Ferdinand assault gun. Heavy tank "Tiger"

During World War II, Germany organized the production of heavy tank destroyers designed to combat heavy enemy tanks.

The appearance of these vehicles was caused by the experience of fighting on the Eastern Front, where German “Panzerwagens” had to confront the well-protected Soviet T-34 and KV tanks. In addition, the Germans had information that work was underway on new tanks in the Soviet Union. The task of heavy tank destroyers was to fight enemy tanks at extreme distances before the tank could open aimed fire. It followed from the task that tank destroyers must have sufficiently thick frontal armor and sufficiently powerful weapons. In contrast to American tank destroyers, German vehicles carried guns not in an open rotating turret, but in a closed, stationary wheelhouse. German tank hunters were armed with 88 and 128 mm guns.

Among the first, the German army received two types of heavy tank destroyers: 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 (Panzerselbstfahrlafette V) and 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 Sfl L/71 Sd Kfz 184 Panzerjaeger “Tiger” (P) “Elefant- Ferdinand." They were later replaced by the Jagdpanther and Jagdtiger tank destroyers.

The topic of this article will be precisely the first two types of German self-propelled anti-tank guns. In addition, here we will briefly talk about the Bergepanzer “Tiger” (P) armored repair and recovery vehicle and the Raumpanzer “Tiger” (P) battering ram.

HISTORY OF CREATION

The 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 (PzSfl V) tank destroyer was born as a result of the failure of the VK 3001 (N) prototype in a competition to create a new type of heavy tank. Above the power compartment of the tank, a fixed wheelhouse, open at the top, was assembled, which housed a 128-mm 12.8 cm K40 L/61 cannon, which was a tank modification of the famous German 128-mm anti-aircraft gun Geraet 40, created by Rheinmetall-Borsig back in 1936. Additional armament consisted of a 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun (Rheinmetall-Brosig) with 600 rounds of ammunition. The machine gun was installed on board the fighting compartment. The machine gun could fire at both ground and air targets.

In order to install such a powerful weapon, the hull had to be lengthened by 760 mm. On the left, in the front part of the hull, a driver's seat was installed.

The chassis modification was carried out at the Henschel plant. The second prototype of the 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 gun was built on March 9, 1942. Very little is known about the combat use of these vehicles. It is known that both of them ended up in the 521st heavy tank destroyer division. In the winter of 1943, one of the self-propelled guns fell into the hands of the Red Army. In 1943 and 1944, the trophy was demonstrated at numerous exhibitions of captured equipment. Today, the vehicle is on display in the tank museum in Kubinka.

Tank destroyer "Ferdinand-Elephant" was created on the basis of the prototype of the VK 4501 (P) heavy tank, which participated in the competition for a new heavy tank for the Wehrmacht. As you know, the VK4501 (H) tank, which became known as the PzKpfw VI “Tiger,” was adopted by the German army.

In comparative tests, the VK 4501 (P) was noticeably inferior to its competitor, as a result of which the VK 4501 (H) went into production, and the VK 4501 (P) was accepted as a backup option in case the production of the main tank encountered significant difficulties. Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of 90 VK 4501 (P) tanks.

Production of VK 4501 (P) tanks began in June 1942. During the first two months, 5 cars were built. Two of them were subsequently converted into Bergepanzer “Tiger” (P) repair and recovery vehicles, and three received standard weapons: 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56 88 mm caliber and two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns (one course , the other paired with a cannon).

In mid-August 1942, Hitler ordered further production of this type of vehicle to cease. Thus, only five VK 4501 (P) tanks were produced.

Professor Porsche, who disagreed with the Fuhrer, the creator of VK 4501 (P), tried to influence Hitler and was partially successful. Hitler agreed to complete the construction of 90 ordered tank corps, on the basis of which it was planned to later create self-propelled guns. Department WaPruef 6 issued technical specifications for the development of a self-propelled assault gun armed with a 150 mm or 170 mm howitzer, but soon an order was received to create a tank destroyer based on the VK 4501 (P). This was quite the right decision, since at that time the German army felt an acute shortage of such vehicles capable of successfully fighting Soviet medium and heavy tanks. The anti-tank weapons at the Germans' disposal were either not effective enough or were outright improvisation. The most powerful German tank destroyers of that time were vehicles based on the obsolete PzKpfw II and PzKpfw 38(t) light tanks, armed with 75 and 76.2 mm anti-tank guns.

On September 22, 1942, Speer ordered work to begin on a new vehicle, which received the designation 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 Sfl L/71 Panzerjaeger “Tiger” (P) SdKfz 184. During the design work, the tank destroyer received temporary names several times, but it eventually acquired an official name.

After entering service, the self-propelled guns were called “Ferdinands,” probably in honor of Ferdinand Porsche himself. In February 1944, the name "Ferdinand" was replaced by "Elefanl" ("elephant"), and on May 1, 1944 the new name was officially approved.

Thus, both names are equally applicable to the self-propelled gun, but if you adhere to chronological order, then until February 1944 it would be correctly called “Ferdinand”, and after that – “Elefant”.

SERIAL PRODUCTION OF SAU "FERDINAND"

On November 16, 1942, WaPruef 6 ordered Steyr-Daimler-Puch Nibelungenwerke (St. Valentin, Austria) to begin reworking the VK 4501 (P) hulls; it was planned to gradually increase production in order to complete 15 vehicles in February 1943, and in March - 35, and in April – 40 cars.

Before starting work, Prof. Porsche and specialists from the Alkett plant (Berlin) redesigned the hull in such a way as to place the power plant in the central part of the hull, and not in the rear, as was before. New engine frames and a fire bulkhead between the power and fighting compartments were added to the hull design. The modernization of the hulls was carried out at the Eisenwerk Oberdonau plant in Linz. In January 1943, 15 buildings were converted, in February - 26, in March - 37, and by April 12, 1943, the remaining 12 buildings were completed.

Thus, everything was ready for the start of serial production of the Ferdinands. Initially, it was planned that the final assembly of self-propelled guns would take place at the Alkett plant, but difficulties arose with transportation. The fact is that SSsym platforms were required to transport Ferdinands by rail, but there were not enough platforms of this type, since they were all used to transport Tigers. In addition, the alteration of the buildings was delayed. To top it all off, the Alkett company had to reconfigure the assembly line, which at that time was assembling the Sturmgeschuctz III SdKfz 142 assault guns. As a result, the final assembly had to be entrusted to the Nibelungenwerk company, which produced tank hulls and turrets. The Ferdinand fellings were supplied by the Krupp plant from Essen. Initially, it was also planned to entrust the production of fellings to Alkett, but the company was overloaded with orders, so the production was moved to Essen. The Berliners just sent a team of welders to Essen who had experience in welding thick armor plates.

Assembly of the first Ferdinand began in Saint-Valentine on February 16, 1943. A few days later, the first fellings were delivered from Essen. It was planned to complete production of the series by May 12, but all vehicles were ready by May 8, 1943. Self-propelled guns had serial numbers in the range 150011-150100. The last chassis was ready on April 23, 1943. During production, the Krurr plant received an additional order for a rectangular gun mantlet shield, which was supposed to significantly strengthen this rather sensitive unit. Krupp produced the shields in May 1943, then sent them directly to the developing units.

From April 12 to April 23, 1943, the first production model (chassis number 150011) was tested at the Kummersdorf test site. It was probably this car that was presented to Hitler on March 19, 1943, during a show of new equipment in Rügenwald.

All built Ferdinands were accepted by the Heeres Waffenamt special commission and were sent to combat units between April and June 1943.

Already during the Battle of Kursk, changes were made to the design of the vehicles. First of all, the vehicle crews complained that the Ferdinands did not have machine guns. The tankers tried to eliminate this drawback by inserting a machine gun directly into the cannon barrel. In this case, to aim the machine gun at the target, it was necessary to aim the cannon. You can imagine how difficult, inconvenient and slow it was! As another solution, a cage was welded to the rear of the self-propelled gun, in which five grenadiers were placed. However, in field conditions, this solution turned out to be completely unacceptable. The fact is that the Ferdinands drew heavy fire on themselves, as a result of which the grenadiers quickly broke down. During the fighting, they also carried out additional sealing of the engine fuel system, the design flaws of which caused several fires in the first weeks of fighting. An attempt to install a machine gun on the roof of the cabin also ended in failure. The crew member servicing this machine gun (loading?) risked his life no less than the ill-fated grenadiers.

Finally, during the battles it became clear that the Ferdinand's chassis was severely damaged by anti-tank mines.

All noticed deficiencies required elimination. Therefore, in mid-December 1943, the 653rd Division was removed from the front and taken to St. Pölten (Austria).

All surviving vehicles (42 units) have undergone complete modernization. After repairs, five damaged Ferdinands were also modernized - a total of 47 vehicles underwent reconstruction.

The modernization was supposed to improve the combat characteristics of the vehicles and eliminate the noticed shortcomings.

The modernization took place from the end of January to March 20, 1944 at the Nibelungenwerk factories in Saint-Valentin. By the end of February, 20 vehicles were modernized, and in March 1944, another 37 Ferdinands were modernized. By March 15, they managed to complete the conversion of 43 “Elephants” - that’s what these cars were now called.

The most important innovation in the design of the self-propelled gun was the forward machine gun, located on the right side of the hull and operated by a radio operator. The 7.92 mm caliber MG 34 tank is housed in a standard Kuegelblende 80 spherical mount. The vehicle's commander's position is equipped with a commander's cupola with seven fixed periscopes. The commander's cupola was closed from above with a single-leaf hatch. In the front part of the hull, the bottom was reinforced with a 30-mm armor plate, which protected the crew in the event of a mine explosion. The gun mask received additional protection. Reinforced armored casings were installed on the air intakes. The driver's periscopes received a sun visor. The towing hooks located in the front part of the hull were strengthened. Additional mounts for tools and additional equipment were installed on the sides and rear of the vehicle. On occasion, these fasteners could be used to stretch the camouflage net.

Instead of Kgs 62/600/130 tracks, the Elephants received Kgs 64/640/130 tracks.

The intercom system was redone, and mounts for 5 additional 88 mm rounds were installed inside. Mounts for spare track tracks were placed on the wings and on the rear wall of the fighting compartment.

During the modernization, the hull and lower part of the superstructure were covered with zimmerit.

ARVBERGERPANZER “TIGER” (P) – “BERGE-ELEFANT”

A serious disadvantage of units equipped with heavy tank destroyers was that damaged vehicles were almost impossible to evacuate from the battlefield. During the Battle of Kursk, ARVs based on the Panther tank chassis were not yet ready, and standard SdKfz 9 half-track tractors had to be connected several at a time to move the 60-ton Ferdinand. It is easy to imagine that the Soviet artillery did not miss the opportunity to cover such a “train” with fire. In August 1943, the Nibelungenwerk company converted three VK 4501 (P) tanks into ARVs. Like the Ferdinand tanks, the power compartment of the repair tanks was moved to the middle of the hull, and a small wheelhouse was built in the stern. In the front wall of the cabin, in a spherical Kugelblende 50 mount, there was an MG 34 machine gun, which was the only armament of the vehicle. The Bergepanzer "Tiger" (P) repair and recovery vehicles did not have reinforced frontal armor, so the driver's seat was equipped with a standard viewing device. The “birthmark” of the tank past was the patch on. frontal armor - a trace of a welded hole for a frontal machine gun.

In the fall of 1943, ARVs entered the 653rd Division. As of June 1, 1944, the 2nd and 3rd companies of the division each had one Bergepanzer “Tiger” (P), the 1st company of the 653rd division lost its ARV in the summer of 1944 during the fighting in Italy.

One (or two?) Tiger tank (P) was used as a headquarters tank by the command of the 653rd division. The tank bore the tactical number "003", and was probably the tank of the division commander, Captain Grillenberger.

RAMPANZER TANK « TIGER" (P)

The battles in Stalingrad showed that the German army needed a heavy tank capable of ramming rubble and barricades on the streets, as well as destroying buildings.

On January 5, 1943, during a meeting in Rastenburg, Hitler ordered the conversion of three hulls of VK 4501 (P) tanks from among the hulls located in Saint-Valentine. The alteration was supposed to consist of strengthening the frontal armor by 100-150 mm and equipping the tank with a special ram, facilitating the destruction of fortifications.

The shape of the hull was such that the debris of destroyed buildings rolled down and the tank could always move out from under the rubble. The Germans only built a 1:15 scale model; they didn’t make it to a prototype. The creation of ram tanks was opposed by the Panzerwaffe command, which believed that such designs had no practical combat use. Soon the Fuhrer himself forgot about the Raumpanzer, since his attention was entirely absorbed by the new colossus - the super-heavy Maus tank.

ORGANIZATION OF COMBAT UNITS

Initially, the Oberkommando der Heeres (OKH) planned to form three divisions of heavy tank destroyers. Two already existing divisions were to receive new vehicles: the 190th and 197th, and a third division, the 600th, was supposed to be formed. The recruitment of the divisions was to take place in accordance with the staffing table KStN 446b of January 31, 1943, as well as in accordance with the staffing table KStN 416b, 588b and 598 of January 31, 1943. The division consisted of three batteries (9 vehicles in each battery) and a headquarters battery (three vehicles). The division was supplemented by a motorized workshop and headquarters.

Such a scheme bore a clear “artillery” imprint. Artillery Command also determined that the primary tactical unit was the battery, not the entire battalion. Such tactics were quite effective against small tank detachments, but turned out to be completely useless if the enemy carried out a massive tank attack. 9 self-propelled guns could not hold a wide section of the front, so Russian tanks could easily bypass the Ferdinands and attack them from the flank or rear. After Colonel General Heinz Guderian was appointed to the post of Inspector General of the Panzerwaffe on March 1, 1943, the structure of the divisions underwent a major reorganization. One of the first orders of G "uderian was the transfer of the formed units of assault artillery and tank destroyers from the jurisdiction of the artillery command to the area of ​​​​operation of the Panzerwaffe.

Guderian ordered the Ferdinands to be united into a separate regiment of heavy tank destroyers; on March 22, 1943, Guderian ordered that the regiment should consist of two divisions (battalions), consisting of companies; staffed according to the staffing table KStN 1148с. Each company had three platoons (four vehicles per platoon, plus two vehicles under the company commander). The headquarters company had three Ferdinands (KStN 1155 dated March 31, 1943). The headquarters of the regiment, called the 656th Heavy Assault Artillery Regiment, was formed on the basis of the reserve company of the 35th Tank Regiment in St. Pölten.

The regiment's divisions were numbered 653 and 654. At one time the divisions were called the I and II battalions of the 656th regiment.

In addition to the Ferdinands, each division was armed with PzKpfw III Ausf tanks. J SdKfz 141 (5 cm Kurz) and one Panzerbeobaehtungwagen Ausf. J 5 cm L/42. At the regimental headquarters there were three PzKpfw II Ausf tanks. F SdKfz 121, two PzKpfw III Ausf. J (5 cm Kurz), as well as two spotter tanks.

The regiment's fleet was supplemented by 25 cars, 11 ambulances and 146 trucks. As tractors, the regiment used 15 Zgkw 18 ton SdKfz 9 half-tracks, as well as lighter SdKfz 7/1, on which 20-mm anti-aircraft guns were mounted. The regiment did not receive Zgkw 35 ton SdKfz 20 tractors; instead, in November 1943, the regiment was equipped with two Bergpanthers and three Bergpanzer Tigers (P). The regiment was sent five Munitionsschlepper III ammunition carriers - PzKpfw III tanks without turrets, adapted for transporting ammunition to the front line and evacuating the wounded, since the regiment did not receive standard SdKfz 251/8 ambulance armored personnel carriers.

As a result of losses suffered during the Battle of Kursk in August 1943, the regiment was reorganized into a single division. Soon after this, the 216th Assault Gun Battalion, equipped with Sturpmpanzer IV "Brummbaer" vehicles, was included in the regiment.

On December 16, 1943, the regiment was withdrawn from the front. After repairing and modernizing the vehicles, the 653rd division fully restored its combat capability. Due to the difficult situation in Italy, the 1st company of the division was sent to the Apennines. The remaining two companies of the division ended up on the Eastern Front. The company that fought in Italy was considered from the very beginning as a separate unit. She was given a repair platoon, which had one Berge "Tiger" (P) and two Munitionspanzer III. The company itself consisted of 11 Elefant tank destroyers.

The 653rd Division had a more curious structure, in which only two companies remained. Each company was divided into three platoons with four Elephants in each platoon (three line vehicles and the platoon commander's vehicle). Two more "Elephants" were at the disposal of the company commander. In total, the company consisted of 14 self-propelled guns. There were three vehicles left in the division's reserve, and from June 1, 1944, two. On June 1, the 653rd Division consisted of 30 Elefant tank destroyers. In addition, the division had other armored vehicles. The division commander, Hauptmann Grillenberger, used the Tiger (P) tank, which had the tactical number “003”, as his headquarters tank. Another command tank was the Panther PzKpfw V Ausf. D1, equipped with the turret of the PzKpfw IV Ausf. H (SdKfz 161/1). Anti-aircraft cover for the division was provided by a captured T-34-76, armed with a quadruple 20-mm Flakvierling 38 mount and two trucks armed with 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.

The headquarters company consisted of a communications platoon, an engineer platoon and an air defense platoon (one SdKfz 7/1, and two trucks armed with 20 mm anti-aircraft guns). Each company had a repair and recovery section with two Munitionspanzer IIIs and one Berge "Tiger" (P). Another Berge "Tiger" (P) was part of a repair company. On June 1, 1944, the division consisted of 21 officers, 8 military officials, 199 non-commissioned officers, 766 privates, as well as 20 Ukrainian Hiwis. The division's armament, in addition to armored vehicles, consisted of 619 rifles, 353 pistols, 82 submachine guns, and 36 anti-tank rifles. The division's fleet consisted of 23 motorcycles, 6 motorcycles with sidecars, 38 passenger cars, 56 trucks, 23 SdKfz 3 Opel-Maultier half-track trucks, 3 SdKfz 11 half-track tractors, 22 Zgktw 18 ton SdKfz 9 tractors, 9 low-axle trailers and 1 SdKfz ambulance armored personnel carrier 251 /8. Division documents indicate that as of June 1, the division had one Munitionspanzer T-34, but it is unknown which company this ammunition carrier belonged to. As of July 18, 1944, the division had 33 Elephant tanks. The two “extra” Elefants were apparently vehicles of the 1st company, sent to the Reich for repairs, and then ended up as part of the 653rd division.

The last unit equipped with Elephants was the 614. schwere Heeres Panzerjaeger Kompanie formed in the fall of 1944, which consisted of 10-12 vehicles (on October 3 - 10, on December 14, 1944 - 12 "Elephants").

COMBAT USE OF FERDINANDS

In the spring of 1943, two divisions equipped with Ferdinand heavy tank destroyers were formed.

The first division, known as 653. schwere Heeres Panzerjaeger Abteilimg, was formed in Brück/Leitha. The division's personnel were recruited from 197/StuG Abt and from recovering self-propelled gunners from other units.

The second division was formed at the training ground near Rouen and Mely-les-Camps (France). It was 654. schwere Heeres Panzerjaeger Abteilung. The division was commanded by Major Noack. On May 22, the formation of the 656th heavy tank destroyer regiment began, which, in addition to the two mentioned divisions, included the 216th assault artillery division, equipped with Sturmpanzer IV “Brummbaer” vehicles.

First, we finished recruiting the 654th division, and then began recruiting the 653rd.

Having completed their training, the divisions participated in live firing (the 653rd at the Neusiedl am See training ground, and the 654th at the Meli-le-Camp training ground). Then both divisions found themselves on the Eastern Front. The shipment took place on June 9, 1943. On the eve of the start of the German army's offensive on the Kursk Bulge, the 656th regiment consisted of 45 Ferdinands as part of the 653rd division and 44 Ferdinands as part of the 654th division (the missing vehicle was most likely Ferdinand No. 150011, which was tested in Kümmersdorf ). In addition, each division had five PzKpfw III Ausf tanks. J SdKfz 141 and one Panzerbefehlswagen mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/42. The 216th division consisted of 42 Brummbers. Immediately before the start of the offensive, the division was reinforced with two more companies of assault guns (36 vehicles).

During the battles on the Kursk Bulge, the 656th Regiment acted as part of the XXXXI Tank Corps, Army Group Center (corps commander General Harpe). The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Jungenfeld. The 653rd Division supported the actions of the 86th and 292nd Infantry Divisions, and the 654th Division supported the attack of the 78th Wittemberg Assault Infantry Division on Malo-Arkhangelsk.

On the first day of the offensive, the 653rd Division advanced to Aleksandrovka, which lay deep in the Red Army’s defense line. During the first day of fighting, the Germans were able to set fire to 26 T-34-76 tanks and destroy several anti-tank guns. "Ferdinands" of the 654th division supported the attack of the infantry of the 508th regiment of the 78th division at heights 238.1 and 253.5 and in the direction of the village of Ponyri. Next, the division advanced on Olkhovatka.

In total, since June 7, 1943, during the battles on the Kursk Bulge (according to OKH data), the Ferdinands of the 656th regiment destroyed 502 tanks, 20 anti-tank guns and 100 artillery pieces.

The battles on the Kursk Bulge showed both the advantages and disadvantages of the Ferdinand heavy tank destroyers. The advantages were thick frontal armor and powerful weapons, which made it possible to fight all types of Soviet tanks. However, at the Kursk Bulge it turned out that the Ferdinands had too thin side armor. The fact is that the powerful Ferdinands often went deep into the defensive formations of the Red Army, and the infantry covering the flanks could not keep up with the vehicles. As a result, Soviet tanks and anti-tank guns could fire from the flank without hindrance.

Numerous technical shortcomings were also revealed, caused by the too hasty adoption of the Ferdinands into service. The frames of the current generators were not strong enough - often the generators were torn off the frames. The caterpillar tracks constantly burst, and the on-board communications failed every now and then.

In addition, the Red Army now had at its disposal a formidable opponent of the German menagerie - the SU-152 “St. John’s Wort”, armed with a 152.4 mm howitzer cannon. On July 8, 1943, the SU-152 division ambushed an Elephants column from the 653rd division. The Germans lost 4 self-propelled guns. It also turned out that the Ferdinand chassis is very sensitive to mine explosions. The Germans lost approximately half of the 89 Ferdinands to minefields.

The 653rd and 654th divisions did not have tugs powerful enough to evacuate damaged vehicles from the battlefield. To evacuate damaged vehicles, the Germans tried to use “trains” of 3-4 SdKfz 9 half-track tractors, but these attempts, as a rule, were stopped by Soviet artillery. Therefore, many even slightly damaged Ferdinands had to be abandoned or blown up.

On the Kursk Bulge, the 656th Regiment disabled about 500 enemy tanks. It is difficult to verify this figure, but it is obvious that the Ferdinands, along with the Tigers, caused the greatest losses to the Soviet tank forces. An OKH circular dated November 5, 1943 reports that the 656th Regiment had 582 tanks, 344 anti-tank guns, 133 artillery pieces, 103 anti-tank guns, 3 enemy aircraft, 3 armored vehicles and 3 self-propelled guns.

At the end of August 1943, the 654th Division was withdrawn from the front to France, where the division received new Jagdpanther tank destroyers. The remaining Ferdinands in the division were transferred to the 653rd division. In early September, the 653rd Division took a short rest, after which it took part in the battles near Kharkov.

In October and November, the Ferdinands of the 653rd Division took part in heavy defensive battles near Nikopol and Dnepropetrovsk. On December 16, 1943, the division was withdrawn from the front. Until January 10, 1944, the 653rd Division was on vacation in Austria.

Already on February 1, 1944, the Panzerwaffe inspector ordered one company of “Elephants” to be brought into combat readiness as quickly as possible. By that time, 8 vehicles had been converted, and another 2-4 self-propelled guns were supposed to be ready within a few days. 8 combat-ready vehicles were transferred to the 1st company of the 653rd division on February 9, 1944. On February 19, the company received three more vehicles.

At the end of February 1944, the 1st company of the 653rd division went to Italy. Three more Elefants were sent to Italy on February 29, 1944. The company took part in battles in the Anzio Nettuno area and in the Cisterna area. On April 12, 1944, two Elephants burned 14 attacking Shermans. According to the staffing schedule, the company had 11 tank destroyers, however, as a rule, several vehicles were constantly under repair. The last time the company was 100% combat ready was February 29, 1944, that is, the day it arrived in Italy. In March, the company received reinforcements - two Elephants. In addition to heavy tank destroyers, the company had a Munitionspanzer III ammunition carrier and one Berge "Tiger" (P). Most often, "Elephants" were used to organize anti-tank defense. They acted from an ambush and destroyed detected enemy tanks.

In May and June 1944, the company took part in battles in the Rome area. At the end of June the company was taken to Austria, to Saint-Pölten. The company's personnel were sent to the Eastern Front, and the two surviving Elephants were transferred to the 653rd division.

The headquarters company, as well as the 2nd and 3rd line companies of the 653rd division operated on the Eastern Front. On April 7 and 9, 1944, the division supported the actions of a battle group from the 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen" in the area of ​​Podhajec and Brzezan. In the Zlotnik area, the division repelled attacks by the 10th Tank Corps of the Red Army. The Germans could only operate along good roads, since the heavy 65-ton vehicles felt unsure on the spring thawed ground. From April 10, the 653rd Division operated as part of the 1st Tank Army of the Wehrmacht. On April 15 and 16, 1944, the division fought heavy battles in the suburbs of Ternopil. The next day, nine Elephants were damaged. By the end of April, the 2nd and 3rd companies of the 653rd division were removed from the front. The division entered battle again on May 4, 1944 near Kamenka-Strumilovskaya,

In June and July the division fought in Western Galicia. The division had approximately 20-25 combat-ready vehicles. At the beginning of July, the number of combat-ready vehicles was 33. In the second half of July, the 2nd and 3rd companies of the 653rd division were driven into Poland.

On August 1, 1944, there was not a single combat-ready vehicle in the division, and 12 Elephants were under repair. Soon the mechanics managed to return 8 cars to service.

In August 1944, the 653rd Division suffered heavy losses during unsuccessful counterattacks at Sandomierz and Dębica. On September 19, 1944, the division was transferred to the 17th Army of Army Group “A” (former Army Group “Northern Ukraine”).

Routine repairs of self-propelled guns were carried out at a repair plant in Krakow-Rakowice, as well as at the Baildon steel mill in Katowice.

In September 1944, the 653rd Division was removed from the front and sent to the rear for rearmament.

After the division received the Jagdpanthers, the remaining Elephants were assembled into 614. schwere Panzerjaeger Kompanie, which had a total of 13-14 vehicles.

At the beginning of 1945, “Elephants” from the 614th company operated as part of the 4th Tank Army. There is no consensus on how the Elephants were used in the last weeks of the war. Some sources claim that on February 25 the company reached the front in the Wünsdorf area, and then the Elephants fought as part of the Ritter battle group in the Zossen area (April 22-23, 1945). Only four Elephants took part in the last battles. Other sources claim that the Elephants fought in mountainous Austria at the end of April.

Two “Elephants” have survived to this day. One of them is on display in the museum in Kubinka (this self-propelled gun was captured at the Kursk Bulge). Another "Elephant" is located at the training ground in Aberdeen, Maryland, USA. This is self-propelled gun “102” from the 1st company of the 653rd division, captured by the Americans in the Anzio area.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

The heavy self-propelled anti-tank gun was intended to combat enemy armored vehicles. The crew of the Ferdinand tank destroyer consisted of six people: a driver, a radio operator (later a gunner-radio operator), a commander, a gunner and two loaders.

The crew of the 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 heavy tank destroyer consisted of five people: a driver, a commander, a gunner and two loaders.

Frame

The all-welded hull consisted of a frame assembled from steel T-profiles and armor plates. To assemble the hulls, heterogeneous armor plates were produced, the outer surface of which was harder than the inner. The armor plates were connected to each other by welding. The booking scheme is shown in the figure.

Additional armor was attached to the frontal armor plate using 32 bolts. Additional armor consisted of three armor plates.

The self-propelled gun body was divided into a power compartment located in the central part, a fighting compartment in the stern and a control post in the front. The power compartment housed a gasoline engine and electric generators. The electric motors were located in the rear of the hull. The machine was controlled using levers and pedals. The driver's seat was equipped with a full set of instruments that monitor engine operation, a speedometer, a clock and a compass. The view from the driver's seat was provided by three fixed periscopes and a viewing slot located on the left side of the hull. In 1944, the driver's periscopes were equipped with a sun visor.

To the right of the driver was the gunner-radio operator. The view from the gunner-radio operator's position was provided by a viewing slot cut into the starboard side. The radio station was located to the left of the radio operator's position.

Access to the control station was through two rectangular hatches located in the roof of the hull.

The remaining crew members were located in the rear of the hull: on the left was the gunner, on the right was the commander, and behind the breech were both loaders. There were hatches on the roof of the cabin: on the right was a double-leaf rectangular hatch for the commander, on the left was a double-leaf round hatch for the gunner, and two small round single-leaf loader hatches. In addition, in the rear wall of the cabin there was a large round single-leaf hatch intended for loading ammunition. In the center of the hatch was a small port through which machine gun fire could be fired to protect the rear of the tank. Two more loopholes were located in the right and left walls of the fighting compartment.

The power compartment was equipped with two carburetor engines, gas tanks, an oil tank, a radiator, a cooling system pump, a fuel pump and two generators. Two electric motors were located at the rear of the vehicle. The air intakes of the power compartment passed through the roof of the hull. The exhaust pipes along with the mufflers were located in such a way that the exhaust was ejected above the tracks.

The hull of the 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 tank destroyer was divided into a control post, a power compartment and a fighting compartment open at the top. The fighting compartment could be accessed through doors located in the rear wall of the hull.

Power point

The car was driven by two carburetor twelve-cylinder overhead valve liquid-cooled Maybach HL 120 TRM engines with a displacement of 11,867 cc and a power of 195 kW/265 hp. at 2600 rpm. The total engine power was 530 hp. Cylinder diameter 105 mm, piston stroke 115 mm, gear ratio 6.5, maximum speed 2600 per minute.

The Maybach HL 120 TRM engine was equipped with two Solex 40 IFF 11 carburetors, the ignition sequence of the fuel-air mixture in the cylinders was 1-12-5-8-3-10-6-7-2-11-4-9. A radiator with a capacity of about 75 liters was located behind the engines. In addition, the Elefant was equipped with an oil cooler and an engine starting system in cold weather, which provided fuel heating. The Elefant used leaded gasoline OZ 74 (octane number 74) as fuel. Two gas tanks held 540 liters of gasoline. Fuel consumption when driving over rough terrain reached 1200 liters per 100 km. Gas tanks were located along the sides of the power compartment. The Solex fuel pump was electrically driven. The oil tank was located on the side of the engines. The oil filter was located near the carburetor. Zyklon air filter. The clutch is dry, multi-disc.

Carburetor engines drove electric current generators of the Siemens Tour aGV type, which, in turn, powered Siemens D1495aAC electric motors with a power of 230 kW each. The engines, through an electromechanical transmission, rotated the drive wheels located at the rear of the vehicle. "Elephant" had three forward and three reverse gears. The main brake and auxiliary brake are of mechanical type, manufactured by Krupp.

The 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 tank destroyer was powered by a Maybach HL 116 carburetor engine.

The Maybach HL 116 engine is a six-cylinder liquid-cooled engine with 265 hp. at 3300 rpm and a displacement of 11048 cc. Cylinder diameter 125 mm, piston stroke 150 cm. Gear ratio 6.5. The engine was equipped with two Solex 40 JFF II carburetors, ignition sequence 1-5-3-6-2-4. The main clutch is dry, three-disc. Transmission Zahnfabrik ZF SSG 77, six forward gears, one reverse. Mechanical brakes, Henschel.

Steering

Electromechanical steering. Final drives and clutch are electric. The turning radius did not exceed 2.15 m!

The 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 self-propelled units were also equipped with final drives and final clutches.

Chassis

The Ferdinand-Elephant chassis consisted (for one side) of three two-wheeled bogies, a drive wheel and a steering wheel. Each support roller had an independent suspension. The track rollers were stamped from sheet metal and had a diameter of 794 mm. The cast drive wheel was located at the rear of the body. The drive wheel had a diameter of 920 mm and had two rows of 19 teeth. In the front part of the body there was a guide wheel with a mechanical track tension system. The idler wheel had the same teeth as the drive wheel, which made it possible to prevent the tracks from running over. Kgs 64/640/130 tracks are single-pin, single-ridge, dry type (the pins are not lubricated). Track support length 4175 mm, width 640 mm, pitch 130 mm, track 2310 mm. Each caterpillar consisted of 109 tracks. Anti-slip teeth could be installed on the tracks. The track tracks were made of manganese alloy. For the "Elephants" it was not envisaged to use narrower transport tracks, as was the case with the "Tiger". Initially, tracks with a width of 600 mm were used, then they were replaced with wider ones of 640 mm.

The chassis of the 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 tank destroyer (applied to one side) consisted of 16 road wheels, independently suspended in such a way that the wheels partially overlapped each other. In this case, even and odd road wheels were located at different distances from the body. Despite the fact that the hull was significantly lengthened, only one additional pair of rollers was added. The diameter of the track rollers is 700 mm. The guide wheels with the track tensioning mechanism were located at the stern, and the drive wheels were located in the front part of the hull. The upper section of the caterpillar passed through three support rollers. The track width was 520 mm, each track consisted of 85 tracks, the track support length was 4750 mm, the track was 2100 mm.

Armament

The main armament of the Ferdinands was the 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71 anti-tank gun of 88 mm caliber. Ammunition capacity: 50-55 rounds, placed along the sides of the hull and wheelhouse. Horizontal firing sector 30 degrees (15 to the left and right), elevation/declination angle +18 –8 degrees. If necessary, up to 90 rounds could be loaded inside the fighting compartment. The length of the gun barrel is 6300 mm, the length of the barrel with muzzle brake is 6686 mm. There were 32 grooves inside the barrel. Gun weight 2200 kg. The following ammunition was used for the gun:

• armor-piercing PzGr39/l (weight 10.2 kg, initial speed 1000 m/s),
• high-explosive SpGr L/4.7 (weight 8.4 kg, initial speed 700 m/s),
• cumulative Gr 39 HL (weight 7.65 kg, initial speed about 600 m/s)
• armor-piercing PzGr 40/43 (weight 7.3 kg).

The crew's personal weapons consisted of MP 38/40 machine guns, pistols, rifles and hand grenades, stored inside the fighting compartment.

The armament of the 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 tank destroyer consisted of a 12.8 cm K 40 cannon and 18 rounds of ammunition. An MG 34 machine gun with 600 rounds of ammunition served as additional weapons.

After the conversion, the Elephants were equipped with MG 34 machine guns of 7.92 mm caliber with 600 rounds of ammunition. The machine guns were mounted in a Kugelblende 80 spherical mount.

Electrical equipment

The electrical equipment is built according to a single-core circuit, the on-board network voltage is 24 V. The network is equipped with electrical fuses. The power source for the carburetor engines was a Bosch GQLN 300/12-90 generator and two Bosch lead batteries with a voltage of 12 V and a capacity of 150 Ah. Starter Bosch BNG 4/24, ignition type Bosch,

The power supply included backlight lamps, a sight, a sound signal, a headlight, a Notek road light, a radio station, and a gun trigger.

The 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 tank destroyer was equipped with a single-core network, voltage 24 V. The starter and current generator are of the same type as those of the Ferdinand. The self-propelled gun was equipped with four batteries with a voltage of 6V and a capacity of 105 Ah.

Radio equipment

Both types of tank destroyers were equipped with FuG 5 and FuG Spr f radio stations.

Optical equipment

The Ferdinand gunner's position was equipped with a Selbstfahrlafetten-Zielfernrohr l a Rblf 36 sight, providing a five-fold magnification and a field of view of 8 degrees. The driver had three periscopes protected by an armored glass insert.

Coloring

Self-propelled guns "Ferdinald-Elephant" were painted according to the rules adopted in the Panzerwaffe.

Typically, the vehicles were entirely painted in Wehrmach Olive paint, which was sometimes overlaid with camouflage (dark green Olive Gruen paint or brown Brun). Some vehicles received three-color camouflage.

The few Elefants that saw action in the winter of 1943 in Ukraine were probably covered in white washable paint.

Initially, all Ferdinands were painted entirely dark yellow. This was the coloring carried by the Ferdinands of the 653rd division during the formation of the unit. Immediately before being sent to the front, the cars were repainted. Interestingly, the cars of the 653rd division were painted slightly differently than the cars of the 654th division. The 653rd Division used olive-brown camouflage, and the 654th Division used olive green. Perhaps this was caused by the specifics of the terrain in which self-propelled guns were supposed to be used. The 653rd Division used "spotted" camouflage. This camouflage was worn by vehicles “121” and “134” from the 1st company of the 653rd division.

In turn, in the 654th division, in addition to spotted camouflage (for example, vehicles “501” and “511” from the 5th company) they used mesh camouflage (for example, vehicles “612” and “624” from the 6th company). Most likely, in the 654th division, each company used its own camouflage scheme, although there were exceptions: for example, mesh camouflage was carried by “Ferdinands” “521” from the 5th company and “724” from the 7th company.

Some discrepancy in camouflage is also noted among the vehicles of the 653rd division.

The 656th Regiment used the standard tactical number scheme adopted by all tank units. Tactical numbers were three-digit numbers that were painted on the sides of the hull, and sometimes on the stern (for example, in the 7th company of the 654th division in July 1943 and in the 2nd and 3rd companies of the 653rd division in 1944 year). The numbers were painted with white paint. In the 653rd Division in 1943, the numbers were outlined with a black border. The 2nd and 3rd Companies of the 653rd Division in 1944 used black tactical numbers with white piping.

Initially, the vehicles of the 656th Regiment did not carry any emblems. In 1943, beam crosses were painted on the sides of the hull and in the lower part of the stern with white paint. In 1944, beam crosses on the rear wall of the cabin appeared on vehicles of the 2nd company of the 653rd division.

During the Battle of Kursk, vehicles of the 654th division carried the letter “N” on the left front wing or frontal armor. This letter probably denoted the surname of the division commander, Major Noack. The vehicles of the 1st Company of the 653rd Division that fought in Italy also carried the company (or division?) emblem on the left side of the wheelhouse above and in front, as well as on the starboard side above and behind.

Two 12.8 cm Sfl L/61 tank destroyers that fought on the Eastern Front were painted entirely in Panzer Grau gray paint.

(The article was prepared for the website “Wars of the 20th Century” © http://website based on the book “Ferdinand – German tank destroyer. Tornado. Army series".When copying an article, please do not forget to put a link to the source page of the “Wars of the 20th Century” site).

German tank building during World War II was one of the best in the world. Bold engineering ideas were implemented at the largest factories in the country: Nibelungenwerke, Alkett, Krupp, Rheinmetall, Oberdonau, etc. Models of equipment have improved, adapting to the conduct of combat operations that have not yet been known in history. The quantitative and qualitative use of armored vehicles could decide the outcome of the battle. Tanks are the iron fist of warring powers. Resisting them is not easy, but it is possible. Thus, mobile anti-tank artillery with a suspension design similar to tanks, but with a more powerful weapon, is entering the combat arena. One of the most famous German tank destroyers that participated in WWII was the Ferdinand.




The engineering genius Ferdinand Porsche became known as Hitler's favorite for his Volkswagen. The Fuhrer wanted Dr. Porsche to direct the vector of his ideas and knowledge into the military industry. The famous inventor did not have to wait long. Porsche designed a new chassis for tanks. The new Leopard, VK3001(P), Tiger(P) tanks were tested on its chassis. Tests have shown the advantages of the innovative chassis model. Thus, in September 1942. Porsche was ordered to develop a tank destroyer with an 88-mm cannon based on the chassis designed for the Tiger heavy tank. The assault gun must be well protected, the gun must be in a stationary wheelhouse - these were the Fuhrer's orders. The redesigned Tiger(P) tanks became the prototypes of the Ferdinand. The hull of the Porsche Tiger underwent minimal changes, mainly in the rear, where a conning tower with an 88-mm gun and a machine gun in the front plate was installed (later the machine gun was removed due to excess weight, which became a significant drawback in close combat with enemy infantry) . The front part of the hull was reinforced with additional armor plates 100 and 30 mm thick. As a result, the project was approved, and an order was received for the construction of 90 such machines.
February 6, 1943 At the meeting of the commanders-in-chief, a report was heard on the production of an “assault gun on a Porsche-Tiger chassis.” By order of Hitler, the new vehicle received the official designation “8.8-mm Pak 43/2 Sfl L/71 Panzerjager Tiger(P) Ferdinand”. Thus, the Fuhrer recognized the achievements of Ferdinand Porsche by giving the self-propelled gun his name.

So, what was the innovation of the chassis designed by Porsche? For one side, the undercarriage of the Ferdinand consisted of three bogies with two rollers each. The original component of the chassis was the placement of the bogie suspension torsion bars not inside the hull, like many other tanks, but outside, and not transversely, but longitudinally. Despite the rather complex design of the suspension developed by F. Porsche, it worked very effectively. In addition, it turned out to be well suited for repair and maintenance in the field, which was an important advantage during combat operations. Another original component of the Ferdinand design was the electrical system for transmitting torque from the prime movers to the engine drive wheels. Thanks to this, the vehicle did not have such components as a gearbox and main clutch, and, consequently, their control drives, which simplified the repair and operation of the power plant, and also reduced the weight of the self-propelled gun.

Dividing 90 vehicles into two battalions, the command sent one to Russia and the second to France, later transferring it also to the Soviet-German front. In battles, the Ferdinand showed itself to be a powerful tank destroyer. The gun worked effectively at long distances, while Soviet heavy artillery did not cause critical damage to the self-propelled gun. Only the sides of the Ferdinand were vulnerable to field artillery guns and tanks. The Germans lost most of the new vehicles in minefields that they did not have time to clear or did not map their own. 19 self-propelled guns were lost in the battles near Kursk. At the same time, the combat mission was completed, and the Ferdinands destroyed more than 100 tanks, anti-tank guns and other Soviet military equipment.

The Soviet command, encountering a new type of equipment for the first time, did not attach high importance to it, as it was carried away by another formidable rival - the Tiger. However, several abandoned and burned self-propelled guns fell into the hands of Soviet technicians and engineers and were examined. Several vehicles were shot from different guns to test the penetration of the armor of the new German assault guns.

The soldiers, having learned about the new self-propelled gun “Ferdinand”, began to call other equipment with a rear-mounted turret or wheelhouse that name. There were many rumors and legends about the powerful German self-propelled gun. Therefore, after the war, the USSR was quite surprised that only 90 real Ferdinands were produced. A manual for the destruction of the Ferdinands was also mass-produced.

Failures near Kursk forced the tank destroyer to be sent for repair and reconfiguration. The strategy for introducing these vehicles into battle was also revised. To protect self-propelled guns from attacks on the flank and rear and during close combat, accompanying Pz.IV tanks were assigned to them. The order for joint combat operations between self-propelled guns and infantry was also abolished, since due to the active shelling of the Ferdinands, the accompanying infantry suffered heavy losses. The vehicles newly brought onto the battlefield were able to cope with combat missions better and faster, suffering minimal losses. During the fighting on the Zaporozhye bridgehead, only 4 vehicles were lost. And after the participation of the Ferdinands in the battles in Western Ukraine, it was decided to send the surviving vehicles to the rear for repairs and upgrades. Vehicles with new tracks, a straightened chassis, which suffered most often, with a machine gun in the frontal armor plate (used by the radio operator) and other minor changes entered the battle already on the Italian front, but the updated self-propelled gun had a different name - “Elephant”...

Summary. It’s not for nothing that the powerful German tank destroyer has earned so many legends and tales. During the war, the word “Ferdinand” became an epithet for Soviet soldiers. The heaviest colossus weighing 65 tons (after the Ferdinand battalion crossed one of the bridges over the Seine, the bridge sank by 2 cm) was well armored and equipped with a powerful weapon. The frontal armor held back most Soviet field guns and tanks, but the lightly armored sides and rear were vulnerable. Also weak points were the grille in the front of the hull, under which the power plant was located, and the roof. The Achilles heel, as it turned out, was the chassis, especially its front part. Taking it out of action almost always ended in defeat. The clumsy "Ferdinand", remaining motionless, could fire only in a limited sector due to the static nature of the cabin. In this case, the crew blew up the self-propelled gun if the enemy did not do so first.

German tank destroyer Ferdinand. The history of the creation of the Ferdinand tank destroyer. Guide to the Ferdinand tank.

Today we are publishing a new video guide on the Tankopedia about the German level eight vehicle - the Ferdinand tank destroyer.

"Ferdinand" (German: Ferdinand) - German heavy self-propelled artillery unit (SPG) World War II period tank destroyer class. Also called "Elephant" (German Elefant - elephant), 8.8 cm PaK 43/2 Sfl L/71 Panzerjäger Tiger (P), Sturmgeschütz mit 8.8 cm PaK 43/2 and Sd.Kfz.184. This combat vehicle, armed with an 88 mm cannon, is one of the most heavily armed and heavily armored representatives of German armored vehicles of that period. Despite its small number, this vehicle is the most famous representative of the class of self-propelled guns; a large number of legends are associated with it.

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand", video guide which we will look at below, was developed in 1942-1943, being largely an improvisation based on the chassis of the Tiger (P) heavy tank, which was not adopted for service, developed by Ferdinand Porsche. Debut "Ferdinand" became the Battle of Kursk, where the armor of this self-propelled gun demonstrated its low vulnerability to the fire of Soviet main anti-tank and tank artillery. Subsequently, these vehicles took part in battles on the Eastern Front and in Italy, ending their combat journey in the suburbs of Berlin. In the Red Army, any German self-propelled artillery unit was often called “Ferdinand”.

View Guide - Ferdinand

30-09-2016, 09:38

Hello tankers, welcome to the site! In the German development branch, at the eighth level, there are as many as three tank destroyers, each of which has its own characteristics, but they are all very strong in their own way. Now we will talk about one of these cars and here is Ferdinand’s guide.

As usual, we will conduct a detailed analysis of the vehicle’s parameters, decide on the choice of equipment, perks, equipment for Ferdinand World of Tanks, and also talk about combat tactics.

TTX Ferdinand

The first thing that every owner of this device can be proud of when going into battle is its large margin of safety, one of the best at the level. Our basic viewing range is also quite good, 370 meters, which is better than that of our fellow nationals.

If we look at the Ferdinand's armor characteristics, overall everything is very promising. The point is that we have a very well-armored conning tower, into which even our classmates have difficulty getting through, but the armor plate here is located at a right angle and level 9-10 tanks no longer have any big problems penetrating this element.

Regarding the hull armor, it is much worse, and if the VLD of the Ferdinand WoT tank destroyer can still ricochet, then the NLD, sides and especially the feed can be sewn without problems even with level 7 equipment.

Another important issue will be the mobility of our unit, and the first thing I would like to say is that we have really good dynamics. The only problem is that Ferdinand World of Tanks is very limited in maximum speed, so there is no need to talk about any mobility, and our turtle is completely reluctant to spin around.

gun

In terms of weapons, everything is very decent, one might even say good, because at the eighth level we have the legendary mousegun.

We all know that the Ferdinand gun has excellent one-time damage, but the rate of fire here is very balanced, so you can boast about 2500 units of damage per minute, which is also quite good.

Regarding the armor penetration parameters, the Ferdinand tank lags behind most of its classmates, but still the basic AP is enough for a comfortable game even against nines. It’s more difficult with top-end equipment, so carry 15-25% of gold ammunition with you.

With accuracy, everything is also in order, especially if you remember that this is a mousegun. Ferdinand World of Tanks has a fairly pleasant dispersion and reasonable aiming speed, but there are problems with stabilization.

By the way, one cannot help but rejoice at the very comfortable vertical and horizontal aiming angles for a tank destroyer. The gun goes down 8 degrees, and the total angle of attack is as much as 30 degrees, causing damage to Ferdinand WoT is a pleasure.

Advantages and disadvantages

Since the analysis of the general characteristics, as well as the parameters of the gun, is left behind, it’s time to sum up the first results. To systematize the knowledge gained, let's highlight the main advantages and disadvantages, breaking them down point by point.
Pros:
Powerful alphastrike;
Decent penetration;
Not a bad DPM;
Good wheelhouse armor;
Large margin of safety;
Comfortable UVN and UGN.
Minuses:
Poor mobility;
Weak armor of the hull and sides;
Barn dimensions;
Engine crashability when hit by NLD.

Equipment for Ferdinand

With the installation of additional modules, everything is more or less familiar. For tank destroyers, it is very important to cause as much damage as possible, while doing it comfortably, so in the case of Ferdinand, we will install the following equipment:
1. - the more often we implement our excellent alpha strike, the better.
2. - this module is about comfort, because with it we can aim and shoot much faster.
3. is a good option for a passive playing style, which will completely solve the problem with visibility.

However, there is a very good alternative to the third point - which will make us an even more dangerous enemy in terms of fire potential, but it can only be installed if the perks have been pumped into the review or you have competent allies.

Crew training

In terms of choosing skills for our crew, which includes as many as 6 tankers, everything is pretty standard, but for a number of reasons, first of all it’s worth focusing not on camouflage, but on survival. Thus, we download perks for the Ferdinand tank in the following sequence:
Commander - , , , .
Gunner - , , , .
Driver mechanic - , , , .
Radio operator - , , , .
Loader - , , , .
Loader - , , , .

Equipment for Ferdinand

Another standard concerns the selection of consumables, and here we will focus more on our financial situation. If you don’t have much silver, you can take , , . However, for those who have time to farm, it is better to carry premium equipment on Ferdinand, where the fire extinguisher can be replaced with a .

Ferdinand game tactics

As is always the case, it’s worth planning a strategy for playing this machine based on its strengths and weaknesses, because this is how maximum efficiency is achieved in any battle.

For the Ferdinand tank destroyer, combat tactics often come down to passive play, mainly due to the slowness of this vehicle. In this case, we must take a convenient and advantageous position in the bushes, somewhere on the second line, from where we can effectively fire at the allied light and remain in the shadows ourselves. As you understand, the powerful and fairly accurate gun of Ferdinand World of Tanks allows you to play in this way.

However, we can also position ourselves on the first line, because our armor, when positioned correctly, can withstand many hits while maintaining its safety margin intact. To do this, the Ferdinand tank must be in battle against the eighth levels, hide the hull, protect itself from artillery and not let the enemy on board. We play like the alpha, dance or hide between shots, ensuring a great future for ourselves. Just make sure that the enemy does not charge gold, then our tactics will fail.

By the way, thanks to good vertical and horizontal aiming angles, the German Ferdinand World of Tanks tank destroyer is capable of occupying positions that many others cannot do; you also need to be able to use this.

In the end, I would like to say that we have in our hands a truly strong and formidable vehicle, which feels most comfortable in battles at the top of the list. If you have to fight against dozens, it is better to shoot from afar. And as usual, playing on Ferdinand WoT, you must understand that this is a one-way machine, so choose your flank carefully, watch the mini-map and beware of the arts.

Introduction

German tank destroyer of the eighth level. Once upon a time, the “Fedya” was relevant, and its frontal armor inspired fear in neophytes. But these warm lamp times passed when “gold” began to be sold for silver. The situation worsened even more with the introduction of new eights, which had no worse guns and better mobility. What can we say if even the second one is better? "Ferdinand", with the same guns. Therefore, only reenactors, or just strange people, play this tank destroyer. This guide is dedicated to the latter.

Historical reference

Story "Ferdinand" began with the abandonment of the Porsche model in favor of the . However, the eminent developer was so confident of his victory that he had already begun producing the chassis in commercial quantities. In order to somehow accommodate them, Hitler gave the order to develop heavy self-propelled guns based on them. We didn’t have to wait long, since Porsche had solid experience in developing tank destroyers.

The hull of the original tank underwent minimal changes, mainly in the rear. Since the new 88-mm gun had a significant barrel length, it was decided to install an armored cabin with a cannon in the rear part of the hull, previously occupied by engines and generators. Maybach engines were installed on the car, which led to the need to completely rework the cooling system, and the gas tanks were redesigned with increased capacity.

By the spring of 1943, the first vehicles began to arrive at the front. Their first debut took place on the Kursk Bulge, and it was not entirely successful. Due to their large mass, their tracks got stuck in the ground, and their transmissions burned out from overvoltage. Almost all the vehicles were hit in various ways while overcoming the first line of defense. They were then transferred to Italy, where the rocky soil facilitated their maneuvers.

Gaming characteristics

The Fedya, thanks to its powerful gun and strong frontal armor, became an assault tank destroyer. Let's look at its characteristics in terms of the game:

Protection

We seem to have armor, and it’s even quite good - a solid 200 mm forehead should, in theory, hold up shells. But it doesn’t “tank”. The square geometry of the case has an effect, as well as a number of weak points - NLD and 80 mm cheeks, which are difficult to fix, but possible. The rest at this level is decided by “gold”. The sides and rear are armored with 80 mm and generally pose no problems to armor-piercing shells. More or less saves a supply of lives - 1500 hit points. They will kill you for a long time and tediously.

Firepower

You start with a classic 88 mm cannon - it is generally not bad, but the damage is low. So go straight to the 105mm Pak L/52. The rate of fire drops, but the average “damage” increases from 240 to 360 HP. Many people settle on this “golden mean”, but you will not feel the full power of the Fedi until you install the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55.

Armor penetration of 246 mm basic and 311 mm sub-caliber projectiles is the best indicator in the game. Damage of 490 HP is another matter! A land mine can generally knock out 630 HP. At the same time, the weapon is quite accurate - the spread is 0.35 per hundred meters. The disadvantages include the rate of fire (5.13 rounds per minute) and mediocre aiming (2.3 seconds). But this is still the best gun with DPM around 2513 HP.

Dynamics

Top engine Porsche Deutz Typ 180/2 produces 800 l. s., but even this power is only enough for 30 km/h. We don’t recommend going uphill at all. We definitely recommend changing the tracks Ferdinand on Elefant- maneuverability will increase significantly (from 18 to 21 degrees/sec), load capacity (by almost three tons) and even the weight of the tracks themselves will be reduced by 200 kg. Unprecedented!

Detection and communication

But we really need radio communication if we are going to shoot at a distance. Top radio station FuG 12 allows you to maintain stable contact at a distance of 710 meters - not all cards are of this size. The visibility is standard for a tank destroyer - 370 meters, so it is necessary to increase it using available means and skills. Invisibility for our mascara is a rather abstract thing, but camouflage is still worth buying.

Pumping and equipment

How to best study Ferdinand? If you played diligently, you managed to pump out a top radio station FuG 12 and a pre-top 105 mm gun. In the case when you switched to “Fedya” from Tiger P, then in addition to communication you will receive a pre-top engine 2x Porsche Typ 100/3. What to choose? Of course, it’s better to go with a tank destroyer - you won’t need to adapt to your play style, and the gun is more important than mobility. For free experience, you buy tracks, and then urgently upgrade the top 128 mm gun. After this, you can begin to gradually improve the engine compartment.

Our crew consists of six people. We download them to the standard PT version: the commander “Sixth Sense”, the rest “Disguise”. Then the commander pumps up the green paint, and the rest of the tankers acquire the skills for accurate and fast shooting, increased visibility and high-quality movement on soft soils. The two loaders can be specialized into Desperado and Proximity Ammunition. The third level of perk is the military brotherhood of all.

As for special equipment, we recommend the classic sniper version: “Stereo Tube”, “Camouflage Net” and “Rammer”. There is also an option for active actions: “Rammer”, “Coated optics”, “Ventilation”. When the crew reaches one hundred percent, you can replace the fan with a “Tool Box” so that you don’t have to stand on the “harp” often.

We place the following consumables: “Manual fire extinguisher”, “Large first aid kit” (+15 to protection from injuries), “Large repair kit” (+10 to repair speed). The engine will not be knocked out very often, so we recommend taking “Chocolate” to increase the characteristics of the crew.

Ferdinand- a classic assault tank destroyer that can both shoot from afar and “tank” on the front line.

First, decide on the direction of attack. Preliminarily study the map for good positions, try to guess where the enemy “heavies” will come from. Your task is to deal as much damage as possible. Do not break away from your allies under any circumstances - swarms of light and medium tanks will tear you apart without a hitch, removing their tracks and “carouseling”.

Then it all depends on your playing style. If you don’t like hand-to-hand combat, then take a comfortable position deep in the rear (preferably in the bushes) and deal damage with your megadrill. After the shot, it is advisable to roll back to cover to reload, because you will “glow” on all waves, and the tracer can be detected without any problems.

But it won’t work to stand in the bushes forever. Sooner or later you will have to meet the enemy face to face. It is advisable to do it sooner rather than later - being alone with a crowd of enemies is not comme il faut. Hug close to walls and hills so as not to tempt the “art”, and throw powerful splashes at those who are especially assertive, which will knock down their arrogance. Don’t push too far forward, knock down the tracks of upstarts, provide comprehensive support to your teammates. Do not disdain a ram as an ultimatum argument, especially if it’s under a hill.

An experienced player will always find a way to defeat you. But there are a couple of tricks that will help you catch a couple of ricochets. “Rhombusting” on a self-propelled gun is still an activity, but on a “feda” it is justified. Our reload time is long, there is no point in standing in the sights forever. Start crawling backwards behind the cover, simultaneously turning your forehead at an acute angle. Not a single gun is able to penetrate the resulting “ghost”. If there is no cover, then simply fidget back and forth to make it difficult to target the NLD and cheeks next to the headlights.

Review of the tank's strengths and weaknesses. Results

pros:

• Powerful and accurate weapon
• Good frontal armor
• Good UVN and UGN

Minuses:

• Low maneuverability
• Large body
• Weak camouflage
• Armor doesn't always tank
• Frequently criticized modules

Ferdinand- not everyone will like this tank destroyer, or rather, few people will like it at all. Even in the German branch of self-propelled guns you can choose better examples. However, there will always be lovers of sadomasochism and historical reconstruction. With the proper skill, the Fedya can contribute to the overall victory, but this can be said about any tank, even the most unsuccessful one. Cons "Ferdinand" more than pluses and that says it all.

Good luck in battle!