Quote:
Originally Posted by acker
How exactly did the 5:1 (Sherman:Panther) ratio come into being?
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The 5:1 is the ratio normally claimed for the Tiger v Sherman, not the Panther v Sherman. Where it came from is a bit of a mystery, but one claimed source is the post war quote of a German Panzer commander, which was " even if we knocked out 5 Sherman's, there was always a sixth".
Far as I'm aware it never has been. Given that tank battles were almost never in isolation, it is extremely difficult to give credit to individual tanks in a large battle
I think its a soundbite more than anything else.
note. In Normandy the ratio of tank (of all types) losses (to all causes) was 2:1 in the Germany's favour