A Mechanics Nightmare, the Ferdinand | Cursed by Design

Many tank destroyers were built during the second world war. Of these several stand out as being extremely successful while others were nothing but failures. The Ferdinand/Elefant is an odd case as it fits into both categories. Stay tuned as we discuss the story of this infamous Porsche product.

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CIOS Final Report No. 153

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Timestamps:
0:00 - 3:42 Intro
3:42 - 5:25 The Chassis
5:25 - 11:14 Design and Conversion
11:14 - 22:30 Combat Service
22:30 - 25:06 Survivors and Conclusion

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#ww2 #history #cursedbydesign

[THeavy]

The German solution to the Ferdinand reliability problems is to add more weight to it

[jerryudonneedtoknow]

The prominent failure at Kursk with mines was due to stupidity of deployment.
Specifically with the 653. s.Pz.Jg.Abt.
It was with the if I recall correctly the 2. Panzer Divisions Pioneers where they were sent out to clear the mines. This Soviet shad defenses on top of hills and artillery observers, so each time the pioneers went to clear the mines, Soviet artillery would batter them. Some idiot made a decision to use the Ferdinand’s to charge into the minefield to clear a path.

The Ferdinand’s particularity got hit by Soviet infantry because of the specific tenacity of the Soviet 15th Rifle Division. While the 15th rifle division utterly collapsed and died due to the 27 Tigers of the 505. s.Pz.Abt. and Infantry of the 6. infanterie Division, the north of the 15th Soviet rifle division held up much better, it was specifically ordered by the leader in area to stay in their trenches and let the tanks pass over them, once the tanks passed, pop back out and halting the incoming infantry. This effectively isolated the Ferdinand’s where they could be hit from the front, side, and rear, not only by infantry, but by anti tank infantry and light anti tank guns.

It’s was due to the sheer tenacity and the Germans blunder that the Ferdinand’s faced particular losses here.

It still boggle me why charging a whole battalion through a minefield was an acceptable idea, then the employment and use was just against the doctrine it was meant to do.

[evilfingers]

The Ferdinand/Elefant may have the highest kill ratio, but it should've been used mainly as a Defensive Anti-Tank Weapon rather than what is was used for without infantry support in the Battle of Kursk

[vennad]

Despite all its flaws, Ferdinand/Elephant remains as one of my two favorite tank destroyers from WW2 (the other being Hetzer). There's just something about its big size, quirky design, odd boxy look, and the history of being spawned from a losing tank design that just grab my interest... lol. x3

[TheBrandon]

Always loved the elephant despite its many flaws it was a powerful and wicked looking beast.

[syahareensharani]

Fritz: Hans we need better transmission

Hans: More armor you say ?

Fritz: Nien better transmission

Hans: Bigger cannon you say ?

Fritz: Goddamn it Hans

Hans: Oh battleship cannons

Fritz: Ja Hans

[mustangmanmustangman]

As a retired heavy duty mechanic, who has worked a huge variety of equipment from small forklifts all the way up to massive mining equipment. I was pleasantly surprised when you spoke about the maintenance difficulties. A BIG Thank you for some of this info that is severely lacking on YouTube videos! Well Done!

[stevehill]

The part of the Ferdinand/Elephant story i've never quite understood is how Porshe was able to get away with and also his confidence in getting the Tiger contract that 100 hulls were produced.

[Corellian_Smuggler]

I remember seeing one of the surviving ones at Bovington Tank Museum next to the Tiger 2P. I had no idea it was on display that day and I've never been so excited...

[admiraltiberius]

I remember reading/hearing one story about the Elephant at Kursk, from David Fletcher i think, how a Heer company that used the Elephant sat back and hammered oncoming Soviet armor and took zero losses.
Meanwhile a SS Company that'd converted from towed AT guns charged around, got picked off one by one and was eventually destroyed.

[df]

The biggest enemy is a slight incline or a hill.

But still a 5-10% loss rate due to engine fires is not positive.

[Tomfooleryman]

Hey Cone, would you ever do a series or video on the Italian tank destroyers of WW2?

[SlumberBeark]

I love this tank destroyer. it gets a bad wrap but it is actually an awesome killing machine. As you said, it may be the most successful tank destroyer of the war. It is a truly creative unit, being both the result of innovation, rejection, and improvisation. To be tested under such conditions is highly unusual so this tank deserves the utmost respect.

[williamashbless]

Nicely done.

First rule of armored warfare: be mobile. Ferdinand was nowhere close.

German Heavy Units ALL had seriously inflated kill ratios.

It was misused at Kursk and suffered significant losses.
It was a waste of resources. Heavy armored units required far more maintenance personnel and Ferdinand’s spent too much time offline and being transported hundreds of miles for refitting.
How many StuG Battalions could you have traded for those 91 Ferdinands?

[fn]

I love the Ferdinand in warthunder . They need to Get Porsche some credit of this amazing sexy tank

[datpieceofbread]

I remember talking to a member of the 653rd. He said that between STuG, JgPz6(P), and Jagdtiger, the JgPz6(P) was the unit's favorite. It was a bit overweight, but it was significantly better than Jagdtiger with a more efficient gun, it was more survivable and comfortable than STuG, and when they needed to bail out, everyone had a better chance to. My opinion of it is; of the heavy SPG's, it was probably the best; it's biggest issue being a heavy SPG, which was just a bad class to exist. Argument could be made for ISU series being better, but the driver and gunner situations are really bad

[mattxx]

I have the hardback version of the combat history of heavy tank destroyer battalion 653 and the research and photography in that book are second to none, wasn't cheap at £80 when published but worth every penny

[stoneylonesome]

It would’ve been much more reliable if they just gave it a 3.0 litre air cooled, 6-cylinder boxer mounted behind the rear axle driving the rear wheels.

[bkjeong]

You know a tank is bad when the Jagdtiger is more reliable.

[froer]

great video, i learned a bunch about the Ferdinand