as thick as a Shermans frontal armor and while there was one turret design submitted by Porsche they never built the TIGER. Their prototypes were modified into the Ferdinand SP guns which were ineffective in Russia.
23. Though Superior in Armor and Firepower than an M4 (76mm) The Panther PZ Mk V in fact:
A. The Sherman was the better tank for its intended purpose. VOLKS is correct. the medium tank is designed for expoitation and pursuit once a defense has been pierced.
B. The lack of qualified and well trained German tank crews eliminated any tactical advantage it had.
C. Without air superiority it was incapable of defeating American Armor
D. American Tank Crews absolutely preferred their tanks.
24. The primary advantage with most German tank main guns was:
A. Far better predictability and accuracy
B. higher muzzle velocity and inertia. (VOLKS). Indeed this was their primary design advantage.
C. More destructive round against Infantry targets
D. A better selection of purpose built ammunition.
25. German and US Armored Platoons
A. Varied in numbers from light tanks to heavy tanks. ( they were all supposed to have five although TDs and German assault guns had four vehicles per platoon)
B. Were by design supposed to have five tanks. (B) is correct, two manuever sections of two and a command tank. The Germans rarely entered a campaign with their full and designed compliment of tanks and even for the allies numbers quickly changed due to attrition.
C Were lead by a Captain or Hauptman. ( platoons were supposed to be lead by a lieutenant)
D Provided six platoon to a company. (there were three platoons of five and a company HQs of two or three tanks)
26. The German Assault guns such as the Hetzer or Strumgeschutz III and IV had no turret primarily
A. To provide a lower sillhouette making them harder to hit
B. To save weight and insure the frontal armor was always facing the target tank.
C. To reduce materials and production costs. (VOLKS). "A" was true also but was an unplanned upside not the primary reason.
D. Because German tank tracks could operate in opposite directions allowing them to rotate faster than a turret and with greater precision
27. The US decided against adopting the British 17 pounder because:
A. They didn't like the intense muzzle flash which temporarily blinded the crew
B. They thought the Panther was going to be faced in very limited numbers
C. They believed the 76mm gun could handle all frontal armor at normal combat ranges
D. their doctrine called for Tank Destroyers NOT tanks to engage enemy tanks
E. All of the above (VOLKS). Indeed all were the reasons we failed to adopt it and as Volks pointed out the "Not invented here" mentality. The 17 pounder was a wickedly crude, "jury rig" solution to a need and as it turned out had even greater penetration power then the dreaded 88 and could take out any enemy tank even from the front beyond normal engagement ranges. A very lethal tank round.
28. A sad fact about the German Panther Tank was:
A. It was originally intended to weigh half what it ended up weighing hence it was automotively unsound. (Not double actually, 25 to 40 tons but...)
B. It only had a service life mechanically about one tenth of a US Sherman
C. It had very thin upper armor especially over the engine making it very vulnerable to air attack and artillery.
D. its optics were much worse then American Tanks
E. All of the above except D. (Volks). Optics had pluses and minuses for each but were fairly equal
29. In the Ardennes Offensive
A. Panthers were rarely able to cross bridges because they were too wide.
B. they were too heavy for most bridges
C. More Panthers were abandoned due to mechanical failures then enemy action. (VOLKS). More Panthers were lost to breakdowns then enemy fire
D. All of the above.
30. Though great for propaganda the KING TIGERS in Dietrichs Korp
A. Never actually engaged US ground Forces
B. Slowed down his advance and were arguably more hinderance then help. (VOLKS). their low speed, consumption of prescious fuel an inability to cross SOME bridges...
C. Were all knocked out by US Airpower
D. A and C