Jump to content

Hill 252.2. Wittmann at Prokhorovka. July 1943.

Longbow

By Longbow
in Work in Progress - Armour

 Share

Recommended Posts

Longbow Very Obsessed Member

Longbow

Posted
Posted

Hi guys !! Hope everyone is doing well, and staying safe !!

 

This next WIP will represent Michael Wittmann’s Tiger I, 1331, at Kursk. Specifically, close to the village of Prokhorovka. 

 

No photos exist of 1331, but looking at the photos of other Leibstandarte Tigers at Kursk when get a general understanding of the details. 

 

1ss Leibstandarte 4 Kompanie received a number of early Tigers prior to the Kharkov campaign, March ‘43, as did 2nd SS Das Reich 8 Kompanie and 3rd SS Totenkopf 9 Kompanie. 

These are all early Tiger I’s, with flat gun mantlet, early Feifel system cans, and wide “stand off” turret bins. 

 

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

 

Note the shell hits on the next photo, and the two dead crew members, gunner and radio operator, on the hull deck. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

During the 3rd battle of Kharkov, Wittmann was still commanding a Panzer III. 

Tactical number 4L1.

 

spacer.png

 

 

Following Kharkov, Leibstandarte was prepared for the Kursk offensive. 

 

Wittman was transferred to 4 Kompanie and was was made Platoon Commander of 1st platoon, 4 Kompanie.

Wittman was placed in command of his first Tiger, Tactical number 411, which remained in his possession for about 1 month. 

 

In preparation for Operation Citadel 4 Kompanie was renumbered as 13 Kompanie, and Wittman was placed as 3rd Platoon Commander. 

3rd Platoon received 5 new Tiger I’s from the April 1943 production. 

These 5 new Tigers had later Feifel system cans, up Armored gun mantlets, loaders periscope, and turret spare track hanger brackets. 

 

Photos of 1, 2, and 3 Platoon at Kursk show the mix of Tigers used, with 1 and 2 Platoon maintaining the earlier Tigers from the Kharkiv campaign. 

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

 

And, on of the 3rd Platoon Tigers, showing April 1943 production details. 

 

spacer.png

  • Like 11
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Longbow Very Obsessed Member

Longbow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

For this vehicle we will be using the Dragon Tiger I kit, with contains all the parts to build 1331. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

We know that Wittmann commanded the same vehicle throughout the operation, culminating in the battle of Prokhorovka. 

Taking Hill 252.2, the 3rd Platoon vehicles had a commanding field of fire across the plain, but still had a hard time.

1331 was hit at least twice, with the radio operator being wounded in the arm. 

1334 sustained at least 4 hits, and still made it back to the start line. 

 

The number of vehicles destroyed by Wittmann’s crew remains in question. 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
M3talpig Very Obsessed Member

M3talpig

Posted
Posted

Will definitely be following this ...Tiger 1's are without doubt my favourite subject by far.....most every book in my collection is about the Tiger....so if ya don't mind i will pull up a chair.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jasper dog Completely Obsessed Member

Jasper dog

Posted
Posted

Count me in bud, such an iconic tank!

Great back ground work to btw.

 

2 hours ago, M3talpig said:

Will definitely be following this ...Tiger 1's are without doubt my favourite subject by far.....most every book in my collection is about the Tiger....so if ya don't mind i will pull up a chair.

Never had you down as a Tiger fan Steve...:whistle:

  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Longbow Very Obsessed Member

Longbow

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 hours ago, M3talpig said:

Will definitely be following this ...Tiger 1's are without doubt my favourite subject by far.....most every book in my collection is about the Tiger....so if ya don't mind i will pull up a chair.

Allo, Steve !! Good to have you along, but don't get too distracted... Ursula needs attention :D

 

2 hours ago, Jasper dog said:

Count me in bud, such an iconic tank!

Great back ground work to btw.

 

Never had you down as a Tiger fan Steve...:whistle:

Always welcome, Darryl.... Just bring the Whisky ;)

 

2 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

I'll follow along as well if you don't mind?

An iconic vehicle with a commander nearly every body knows or has heard of.

 

  Stay safe      Roger

Good to see you, Roger !! 

 

2 hours ago, mick said:

look forward to your build

Thanks for stopping by, Mick !! 

  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Longbow Very Obsessed Member

Longbow

Posted
  • Author
Posted
7 minutes ago, vytautas said:

I will closely watch your build!
Everyone should watch over you so that you do not ruin nature
Maybe even the police ...
(Don't be offended, but these trees for your shelves ...)

 

Vytautas

:rofl:

 

Oh,My !! The Poor Oil Reserves, used on these Kits !! :D

 

"Black Crude Matters !!" ;)

  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Longbow Very Obsessed Member

Longbow

Posted
  • Author
Posted
20 minutes ago, dov said:

Wonderful information.

Look, I have the RFM kit 1/35 of Tiger 1 kit to start next week.

Here is the 1331 1st SS Division Leibstandarte 1943.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/de/kits/rye-field-model-rm-5025-tiger-i-early-production-sdkfz-181-pzkpfwvi-ausf-e--1194124

 

 

This I intend to do.

Happy modeling

 

I have that kit too, which I'm using the decals from it, for the Dragon kit.

 

The decals for S04 are incorrect for the kit. 

S04 was a command tiger, with a lot of internal and external differences to what is supplied in the kit.

Also, S04 was most likely Not Wittmann's Tiger, as he was not part fo the Kompanie staff at the time of the photo's. 

 

It's also known that Wittmann hated the command tigers, due to a shortage of space in the turret for the loader to move, and less ammunition storage space due to the extra radio equipment in the turret and the hull sponson area.

(It's a little ominous that Wittmann was finally killed in 007. A command tiger, with the extra radio equipment.)

It is thought that S04 was just a Kompanie command Tiger, which received Kill rings painted on the barrel for the photo shoot. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RichardW Newbie

RichardW

Posted
Posted

This is great and really good research! Tigers are epic things although as it turned out there were not lots of them and they could be temperamental!

 

As an aside there is a great podcast which has a lot of tiger content, whilst being about ww2 more generally, called 'We have ways of making you talk'. Def worth a listen. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dov Very Obsessed Member

dov

Posted
Posted

Hallo Longbow to Georgia

My option will not be the S04! 1331 in brown & green. I am not an expert on tanks, just on aviation.

Your information are a pleasure for me! really. Thank you!

Happy modelling

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Longbow Very Obsessed Member

Longbow

Posted
  • Author
Posted
55 minutes ago, Redcoat2966 said:

 

Nice project Lee........and I right or is a photo quality issue....the black marks on the front glacis.....are they shell hits?

 

 

https://imgur.com/e8xoBVL

Simon, I think they may be spare track links next to the drivers visor. 
Just a very low bright sun and deep shadow. 
But I could be wrong :D

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...