Against each other
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The first thing that comes to mind is to mentally place the tanks being compared on a certain surface devoid of vegetation, dirt and bumps and imagine how the battle would have gone. And here it all depends not only on the model of the tank, but also on the month of release. So, the Tiger’s forehead made its way through a 122-mm IS-2 gun from a distance of 1000 meters, while the Soviet heavy tank ceased to keep impact only at 600-700 meters. It seems to be an advantage of the IS-2.
On the other hand, the Royal Tiger, which went into production in March 1944, already had thicker armor and a powerful gun - the caliber remained the same, but the projectile’s flight speed increased. She pierced the forehead of the IS-2 from several kilometers. The indicator varied depending on the angle of impact: with a favorable angle - from 0 to 30 degrees - the IS crew could be lucky, but there was no reason to rely on it.
Production of IS-2 in Chelyabinsk (waralbum.ru) Production of IS-2 in Chelyabinsk (waralbum.ru)
The “Royal Tiger” itself could be destroyed “in the forehead” by a 122-mm IS-2 gun from a relatively short distance of 500-600 meters. True, this applied only to early cars. By the fall of 1944, the Germans had lost enough territory to feel the lack of manganese, an essential component in creating armor. So its quality has fallen sharply, and the fight with the Royal Tigers has become much easier.
But the Tigers won in terms of rate of fire. 7.5 rounds per minute versus 2.5 ISa was a very serious advantage. Like the ballistics of 88-mm guns, coupled with high-quality sights, which ensured high firing accuracy - which means a high chance of a first hit.
IS-2s are sent to the front on railway platforms. And for this, the Tigers had to change tracks (waralbum.ru) IS-2s are sent to the front on railway platforms. And the Tigers had to change tracks for this (waralbum.ru)
Real fight
It would seem that by the combination of characteristics on paper, plus or minus a draw with a slight advantage on the side of the Tigers. But everything breaks down into one caveat: a meeting with each other is not even five or ten percent in the life of heavy tanks. There are about a dozen documented clashes between the Tigers and IS-2 during the entire war - which, by the standards of the war, is even less than a grain of sand in the sea. The overwhelming majority of both the Tigers and the ISs did not even see each other in battle!
This means that it is necessary to compare tanks for their suitability for combined arms combat - after all, “pure” tank duels without the influence of other military branches are extremely rare.
Tigers in the Alps (www.tiif.de) Tigers in the Alps (www.tiif.de)
First, let us turn to the Tiger, which entered the battlefield in commodity quantities in 1943, and was needed as a major offensive weapon. It required a combination of two things - strong armor capable of withstanding shelling from anti-tank guns, and a powerful weapon. The first "Tiger" was. The second, it would seem, too, but only for that very 1943th year.
When the next year the Russian tank went into production, the superiority in armament was lost. 122-mm shell IS-2 had a much greater explosive effect and the radius of expansion of the fragments. The Soviet tank was just perfect for offensive and direct fire - it was easier to destroy anti-tank guns or firing points interfering with the advancement of its infantry.
IS-2 in East Prussia, 1945 (waralbum.ru) IS-2 in East Prussia, 1945 (waralbum.ru) |
IS-2 near Berlin, 1945 (berlin70.aif.ru) IS-2 near Berlin, 1945 (berlin70.aif.ru) |
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The IS-2 was also good during the storming of cities - which became especially important when entering highly urbanized Europe. Contrary to myths, a tank in the city was not just a big target - when used correctly, it saved many lives and saved time. During actions in dense buildings, ISs were always covered by infantry, so that the enemy could not use the relative "blindness" of the tankmen and did not shoot aboard from the "Faustpatron".
And in order to shell all the houses ahead, the tankers used the herringbone scheme. Two ISs were huddled to opposite sides of the street - each gun looked at the opposite side, which increased the firing sectors. If someone leaned out of the window - and a 122-mm HE shell would immediately fly in his direction. And to meet the IS-2 large house, turned by the enemy into a fortress - it could be destroyed much easier than with any other tank.
Tigers on the Eastern Front (waralbum.ru) Tigers on the Eastern Front (waralbum.ru)
The Royal Tiger, damaged by Soviet attack aircraft, East Prussia, 1945 (waralbum.ru) The Royal Tiger, damaged by Soviet attack aircraft, East Prussia, 1945 (waralbum.ru) |
Padded “Royal Tiger” on the street of a Belgian town, 1944 (waralbum.ru) Padded “Royal Tiger” on the street of a Belgian town, 1944 (waralbum.ru) |
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The 88mm Tigers were far less suitable for this purpose. This has already been verified in Stalingrad. When the Soviet soldiers settled in a large elevator, a German infantry officer requested support for the nearby 88-mm anti-aircraft guns - they were taken as the basis for the development of tank guns for the Tigers. 50 shots were fired, which ended in nothing - the wall did not collapse, and the Russians continued to shoot.
True, by 1944 something happened that leveled the weak high-explosive action of the "tiger" guns. The Germans went on the defensive, and the need to destroy enemy fortifications with direct fire quickly became irrelevant for them. And then the Tigers came in handy. Ideal for fighting large groups of attacking Shermans or T-34s, they began to be used as the backbone of anti-tank defense.
And again, almost a draw - the final period of the war was such that the Tigers and IS-2 were in their place. Some tried to restrain the advance of the enemy, while others carried it out exemplary. But there is one more parameter, and for our comparison it is key.
The Tiger in Western Ukraine, 1944 (blogauteur.typepad.fr) The Tiger in Western Ukraine, 1944 (blogauteur.typepad.fr)
Out of combat
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To make its contribution to the battlefield, the tank must first reach it. And then the Tiger began to have serious problems. Firstly, the tank turned out to be so wide that it was difficult to transport it by rail - it simply did not pass into some tunnels. To this end, narrower, “transport” tracks were attached to each Tiger. Before loading the train, the outer row of rollers was removed from the tank, these tracks were put on, and he climbed onto the platform. Upon arriving at the place, the Tiger moved back, and the manipulations were repeated in the opposite direction.
“Tiger” weighed 57 tons, and “Royal” - all 70. This created a serious burden on the transmission, which as a result was not famous for reliability. In addition, the weight of the tanks limited the number of bridges through which they could pass - some simply collapsed. And new tanks showed excellent appetite, eating at least 6 liters of gasoline per kilometer. With the IS-2, in this respect it was easier - with its weight of 46 tons, it was lighter than some modifications of the old KV-1 heavy tank, without presenting anything fundamentally new for logistics services.
"Tiger" on the Eastern Front (waralbum.ru) "Tiger" on the Eastern Front (waralbum.ru)
The situation with industrial production was even more serious. The Tigers were complex and time-consuming - one tank cost 80, 000 Reichsmarks, like four Messerschmitt fighters. While the production technology of the IS-2 was so well developed by the end of the war that it cost only a quarter more than the average T-34-85 tank. Therefore, the "Tigers" and the "Royal Tigers" and released only 2, 000 pieces, while the IS-2 - 3, 000. Despite the fact that the Germans began to do more than a year earlier.