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Tank ace

The concept of the Tank Ace was mainly discussed by the Germans during world war II, but the term has become used by the media and literature post war. The term has been used in books to describe successful tanks commanders from a range of countries [1]

Introduction

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In defining a Tank Ace, Kershaw refers to them as the minority of tank commanders that accounted for the most amount of destroyed enemy armour, and is roughly analogous with fighter aces.[2] The initial concept of the Tank Ace appeared mostly in German Media during the war, but the concept did not appear in western media at the time.[3]

World War 2 saw a number of Tank aces, from the various sides. Michael Wittman was the most well known Tank Ace [4]

Kershaw refers to a "Tank Ace" being the minority of tank commanders that accounted for the most amount of destroyed enemy armour, saying it is roughly analogous with Flying ace.[5] Some tank aces, for example German Tank Ace Michael Wittman, encapsulate what cumulative skills from years of combat in multiple campaigns may achieve.[6] The initial concept of the Tank Ace appeared mostly in German Media during the war, but the concept largely did not appear in western media at the time.[7] The term Panzer Ace refers specifically to German Nazi tank commanders. It has become prominent in contemporary popular culture, especially in the United States or as part of the uncritical portrayal of the Waffen-SS in English-language militaria and popular history works.

Kershaw, in particular discussing Michael Wittman points to tank aces being at the "invincible" combat hardened level of the war weariness end of the spectrum [8]

The term Panzer ace refers specifically to German tank commanders, many of whom have been highlighted by certain books, particularly those written especially in the United States or as part of the uncritical portrayal of the Waffen-SS in English-language militaria and popular history works. The term is featured prominently in English translations of the works by German author Franz Kurowski. See Main article panzer ace

Criticism of the term

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Some writers and historians have criticised the term, saying that either tallies cannot always be reliably counted,[9] so the award of the title of Tank Ace can't be reliably awarded, or that the amount of enemy tanks destroyed relates to battlefield advantage, rather than skill [10]


Michael Wittman

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See main article Michael Wittman

Wittman was the most well known Tank Ace of the war.[11][12] Wittman was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. He rose to the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain) and was a holder of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Wittmann is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division, during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. While in command of a Tiger I tank, he destroyed up to fourteen tanks and fifteen personnel carriers, along with two anti-tank guns, within the space of fifteen minutes. The news was picked up and disseminated by the Nazi propaganda machine and added to Wittmann's stature in Germany.Wittmann became a cult figure after the war thanks to his accomplishments as a tank ace. While the concept generally received little attention during World War II, beyond its use in Nazi propaganda, it has become more prominent since then as part of the portrayal of the Waffen-SS in popular culture. Historians have mixed opinions as to his tactical performance in battle—some praising his actions at Villers-Bocage, and some finding his abilities lacking, and the praise for his tank kills overblown.

Though Wittman was the most well known, the Tank Ace with the most amount of "kills" was Kurt Knispel, who destroyed 169 tanks [13] The Western Allies top tank Ace was Canadian S.V Radly-Walters, who destroyed 18 tanks.

Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko

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See main article Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko

Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko was a Soviet tank commander and Hero of the Soviet Union. He was the highest scoring tank ace of the Allies during World War II.Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko was a Soviet tank commander and Hero of the Soviet Union. He was the highest scoring tank ace of the Allies during World War II. In 1941, he commanded the new T-34/76 tank. With 58 tanks and self-propelled guns eliminated in 1941 during Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front of World War II, he is considered to be one of the top Soviet tank aces of the war, despite his early death in 1941. He achieved such impressive results by taking advantage of the abilities of the T-34. The tank's armor and great mobility were clearly taken into consideration by Lavrinenko.

On December 18, 1941 Lavrinenko was killed just after freeing the village of Goryuny and knocking out his 52nd tank. Immediately after the action the Germans began shelling the village intensively. Lavrinenko got out of his T-34 near the village and tried to reach the commander of the 17th Armoured Brigade, Lt Col N. Chernoyarov, in order to report his victory but he was killed by a German mortar shell fragment.

Zinoviy_Kolobanov

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See main article Zinoviy_Kolobanov

Kolobanov had particular success commanding a KV-1 tank and is widely considered the second top scoring tanker ace of the Soviet Union.Kolobanov had particular success commanding a KV-1 tank and is widely considered the second top scoring tanker ace of the Soviet Union. At the Battle of Krasnogvardeysk on 20 August 1941 (part of the Battle of Leningrad), Kolobanov's unit ambushed a column of German armour. The vanguard of the German 8th, 6th and 1st Panzer Divisions was approaching Krasnogvardeysk (now Gatchina) near Leningrad (now St Petersburg), and the only Soviet force available to stop it consisted of five well-hidden KV-1 tanks, dug in within a grove at the edge of a swamp. KV-1 tank no. 864 was commanded by the leader of this small force, Lieutenant Kolobanov.

The German forces attacked Krasnogvardeysk from three directions. Kolobanov ordered his other commanders to hold their fire and await orders. He did not want to reveal the size of his force, so only one tank at a time engaged the enemy.

The 6th Panzer Division's vanguard entered directly into the well-prepared Soviet ambush. The gunner in Kolobanov's KV-1, Andrej Usov, knocked out the leading German tank with its first shot. The German column assumed that the tank had hit an anti-tank mine and, failing to realize that they were being ambushed, stopped. This gave to Usov the opportunity to destroy the second tank. The Germans realized they were under attack but were unable to locate the origin of the shots. While the German tanks fired blindly, Kolobanov's tank knocked out the trailing German tank, boxing in the entire column.

Lafayette G. Pool

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See main article Lafayette G. Pool

Lafayette G. Pool was the American tank commander responsible for the destruction of the most amount of German tanks and other armoured vehicles in world war II[14]. Lafayette G. Pool was the American tank commander responsible for the destruction of the most amount of German tanks and other armoured vehicles in world war II[14]. He successively commanded three Sherman tanks, an M4A1, and two M4A1(76)Ws, all of which bore the nickname "IN THE MOOD" I-III.


S.V Radly-Walters

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Radley Walters was the "western" allied tank commander who destroyed the highest amount of tanks. [15] He Fought with the Sherbrooke Fusiliers, using M4 Sherman tanks, and was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. The Allied tank commander who destroyed the most amount of enemy armour was Russian Dmitry Lavrenko, who destroyed 52 tanks.[16]

Edmund Roman Orlik

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The earliest tank Ace was Polish tank commander, Edmund Roman Orlik who destroyed 10 German tanks in the German invasion of Poland.[17]

References

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  1. ^ Forty, George (1997). "Tank Aces: From Blitzkrieg to the Gulf War". Motorbooks Intl. ISBN 0750914475.
  2. ^ Kershaw, Robert "Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War" Hodder p 332
  3. ^ Kershaw, Robert "Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War" Hodder p 330
  4. ^ Harding, A Ganz "Ghost Division: The 11th "Gespenster" Panzer Division and the German Armored" p 183
  5. ^ Kershaw, Robert "Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War" Hodder p 332
  6. ^ Kershaw, Robert "Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War" Hodder p 331
  7. ^ Kershaw, Robert "Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War" Hodder p 330
  8. ^ Kershaw, Robert "Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War" Hodder p 331
  9. ^ Neitzel, Sönke (2002). "Des Forschens noch wert? Anmerkungen zur Operationsgeschichte der Waffen-SS". Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift (de). 61: p 413
  10. ^ Zaloga, Steven (2015). "Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II" Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-1437-2. p3
  11. ^ Harding, A Ganz "Ghost Division: The 11th "Gespenster" Panzer Division and the German Armored" p 183
  12. ^ Witcham, Jr Samuel L "Defenders of Fortress Europe: The Untold Story of the German Officers During the Allied Invasion Potomac Books Inc
  13. ^ Miller, Ryan "Tank War" Osprey Publishing p 34
  14. ^ a b Zaloga 2008, p. 46.
  15. ^ Skaarup, Harold A. "Ironsides: Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicle Museums and Monuments" p 323
  16. ^ Miller, Ryan "Tank War" Osprey Publishing p 34
  17. ^ Janusz Magnuski: Karaluchy przeciw panzerom. Warszawa: Pelta, 1995. ISBN 83-85314-06-7.


Category:Tanks


References

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