CMBB v CMAK

[Mad Russian]

Now for the real show of strength. Only the PzIII armed with the 50L60 had an even up chance against a T-34. The PzIII's armed with the 50L42 had to get very close to kill a T-34. Much closer than the T-34 needed to kill them. Of the 1090 PzIII's involved in Operation Barbarossa 960 were models E through J with the 5cm KwK38 L/42 (50L42). Only 130 were armed with the 50L60 gun that Hitler had deemed necessary for the tank force to be armed with before going to war with Russia. The German tank force was anything but overwhelming technologically. It was a very small shark with a couple of sharp teeth. But it was fast and had powerful jaws. When it did bite it bit hard and held on.

Your figures on available T-34's and KV's don't hold up to inspection.

Let's take a look at the Soviet situation on 22 June 1941.

Baltic Military District:

XII Mech Corps - 1,031 tanks as TO&E. had available 651 tanks.

III Mech Corps - 500 tanks available.

Baltic Front had operationally available 1150 tanks and of those 105 were new models.

Western Military District:

XI Mech Corps - 290 tanks operational. 24 T-34's and 3 KV's.

VI Mech Corps - 1,000 tanks operational.
4th Tank Division - 355 tanks operational, which included 21 T-34's and 10 KV's.

XIV Mech Corps - TO&E establishments called for 1,025 with 420 T-34's and 126 KV's. Actual strengths were 508 T-26.

XIII Mech Corps - Similar establishment to XIV Mech Corps.

Kiev Military District:

XXII Mech Corps -

VIII Mech Corps - 600 operational tanks. 170 T-34 and KV's included in this number.

XV Mech Corps - had 133 T-34 and KV operationally.

XIX Mech Corps -

IX Mech Corps -

This shows an operationally available strength of 466 T-34 and KV-1's available on the opening day of the war.

The PzIV long barreled gun tank was not introduced until 1942 and it was a direct result of the T-34 threat as well. But according to your main arguement that shouldn't have happened since tanks were not designed to fight other tanks but AT guns were. Why up-gun the PzIV if it was already capable of firing a 75mm shell at infantry if not to kill tanks???

Please quote me a source that claims the Panther was a progression tank instead of a direct response to the T-34. I have never seen that in print in over 30 years of armored combat research.

Good Hunting.

MR