I doubt the Germans even thought they'd fool anyone at close range in broad daylight. But at a distance it is definitely a good enough disguise to really give an Allied tank crew second thoughts, at least, before opening fire. Actually, I think it's a quite aesthetically good looking "little" tonk. That over hang, tho. She thicc, boy. My brain nearly exploded by the time I got to the end of the video and he called it a "Ponther" for the hundredth time.
Nope, not going to fool anyone in broad daylight but in the middle of the night and in a snowstorm might be good enough to confuse things just long enough to get the first two shots in. Also might have been able to fool Air to Ground P47 doing a fighter sweep
These would have been more useful as a long range ambush unit. "Hey look our guys are over there, they have our back covered" sort of deal. Then it might have stood up to cursory scrutiny at 500m.
What he does not seem to acknowledge is that most of the soldiers do not know how tanks look let alone other specific things only the mechanics and other tank crews can actually know things thatare off about it, random patrol will most likley pass it off. With knowlage we have today its easy to dismiss it but keep in mind that back then most of the soldiers where just probably eather farmers or something other before getting drafted and have probably not seen a tank before
@@izma7704 Yes, they're not tank experts but it's an insult to their intelligence if you think they wouldn't realize the morbidly obese M10 with an obviously German overlapping roadwheels suspension system, turret hatches, and a weird cut out behind it's turret is not on their side. One important thing not mentioned in the video is that the existence of Ersatz M10's have already been exposed by captured German soldiers, so literally everyone knew to look out for these things and even the most uneducated farmer would be able to identify them.
It still looks surprisingly like an M10 and the disguise techniques are very clever, but I feel its better as a Panther cosplaying as an M10 or a movie prop than an actual disguise tactic
My existence is an endless cycle of pain and illegal by international law so it's real nice to see people making videos about it so no other tank have to suffer such fate.
The Germans tried to capture American m10s and other American armored vehicles for this mission but got very few. This is why they did this last minute conversion. The idea of Fake American soldiers behind allied lines scared the British and Americans to death though but that didn't last long.
Love the video format. And I like how the Ersatz M10 looks like. Sadly the only way I can get one is by builing one from a model kit (which I'm planning to get but I fear it might be a bit expensive). Or have a stroke of luck which combines one decade of my luck into one chest opening to get it in War thunder for practically free but unfortunately that'll never happen
If they changed the fenders, lights, muzzle brake, and the MG cover was on, maybe this thing COULD be kinda convincing if you were looking at it from like a mile or so away or longer but no they just put no effort into it If I was going to try to make a German tank look like an allied tank my best guess would be to take a panzer 4 to look like a Cromwell. Obviously the suspension is nothing alike but the front hull is vaguely similar and the gun is similar. The add-on metal sheets to resemble a Cromwell could be divided together to give the appearance of a Cromwell too and make it easier to build
I think the Germans were intelligent enough to realize the striking differences as pointed out in the video. My guess is they were hoping that, at first glance, they were disguised just enough to cause hesitation at the point of defensive penetration. Thereby getting up closer to deliver decisive first rounds into the confused enemy positions. I doubt the Germans we’re figuring to form up or blend into any routine enemy armored columns of Shermans and half tracks full of infantry , or they’d go unnoticed pulling up to the battalion mess tent; park, and sneak into the chow lines for a quick meal. The same German “Special Armored Operations” outfit were also given a number of Sturmgeschutz Mk. III Tracked Motorized Assault Guns and attempted to disguise them, in theory, as either U.S. M7 Priest Self-Propelled Howitzers or U.S. M8 Scott Gun Motor Carriages. The disguised Stug III’s looked even more stupid than the attempt to disguise their Mk. 5’s as described in this video. The reality was those Stug III’s were all immediately knocked out; fooling nobody along the front line or simply abandoned by their crews at the first sign of mission failure.
Kind of surprising that ze Germans never considered hiding the commander's cupola with fold down breastwork. Would have disguised the hatches too... even if the resulting vehicle would've looked like a dlightly vertically stretched M10 😂
M10s were captured only in very small quantities and most of those were captured during the Italian campaign. Even if they had a couple of M10s they were likely beyond repair or simply lacked the parts to fix them as no M10s were seemingly pressed into service by the Germans around that time.
The suspension and the hatches and the back aren’t really important because it’s for long range combat at 650 yards you can’t really tell the panther is for long range not short
The Panther ausf. F could have been a significant improvement to the Panther program as it would have reduced production costs by a respectable margin, while not sacrificing protection or firepower. Like many other programs that could have benefitted the Wehrmacht it was realized far too late.
Im not a huge fan of this framing of them. theres many reasons this idea was flawed and failed but this video kinda outlines issues that arent as big as shown. These weren't meant to clear check points. they were intended to skirt past flank guarding units that might see the vehicles silhouette from across a field. Ide also argue that given ever american tanker and infanteer was IDing every german tank they saw as a "Tiger" I dont think the Troops would even be able to tell it was a panther and from the intended distance only those with binos would even be able to see the details and they would need to do more then a cursory glance at the details.
The problem is even at a distance some of the features I pointed out could still be spotted such as the prominent muzzle brake. I do see what you are pointing out though and the Germans may have been banking on the fact that many of the Americans in that particular area were either green recruits or were already battle weary.
@@tablesizeproductions4360 again that's assuming vets could even id the tank. Look at the number of "tigers" the us encountered. Add in the fact this was a vehicle meant to travel at range. Also I can't confirm this bust wasn't the muzzle removed when they were travelling as these tanks were actually intended to fight disguised but to regroup in enemy lines and cover the stars with German crosses etc
A ambush vehicle when American Sherman's come into contact with this tank & from the air allied ground attack aircraft will think it's an American tank..........all this from a distance!
I doubt the Germans even thought they'd fool anyone at close range in broad daylight. But at a distance it is definitely a good enough disguise to really give an Allied tank crew second thoughts, at least, before opening fire. Actually, I think it's a quite aesthetically good looking "little" tonk. That over hang, tho. She thicc, boy. My brain nearly exploded by the time I got to the end of the video and he called it a "Ponther" for the hundredth time.
Nope, not going to fool anyone in broad daylight but in the middle of the night and in a snowstorm might be good enough to confuse things just long enough to get the first two shots in.
Also might have been able to fool Air to Ground P47 doing a fighter sweep
These would have been more useful as a long range ambush unit. "Hey look our guys are over there, they have our back covered" sort of deal. Then it might have stood up to cursory scrutiny at 500m.
That makes a lot of sense because at close range these were comically easy to spot.
It looks a lot like an m10, if you haven't really seen one
What he does not seem to acknowledge is that most of the soldiers do not know how tanks look let alone other specific things only the mechanics and other tank crews can actually know things thatare off about it, random patrol will most likley pass it off. With knowlage we have today its easy to dismiss it but keep in mind that back then most of the soldiers where just probably eather farmers or something other before getting drafted and have probably not seen a tank before
@@izma7704 Yes, they're not tank experts but it's an insult to their intelligence if you think they wouldn't realize the morbidly obese M10 with an obviously German overlapping roadwheels suspension system, turret hatches, and a weird cut out behind it's turret is not on their side. One important thing not mentioned in the video is that the existence of Ersatz M10's have already been exposed by captured German soldiers, so literally everyone knew to look out for these things and even the most uneducated farmer would be able to identify them.
Considering I'm inventing the world an I've never seen one. Probably like the human clones I summon. It doesn't even exist till I see one
Pz. V hits a mine:
"We knocked out a Mk VI tank!"
To be fair, Panther came after the Tiger, so it's technically the 6th mainline German tank. Also, for Yanks, every tank was a Tiger.
It still looks surprisingly like an M10 and the disguise techniques are very clever, but I feel its better as a Panther cosplaying as an M10 or a movie prop than an actual disguise tactic
Yeah but after close inspection you can tell the difference.
My existence is an endless cycle of pain and illegal by international law so it's real nice to see people making videos about it so no other tank have to suffer such fate.
You have my dearest sympathy. I am glad I could help raise awareness so no other tanks will have to go through such a heartbreaking experience.
Damn, Jimmy you lookin' extra thick! Also what's up with the German accent?
This gives the phrase: Task Failed Successfuly a whole new meaning 😂
It really did have “sus”-pension
I love this comment soo much. 😂
If you remove the american markings you could convince someone who never saw it before it's the panther 2
I sure love German tank design.
The Germans tried to capture American m10s and other American armored vehicles for this mission but got very few. This is why they did this last minute conversion. The idea of Fake American soldiers behind allied lines scared the British and Americans to death though but that didn't last long.
8:58 Looks like a cute baby T28 Superheavy
Form a far distance you wouldn’t really see the difference
True. That's probably the only way it truly could have been effective.
Love the video format. And I like how the Ersatz M10 looks like. Sadly the only way I can get one is by builing one from a model kit (which I'm planning to get but I fear it might be a bit expensive). Or have a stroke of luck which combines one decade of my luck into one chest opening to get it in War thunder for practically free but unfortunately that'll never happen
Ah, yes, German engineering
also this video is awesome, how does it only have 1859 views?
If they changed the fenders, lights, muzzle brake, and the MG cover was on, maybe this thing COULD be kinda convincing if you were looking at it from like a mile or so away or longer but no they just put no effort into it
If I was going to try to make a German tank look like an allied tank my best guess would be to take a panzer 4 to look like a Cromwell. Obviously the suspension is nothing alike but the front hull is vaguely similar and the gun is similar. The add-on metal sheets to resemble a Cromwell could be divided together to give the appearance of a Cromwell too and make it easier to build
"ponther".... oh lord
What game he's using for the video?
Counting on bad wether, thos panters were put behind reat US vehicles.
Gude punkt
I think the Germans were intelligent enough to realize the striking differences as pointed out in the video.
My guess is they were hoping that, at first glance, they were disguised just enough to cause hesitation at the point of defensive penetration. Thereby getting up closer to deliver decisive first rounds into the confused enemy positions.
I doubt the Germans we’re figuring to form up or blend into any routine enemy armored columns of Shermans and half tracks full of infantry , or they’d go unnoticed pulling up to the battalion mess tent; park, and sneak into the chow lines for a quick meal.
The same German “Special Armored Operations” outfit were also given a number of Sturmgeschutz Mk. III Tracked Motorized Assault Guns and attempted to disguise them, in theory, as either U.S. M7 Priest Self-Propelled Howitzers or U.S. M8 Scott Gun Motor Carriages.
The disguised Stug III’s looked even more stupid than the attempt to disguise their Mk. 5’s as described in this video.
The reality was those Stug III’s were all immediately knocked out; fooling nobody along the front line or simply abandoned by their crews at the first sign of mission failure.
I think the worst part with the Ersatz StuGs is that they looked like more like a miniaturized T95 Super Heavy than an M7 Priest or M8 Scott.
@@tablesizeproductions4360 - Yeah, they certainly did look similar to shrunken T95’s 🤣
so it would be easier to go the other way disguise an m10 to look like a panther
I guess it could not keep the suspension.....of disbelief
Kind of surprising that ze Germans never considered hiding the commander's cupola with fold down breastwork.
Would have disguised the hatches too... even if the resulting vehicle would've looked like a dlightly vertically stretched M10 😂
WoTb: Hello, i stole this
couldn' they've used captured m10s?
I don't think there was even any captured M10's
M10s were captured only in very small quantities and most of those were captured during the Italian campaign. Even if they had a couple of M10s they were likely beyond repair or simply lacked the parts to fix them as no M10s were seemingly pressed into service by the Germans around that time.
These are not used in close ranges. They were used at longer ranges, at 500m or more it would be difficult to know what it actually was.
The suspension and the hatches and the back aren’t really important because it’s for long range combat at 650 yards you can’t really tell the panther is for long range not short
They could've just put markings on it and pretended it was a German tank captured by the allies
Really Nice! What do you say about the Panther F? Thanks!
The Panther ausf. F could have been a significant improvement to the Panther program as it would have reduced production costs by a respectable margin, while not sacrificing protection or firepower. Like many other programs that could have benefitted the Wehrmacht it was realized far too late.
Excellent video. Lots of Information.
it seems it was enough :D
what game dis
Looks like modded Men Of War Assault Squad 2, although I don’t know the mod
Very funny video and informative lol
what's the game used?
It's Men Of War Assault Squad 2. As for the mod it is not public and never will be as it basically makes the game unplayable.
lol
Im not a huge fan of this framing of them. theres many reasons this idea was flawed and failed but this video kinda outlines issues that arent as big as shown.
These weren't meant to clear check points. they were intended to skirt past flank guarding units that might see the vehicles silhouette from across a field. Ide also argue that given ever american tanker and infanteer was IDing every german tank they saw as a "Tiger" I dont think the Troops would even be able to tell it was a panther and from the intended distance only those with binos would even be able to see the details and they would need to do more then a cursory glance at the details.
The problem is even at a distance some of the features I pointed out could still be spotted such as the prominent muzzle brake. I do see what you are pointing out though and the Germans may have been banking on the fact that many of the Americans in that particular area were either green recruits or were already battle weary.
@@tablesizeproductions4360 again that's assuming vets could even id the tank. Look at the number of "tigers" the us encountered. Add in the fact this was a vehicle meant to travel at range. Also I can't confirm this bust wasn't the muzzle removed when they were travelling as these tanks were actually intended to fight disguised but to regroup in enemy lines and cover the stars with German crosses etc
A ambush vehicle when American Sherman's come into contact with this tank & from the air allied ground attack aircraft will think it's an American tank..........all this from a distance!