Beginning in 1941, the Germans captured large numbers of T-34s from the Soviets. Captured vehicles were so plentiful that workshops were established in Riga, Marienfelde, and Goerlitz to repair and modify the tanks. In the field, German units were often reluctant to report captured T-34s for fear of losing valuable vehicles to the chain of command. According to David Porter’s book German Tanks of WWII, when II SS Panzer Korps retook Kharkov in March 1943 they captured a factory “where at least 50 T-34s were under repair. The installation was pressed into service as an SS Panzerwerk… and the T-34s were modified to German standards. A total of 25 were taken into service with 2nd SS Panzer Grenadier Division 'Das Reich'.” The Germans made several modifications to captured T-34s: The turret’s single large hatch was replaced with a new roof section featuring a commander’s cupola from a damaged Panzer III or IV and a loader’s hatch. This improved visibility for the commander and made it easier for the crew to escape if the tank was knocked out. German FuG 5 radios were installed to improve communication, while stowage bins from damaged German tanks were often fitted to increase crew space. Some T-34s were equipped with Schürzen plates to protect the tracks and suspension from anti-tank rifles. Tanks were repainted in German camouflage, with large markings and swastika flags for air recognition.
"Next time, I will look into the enormous losses of armour suffered by the 5th Guards Tank Army during the battle. Who on earth would want to miss that?" ...I'm feeling a little bit attacked right now.
What's strange is that fuel is diesel,not gasoline. It doesn't burn by itself all that well. T34 was meant from beginning as a maneuvering tank much like cavalry used to be. It was meant to be fast and that means less armor and more range. Old BT tanks were like that too but their armor was only good for protection from Mg fire
Fire won't harm the tank, it has armour after all, the issue was hitting the tanks with a German AP shell blows up the T-34, as they were designed to do
We'll continue to make content for as long as we have interesting stuff to cover! If you don't know we are also covering the Korean War on a different channel here: www.youtube.com/@TheKoreanWarbyIndyNeidell?cbrd=1
So, towards the end of the video, Indy stated that 2nd SS Panzer Corps was ready to be sent West, but if I go back to the 1943 videos, they were ultimately sent to the Donbas and later even returned back for a rematch against Vatutin's Army Group in the Battle of Belgorod. So, what happened that ultimately changed their intended destination?
IIRC in the Great War channel video on kursk Jessie, said that Hitler threatened to send it to Italy in order to rein in one of the German generals though no immediate plans to do so were made.
This is great guys. Would love to see this in depth style for Battle of the Bulge. KG Peiper, Bastogne, or KG Bohm would be interesting to see in this detail and format.
You've given my long-held views on the Battle of Kursk quite a shaking up... I have either misunderstood previous readings from other sources, or they were lacking in clarity of the details...
@5:40. That moment made me stop and realize how much of this is an SS-run show. Kind-of insane the Nazis' paramilitary force was that big. And this isn't even all of it.
Soviet trophy T-34s didn't take part in Prokhorovka battle. I suspect the narrator mixes the whole Kursk battle (what Germans called Operation Zitadelle) with much more smaller thing - Prokhorovka battle on July, 12th.
Given many national archives wait ~20 years before records become available to the public, histories done early than that can miss key information on the events.
No it's not. The only things it had going for it were sloping armor &a decent gun. The engine , tyranny were junk and the tank was so cramped that tank crews were hand picked for their small size. Their optics were junk, they had no radios. On the other hand they did have a good ground pressure due to wide tracks. They were better than the German tanks that ran into them. And there were alot of them. And they look cool.
@@Steven-sy6nu I disagree, it was a good tank for the Soviet Union. The Soviets knew this was an attritional war and treated the tanks in the same way, expendable.
You must be very new. They've been doing this for many years now basically from the beginning. 🤣 Please don't take the telephone portion out, it's actually very funny!!
Purpose of the battle of Kursk for the Soviets was to wear down the German army. They achieved that goal. These smaller battles were part of the overall plan. With the German army failure the Soviets went on the offensive.
Soviet losses at Kursk were so severe that the Russians are still hiding the actual numbers more than 80 years later. They were a poorly trained and led army. It was only "meat wave" attacks against the Germans.
@@ToddSauveI think part of it has to do with the fact that the events at Prokohrovka are usually conflagrated with the wider events at Kurks. Prokohrovka was just a single battle on July 12th, in which the Soviets lost around 25,000 men. The wider battle around Kursk, however, lasted from July 5th to August 24th, and it encompassed the inital German northern pincer attacks, the Soviet counteroffensives around Opel and Belgorod and the gradual fighting retreat by Germans around both areas.
@@extrahistory8956 TH-cam has shadow banned me, thus many of my replies to even the most innocuous subjects are deleted almost immediately. I believe my original comment was that the Soviets relied almost entirely on "meat wave" (a la Ukraine) style attacks and that their army was poorly trained and poorly led. This probably is politically incorrect for the far leftist TH-cam censors, so it will be very difficult to converse on this subject here. They sorely need a Mark Zuckerburg moment where they reinstate free speech on their platform. 🤷♂
@@extrahistory8956 TH-cam has shadow banned me, thus many of my replies to even the most innocuous subjects are deleted almost immediately. I believe my original comment was that the Soviets relied almost entirely on "meat wave" (a la Ukraine) style attacks and that their army was poorly trained and poorly led. This probably is politically incorrect for the far leftist TH-cam censors, so it will be very difficult to converse on this subject here. They sorely need a Mark Zuckerburg moment where they reinstate free speech on their platform. 🤷♂
Beginning in 1941, the Germans captured large numbers of T-34s from the Soviets. Captured vehicles were so plentiful that workshops were established in Riga, Marienfelde, and Goerlitz to repair and modify the tanks. In the field, German units were often reluctant to report captured T-34s for fear of losing valuable vehicles to the chain of command.
According to David Porter’s book German Tanks of WWII, when II SS Panzer Korps retook Kharkov in March 1943 they captured a factory “where at least 50 T-34s were under repair. The installation was pressed into service as an SS Panzerwerk… and the T-34s were modified to German standards. A total of 25 were taken into service with 2nd SS Panzer Grenadier Division 'Das Reich'.”
The Germans made several modifications to captured T-34s:
The turret’s single large hatch was replaced with a new roof section featuring a commander’s cupola from a damaged Panzer III or IV and a loader’s hatch. This improved visibility for the commander and made it easier for the crew to escape if the tank was knocked out. German FuG 5 radios were installed to improve communication, while stowage bins from damaged German tanks were often fitted to increase crew space. Some T-34s were equipped with Schürzen plates to protect the tracks and suspension from anti-tank rifles. Tanks were repainted in German camouflage, with large markings and swastika flags for air recognition.
"Next time, I will look into the enormous losses of armour suffered by the 5th Guards Tank Army during the battle. Who on earth would want to miss that?"
...I'm feeling a little bit attacked right now.
Same 😂😂
Stallinium challenged 😂😊
The audio is so much better in this WW2 studio!
yeah.. the first few Korean war videos sounded like a thin plywood panel box (probably was).
There was also some general audio errors with the recent recording of Korea, should be back to normal over there soon!
" who on earth would want to miss that? " A hint of sarcasm Indy?
I’ve always thought that carrying reserves of fuel on the rear of T-34s was pretty crazy.
And for battles spanning short distances.
What's strange is that fuel is diesel,not gasoline. It doesn't burn by itself all that well.
T34 was meant from beginning as a maneuvering tank much like cavalry used to be. It was meant to be fast and that means less armor and more range. Old BT tanks were like that too but their armor was only good for protection from Mg fire
Fire won't harm the tank, it has armour after all, the issue was hitting the tanks with a German AP shell blows up the T-34, as they were designed to do
@@lucaswatson1913 The fuel seeps into the engine deck. Being that tanks are basicly ovens, once they start buring everything falls apart quickly.
@@karoltakisobie6638 After the shell hits the fuel gets pressurized and heated. Not to mention that all german ammuntion contains some explosive.
It’s interesting that these specific videos are coming out parallel to current events in the same area.
I would like to see a map overlay.
Really glad to see how many episodes you guys are still making! This is easily one of my favorite channels :D
Guys and gals*
We'll continue to make content for as long as we have interesting stuff to cover! If you don't know we are also covering the Korean War on a different channel here: www.youtube.com/@TheKoreanWarbyIndyNeidell?cbrd=1
@WorldWarTwo I didn't realize, I'll subscribe to that channel. I'm a big fan of tanks and a ww2/cold war Soviet reenactor. I'm gonna love that
I love it. This series is great. I've been watching it for reference as I wargame it out on several platforms.
This battle was such a waste of men and machines.
As every battle is.
Most battles are.
Thank you for the lesson.
So, towards the end of the video, Indy stated that 2nd SS Panzer Corps was ready to be sent West, but if I go back to the 1943 videos, they were ultimately sent to the Donbas and later even returned back for a rematch against Vatutin's Army Group in the Battle of Belgorod. So, what happened that ultimately changed their intended destination?
You'll have to watch and find out.
Ultimately, the Leibstandarte division would be transferred to Italy, the others staying on the eastern front.
IIRC in the Great War channel video on kursk Jessie, said that Hitler threatened to send it to Italy in order to rein in one of the German generals though no immediate plans to do so were made.
Amazing work! I enjoy every video y’all made so far! 🎉
Thank you so much!
Happy New Year Indi
This is great guys. Would love to see this in depth style for Battle of the Bulge. KG Peiper, Bastogne, or KG Bohm would be interesting to see in this detail and format.
You've given my long-held views on the Battle of Kursk quite a shaking up...
I have either misunderstood previous readings from other sources, or they were lacking in clarity of the details...
Germany used a lot of opponent"s captured equipment. Sherman's and T34s were repainted and used for sure.
Panzer 38-t's were Czech tanks made by Skoda. When they became obsolete, they were reconfigured into the Jagdpanzer 38-t, the fabled Hetzer.
Hetzer gonna hetz.
Oooohh new animations? I love it!
0:38 *High-pitched girls voice* "Panzer, vor!"
@5:40. That moment made me stop and realize how much of this is an SS-run show. Kind-of insane the Nazis' paramilitary force was that big. And this isn't even all of it.
-- At 0:20 wow that was some rough and unexpected intro... Go on...
-- Thank you, Indy and team, waiting for episode five.
Love this video thank you!
love this Thank you!
Ty brotha
And there are still german tanks fighting in kursk today, not ss of course, just seems a bit off, thanks WW2 channel
Live chat, right on !
Nice!
Alright part 5!
I am the Yu-Mong Goose.
"The T-34s and IL-2s are smashing through! But there's a nuance..."
It's a small thing but I really do love the click of the old phone. The 50's phone may be more stylish but it's just not as satisficing
Miss that? Not me!!!!
Soviet trophy T-34s didn't take part in Prokhorovka battle. I suspect the narrator mixes the whole Kursk battle (what Germans called Operation Zitadelle) with much more smaller thing - Prokhorovka battle on July, 12th.
It's hard to understand the amount of supplies the operation would have needed.
I love Indy
George S Patton. We defeted the wrong enemy.
Just think, in a few years you can do the UA/RU war.
Full picture of wars usually takes 10 to 15 years. Yes you may have the ground reports but what it meant to the whole war takes time to analyze.
Given many national archives wait ~20 years before records become available to the public, histories done early than that can miss key information on the events.
REDO
Does Soviet Jake live at Stalinsk State Farm?
Come on, we're also using captured T-72 and T-90. How would you call them?
All the pubg players must be slightly amused with Yasnaya Polyana as it's a location on the first map of that game.
And not one word on the IIIrd or XVIIIth Panzer Korps to the left and right of IInd SS.
👏👏👏
👋👋👋
Prokharovka a victory for Rotmistrov? Seriously???
T-34 is a great tank
No it's not. The only things it had going for it were sloping armor &a decent gun. The engine , tyranny were junk and the tank was so cramped that tank crews were hand picked for their small size. Their optics were junk, they had no radios. On the other hand they did have a good ground pressure due to wide tracks. They were better than the German tanks that ran into them. And there were alot of them. And they look cool.
@@Steven-sy6nu I disagree, it was a good tank for the Soviet Union. The Soviets knew this was an attritional war and treated the tanks in the same way, expendable.
Well, yeah, the Russians fought hard but they knew that if the Fascist's didn't kill them, the "frontline NKVD would."
17th, 11 January 2025
u should feature a real call from your "army" of fans!! I'd call you with some news from the front or some question!!
can you stop the telephone bit?... I legit need to start these videos with just skipping at least a minute. I want history, not cringe.
You must be new here
I happen to like the telephone bit. But to each his own.
It's literally only a few seconds just skip it
You must be very new. They've been doing this for many years now basically from the beginning. 🤣 Please don't take the telephone portion out, it's actually very funny!!
just call him.
Purpose of the battle of Kursk for the Soviets was to wear down the German army. They achieved that goal. These smaller battles were part of the overall plan. With the German army failure the Soviets went on the offensive.
Soviet losses at Kursk were so severe that the Russians are still hiding the actual numbers more than 80 years later. They were a poorly trained and led army. It was only "meat wave" attacks against the Germans.
@@ToddSauveI think part of it has to do with the fact that the events at Prokohrovka are usually conflagrated with the wider events at Kurks. Prokohrovka was just a single battle on July 12th, in which the Soviets lost around 25,000 men.
The wider battle around Kursk, however, lasted from July 5th to August 24th, and it encompassed the inital German northern pincer attacks, the Soviet counteroffensives around Opel and Belgorod and the gradual fighting retreat by Germans around both areas.
@@extrahistory8956 TH-cam has shadow banned me, thus many of my replies to even the most innocuous subjects are deleted almost immediately. I believe my original comment was that the Soviets relied almost entirely on "meat wave" (a la Ukraine) style attacks and that their army was poorly trained and poorly led. This probably is politically incorrect for the far leftist TH-cam censors, so it will be very difficult to converse on this subject here. They sorely need a Mark Zuckerburg moment where they reinstate free speech on their platform. 🤷♂
@@extrahistory8956 TH-cam has shadow banned me, thus many of my replies to even the most innocuous subjects are deleted almost immediately. I believe my original comment was that the Soviets relied almost entirely on "meat wave" (a la Ukraine) style attacks and that their army was poorly trained and poorly led. This probably is politically incorrect for the far leftist TH-cam censors, so it will be very difficult to converse on this subject here. They sorely need a Mark Zuckerburg moment where they reinstate free speech on their platform. 🤷♂