Self-propelled gun Ferdinand is the gloomy brother of the Beetle in the service of the Wehrmacht, or the terrible brainchild of Porsche. Anti-tank self-propelled guns Ferdinand What equipment to install on the Ferdinand

Hi all!

We continue to consider military equipment in World of Tanks.

And today we’ll talk about German tank destroyers.

Anti-tank self-propelled guns have powerful weapons and ambush equipment.

These are the main components of the success of military equipment. Ferdinand is a tier eight tank destroyer. A detailed guide will help you understand all the features of the machine. And evaluate how suitable it is for you.

In the old days, Ferdinand was more relevant than ever. “Fedya” inspired fear with its frontal attack. Alas, good times ended for him when it became possible to sell gold for silver and with the introduction of eights, which had better mobility and the same guns.

Therefore, now either strange players or reenactors love the technology. It is to them that I dedicated this review.

A little history

The history of “Fedya” began after Porsche abandoned the “Tiger-R” model in favor of “Heinschel”. The developer continued to lose faith and began production of the chassis that needed to be built.

The Fuhrer created an order to develop heavy self-propelled guns for the chassis. And since Porsche had considerable experience in developing anti-tank self-propelled guns, they didn’t have to wait long.

The hull of the original vehicle was subjected to minor changes, an armored conning tower was installed at the rear of the hull, the tank was supplemented with a Maybach engine, and a more impressive gas tank was redesigned.

To the front military equipment entered at the end of 1943, having received a baptism of fire at Kursk Bulge. Alas, the debut did not turn out the way I wanted.

The tank's tracks bogged down due to the large mass, and transmissions burned out from overvoltage. It was decided to transfer from to Italy.

Gaming characteristics

In World of Tanks tank became an assault tank destroyer thanks to its strong frontal armor and powerful gun. What are its gaming characteristics?

1. Protection– the armor is quite good, but at the same time “Fedya” does not tank. Not in the best possible way its square body geometry affects it. The stern and sides have 80 millimeters of armor, so they are not problematic for armor-piercing shells. But there is also a plus - killing you is not so easy, it saves a large supply of lives (1500 hit points).
2. Firepower– The 88mm gun is generally not bad. But it does little damage. It’s worth going straight to the best one - the 105 mm Pak L/52. But you can truly experience this self-propelled gun only by installing the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55. The best performance in the game is armor penetration with a 311 mm sub-caliber or 246 mm basic projectile. And with a landmine you can generally knock out 630 HP.
3. Dynamics– Ferdinand has a top-end engine (Porsche Deutz Typ 180/2). Alas, such power is only enough for 30 km/h. I recommend changing the tracks to Elefant, this will increase the load capacity and maneuverability.
4. Communication, detection– if your plans are to shoot at a distance, you can’t do without a radio station. FuG 12 (top radio station) maintains stable contacts and an impressive distance (more than 700 meters). The tank's visibility is standard (370 m), but it will need to be increased.

Equipment and pumping

How should you study this German tank destroyer? If you have dealt with Jpanther before, then you have already upgraded the pre-top 105 mm gun and the top-end FuG 12 radio.

If you decide to upgrade to this tank from Tiger P, you will receive, along with the connection, a pre-top 2x Porsche Typ 100/3 engine. There is no need to change lanes, and the Fedi has a good gun.

Therefore, we first buy caterpillars. Then we upgrade the top 128 mm gun, and only after that we begin to gradually improve the engine compartment.

The crew has six members. You upgrade according to the usual standard PT option: for the commander it’s a “sixth sense”, for everyone else it’s “camouflage”.

We take the following consumables: “Large repair kit”, “Large first aid kit”, “Manual fire extinguisher”. To increase the characteristics of crew members, you can also grab “Chocolate”.

Tactical Tips

The German tank destroyer Ferdinand can “tanker” on the front line and shoot from afar.

Initially, you need to study the map for good positions. Decide on the direction of attacks. It is important to deal more damage.

You can't tear yourself away from your allies! You will immediately become easy prey for medium and light tanks.

Otherwise, it all depends on what style of play you prefer. Do you like hand-to-hand combat?

Get into an advantageous position, for example, in the bushes, and start dealing damage. After firing, roll back to cover to reload.

But you can't hide forever. You will have to face your opponents. Use this move: hug the hills, walls and start throwing out your most powerful splashes.

It’s not worth climbing too far forward, but you shouldn’t shun a ram either.

There are also tricks to help catch ricochets. You have a long reload time, it’s simply not worth standing around and waiting. Crawl behind the cover with your back, simultaneously turning under acute angle forehead.

Not a single gun will penetrate you in this state. If there is no cover, start fidgeting back and forth, this will make it difficult to target the NLD.

Advantages

1. The tank has good UGN and UVN.
2. An accurate, powerful weapon.
3. Having good frontal armor.

Flaws:

1. Armor doesn't always "tank".
2. Lack of maneuverability.
3. Weak disguise.
4. Huge building.

Who would like this German tank destroyer in World of Tanks? Definitely a small number of players. Even in German branch"Fedya" is inferior to lethal specimens.

However, there are always Ferdinand lovers in the game. With proper skill, the machine makes its contribution to overall success.

In any case, the choice is yours. Happy fighting!

Self-propelled artillery in its design is in many ways reminiscent of a tank. With less maneuverability and armor, it has high firepower. Such installations are most effective in supporting advances by tank and infantry formations.

Self-propelled artillery units (self-propelled guns) began to be used already in the First World War. Gradually they occupied their niche in the field of combat use and were actively used in the Second World War. Given their combat qualities, self-propelled guns are practically not used outside large-scale conflicts.

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" (Ferdinand) - heavy anti-tank (AT) artillery unit of the Third Reich during the Second World War. It was created with a focus on destroying enemy tanks and was used primarily on the Eastern Front.

Development history

The history of the creation of the Ferdinand self-propelled gun is associated with the design of the Tiger I tank. The development was carried out by competing companies Porsche and Henschel, introducing them in 1942 prototypes VK 4501 (P) and (H) respectively. Hitler proposed assembling both vehicles in parallel, but at a meeting with the Armaments Directorate it was decided to leave the Henschel option.

Ferdinand Porsche's tank model had transmission problems and a short range. At the same time, the production of engines required a large amount of non-ferrous metals, which were in short supply in Germany. However, Porsche did not wait for the results of the meetings and began assembling the first tanks.

Porsche cars were never accepted into service. In the fall of 1942, Hitler ordered the use of their chassis for a heavy assault self-propelled gun with an 88-mm Pak 43 cannon and 200-mm armor. These conditions required significant changes in the layout of the machine.

Maybach engines that were already in mass production were also installed on the new German self-propelled gun. This required redesigning the cooling system and fuel tanks. All work was done in great haste, which subsequently caused a number of shortcomings.

By the end of December 1942, new self-propelled guns were presented for testing. As a reward, Hitler gave them the name of the designer "Ferdinand". In the spring of 1943, artillery installations began to arrive at the front.

At the end of 1943, the installations remaining after the first battles were returned to Germany for modernization. A frontal machine gun appeared in the frontal area, the guns were replaced, and a commander's cupola with seven periscope devices appeared. These aspects make it easy to distinguish self-propelled gun versions from photos.

The vulnerability of the installations to mines was also taken into account - the front part of the bottom received additional armor, the tracks became wider. New model received the name “Elephant” (Elephant, from German “elephant”, sometimes written Elefant), but this name was fixed only in English-language literature, since it was the modernized version that the Allies encountered after the opening of the second front.

Operating instructions

The application manual initially put the Ferdinand self-propelled guns at a disadvantage. Their limited range and low maneuverability limited their use in mass offensives, although they could be used in positional battles. Also, the heavy weight of the installation did not allow it to cross most bridges.

Self-propelled artillery "Ferdinand" (the simplified name "Ferd" is incorrect) was designed to destroy Soviet tanks. Considerable armor provided reliable protection against their projectiles. It was supposed to use self-propelled guns as the first echelon of attack on Soviet positions due to the armor.

Combat vehicle design

The design of the Ferdinand self-propelled gun was largely redone after it was decided to turn the tank into artillery. Due to the considerable length of the gun, the turret was moved to the rear, where the main crew cabin was also located.

The power plant with engines, generators, cooling and fuel tanks was moved to middle part, it is separated from the control compartment by heat-resistant partitions. Given the location of the departments, there was no direct communication between the control and the control room.

Despite the absence of a machine gun, there were loopholes in the wheelhouse for firing from personal weapons. They are represented by small hatches with plugs, three in the stern and one on each side. There was also a door in the stern through which the crew could leave the installation. On the roof of the cabin there were additionally two hatches for the crew, small hatches for installing a periscope and a fan.

Surveillance and communications equipment

Surveillance of the area was carried out using periscope devices provided in the control compartment and in the wheelhouse. There were also inspection slots for the driver and radio operator in the front beveled side panels.

The self-propelled guns were equipped with a FuG 5 radio station mounted in the control department. Her telephone worked within a radius of 6.5 km, her telegraph - 9.5 km. The commanders' vehicles were equipped with more powerful FuG 8s with an additional antenna.

Armored Corps

Self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" were lined with rolled hardened armor. The frontal protection had a thickness of 200 mm, upper part hull, sides and stern - 80 mm, lower part of the side - 60 mm. The bottom had 20 mm armor, but the front part (1.35 m) was additionally reinforced with a 30 mm sheet. All fastenings were provided with bolts with bulletproof heads.

Crew

The crew of the artillery installation consisted of 6 people. The driver and radio operator were located in the control department. The main crew, including the commander, is in the control room. With the advent of the machine gun, the radio operator also served as a gunner.

Armament

The armament of the Ferdinand self-propelled gun was initially designed to counter tanks and other armored vehicles. The weapon hit almost any vehicle. Only the IS-2 and M26 Pershing at a certain distance from the required heading angle could withstand a projectile hit.

88 mm StuK 43 gun

The key armament of the self-propelled artillery unit is an 88-mm Pak 43/2 rifled gun with a barrel length of 71 calibers. Its outdated designation is StuK 43. Version 43/2 is a tank variant of the Pak 43.

The weight of the gun is 2.2 tons; in the stowed position it was mounted on a special installation. It had two recoil devices and a vertical wedge bolt that operated semi-automatically. The guidance mechanisms were located on the left at the gunner's position. For this purpose, a periscope device SFlZF1a/Rblf 36 with a fivefold magnification was used.

The ballistics of the gun allowed it to penetrate 132 mm of armor at a meeting angle of 60 degrees at a distance of 2 km. From 100 meters under the same conditions, 202 mm of armor was penetrated. The ammunition consisted of 50 shells - armor-piercing tracer Pzgr.39-1, sub-caliber Pzgr.40/43 and high-explosive fragmentation Sprgr 43. The modified "Elephant" ammunition was increased to 55 shells.

1x7.92 mm machine gun

The original version of the Ferdinand self-propelled gun did not have a machine gun. In the modified version of January-March 1944, the MG-34 ball mount of 7.92 mm caliber appeared. It was located on the right side of the frontal part. Ammunition - 600 rounds.

Technical characteristics

The technical characteristics of the Ferdinand artillery mount made it popular for anti-tank combat. During the modernization process, a number of parameters were changed, however, the main performance characteristics remained unchanged last fight data from self-propelled guns in Berlin.

Dimensions and weight

According to Wikipedia, the dimensions of the German self-propelled gun “Ferdinand” have the following indicators:

• body length - 8.14 m;
• width - 3.38 m;
• height - 2.97 m;
• ground clearance - 0.485 m.

The combat weight of the tank is 65 tons. This figure significantly limited the movement of installations across bridges and on soft soil.

Engine and transmission

The power plant of the Ferdinand self-propelled artillery is designed to transmit torque from the engine to the drive wheels via electricity. This made it possible to get rid of the gearbox and main clutch.

The self-propelled gun had two V-shaped twelve-cylinder carburetor Maybach HL 120 TRM engines, running on water cooling. The power of each was 265 hp. With. at 2600 rpm.

Two Siemens-Schuckert D149aAC traction engines with a power of 230 kW each were located in the rear of the hull and drove the wheels through a reduction gearbox. This transmission increased the weight of the car, but ensured ease of control.

Chassis

The chassis of the self-propelled gun borrowed many elements from the Leopard tanks. The suspension is a blocked type, of a combined type, in which torsion bars are combined with a rubber cushion. The torsion bars themselves are located outside the body longitudinally on bogies.

On each side there were three bogies with two road wheels each. The design was quite complex, but showed its reliability and maintainability. The rollers themselves also had good resource strength. The rear drive wheels had removable ring gears with 19 teeth. The front ones are equipped with active gearing and pneumatic-hydraulic brakes.

On the highway, the self-propelled gun developed a speed of 35 km/h, on rough terrain - 5-15 km/h, depending on the surface and softness of the soil. Cruising range on highways and rough terrain was 150 and 90 km, respectively. Overcoming obstacles - a slope of 22 degrees, a wall of 0.78 m, a ditch 2.64 m wide, a ford a meter deep.

Fuel consumption

A separate fuel supply was provided for each of the two engines. Accordingly, the installation had two fuel tanks of 540 liters each. The control compartment had shut-off valves that opened the fuel supply in cases where there was a minimum amount of fuel left in the tanks.

Accurate information on fuel consumption is not available. However, taking into account the low power reserve and weight, the car consumed large number fuel - about 720-1155 liters per 100 km. The indicator depends on the type of surface - on the highway the consumption decreased, on rough terrain it increased.

Controls

The control department was located in the front of the car and was occupied by the driver and radio operator. It also housed levers and pedals for controlling the machine, devices for pneumatic-hydraulic braking and track tension, a switching box with switches and rheostats, an instrument panel, fuel filters, batteries for the starter, and a radio station.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Ferdinand self-propelled artillery unit received mixed reviews from contemporaries and historians. The car turned out to be largely an improvisation, created on the fly and in a hurry. However, even despite this, it had many innovative solutions.

The advantages of the project include an electric transmission and suspension with longitudinal torsion bars. The technologies showed good effectiveness, but turned out to be too complex and expensive for mass use, especially in war conditions. They also pay attention to the significant fuel consumption.

In combat conditions, the self-propelled gun clearly demonstrated its advantages. The powerful weapon penetrated almost any tank at most distances. The frontal armor could not be penetrated by anything; the vehicle received some damage only from the sides and from mines.

Such reservations made it possible to place self-propelled guns in the first echelon of attack to overcome the defense of Soviet troops. However, this method quickly showed its ineffectiveness - the infantry and tank artillery cover was fired back, after which the installations were blown up in close combat, using cloth to block the view and Molotov cocktails. Such methods did not always end in success, but in any case they showed the vulnerability of artillery in close combat.

As a result, the Ferdinand self-propelled gun proved itself quite well, but never received mass production and use. There is an opinion that if it were not for the production of Porsche tanks that had begun, such installations would never have appeared due to their technical complexity.

Use in World War II

The first use of the Ferdinand self-propelled gun is associated with the Battle of Kursk. Artillery installations were included in the anti-tank battalions 653 and 654. They were assigned the role of a ram to overcome the defense. First combat use- July 8-9, 1943 in the area of ​​Ponyri station.

During the fighting and subsequent retreat to Orel, over three dozen self-propelled guns were lost. Those who remained were transferred to Zhitomir and Dnepropetrovsk in mid-August, where they began repairs. Later they took part in the battles of Nikopol and Dnepropetrovsk.

In winter, the Ferdinands were returned for modernization. The resulting modifications of the Elefant self-propelled guns were transferred to Italy and took part in the battles of Nettuno, Anzio and Rome. The remnants were again transferred, first to Austria, then to Poland.

In July 1944 self-propelled guns were based in the Ternopil region, where, due to a large-scale Soviet offensive, they were drawn into heavy fighting. Many vehicles were blown up by their own crews due to the impossibility of evacuating them from the battlefield.

German tank building during World War II was one of the best in the world. Bold engineering ideas were implemented at the largest factories in the country: Nibelungenwerke, Alkett, Krupp, Rheinmetall, Oberdonau, etc. Models of equipment have improved, adapting to the conduct of combat operations that have not yet been known in history. The quantitative and qualitative use of armored vehicles could decide the outcome of the battle. Tanks are the iron fist of warring powers. Resisting them is not easy, but it is possible. Thus, mobile anti-tank artillery with a chassis design similar to tanks, but with a more powerful weapon, is entering the combat arena. One of the most famous German tank destroyers that participated in WWII was the Ferdinand.




The engineering genius Ferdinand Porsche became known as Hitler's favorite for his Volkswagen. The Fuhrer wanted Dr. Porsche to direct the vector of his ideas and knowledge into military industry. Famous inventor didn't keep me waiting long. Porsche designed a new chassis for tanks. The new Leopard, VK3001(P), Tiger(P) tanks were tested on its chassis. Tests have shown the advantages of the innovative chassis model. Thus, in September 1942. Porsche was ordered to develop a tank destroyer with an 88-mm cannon based on a chassis designed for heavy tank"Tiger". The assault gun must be well protected, the gun must be in a stationary wheelhouse - these were the Fuhrer's orders. The redesigned Tiger(P) tanks became the prototypes of the Ferdinand. The hull of the Porsche Tiger underwent minimal changes, mainly in the rear, where a conning tower with an 88-mm gun and a machine gun in the front plate was installed (later the machine gun was removed due to excess weight, which became a significant drawback in close combat with enemy infantry) . The front part of the hull was reinforced with additional armor plates 100 and 30 mm thick. As a result, the project was approved, and an order was received for the construction of 90 such machines.
February 6, 1943 At the meeting of the commanders-in-chief, a report was heard on the production of an “assault gun on a Porsche-Tiger chassis.” By order of Hitler, the new vehicle received the official designation “8.8-mm Pak 43/2 Sfl L/71 Panzerjager Tiger(P) Ferdinand”. Thus, the Fuhrer recognized the achievements of Ferdinand Porsche by assigning his name to the self-propelled gun.

So, what was the innovation of the chassis designed by Porsche? For one side, the undercarriage of the Ferdinand consisted of three bogies with two rollers each. The original component of the chassis was the placement of the bogie suspension torsion bars not inside the hull, like many other tanks, but outside, and moreover, not transversely, but longitudinally. Despite the rather complex design of the suspension developed by F. Porsche, it worked very effectively. In addition, it turned out to be well suited for repair and maintenance in the field, which was an important advantage during combat operations. Another original component of the Ferdinand design was the electrical system for transmitting torque from the prime movers to the engine drive wheels. Thanks to this, the vehicle did not have such components as a gearbox and main clutch, and, consequently, their control drives, which simplified the repair and operation of the power plant, and also reduced the weight of the self-propelled gun.

Dividing 90 vehicles into two battalions, the command sent one to Russia and the second to France, later transferring it also to the Soviet-German front. In battles, the Ferdinand showed itself to be a powerful tank destroyer. The gun worked effectively long distances, while Soviet heavy artillery did not cause critical damage to the self-propelled gun. Only the sides of the Ferdinand were vulnerable to field artillery guns and tanks. The Germans lost most of the new cars minefields, which did not have time to clear mines or did not put their own on the map. 19 self-propelled guns were lost in the battles near Kursk. At the same time combat mission was carried out, and the Ferdinands destroyed more than 100 tanks, anti-tank guns and other Soviet military equipment.

The Soviet command, encountering a new type of equipment for the first time, did not give it high value, as he was carried away by another formidable rival - “Tiger”. However, several abandoned and burned self-propelled guns fell into the hands of Soviet technicians and engineers and were examined. Several vehicles were fired from different guns to test the penetration of the armor of the new German assault guns.

The soldiers, having learned about the new self-propelled gun “Ferdinand”, began to call other equipment with a rear-mounted turret or wheelhouse that name. There were many rumors and legends about the powerful German self-propelled gun. Therefore, after the war, the USSR was quite surprised that only 90 real Ferdinands were produced. A manual for the destruction of the Ferdinands was also mass-produced.

Failures near Kursk forced the tank destroyer to be sent for repair and reconfiguration. The strategy for introducing these vehicles into battle was also revised. To protect self-propelled guns from attacks on the flank and rear and during close combat, accompanying Pz.IV tanks were assigned to them. The order for joint combat operations between self-propelled guns and infantry was also abolished, since due to the active shelling of the Ferdinands, the accompanying infantry suffered heavy losses. The vehicles newly brought onto the battlefield were able to cope with combat missions better and faster, suffering minimal losses. During the fighting on the Zaporozhye bridgehead, only 4 vehicles were lost. And after the participation of the Ferdinands in the battles in Western Ukraine, it was decided to send the surviving vehicles to the rear for repairs and upgrades. Vehicles with new tracks, a straightened chassis, which suffered most often, with a machine gun in the frontal armor plate (used by the radio operator) and other minor changes entered the battle already on the Italian front, but the updated self-propelled gun had a different name - “Elephant”...

Resume. Powerful German tank destroyer No wonder it deserves so many legends and tales. During the war for Soviet soldiers the word "Ferdinand" became an epithet. The heaviest colossus weighing 65 tons (after the Ferdinand battalion crossed one of the bridges over the Seine, the bridge sank by 2 cm) was well armored and equipped with a powerful weapon. The frontal armor held back most Soviet field guns and tanks, but the lightly armored sides and rear were vulnerable. Also weak points there was a grille in the front part of the body, under which there was power point, and the roof. The Achilles heel, as it turned out, was the chassis, especially its front part. Taking it out of action almost always ended in defeat. The clumsy "Ferdinand", remaining motionless, could fire only in a limited sector due to the static nature of the cabin. In this case, the crew blew up the self-propelled gun if the enemy did not do so first.

Whether the Germans had the best self-propelled guns in the world or not is a moot point, but the fact that they managed to create one that left an indelible memory for everyone Soviet soldiers, - That's for sure. It's about about the heavy self-propelled gun "Ferdinand". It got to the point that, starting from the second half of 1943, in almost every combat report, Soviet troops destroyed at least one such self-propelled gun. If we add up the losses of the Ferdinands according to Soviet reports, then several thousand of them were destroyed during the war. The piquancy of the situation is that the Germans produced only 90 of them during the entire war, and another 4 ARVs based on them. It is difficult to find an example of armored vehicles from the Second World War, produced in such small quantities and at the same time so famous. All German self-propelled guns were recorded as "Ferdinands", but most often - "Marders" and "Stugas". The situation was approximately the same with the German “Tiger”: the Pz-IV medium tank with a long gun was often confused with it. But here there was at least a similarity in silhouettes, but what similarity there is between “Ferdinand” and, for example, the StuG 40 is a big question.

So what was “Ferdinand” like, and why is he so widely known since the Battle of Kursk? We will not go into technical details and design development issues, because this has already been written in dozens of other publications, but will pay close attention to the battles on the northern front of the Kursk Bulge, where these extremely powerful machines were massively used.

The conning tower of the self-propelled gun was assembled from sheets of forged cemented armor transferred from the stocks of the German Navy. The frontal armor of the cabin was 200 mm thick, the side and rear armor was 85 mm thick. The thickness of even the side armor made the self-propelled gun virtually invulnerable to fire from almost all Soviet artillery of the 1943 model at a distance of over 400 m. The self-propelled gun's armament consisted of an 8.8-cm StuK 43 gun (some sources erroneously cite its field version PaK 43/2) with the barrel length was 71 calibers, its muzzle energy was one and a half times higher than that of the gun of the Tiger heavy tank. The Ferdinand gun penetrated all Soviet tanks from all angles of attack at all actual fire distances. The only reason, which caused the armor to fail to penetrate when hit - a ricochet. Any other hit caused the armor to be penetrated, which in most cases meant putting the Soviet tank out of action and causing partial or complete destruction his crew. This is something serious that appeared to the Germans shortly before the start of Operation Citadel.

The formation of units of the self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" began on April 1, 1943. In total, it was decided to form two heavy battalions (divisions).

The first of them, numbered 653 (Schwere PanzerJager Abteilung 653), was formed on the basis of the 197th assault division StuG guns III. According to the new staff, the division was supposed to have 45 Ferdinand self-propelled guns. This unit was not chosen by chance: the division's personnel had extensive combat experience and participated in battles in the East from the summer of 1941 to January 1943. By May, the 653rd battalion was fully staffed according to the staff. However, at the beginning of May 1943, all the material was transferred to staff the 654th battalion, which was formed in France in the city of Rouen. By mid-May, the 653rd battalion was again almost fully staffed and had 40 self-propelled guns. After completing a course of exercises at the Neuseidel training ground, on June 9–12, 1943, the battalion left for the Eastern Front in eleven echelons.

The 654th heavy tank destroyer battalion was formed on the basis of the 654th anti-tank division at the end of April 1943. Combat experience his personnel, who had previously fought with the PaK 35/36 anti-tank gun and then with the Marder II self-propelled gun, had much less than their colleagues from the 653rd battalion. Until April 28, the battalion was in Austria, from April 30 in Rouen. After the final exercises, from June 13 to 15, the battalion departed for the Eastern Front in fourteen echelons.

According to the wartime staff (K. St.N. No. 1148c dated 03/31/43), the heavy battalion of tank destroyers included: the battalion command, a headquarters company (platoon: control, engineer, ambulance, anti-aircraft), three companies of “Ferdinands” (in each company has 2 company headquarters vehicles, and three platoons of 4 vehicles each; i.e. 14 vehicles in a company), a repair and recovery company, a motor transport company. Total: 45 Ferdinand self-propelled guns, 1 ambulance Sd.Kfz.251/8 armored personnel carrier, 6 anti-aircraft Sd.Kfz 7/1, 15 Sd.Kfz 9 half-track tractors (18 tons), trucks and cars.

The staffing structure of the battalions varied slightly. We must start with the fact that the 653rd battalion included the 1st, 2nd and 3rd companies, and the 654th battalion included the 5th, 6th and 7th companies. The 4th company “fell out” somewhere. The numbering of vehicles in the battalions corresponded to German standards: for example, both vehicles of the headquarters of the 5th company had numbers 501 and 502, the vehicle numbers of the 1st platoon were from 511 to 514 inclusive; 2nd platoon 521 - 524; 3rd 531 - 534 respectively. But if we carefully look at the combat strength of each battalion (division), we will see that there are only 42 self-propelled guns in the “combat” number of units. And in the state there are 45. Where did the other three self-propelled guns from each battalion go? This is where the difference in the organization of improvised tank destroyer divisions comes into play: if in the 653rd battalion 3 vehicles were assigned to a reserve group, then in the 654th battalion 3 “extra” vehicles were organized into a headquarters group that had non-standard tactical numbers: II -01, II-02, II-03.

Both battalions (divisions) became part of the 656th Tank Regiment, whose headquarters the Germans formed on June 8, 1943. The formation turned out to be very powerful: in addition to 90 Ferdinand self-propelled guns, it included the 216th battalion of assault tanks (Sturmpanzer Abteilung 216), and two companies of radio-controlled BIV Bogvard tankettes (313th and 314th). The regiment was supposed to serve as a ram German offensive in the direction of Art. Ponyri - Maloarkhangelsk.

On June 25, the Ferdinands began to advance to the front line. By July 4, 1943, the 656th was deployed as follows: west of railway Orel - Kursk 654th battalion (Arkhangelskoe district), to the east the 653rd battalion (Glazunov district), followed by three companies of the 216th battalion (45 Brummbars in total). Each Ferdinand battalion was assigned a company of radio-controlled B IV tankettes.

On July 5, the 656th Tank Regiment went on the offensive, supporting elements of the 86th and 292nd German Infantry Divisions. However, the ramming attack did not work: on the first day, the 653rd battalion got stuck in heavy fighting at height 257.7, which the Germans nicknamed “Tank”. Not only were thirty-fours buried up to the tower at the height, but the height was also covered with powerful minefields. On the very first day, 10 self-propelled guns of the battalion were blown up by mines. There were also heavy losses among personnel. The commander of the 1st company, Hauptmann Spielmann, was seriously injured when he was blown up by an anti-personnel mine. Having determined the direction of the attack, Soviet artillery also opened fire. As a result, by 17:00 on July 5, only 12 Ferdinands remained on the move! The rest were damaged varying degrees gravity. Over the next two days, the remnants of the battalion continued to fight to capture the station. Ponyri.

The attack of the 654th battalion turned out to be even more disastrous. The 6th company of the battalion mistakenly ran into its own minefield. Within just a few minutes, most of the Ferdinands were blown up by their own mines. Having discovered the monstrous German vehicles barely crawling towards our positions, the Soviet artillery opened concentrated fire on them. The result was that the German infantry, supporting the attack of the 6th company, suffered heavy losses and lay down, leaving the self-propelled guns without cover. Four “Ferdinands” from the 6th company were still able to reach the Soviet positions, and there, according to the recollections of German self-propelled gunners, they were “attacked by several brave Russian soldiers who remained in the trenches and armed with flamethrowers, and from the right flank, from the railway line, the artillery fire, but seeing that this was ineffective, the Russian soldiers retreated in an orderly manner.”

The 5th and 7th companies also reached the first line of trenches, losing about 30% of their vehicles to mines and coming under heavy artillery fire. At the same time, the commander of the 654th battalion, Major Noack, was mortally wounded by a shell fragment.

After occupying the first line of trenches, the remnants of the 654th battalion moved in the direction of Ponyri. At the same time, some of the vehicles were again blown up by mines, and “Ferdinand” No. 531 from the 5th company, being immobilized by flanking fire from Soviet artillery, was finished off and burned. At dusk, the battalion reached the hills north of Ponyri, where they stopped for the night and regrouped. The battalion has 20 vehicles left on the move.

On July 6, due to problems with fuel, the 654th battalion went on the attack only at 14:00. However, due to heavy fire from Soviet artillery, the German infantry suffered serious losses, retreated back and the attack fizzled out. On this day, the 654th battalion reported “about a large number of Russian tanks arriving to strengthen the defense.” According to the evening report, the self-propelled gun crews destroyed 15 Soviet T-34 tanks, with 8 of them attributed to the crew under the command of Hauptmann Lüders, and 5 by Lieutenant Peters. There are 17 cars left running.

The next day, the remnants of the 653rd and 654th battalions were pulled to Buzuluk, where they formed a corps reserve. Two days were devoted to car repairs. On July 8, several “Ferdinands” and “Brumbars” took part in an unsuccessful attack on the station. Ponyri.

At the same time (July 8), the headquarters of the Soviet Central Front receives the first report from the chief of artillery of the 13th Army about the Ferdinand being blown up by a mine. Just two days later, a group of five GAU KA officers arrived from Moscow to the front headquarters specifically to study this sample. However, they were unlucky; by this time, the area where the damaged self-propelled gun stood was occupied by the Germans.

The main events developed on July 9–10, 1943. After many unsuccessful attacks on the station. The Pony Germans changed the direction of the attack. From the northeast, through the May 1st state farm, an improvised combat group under the command of Major Kall struck. The composition of this group is impressive: the 505th battalion of heavy tanks (about 40 Tiger tanks), the 654th and part of the vehicles of the 653rd battalion (44 Ferdinands in total), the 216th battalion of assault tanks (38 Brummbar self-propelled guns "), a division of assault guns (20 StuG 40 and StuH 42), 17 Pz.Kpfw III and Pz.Kpfw IV tanks. Directly behind this armada the tanks of the 2nd TD and motorized infantry on armored personnel carriers were supposed to move.

Thus, on a front of 3 km, the Germans concentrated about 150 combat vehicles, not counting the second echelon. Of the first echelon vehicles, more than half are heavy. According to reports from our artillerymen, the Germans used a new attack formation “in line” for the first time here - with the Ferdinands going ahead. The vehicles of the 654th and 653rd battalions operated in two echelons. 30 vehicles were advancing in the line of the first echelon; another company (14 vehicles) was moving in the second echelon at intervals of 120–150 m. The company commanders were in common line on staff vehicles carrying a flag on the antenna.

On the very first day, this group easily managed to break through the May 1 state farm to the village of Goreloye. Here our artillerymen made a truly brilliant move: seeing that the newest German armored monsters were invulnerable to artillery, they were allowed into a huge minefield mixed with anti-tank mines and landmines from captured ammunition, and then opened hurricane fire on the “retinue” of medium-sized ones that was following the Ferdinands. tanks and assault guns. As a result, the entire strike group suffered significant losses and was forced to retreat.

The next day, July 10, Major Kall's group delivered a new powerful blow and individual vehicles broke through to the outskirts of the station. Ponyri. The vehicles that broke through were the Ferdinand heavy self-propelled guns.

According to the descriptions of our soldiers, the Ferdinands advanced, firing from a gun from short stops from a distance of one to two and a half kilometers: a very long distance for armored vehicles of that time. Having been subjected to concentrated fire, or having discovered a mined area of ​​​​the terrain, they retreated in reverse to some kind of shelter, trying to always be facing the Soviet positions with thick frontal armor, absolutely invulnerable to our artillery.

On July 11, Major Kall's strike group was disbanded, the 505th heavy tank battalion and tanks of the 2nd TD were transferred against our 70th Army to the Kutyrka-Teploye area. In the area of ​​the station. Ponyri remained only units of the 654th battalion and the 216th assault tank division, trying to evacuate damaged materiel to the rear. But it was not possible to evacuate the 65-ton Ferdinands during July 12–13, and on July 14, Soviet troops launched a massive counteroffensive from the Ponyri station in the direction of the May 1 state farm. By mid-afternoon, German troops were forced to withdraw. Our tankers supporting the infantry attack suffered heavy losses, mainly not from German fire, but because a company of T-34 and T-70 tanks jumped out onto the same powerful minefield where the Ferdinands were blown up four days earlier. 654th battalion.

On July 15 (that is, the very next day), the German equipment shot down and destroyed at the Ponyri station was inspected and studied by representatives of the GAU KA and NIBT of the test site. In total, on the battlefield northeast of the station. Ponyri (18 km2) remained 21 self-propelled guns "Ferdinand", three assault tanks "Brummbar" (in Soviet documents - "Bear"), eight Pz-III tanks and Pz-IV, two command tanks, and several radio-controlled tankettes B IV "Bogvard".

Most of the Ferdinands were discovered in a minefield near the village of Goreloye. More than half of the vehicles inspected had damage to the chassis from the effects of anti-tank mines and landmines. 5 vehicles had damage to their chassis from being hit by shells of 76 mm caliber and higher. Two Ferdinands had guns shot through, one of them received as many as 8 hits in the gun barrel. One vehicle was completely destroyed by a bomb from a Soviet Pe-2 bomber, and one was destroyed by a 203-mm shell hitting the roof of the cabin. And only one “Ferdinand” had a shell hole in the left side, made by a 76-mm armor-piercing projectile, 7 T-34 tanks and a ZIS-3 battery fired at it from all sides, from a distance of 200–400 m. And another “Ferdinand”, which had no external damage to the hull, was burned by our infantry with a bottle of COP. Several Ferdinands, deprived of the ability to move under their own power, were destroyed by their crews.

The main part of the 653rd battalion operated in the defense zone of our 70th Army. Irreversible losses during the battles from July 5 to July 15 amounted to 8 vehicles. Moreover, our troops captured one in perfect working order, and even with its crew. It happened as follows: while repelling one of the German attacks in the area of ​​​​the village of Teploye on July 11–12, the advancing German troops were subjected to massive artillery fire from a corps artillery division, a battery of the latest Soviet self-propelled guns SU-152 and two IPTAPs, after which the enemy left them on the battlefield 4 "Ferdinand". Despite such a massive shelling, not a single German self-propelled gun had its armor penetrated: two vehicles had shell damage to the chassis, one was severely destroyed by large-caliber artillery fire (possibly an SU-152) - its frontal plate was moved out of place. And the fourth (No. 333), trying to get out of the shelling, moved in reverse and, once on a sandy area, simply “sat down” on its belly. The crew tried to undermine the car, but then they were confronted by attacking Soviet infantrymen of the 129th Infantry Division and the Germans chose to surrender. Here our people were faced with the same problem that had long been weighing on the minds of the command of the German 654th and 653rd battalions: how to pull this colossus out of the battlefield? Pulling the “hippopotamus out of the swamp” dragged on until August 2, when, with the efforts of four S-60 and S-65 tractors, “Ferdinand” was finally pulled onto solid ground. But during its further transportation to the railway station, one of gasoline engines The self-propelled gun is out of order. The further fate of the car is unknown.

With the start of the Soviet counteroffensive, the Ferdinands found themselves in their element. Thus, on July 12–14, 24 self-propelled guns of the 653rd battalion supported units of the 53rd infantry division in the Berezovets area. At the same time, while repelling an attack by Soviet tanks near the village of Krasnaya Niva, the crew of only one “Ferdinand”, Lieutenant Tiret, reported the destruction of 22 T-34 tanks.

On July 15, the 654th battalion repelled an attack by our tanks from Maloarkhangelsk - Buzuluk, while the 6th company reported the destruction of 13 Soviet combat vehicles. Subsequently, the remnants of the battalions were pulled back to Oryol. By July 30, all “Ferdinands” were withdrawn from the front, and by order of the headquarters of the 9th Army they were sent to Karachev.

During Operation Citadel, the 656th Tank Regiment reported daily by radio about the presence of combat-ready Ferdinands. According to these reports, on July 7 there were 37 Ferdinands in service, on July 8 - 26, on July 9 - 13, on July 10 - 24, on July 11 - 12, on July 12 - 24, on July 13 - 24, on July 14 - 13. These data do not correlate well with German data on the combat composition of the strike groups, which included the 653rd and 654th battalions. The Germans recognize 19 Ferdinands as irretrievably lost, in addition, 4 more vehicles were lost “due to a short circuit and subsequent fire.” Consequently, the 656th Regiment lost 23 vehicles. In addition, there are inconsistencies with Soviet data, which photographically document the destruction of 21 Ferdinand self-propelled guns.

Perhaps the Germans tried, as often happened, to write off several vehicles as irretrievable losses retroactively, because, according to them, from the moment the Soviet troops went on the offensive, irretrievable losses amounted to 20 Ferdinands (this apparently includes some of the 4 cars burned down due to technical reasons). Thus, according to German data, the total irretrievable losses of the 656th regiment from July 5 to August 1, 1943 amounted to 39 Ferdinands. Be that as it may, this is generally confirmed by documents, and basically corresponds to Soviet data.

If the losses of the Ferdinands to both German and Soviet coincide (the only difference is in the dates), then “unscientific fiction” begins. The command of the 656th regiment states that during the period from July 5 to July 15, 1943, the regiment disabled 502 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns, 20 anti-tank and about 100 other guns. The 653rd battalion especially distinguished itself in the field of destroying Soviet armored vehicles, recording 320 Soviet tanks destroyed, as well as a large number of guns and vehicles.

Let's try to figure out the losses of Soviet artillery. During the period from July 5 to July 15, 1943, the Central Front under the command of K. Rokossovsky lost 433 guns of all types. This is data for an entire front, which occupied a very long line of defense, so data for 120 destroyed guns in one small “patch” seems clearly overestimated. In addition, it is very interesting to compare the declared number of destroyed Soviet armored vehicles with its actual loss. So: by July 5, the tank units of the 13th Army consisted of 215 tanks and 32 self-propelled guns, another 827 armored units were listed in the 2nd TA and 19th Tank Corps, which were in the front reserve. Most of them were brought into battle precisely in the defense zone of the 13th Army, where the Germans delivered their main blow. The losses of the 2nd TA for the period from July 5 to 15 amounted to 270 T-34 and T-70 tanks burned out and damaged, the losses of the 19th Tank - 115 vehicles, the 13th Army (taking into account all replenishments) - 132 vehicles. Consequently, of the 1,129 tanks and self-propelled guns deployed in the 13th Army zone, the total losses amounted to 517 vehicles, more than half of which were recovered during the battles (irretrievable losses amounted to 219 vehicles). If we take into account that the defense line of the 13th Army on different days of the operation ranged from 80 to 160 km, and the Ferdinands operated on a front from 4 to 8 km, it becomes clear that it would be impossible to “click” so many Soviet armored vehicles in such a narrow area it was simply unreal. And if we also take into account the fact that several tank divisions, as well as the 505th heavy tank battalion "Tigers", assault gun divisions, self-propelled guns "Marder" and "Hornisse", as well as artillery, it is clear that the results of the 656th regiment are shamelessly inflated. However, a similar picture emerges when checking the performance of the heavy tank battalions “Tigers” and “Royal Tigers”, and indeed all German tank units. To be fair, it must be said that the combat reports of Soviet, American, and British troops were guilty of such “truthfulness”.

So what is the reason for such popularity of the “heavy assault gun”, or, if you prefer, the “heavy tank destroyer Ferdinand”?

Undoubtedly, the creation of Ferdinand Porsche was a unique masterpiece of technical thought. The huge self-propelled guns used many technical solutions(unique chassis, combined power plant, BO location, etc.) that had no analogues in tank building. At the same time, numerous technical “highlights” of the project were poorly adapted for military use, and the phenomenal armor protection and powerful weapons were purchased at the expense of disgusting mobility, a small power reserve, the complexity of the vehicle in operation and the lack of a concept for using such equipment. This is all true, but this was not the reason for such a “fear” of Porsche’s creation that Soviet artillerymen and tankmen saw crowds of “Ferdinands” in almost every combat report, even after the Germans took all the surviving self-propelled guns from the eastern front to Italy and They did not participate on the Eastern Front until the battles in Poland.

Despite all its imperfections and “childhood illnesses,” the self-propelled gun “Ferdinand” turned out to be a terrible adversary. Her armor couldn't be penetrated. I just didn't get through. At all. Nothing. You can imagine what the Soviet tank crews and artillerymen felt and thought: you hit it, fire shell after shell, and it, as if under a spell, rushes and rushes at you.

Many modern researchers cite the lack of anti-personnel weapons of this self-propelled gun as the main reason for the unsuccessful debut of the Ferdinands. They say that the vehicle did not have machine guns and the self-propelled guns were helpless against the Soviet infantry. But if we analyze the reasons for the losses of the Ferdinand self-propelled guns, it becomes clear that the role of the infantry in the destruction of the Ferdinands was simply insignificant, the vast majority of the vehicles were blown up in minefields, and some were destroyed by artillery.

Thus, contrary to popular belief that in big losses on the Kursk Bulge of the Ferdinand self-propelled guns, V. Model is to blame, who allegedly “did not know” how to use them correctly, we can say that the main reasons for such high losses of these self-propelled guns were the tactically competent actions of the Soviet commanders, the steadfastness and bravery of our soldiers and officers, and also a bit of military luck.

Another reader will object, why are we not talking about the battles in Galicia, where slightly modernized “Elephants” took part since April 1944 (which were distinguished from the previous “Ferdinands” by minor improvements, such as a front-facing machine gun and a commander’s cupola)? We answer: because their fate there was no better. Until July, they, consolidated into the 653rd battalion, fought local battles. After the start of a major Soviet offensive, the battalion was sent to the aid of the German SS division Hohenstaufen, but ran into an ambush by Soviet tanks and anti-tank artillery and 19 vehicles were immediately destroyed. The remnants of the battalion (12 vehicles) were consolidated into the 614th separate heavy company, which took part in battles near Wünsdorf, Zossen and Berlin.

ACS number Nature of damage Cause of damage Note
731 Caterpillar destroyed Blown up by a mine Self-propelled gun repaired and sent to Moscow for an exhibition of captured property
522 The caterpillar was destroyed, the road wheels were damaged. It was blown up by a landmine, the fuel ignited. The vehicle burned down.
523 Caterpillar destroyed, road wheels damaged Blown up by a landmine, set on fire by the crew Vehicle burned down
734 The lower branch of the caterpillar was destroyed. It was blown up by a land mine, the fuel ignited. The car burned out.
II-02 The right track was torn off, the road wheels were destroyed. Blown up by a mine, set on fire by a COP bottle. The vehicle burned down.
I-02 The left track was torn off, the road wheel was destroyed. It was blown up by a mine and set on fire. The vehicle burned down.
514 The caterpillar was destroyed, the road wheel was damaged. It was blown up by a mine, set on fire. The car burned down.
502 Sloth torn off Blown up by a land mine The vehicle was tested by shelling
501 Track torn off Blown up by a mine The vehicle was repaired and delivered to the NIBT training ground
712 The right drive wheel was destroyed. Hit by a shell. The crew abandoned the vehicle. The fire has been extinguished
732 The third carriage was destroyed. Hit by a shell and set fire to a KS bottle. The car burned down.
524 Caterpillar torn Blown up by a mine, set on fire Vehicle burnt out
II-03 Caterpillar destroyed Projectile hit, set on fire with a KS bottle Vehicle burned down
113 or 713 Both sloths destroyed Projectile hits. The gun was set on fire. The car burned down.
601 The right track was destroyed. Shell hit, the gun was set on fire from the outside. The vehicle burned down.
701 The fighting compartment was destroyed by a 203 mm shell hitting the commander's hatch -
602 Hole in the left side of the gas tank 76-mm shell from a tank or divisional gun Vehicle burned out
II-01 Gun burned out Set on fire with a COP bottle Vehicle burned out
150061 The sloth and caterpillar were destroyed, the gun barrel was shot through. Projectile hits in the chassis and gun. The crew was captured.
723 The caterpillar is destroyed, the gun is jammed. Projectile hits in the chassis and mantlet -
? Complete destruction Direct hit from Petlyakov bomber

Ferdinand - German heavy self-propelled artillery unit of the World War II class of tank destroyers. Also called "Elephant" - elephant. The self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" was developed in 1942-1943, being largely an improvisation based on the chassis of a heavy weapon that was not accepted for service. Tiger tank(P) Designer development Ferdinand Porsche.

Well, in the game Ferdinand or “Fedya” for a long time was a Terrible Anti-Tank Sau of the VIII level, but with the advent of new tank destroyers and the emergence of alternatives in the development of JPanter ll, it lost its former greatness, as well as with the advent of gold shells for silver, Ferdinand’s Armor has lost its former power and depends on the greed of the enemy.

Tank characteristicsFerdinand

Let's start with performance characteristics

Our gun is from Maus, but it’s more accurate and fires a whole shot per minute faster at level 8—it’s not “Khukhry-Mukhra.”

So we have Good DPM with excellent accuracy, One-shot damage and decent armor.

The NLD, like all tanks, is completely worthless, 20 mm penetrates even the MS-1, our hull is from Tigr(p) and has 200 mm in the forehead and 80 mm in the cheeks, which is not very good. Good and spoils the whole “Malina”. The armor in the wheelhouse is simply Excellent - 300mm, which not everyone can penetrate even Level 10 with Basic shells. There are no corners in the wheelhouse, so every GOLD flies in at once without leaving the slightest chance of a ricochet.

But Ferdinand means that a German tank, in order to use the German diamond, with the proper dexterity, can be turned by the enemy a little on the side, so to speak, enticing the enemy to shoot at the side of the wheelhouse, which is to our advantage, but because the corners are in the sides cuts almost reach 40°, and in a diamond they give 100% rebound, and if you don’t have this “Dexterity,” then “Fedya” will definitely teach you, because there’s no way.

Therefore, you need to look for folds in the terrain that will hide your Corps and one Cabin.
On open maps, excellent accuracy will allow you to shoot from Invis (outside the enemy's Circle of View).
The direction should be chosen carefully, our tank is deprived of speed qualities and changing the flank will be very problematic.

Equipment and crew on Ferdinand

It is necessary to install the Rammer, which will add DPM to the tank from 2620 to 2920 Damage per Minute.

The crew should pump out the Light Bulb and repairs first, and the Combat Brotherhood second, which will increase all the characteristics of the tank, namely accuracy and DPM (up to 3050xp)

If you want to Fully overclock this tank Extra. If you drink, then I categorically do not recommend doing this, because the “Fedya” engine is in the front and works like everyone else German tanks, on Gasoline, which have an increased chance of fire, namely 15%.

So, yes, the Tank is outdated against the backdrop of new tanks and the Arms Race, but some tank destroyers can still envy its gun, let me remind you, From Mouse, and on the Internet it still shows sky-high results, THEREFORE, Yes, it's old, but it's not at all useless.