German "Ratte" super-tank (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dragon53
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Wow. What a target that would have made. And what a waste of time, effort, and money it would have been. -- Al
Poppo
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That's true. I was thinking torpedo bombers, considering it was as big as a boat. -- Al
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TomNT
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One of the reasons why Nazi Germany lost the war is they had this misconception that super heavy tanks would smash their enemies no matter what odds were pitted against them. Even though this particular tank never went past the drawing board it showed how misguided there thinking was. The super heavy tanks that were produced consumed precious raw materials which could have been used to produce more Panzer IV's, Panzer V Panther's and even more Tiger's! They still would have probably lost the war but it would have given them a better chance. So it's good for the allies (including the Russians) that they did go down this road of super heavy tanks as the allies would have had to attend with more German armour.
Tom
Tom
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Right, the idea of the super heavy tanks just came from Hitler' s craziness:his personality led him to believe in the new " secret weapons" which would have changed the course of the war.While WW2 was won with the air force superiority ( USA), and with a huge industrial production of few tanks models ( like T34).
TomNT
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Yes, it would have taken a whole panzer division to pull the bloody thing out!{sm4}
Tom
PanzerAce1944
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Without a doubt totally impractical at every level ! of course....IMO
Mitch
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were their intended use as follow up AFV's to the more mobile units? I thought they were similar to the great karl series type of guns to lay down heavy barrage against fortifications not, a battlefield winner like, a Tiger or Panther?
Some of the so called paper panzers the germans had began to produce for 1946 onwards were not at all like this and were very good AFV's (well, they would have been) many of the designs they were using moved away from the Konigstiger etc. These designs were so good they found their way or, parts of them into many post war nations AFV's.
Super weapons are just that sometimes super sometimes not but, a lot was learned from what was designed both succesful and not so succesful
Mitch
Some of the so called paper panzers the germans had began to produce for 1946 onwards were not at all like this and were very good AFV's (well, they would have been) many of the designs they were using moved away from the Konigstiger etc. These designs were so good they found their way or, parts of them into many post war nations AFV's.
Super weapons are just that sometimes super sometimes not but, a lot was learned from what was designed both succesful and not so succesful
Mitch
Here's a cool video of a 1/35 model of the "Ratte".
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=fQEPYGPxcBY
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=fQEPYGPxcBY
Considering the problems the Germans encountered with their over-engineered tanks like the Tigers and Panthers, one can only speculate what kind of mechanical challenges would have emerged with this 'land battleship'. Probably would have moved 3 feet and then broken down before sinking with all hands. :rolleyes2: -- Al