Wow, Kai- nice posts.
Quickly, though, one issue-
Quote:
From the original 250 Panthers, only 43 were in service by August 10, 1943.
The new tanks had turned out a very disappointing show with most of the Mk V Panthers breaking down on the first day due to problems with the complex electrical cooling systems (from a total of 200 only forty were in running order at the end of the first day).
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I think your second line is correct there, not the first. All my sources mention 200 Panthers being available for their debut at Kursk. But I have also read the 40-by-end-of-day number.
I've read bits from Nipe on Prokhorvka as well. not too sure about his numbers though. Some of them seem off. I've read about (not actually read) some of the newer sources that suggest two things- The tank battle at Prokhorvka (sp???) was not as big as previously thought, and second, that it was not in fact a one-day battkle in a small area. Some newer sources apparently suggest that it was a longer-running engagement that was fought in a few valleys surrounding Prokhorvka, not just one big valley.
Kai- what do you mean about the biggest panzer battle not happening- I'm confused now...
Martin- on barbarossa intel, I think the difference may have been in the planning. I'm pretty sure that Hitler laid out the details for barbarossa relaitvely far in advance. And even more, he did not change the details too much as time passed. But for Kursk, Hitler kept waffling and changing his mind. I think this might have accounted for the more accurate info on barbarossa. as far as Stlin believing said info, that's a whole different story.
I'll post some more here after I do some of my job!!!
great thread we've got going here! Kudos to all for the good posts!
[ 12 August 2002, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: CrazyD88 ]