Top Tiger I tank of all time

See below ..... Wittman's last.

In the book "Aces of the Reich" by Gordan Williamson, it claims Michael Witmman as the greatest tank ace in history, so if you are looking for a specific individual tank to model, one of his would be the way to go. Reading through the few pages devoted to him, there are two anecdotes pertaining to his exploits. During the Kursk campaign in 1943, he had bagged 30 russian tanks and 28 guns. At that time he was with 13(schwere) Kompanie of SS Panzer Regiment 1. The other of course is his famous stint at Villars-Bocage on 13th june, 1944.
Another route to go is looking at unit histories for the heavy tank battalions, like this for example: http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/4635/battles/spzabt/spzabt.htm

Thanks jgeratic. Wittman it is then. but that opens another can of worms. In one FSM issue, a 1/25 Tiger I of Wittman was featured but it had the number 200 on its turret. On the Achtung Panzer site the turret number was 007. I guess its to naive to think he had the same tank all throughout. But which one was at Villers-Bocage?

While I'm in the neighborhood, for the allies, who was the top tank ace and what was his tank?

Both numbers are correct ... at Villers-Bocage Wittmann was commander of the 2nd company of the 101st Heavy Tank battalion. His personal tank would have borne the number 200, the '0' indicating that it belonged to HQ of 2nd company. After his succesful outing in the town, his small force was ambushed and his tank was disabled, but both he and crew escaped on foot. Turret number 007, as shown in the above photo posted by Shermanfreak, was Wittmann's final command. Eye witness accounts state that he had already destroyed two Shermans and disabled a third when his Tiger took the full impact of five Shermans firing from three sides. These Shermans belonged to the Canadian 4th Armoured Division.

Michael Wittmann is was the highest scoring tank ace
if you get the Tamiya early Tiger 1 (the grey one) there are the decals for the one he used on the russian front, with 88 kill rings around the barrel
Otto Carius went onto Jagdtigers at the end of the war (if you want to do one of his tanks)

QUOTE: Originally posted by Maxwell Jan R. Alvarez While I'm in the neighborhood, for the allies, who was the top tank ace and what was his tank?

An excellent question, and one not often asked, because of all of the mythologizing of the German tanks and tankers. Sadly, I don't know, and the only one I ever recall being described as an ace was the Soviet tanker Kolobanov, who cut his teeth in the KV-1.

maybe the top US tanker
"Maj Creighton Abrams was probably one of the American tankers during the war " Steven J Zaloga the M4 Sherman at war. (well they did name a tank after him)
im going to have a look for more

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I'm finished with the basic model (zimmerit included) and Im going to use Wittman's Tiger 200 as the basic plan for painting and when I'm done I'll set it beside a Cromwell on my shelf. Again, many thanks!

A little late but Schiffer publications has a book entitled "Tiger Ace" it is about Wittman's career. It has pretty good photos of Wittman's Tigers and his Sturmgeschutz.

From info i've located Wittman's tiger had the unit markings on the right front of the hull other Co's had the markings on the left. I still belive a britsh typhoon fighter/bomber did Wittman in with a rocket hit not a firefly or the 5 shermans of the Canadian forces.

Rumours abound about the final destruction of Wittman's Tiger 007. I recently read an article in regards to this and the Typhoon strike was totally discounted. So too was the destruction of his tank by the 5 Canadian Shermans. A very well documented case goes to it being hit by a shot from a Sherman Firefly of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry. According to the records, Wittman's Tiger was hit from behind with a single shot from a 17 pounder that penetrated and ignited the ammo stored in the Tiger. The Firefly was one of the few Sherman variants that packed enough punch to do this. But I suppose the debate will go on and on.

My info says that a Northamptonshire Yeomanry Firefly brewed up Wittmann's Tiger at a range of 800m. He was firing on the Canadians on his left and believed the British on his right were no threat at that range (he didn't know they had a firefly). There is no mention of any aircraft at all.

The book is "Hitler's Enforcers" by James Lucas.

From what I understand ( have read) he (Wittman) got caught in one of the carpet bombing raids carried out by the amis in the breakout from the bocage. I belive they found his remains a couple of years ago, inside his tank. Was buried by the side of a road that was (is) being expanded.
Shermanfreak, nice pic along with your post, but the reverse was more often the case..lol . You mentioned the hetzer up at bordon in another post have seen it, looks great along with all the other stuff they have there.

Eddy

its been proved that Wittman was not hit by an aircraft but by a firefly from the Northamptonshire Yeomanry

Eddy - see that it's your first post .... welcome to FSM. Thanks for the compliment on my tag and unfortunately you are far too right about it not happening too often. From what I understand, the story about Wittman being taken out by an aircraft strike was from the German sources at the time. It wouldn't have looked good to have your Top Gun getting blasted to bits by a lowly Sherman but the records of the time seems to point to exactly that. Also you are correct about him and his crew being disinterred because of a road being widened, but that was were they buried at the time, not their Tiger. They were re-interred in a graveyard close to the site.

One of the worst military history books ever written. Steer clear. Poor grammar throughout. What're the most galling are the "thoughts of Wittman" as he goes about various situations. If you want to write historical fiction, by all means. But to pass this off as solid reference is ridiculous. One of Schiffer's early embarrassments.

The highest scoring German Tank Ace of WW2 was Kurt knispel. He was credeted with 168 confimed kills. Many of his comrades said he should have been credited witha much higher score, somewhere near the 200 mark. It is said that he was often over looked because he was in the German Army and not the SS. Also for a long time he was a gunner noit a Tank commander.

Whichever way you look at it he scored more kills than Carius and Wittmann and should be accorded the accolades due him for his excelllence wit ha Tank. Also Carius had more kills than Wittmann, he was credited with 150 enemy tanks destroyed, and finished the war in command of a JadgTiger.

The best book on Wittmann is "Michael Wittmann and teh Tiger Commands of the Liebstandarte" by Patrick Agte, as long as the "bombastic" nature of the writing doesn't get to you.

Later
Hawkeye

Kurt Knispel was vary unlucky he was KIA on 29th April 1945 (one week before wars end) with 162 kills
http://www.nosenseofplace.com/2002_12_01_arkivindex.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/did.panzer/Les_As.html