And again....as I have said in other threads....even though I appriciate the sacrifice and valor of those on the ground, World War II (both PTO and ETO) was really won in the air. Without the air attacks of B-27s, 29s, Thunderbolts, and the protection of planes like the P-51 we would have had a much more difficult (but not nescessarily impossible) war on the ground.

I still like to build armor more though.

Jim

greg, i see you missed my point. what you said is obvious to anyone who knows history. what i said and i re-iterate is: that if Wittmann had the support that the allies had, the germans would have pushed the allies back into the sea. ALSO, the germans were NOT supermen, just very good soldiers who were well lead. i do see the people who answered this thread as missing the main point, i wanted to know what people THOUGHT of Obersturmfuhrer Michel Wittmann and that is all.
thank you, chris

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greg, i see you missed my point. what you said is obvious to anyone who knows history. what i said and i re-iterate is: that if Wittmann had the support that the allies had, the germans would have pushed the allies back into the sea. ALSO, the germans were NOT supermen, just very good soldiers who were well lead. i do see the people who answered this thread as missing the main point, i wanted to know what people THOUGHT of Obersturmfuhrer Michel Wittmann and that is all.
thank you, chris

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thats what i love about this site,its a great place for historical research

Pak, this is what you can expect on any forum where not only are there good modelers
but good modelers who have done years of historical research on W.W.II.
A very simple opiniated statement like you made about your hero, will generate
a lot of controversy. Especially where you have a bunch of good ole Patriotic Americans
who knew we won the war by good courageous Soldiers & Commanders who were more than capable of defeating Nazi Germany.
Do you actually think if your Wittman and his lunatic, coward commanders like Hitler, Goring
Himmler, even Jocheim Peiper ( though he was a great Tanker but was full of Hitler beliefs and a murderer of American POW's ) won the war that they
would have let us Americans enjoy all our freedoms & go on living as we do ?
Do you think we would of been building models & posting messages on model forums ?
Think about it. The world would have been a very different and miserable place to be
born if that Nazi Regime and dreams of "A Thousand Year Riech" had succeeded.
You and I ( if ever even born ) would of been slave boys and inferiors to the Arian Race of Nazi Supremecy ! - So I say to you think about that.
As to your original question: Michael Wittman was a brilliant Tank Commander. Also a loyal, brave, courageous soldier. But was he the best ? - That is very arguable, and will be forever in military history....................
- ralph

i would like to state (in my humble opinion) that Obersturmfuhrer Wittmann was the finest tank commander of WWll. proof: 138 tanks and 132 anti-tank guns destroyed.

"Ob Sturm oder Schneit...................

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i would like to state (in my humble opinion) that Obersturmfuhrer Wittmann was the finest tank commander of WWll. proof: 138 tanks and 132 anti-tank guns destroyed.

"Ob Sturm oder Schneit...................

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Ithink this is what started the debate
Arthur
AmAlba Mannich #:-)

americans also shot german pow's.

Chris...dont apologise my friend,its a good debate
Arthur
Am Alba Mannich :-)

Can't argue with that.

Out of curiosity, were all 258 enemy vehicles shooting back at him and not lined up in a row? Were these direct engagements with armed and fueled targets?
Assuming he fought every single day of those 80 days, that means he directly engaged approx. 4 superior vehicles @ day, and destroyed them. And this guy never got a MOH?

Tread.

I would love to know the details of his record.

3 tanks shot out from under him & his crew huh? Didn't he lose one almost before he cleared the beach?