| Warspite1 | 03 Nov 2023 8:36 a.m. PST |
A new Tank Museum film. Sherman Firefly of Sgt Wilf Harris in action on the day after the disaster of Villers Bocage. Excellent plans and the opportunity to turn this into a scenario. YouTube link Barry |
 deadhead  | 03 Nov 2023 1:14 p.m. PST |
Great find thanks. I must find that box in the attic. I really must. A Firefly in 1/72 (wish it was the Dragon and not the Airfix) and I am sure I have an Asuka 1/35 as well…somewhere. But I have too much going on for 1815 right now. |
| 79thPA | 03 Nov 2023 7:06 p.m. PST |
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 Herkybird | 04 Nov 2023 1:14 p.m. PST |
Excellent video, I though it shone a light on some very brave chaps brilliantly! |
 FlyXwire | 05 Nov 2023 5:49 a.m. PST |
Enjoyed watching this – and with reverence for the combatants. Thanks for the link Barry! |
| Warspite1 | 06 Nov 2023 7:09 a.m. PST |
@all:
Happy to have made you happy! Barry |
| Wolfhag | 09 Nov 2023 6:49 a.m. PST |
Any tank with poor situational awareness, unfamiliar with its surroundings, and without infantry support will most likely suffer defeat. The Fireflies took advantage of the situation with great commanders. Wolfhag |
| deadhead | 09 Nov 2023 11:56 a.m. PST |
It is curious paradox, just how vulnerable a tank can be, when the crew is shut down and can see little. With a TC instead sticking his head up, he becomes a sniper's dream. So they surely do need the infantry in close attendance and, without the tanks, the footsloggers would be back to WWI and massacred by MGs. |
| Wolfhag | 15 Nov 2023 7:34 a.m. PST |
To make matters worse, the Fireflies have rotating periscopes for their crew that give a 60+ degree field of view. The Germans have a few fixed periscopes and no 360-degree periscope for the commander. The Firefly/Sherman gunners have a 60-degree roof panoramic periscope to acquire a target quickly and German gunners had only a 15 to 25-degree view through their gunsight. The Sherman/Firefly had a commander-operated turret traverse mechanism that traversed at 25 degrees/second compared to the Panther D with a traverse of less than 10 degrees a second. One source reported that a Sherman/Firefly will shoot first 80% of the time in an equal meeting engagement. At 10:55 into the video, it shows Stirling in a 75mm Sherman knocking out a Panther at 500m on a flank shot. Again, poor Situational Awareness for the Germans leaves them open to be knocked out by a "lowly" Sherman 75. Wolfhag |
| Warspite1 | 23 Nov 2023 3:16 p.m. PST |
@Wolfhag:
Good assessment. Barry |
| deadhead | 08 Dec 2023 2:28 a.m. PST |
Wofhag, I missed your posting and that is fascinating. We all now know that the lowly Sherman was "there fastest with the mostest" and much more mechanically reliable than the big cats. But increasingly we read just how technically superior it was in many ways. Let us concede the gun and optics to the Hun but even then, has anyone counted how many rounds or panzerfaust grenades glanced off Fury, even an 88? and I think Santa is getting me a 1c Hybrid in 1/35 for Christmas. |
| Wolfhag | 09 Dec 2023 6:57 a.m. PST |
Thanks Deadhead. I think as war gamers we concentrate too much on the gun and weapons platform features and performance. There are necessary tradeoffs for any weapon and the purpose they are built. Any game needs to abstract the real details so a Panther is a 9 and a Sherman is a 7. Game mechanics like individual unit activation, random initiative, IGYG, etc. aren't designed to take into account all of the nuances, advantages, and disadvantages of a tank but it is necessary for the playability of the game. In a tank engagement (or almost any other one) the most important thing is getting off the first shot. If you are concealed in an ambush that's not a problem. If you like I could start a discussion that centers around a report of the results when the defender or attacker fires first. It really boils down to Situational Awareness. Here is what I got for Christmas: YouTube link Fast forward to 10:50 for the action. Wolfhag |
| deadhead | 09 Dec 2023 10:16 a.m. PST |
I watched the whole thing, captivated. Actually terrified, as you drove it to the edge of the box more than once! I wanted to yell NO! as it raced towards very solid looking walls. Those steel tracks on that beautifully maintained wooden floor. She will kill you. Wonderful. The ultimate Sherman, other than 1;1. At 30 tons plus I doubt that could come indoors. Will you show your model tackling the great outdoors? A discussion as you suggest would surely attract much attention, so yes please! |
| Marc33594 | 10 Dec 2023 7:46 a.m. PST |
Alas it says I am using an ad blocker and refuses to play unless I disable it. |
goes to sea with the Terrain Mat.
