first off, this thread will contain minor spoilers but only for review of how a Sherman tank or Tiger tank would have performed/most likely been effected. if you haven't seen the movie but been on the fence then please, by all means, go watch it. as someone who judges how i like a war movie by its combat accuracy i was not disappointed.
second, while i may be fanatic about WWII armor/aviation i am in no way any authority on the subject.
so the set up, which is fairly important for accuracy, is April 1945.
our main tank, commanded by Don "War Daddy" Collier (Brad Pitt) was a M4 Sherman with what appeared to be a 76MM high velocity cannon.
accurate. this variation of the Sherman only saw production after early/mid 1944 and on and honestly, this was one the biggest peeves for me. i saw a 76MM Sherman in the trailer without knowing the year it was set and was off put from jump street.
here it sits, in all its democratic glory
in the beginning of the movie, 4 Sherman's are driving in a column when enemy infantry runs from the woods and blasts the lead Sherman in the side with a Panzerfaust seen below
the lead Sherman in the column promptly ignites in a blaze and burns everyone alive.
this is also accurate. the Sherman tank was equipped with a gasoline engine which had a high tendency to light up due to bad ammo storage placement when beginning hit. the German tankers nicknamed the American Sherman as a "Tommy Cooker". for this reason.
later in the movie, our Sherman hero's come across a lone Henschel Model Tiger I seen below. isn't she gorgeous...
3 Shermans pop smoke to blind him and then rush him. the Tiger emerges from the smoke and destroys 2 Shermans with two direct impacts from 500 or so feet it seemed. no more than 1000.
this is accurate. the 88MM equipped Tiger I was able to destroy tanks from over 2 miles. now i will say i didn't understand why the Shermans smoked the Tiger before bum rushing him and the Tiger decided to rush out from behind cove rather than let the Shermans rush and sit in cover. now, i get wanting to try and pop the Shermans because that's a one hit kill with an 88MM but i guess the tactic is debatable. i wouldn't have left cover and gave up my booty in open terrain which is why this next part is important.
to damage and destroy the Tiger, our heroes use their speed to get behind him and put 2 rounds in his booty and set it ablaze.
accurate. the Tiger's only weak spot, and one of the few spots of penetration, was the rear where the armor was thinner and had a lower angle slope and one of the Sherman Tanks only advantage, beyond it's sheer number's of mass production, was it's speed and mobility.
another debate - was it better than Saving Private Ryan? in my opinion, no. while the action is comparable, the story lacks which is what made Saving Private Ryan such an amazing and well rounded, near unbeatable, WWII Hollywood movie.
but everyone should watch this movie.
it's not a remake.
it's not a superhero movie.
its not a bro comedy.
it is, however, everything that represents Murica... bad ass mother fuckers blowin shit up in bad ass mother fuckin tools of freedom.
Murica.
Reply With Quote
