In late 1944 and early 1945, as the Germans were continually pushed back towards their own homes by the Russians, vicious city combat erupted as the Nazis tried to forestall their inevitable downfall. In the spring of 1945, a battle for the town of Fernneuendorf was fought between Zhukov's Soviet forces and Panzer-Abteilung Kummersdorf, the experimental army tank group stationed at the famed German proving grounds nearby. The battle received little attention as German communications had been cut and the Russians were crushed without a chance to get reports out, but recently, photos of the battle have been found and are now available to see here. Conclusive visual proof of the use of the two Maus tank prototypes in action including a formerly unknown field modification for flamethrower armament, as well as combat images of the ME-262 and Sturmtiger demolition tank in action are now shown here. In the battle, German defenders of the town took up defensive positions. Fallschirmjaeger reinforcements helped the defenders. The Russians began their attack with air strikes, which the Germans fought off with some losses to tanks and aircraft. The ME-262 jet fighters proved to be the saviors in the air. After fighting off Russian infantry (most of the Russian tanks had been diverted northwards towards Berlin) the Germans brought up their heaviest armor - the Maus tanks, and counterattacked with them, several Tigers, three Sturmtigers, and a number of Panzer IVs.
Also, for those of you interested in WWII strategy, tactics and tanks,Biohazard has recently finished a research paper on American tank and tank destroyer doctrine in WWII, as well as the effects of this doctrine on how Americans designed and used their armor. The paper can be downloaded in this forum link: http://www.derelicts...showtopic=10174
