The Black Baron: The Story Of Hitler's Most Dangerous Ace | Battlefield Mysteries | Timeline

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

One of the things that gets left out of the Wittman legend - is that he had a really good gunner. I would say that one of the major reasons for Wittman's success - was the skill of that gunner. .

[@chriskingston4270]

Bobby Voll

[@joespeciale5875]

Which, Wittman being a senior tank commander, probably was able to select the best crewmen for his team.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

@@joespeciale5875 I don't remember. The biography I read on Wittman was ... some time ago so I don't remember the details of his career. I do however remember the skill of Voll. That guy was really good. .

[@tedillg1364]

@@joespeciale5875 Voll und Wittmann were together for much of the war. Toward the end Voll was given his own Tiger. At some point it was knocked out of the fray and Voll ended back in Witmann tank

[@romuloambay9624]

together, wittman and his gunner an enlisted personnel received the knight's cross, a very rare occurence in the german war force. .

[@davepritchard283]

I watched a documentry about Kurt Knispel, he helped out a Russian POW who was getting grief off a German SS soldier, he put him in his place and his career suffered for it. A true tank commander. As an ex-Tankie myself I can respect that.

[@clara429]

Dave Pritchard , i think he was totally different to the Germany officers , long hair , and look like he did not value his range , he die at 23 years old , just a baby .

[@berndf.k.1662]

I guess this story is rather a legend than reality to confirm the post-war narrative about the difference between Waffen SS and Wehrmacht. Or do you have clear evidence ?

[@berndf.k.1662]

@@clara429 not really. The Luftwaffe was full of such officers and also the midget warriors of the Kriegsmarine. Besides the hair fashion gradually 1943 and radically in 1944 changed from short to long. May grandfather - Waffen SS - told me the onliest regulation was to have the ears free of hair so they combed their long hairs just back over the ears. Once in battle or after it the hairs in diarra looked the same Knispel style. By the way in 1944 no German front officer cared about things like hair order.

[@Tyrfingr]

Not to be like that but. Any Ace would tell you, that they wouldn't reach their success without an ace crew behind them.

[@LynxStarAuto]

That is why when he was awarded his medal, he accepted it with his crew present.

[@gayle1137]

Even rreyeyrrryeyrtürrteye

[@tkgus2408]

You were like that

[@vonn4017]

Wittman kept the same crew with him. at least as long as they lived

[@KristerAndersson-nc8zo]

True but I Believe his gunner also got the Knights cross.

[@outlet6989]

To Michael Wittmann's score of 138 tanks. It should be noted that he also destroyed 132 artillery and anti-tank guns, the latter of which worried him more than other tanks. So, his total kills would be 270. Quite a feat. When referring to Wittmann, and his kills we need to say, "Wittmann and his crew." They were, after all, a great team. Please note that not all of his kills were not done with a Tiger tank because his first tank was a STUG III. When the screen goes black, is that where we cut for some TV ads? "Now, gunner, don't fire until you see the serial numbers on their hull." Wittmann is the ideal example of a "Lone Wolf." Unlike Sherman crews, who painted nicknames, like "Fury" on their tanks, Tiger crews painted "Kill Rings" on the 88's gun barrel. I would like play a multi-player game with the graphics used in this video. Finally, Ian Flemming was a British intelligence officer during WW2. It's said that he used Wittman tank number, 007, when he created James Bond!

[@brandonfields5928]

Guess that "Panzer chocolate" works, talk about aggressively engaging the opposition, dang.

[@weirdopokemon2199]

It should also be known the German who killed more tanks them him had a attitude and stuff he killed 189 or something like that. Watch the videos on him I forgot his name. Whitman was the most decorated tank ace. He was the guy who killed the most they didn't decorate

[@weirdopokemon2199]

Kurt knispel I believe my friend look em up

[@CaptLiberator]

pl

[@daveybyrden3936]

"urban legends" repeated by you as if they were facts.... "it is said..." Yes, "it is said" by people who don't know what they're talking about. Here, have some real facts: - German tank crews DID paint names on their tanks. I could show you a dozen photos of them on Tigers alone. - Wittman's unit was very reluctant to paint rings on their Tigers' guns. They didn't want to attract attention. That's also why they didn't have a Tiger numbered "001". - There is no way that Fleming would use Wittman's number "007". He wouldn't have known where or when Wittman died, and Tiger "007" didn't belong to Wittman anyway, he borrowed it that one time.

[@Smitherrrrs]

when the host kept grabbing the guys collection pieces and you could see the guy was clearly reluctant to let him handle them, i cringed, that man spent his whole life collecting those pieces, if he dont want you touching them, gotta respect that

[@Yabuddy53]

Ya that was awkward

[@buninparadise9476]

Kurt Knispel was the Top ace.

[@ronaldblythe7559]

Oh yeah? You watched him.. and counted all of his kills?

[@buninparadise9476]

@@ronaldblythe7559 I am Kurt Knispel

[@Mrtweet81]

Don’t you read the comments before you post, this has been commented several times before you.

[@sam8404]

@@Mrtweet81 who cares?

[@johnwoodcock3208]

LAH trumps all!

[@Lee7559]

His tank number was 007 ! So he was the German James Bond but in a tank ! How cool is that

[@timodasbach9435]

The real James Bond was Otto Skorzeny.

[@cyrosubod2317]

@@timodasbach9435 bruh hes badass af

[@barrymccokiner7559]

He had to borrow the 007 tank. The numbers relate to squadron, troop, individual tank etc

[@AwesomeBeatles]

I heard he was shaken , not stirred

[@holgermessner851]

No idea. But as mentioned,the 007 was taken to write James Bond novels. When I got drafted to the German Bundeswehr in 01.1982, I heard my own social insurance number the 1st time. It ends with 007. I always had to listen to: Look there comes 007…. I didn’t gave any thoughts about it until I moved to Canada and one Immigration officer asked my social insurance number and it started again. Bond just arrived. - Anyway. Watching this history documentary I wonder myself. Absolutely no way that tanks would move without infantry protection. That was suicidal! How I know? I was a infantry tank commander and the big guys always said: After you guys!

[@The23Anonymous]

Im a German and i must give the allied tankers much respect for their bravery. It must be a terrible feeling of doom, terror and fear if you see your shells bouncing off into nowhere while the 88mm gun slowly takes aim for you... But nontheless, they continued their mission.

[@The23Anonymous]

@@1videofiend What are you talking about? Your timelink goes into nowhere special. And of course Wittman was brave... I mean, he is the highest decorated ace of maybe all time, so why should i point this out once more?

[@robertmaybeth3434]

Hello fellow German, as ethnic German, I can tell you the allied tank commanders sure did a lot of lying, or just not saying the weaknesses of the Sherman! The amazing thing was, the British captured a Tiger in perfect condition in N. Africa, had over A YEAR to analyse it, and still had no truly effective counter at all until 1945 (at which time the M26 Pershing was available in numbers). Patton decided the Sherman was good enough, since he wasn't in a Sherman crew i guess, when I believe he should have fast-tracked introduction of the Pershing tank as fast as possible! A Sherman going against a German cat, or even the Panzer IV, was almost suicidal since even the Pzkfw IV could easily outshoot the Sherman's weak gun from 1,000 meters away....

[@williamredfern5504]

@@robertmaybeth3434 England invented the tank to their loss in WW2, (my farther served right through desert and Europe) But I admire the panzer crews, Britain made rubbish tanks and be honest still do,and told lies, and also try to avoid tank battles, to have to use shermans says it all,, it's not politically correct or patriotic for me to say this but who cares,,

[@williamredfern5504]

@@robertmaybeth3434 British and US high comand should have been imprisoned for criminal incompetence,,,, in this day and age they should now named and shamed for their offspring live with,,,, For the rubbish tanks they issued to the crews to die in

[@robertmaybeth3434]

@@williamredfern5504 Damn right. It was Patton who chose the Sherman, since the M26 Pershing, which would have saved thousands of American lives, was not quite ready by 1944. But the M26 could, and ought to, have been fast-tracked the way the Germans did for the Panther! Patton showed a very cavalier attitude towards his men's lives, plenty of things he did shows that, the only American commander that is worse I can think of is that idiot Halsey (who sailed his fleets into hurricanes, TWICE, killing hundreds of US sailors).

[@Mrtweet81]

“One of the men killed in the action was Germany’s highest scoring panzer ace” Oh, so this is a film about Kurt Knispel then?

[@theundenaiblebobtheundenai1911]

Yeah indeed Kurt knispel , you also watch marc Felton production

[@Mrtweet81]

theundenaiblebob theundenaiblebob You know it, Dr. Felton is the man! But he called him Kurt Knipsel though...

[@ricardocorbie6803]

Kurt was the man,, but this warrior was ostracized by his superiors because he fought But hated mistreatments of the vanquished! He went unrecognized!! Whereas Whitman was heralded!! Such a shame!!

[@pillager6190]

@@ricardocorbie6803 ah. That answered my question. SS v. Wehrmacht. Thx

[@Tellgryn]

@@ricardocorbie6803 Wrong as I posted below much of what you think you know of him is made up.

[@hamonryechinaski180]

Can you imagine how things would have gone with anything like parity of numbers or without allied domination of the skies? The abilities of even the scratch German battle groups and their commanders are immense. It has to be respected.

[@noahsagutch8314]

Tigers had lots of problems with them They'd break down lots and spare parts were rare If you got them they'd brake anyways Fuel was rare as well They weren't unstoppable machines that everyone thinks they are Yes they were deadly but not indestructible

[@harveybrown37]

Artillery superiority and logistics alone were enough.

[@austinmartin5446]

@@harveybrown37 no air superiority not artillery

[@Sturminfantrist]

Highest scoring tank ace is a lie , Kurt Knispel was the highest Ace

[@222welder]

It took less than 30 seconds for the writers to get something wrong.

[@tonyromano6220]

Wasn’t Kurt actually artillery?

[@222welder]

@@tonyromano6220 I'm fairly certain that Knispel was just a tanker. Wittman, however, started in armored cars and did some time in assault guns I think. My memory might be failing me though.

[@michaelsexton70]

a quick wikipedia check notes that the numbers for both Kurt Knispel and Michael Wittman are in question.

[@PlacidDragon]

@@michaelsexton70 They are always going to be (same as the air aces having their numbers questioned, etc)..

[@danielfalcone7172]

Kurt Knispel was the scariest tank killer. His records are unbeatable, but yes, Wittmann was an élite so was Otto Carius. Panzer aces were superb

[@clara429]

Daniel Falconi , yes he was , and he was only 23 years old when he die, war have no winners , no even one , but i respect the valor of this men , because they were soldiers and they follow orders ,

[@DannyBoy777777]

There is no evidence for any of Knispel's claims. None.

[@williamredfern5504]

In 1944 France my farther was Brittish artillery gun spotter, at close quarters he watched 6 US shermans taken out 3 at a time by a single Tiger, Later it was hit by an RAF plane with a rocket, when he checked it out there were quite a few rings painted round the gun barrel,, round the turret it said ,,May the Valkyries take Me,, if Valhalla exists I guess they will be there,,

[@DaveSCameron]

Having discovered Hans Von Luck, Carius and others of late I'm bound to say I feel this propagation of SS Unterfuhrer Wittman is wasted with his place in the mainstream history books assured . Thanks again for your work and effort uploading this.

[@robertmaybeth3434]

Especially at 16:16 I am amazed by your attention to detail for finding exactly where the action with Wittman's Tiger took place. Anybody that's read accounts of WW2 battles, has to wonder exactly what the terrain looked like, in this case we get to find out exactly what it looks like.

[@daveybyrden3936]

Don't thank "timeline" for that. Thank the historians who actually went and found this out and told the rest of us.

[@TherealMandingo]

Kurt knispel had the most kills but because he introvened when ss guard mistreatment of a Soviet soldier. From that point on he was treated differently never received a knights Cross and was awarded medals much slower.

[@robertmaybeth3434]

for whatever good the medals are good for except prestige. I submit that once you had the Iron cross, you could show it to a whole lot of people before you met somebody that understood the different grades of the iron cross ("Iron cross; ironcross with diamonds; then iron cross with diamonds, swords, pearls, cubit zirconium and pez dispenzer attached" etc.)

[@williamredfern5504]

@@robertmaybeth3434 Here in GB I obtained an Iron Cross with the crown and 1914 and below the eagal of the Third Riech 1939,, I don't know who received it ,,also a German paratroopers helmet found on a riverbank in scilly plus many more items,, but I treat them with the same respect as my late farthers medals,,

[@williamredfern5504]

More fool him

[@JacobA6464]

He was also a sudeten german, not a pure blood german.

[@darkryde1]

Wittman was certainly the most glamorised German tank ace. Someday I hope to go see the combat area.

[@mxblyxky]

What happened is that General SS Panzer Meyer in the desperation of the situation, sent Wittmann on a suicide mission. Even the powerful Tiger can't move without monitoring the armored infantry in half-track vehicles, which has a much larger field of vision and protects the tanks from stealth attacks. Nor has there been a vanguard of Clarifiers with light, fast armored vehicles whose mission is to recognize the terrain ahead and avoid surprise attacks and ambushes. So the tigers, contrary to the classic rules of combat that had existed since Alexander the Great and during the Roman Empire, where there were expert clarifiers officers, advanced without any auxiliary protection and with limited vision, relying only on luck and fell into a crossfire ambush where the tanks were fireflies of sufficient caliber to destroy them.

[@bepolite6961]

Controversy still exists over whether it was a Canadian or British Firefly that accounted for Wittman and the three other Tigers destroyed with him in his attack. One thing is for certain though. It was the British 17 pounder mounted in the Shermans that did the work.

[@coloringwithd]

I want to say this was interesting but perhaps I should say informational. I lost a lot of family in that war. It's really sad. War sucks.

[@dkolle3446]

it really is! My grandfather served in the german navy, his brother in the army and I used to play with a model of the Bismarck he had at his home...don't listen to anybody who says war is some sort of an option! I was very young but you could tell what an impact these years had on him...so many young men lost their lifes and the ones that survived were robbed of their youth and innocence!

[@menwithven8114]

@@dkolle3446 I'm an American of German descent and had family fighting on both sides! Michael Wittmann was my great uncle and actually came very close to fighting Wittmanns for the Americans. I hold the same last name and have talked to the vets on the American side of my family about him. They all held him in extremely high regard.

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

He is the most decorated ace in land battles . A wffen ss commander . Brilliant as usual. Wish your channel all the best and your crew members as well. Huge fan of you from Sri Lanka ❤️❤️🔥. Michael wittman the ace in ww 2 .

[@simonac688.]

Has a proud Canadian i must honor these brave Men ...Thank You

[@Jstepp326]

Great documentary first time hearing about wittman, it’s nice to hear story’s on foreign military leaders n aces, my grandfather was a Sherman tank commander who fought in Belgium , my dad and uncles said he never spoke a word about the war even when they tried to get him to and he died when I was younger so never got to talk to him about the war when I became intrigued, I mean before in a tank basically means ur on the front lines and can only imagine what they saw and experienced

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

Kurt Knispel was the Germans top boy not Wittman.

[@frankdietz9413]

You actually cant tell who scored higher. Both of them never counted the tanks they destroyed. This is just estimated and could be way lower or higher for both of them. And by the way, knispel was a gunner for most of his kills, not a commander.

[@hanschouwman4536]

@@frankdietz9413 he became a commander only he hit an ss man for mistreatment of a Russian POW

[@YKNDR34D]

yes

[@jeffreywhite7899]

My vote is for Otto Carius.

[@tarl1812]

It's a debate that will never get resolved most never keep track unlike fighter pilots, but in a photo of Wittman it shows his tank and circles on the barrel counting his kills so he did seem to have counted so his total of 135 is most likely correct, how many Kurt got 168?? All were exceptional Tank men which died in battle.

[@OddityDK]

The moral grandstanding at the end was uncalled for. I don’t need to be reminded who the bad guys were, thank you. Nothing about Wittman’s heroism, courage or abilities need to be viewed in the light of who he fought for or why, it’s irrelevant in that context.

[@cybereus836]

It was super unnecessary. We get it he fought for the Germans and was part of an SS Panzer Battalion. Doesn't make him any less brave, or any less of a hero.

[@terrynolan5831]

its completely within context and worth reminding people, you don't think that ...your opinion , not mine

[@cybereus836]

@@terrynolan5831 it's really not? He was a Tank Ace for a country that didn't end up on the right side of things. He's fighting the war not leading it.

[@LTArchitecture]

They were indoctrinated they thought they were fighting for the good guys just like America thought they were the “good guys” in Vietnam and the British thought they were when they were colonising

[@daveyev5300]

@@LTArchitecture Yeah we thought wrong, should've cleaned the land before colonising.

[@fatdad64able]

It must be devastating for morale when you cannot rely on your tank to protect you and to realize that you're not fighting on equal terms as far as armour and gunpower.

[@unnaturalselection8330]

On the other hand, it also has to do a number on the morale when you destroy 4 enemy tanks, the 5th one gets you, and you realize that from a production standpoint, you just lost the materiel battle anyway.

[@adriantowe278]

His gunner Bobby wall was the best he could not have done it without him he survived the war respect Bobby rip

[@johnleary4597]

We should give the gunners the same treatment as the commanders, same with drivers and radioman, theyre a unit working together. With one of them removed the tank is not functional any longer.

[@grumpycat4584]

Exactly.

[@bobbyoty]

soldier like that should have serve the benefit of humanity and not the evil that exist in our midst.

[@bokajtob96]

Note: The host is mispronouncing "Leibstandarte" : it should sound like "Laib..." not "Leeb..." Saying "Leebstandarte" is like saying the Love guards not the Body (Life) guards.

[@alanle1471]

Wittman was the best SS tank ace. Kurt Knispel was by far the best German tank ace.

[@evilfingers4302]

Michael Wittmann wasn't the only Tank Ace that racked up more than 100 confirmed tank kills, there were others, such as Kurt Knispel and Otto Carius.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Forget thee not Sgt Ernst Barkmann, an expert with a wrecked panzer in Normandy.

[@selfdo]

@@suzyqualcast6269 Barkmann's Corner.

[@bepolite6961]

Yeah, but they were not SS, if they had been, they would have been wearing has much neck jewellery has Wittman.

[@usalives2562]

A real hero of the world we need more like Wittman!

[@bezahltersystemtroll5055]

Meh. I think we need more brilliant scientists.

[@neganrex5693]

@@bezahltersystemtroll5055 We need scientists that can get it right from time to time than push idiot agendas on command.

[@shad0wrune]

No we don’t. All are fine 6 feet under.

[@springamerican3757]

You mean more dead Nazi's?

[@6412mars]

Is Kurt Knispel all but forgotten?

[@hypocriticalnihilist645]

Who?

[@raymondkisner9240]

Yes but is getting better known

[@6412mars]

@@hypocriticalnihilist645 very funny

[@hypocriticalnihilist645]

@@6412mars 😉👌

[@bozobaz30]

Hopefully

[@dillingersam588]

Great Documentary Thank you so much 😀

[@pillager6190]

All in all. I hate that he died in an ambush. He's was an enemy, but he was a warrior, if a warrior is to die in violence it should be head on! He was a great killer, a good leader, and has mustered out of the German army and has gone to his next life, hoping for mercy and fearing justice. . . . Just like all the dead.

[@bobsagget823]

My father was wounded in the Bocage 25 Aug, 1944. He was in the 29th Division, 115th Infantry, Company F. He was wounded by a mortar shell tree burst. I still have the piece of shell.

[@dickvarga6908]

He got as good as he gave others.

[@DavidLee-xi1of]

Awesome investigation. Germany had several great tank commanders. Whittman knew it was a suicide mission. He knew the odds were against him.

[@rayruiz5871]

My understanding Whitman yes is an ace but Kurt was the Ace of aces of tankers in the German military Panzers. Both were terrifying to face

[@erikracz4162]

This video never mentioned Whitmans record on the Russian front, or explained how he was able to operate the Tiger Tank at the rate he did. He got his iron cross for incinerating over a a hundred Russian tank crews!

[@andreasleonardo6793]

Brave tanks officer with faithfulness emotions he had of his leader at that time...nice video thanks for sending

[@bombasticlovalova3186]

One of the best documentary. Well explained. Must Watch if you love WW 2 history.

[@zirkoleonardi129]

Jose how can you say it is "one of the best" . Please explain.

[@stormthemusic-yt]

Actually it explode itself because the Tiger cannot contain the pure AWESOMENESS of Michael Wittmann

[@pillager6190]

LOL. Maybe a Tiger II or JagdTiger could've ??

[@mottthehoople693]

Id say Wittman and his crew had a game of soggy sao...after being away from their loved ones for so long.... and wittman packed such awesomeness he blew his own tanks turret off

[@black_baron_net]

☠BLACK BARON☠36:02 It was never about "Panzer" ... it was always about "Airforce". The flying "Thing" that needs to fly hundreds or thousands of km to hit a target with precision. It was always about "Luftwaffe". It was always about the medium "Air". That's my opinion. Till today with this "Flying Circus Antonov".

[@johnadams5489]

The UK solder that destroyed the first three Tiger tanks crossing that field said that "Anyone that goes into another country to kill is a criminal. They may have been heroes to them, but not to me". Well said. Excellent investigation. Wittman's tank was hit with an armor piecing round from the Canadians at 143 meters away, the fuel and ammunition exploded and blew the turret off the tank. The crew all perished.

[@inpersonaDK]

....and we all know UK once where an Empire :) Anyway wast of so many young strong men in the western world be course of these power and hungry elites

[@rodrigogalecio8928]

Well said: "Anyone that goes into another country to kill is a criminal", I agree, and so, the British Empire is the biggest crime in history!

[@Mrtweet81]

So the British soldier was a criminal, since he went into France to kill people?

Yes because the British never did such things. Right?

[@pillager6190]

@@Mrtweet81 by his personal opinion? Yes. Not mine

[@justcallmesuzzie]

Someone I know was a tanker in the early to mid 1980's and I remember him studying the tactics of this tank commander and talking about it to me.

[@weylandyorks3204]

Don't you just love the way these people use their phraseology? Terrifying? How about Brilliant or Heroic? Just because he was the so-called enemy shouldn't make his deeds any less amazing than those of our own!

[@hypocriticalnihilist645]

No! He was on the other side! He was, therefore, 100% complicit in all decisions and actions made by the upper echelon of the opposing military force, thus making him an evil monster. My grandfather, low-level soldier serving in an artillery unit, clearly was a bloodthirsty, murderous, villainous, psychopathic anti-semite of the highest order.

[@hypocriticalnihilist645]

@GStates You're one of the people who reads a joke on a KZbin comments page and then ascribes a bunch of crazy things to it, that even if they were true you would have no way of knowing.

[@superLoafOX]

GStates I think @Hypocritical Nihilist was being sarcastic dude

[@user-mz6ts4xn6i]

Victors write history. little do the bluepilled sheeple know that the bad guys won the great war...... That's what we are seeing unroll in Europe

[@user-mz6ts4xn6i]

@@ColonelHoganStalag13 He is sarcastic dude. No soldier is to blame for a world war where they are forced to participate. There are many sides of history, you only live in the one written by the victors. I also have tons of NSDAP family members who were really kind and great people who achieved tons of things that benefit alot of people today. Yet if i mention it, people inadvertently believe that they were evil monsters without thought of mind. Reality is way way more complex than you seem to perceive it.

[@heritage_isimportant7297]

Absolute top notch investigation by Norm Christie

[@fabiosunspot1112]

The fighting in normandy became so intense that over a million men was slugging it out in a 50 mile area,this was a fight to the death, despite popular believe they wasn't many tigers in normandy, while the allies had thousands of shermans the germans had less than one hundred tigers in normandy...

[@looseunit1615]

I think today the tendency for people to hero worship men like Wittman has less to do with politics and more to do with the man as a warrior in a time that was full of warriors on both sides.

[@andrewdavison7700]

You sucked him off.

[@fabiosunspot1112]

Whitman ended up holding up the british for weeks with that one brave move,he was awarded the iron cross with oak leaves and diamonds the highest award given to any tank commander at that time, isn't that something 🤭🤔

[@rons4778]

And achieved absolutely nothing

[@user6008]

So, Wittman drove right into an ambush. Which was a fitting end for someone so skilled at ambushing allied tanks. live by the sword, die by the sword.

[@jmy7622]

A fitting end? He was hyped up by propaganda, there were many other very capable German tankers but as with their pilots they usually fought until they died or the war ended , no rotation.It seems he fought by the rules, I would have liked for him to survive, he would have had some good stories to tell, but it was war but I don't wish death on anyone unless they're a war criminal.

[@dockmasterted]

As you all should know, In German the letters W and V the sounds when spoken are switched .... So the "W" in WITTMAN is pronounced like a "v" ... making Wittman ....Vittman

[@kathygrey1433]

You have to admit that his rampage at Villers-Bocage was pretty hilarious - sight! BOOM! Sight! BOOM! Sight! BOOM! The crew was probably laughing inside their tank, it was just so ridiculously easy.

[@waynerobert7986]

Wittmann lost 5 very expensive Tigers that day at Villers Bocage. The German losses that day were more expensive than the British losses.

[@markb3806]

Even with the 17 pounder, the Firefly was not an equal of the Tiger I. The Tiger was still a somewhat better tank than the Sherman (once on the battlefield). It's thicker armor meant that it could take out a Firefly from distances beyond a Firefly's ability to penetrate the Tiger I's armor. The Firefly had a better gun than the Sherman for certain and could take out a Tiger I but it was not an equal on the battlefield.

[@springamerican3757]

Not on that day it wasn't.

[@daveyev5300]

Shermans were good at hiding, right place at the right time.

[@joshuabrown3525]

The problem was that the Black Baron was so close to them at about 170 meters that even those small guns could knock him out. Let's not forget that the Canadians with their short barrelled 76mm guns still could do damage, and in the right place; he had no chance. Of course, the Canadians didn't even know who the heck this guy was. They saw a tiger and a they knocked it out.

[@TestAccount-wn2tc]

At 13:04 a Soviet IS-2 is shown firing, but is presented as a Firefly.

[@noablaespano]

Is easier to be an ace tanker when you have a superior tank.

[@hertzair1186]

...it helps, but skill is required

[@iconicyard1311]

why did it take the allies so long to make a tank to match the tiger.the Russians were the most successful.

[@samb2052]

lobo de la suerte Because they didn’t need to. Building thousands of Shermans which could be shipped more efficiently, made more sense than hundreds of heavy tanks which need more shipping. Furthermore, the Allies were generally able to manoeuvre around German heavy tanks and stroke at their weaknesses. It’s the difference between strategy and tactics.

[@tekay44]

and, much more experience.

[@mjoelnir58]

Not so easy if you are outnumbered 10 to 15 times by your opponents.Plus air superiority.

[@scottyfox6376]

QF 17pdr (76.2mm) equipping the "FireFly" was a good gun but I personally think that saying that a FireFly was as good as a Tiger 1 is stretching it abit. The Tiger2's 88mm was definitely superior & this is easily seen if you compare the 88mm shell sizes between a Tiger1 to a Tiger2.

[@Seygem]

Your comment makes absolutely 0 sense. First of all; shell size doesn't mean better gun. Secondly, how are you determining how good/bad the 17pdr is if you compare the 88s on tiger one and two?

[@TheRhoads6]

Editor: How many explosions should we add? Director: Yes.

[@andrewescocia2707]

the cgi is so damn good, it's like watching a movie

[@Seygem]

@@andrewescocia2707 lmao. It really isn't.

[@andrewescocia2707]

@@Seygem wow look at mr fancy pants with his 21st century movies

[@Seygem]

@@andrewescocia2707 lmao. look at any "modern" game, movie, or even a lot of other documentaries. they outshine this. by far. it's not like watching a movie, it's like watching an early 2000s documentary. (outstanding coincidence, given what this is)

[@andrewescocia2707]

@@Seygem lmao indeed friend lmao all afternoon

[@dioraranel2000]

I live in Sherbrooke (home base for the Sherbrooke Fusiliers regiment - now hussars). Never heard that story before. But we still have ''The Bomb'' as a reminder of these incredible times.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Maybe read After the Battle Panzers in Normandy, Eric Lefevres. Jean Paul Pallud identified the site of Wittman wreck and his and his crews bodies, thereupon to be interred at la Cambe.

[@dioraranel2000]

@@suzyqualcast6269 Ohhh thanks for the tip. Just ordered a used copy.

[@markmark2163]

He's a hero.

[@buildmotosykletist1987]

The truth is that Whittman escaped that's why his body was never found. He could see the war was lost so he found a British uniform, persuaded a British soldier named Fleming to help him escaped to England where he changed his name to James, James Bond and kept his favourite number 007.

[@eltigre249]

My father was wounded in the Bocage 25 Aug, 1944. He was in the 29th Division, 115th Infantry, Company F. He was wounded by a mortar shell tree burst. I still have the piece of shell.

[@bobsagget823]

My father was wounded in the Bocage 25 Aug, 1944. He was in the 29th Division, 115th Infantry, Company F. He was wounded by a mortar shell tree burst. I still have the piece of shell.

[@fatdad64able]

The tree, anybody? Who has the tree?

[@billcallahan9303]

@@fatdad64able Mother Earth still cradles it Anton. Give the guy a break! It was his Dad for God's sake man! He's very proud of him....as I am!

[@tekis0]

Anton Chigurh He wasn't "in a tree," you pinhead ; he was wounded by a "tree burst." Why not look up the definition and learn about history.

[@mlccrl]

@@bobsagget823 My father was in a mortar crew on the german side in that battle maybe he was the one who wounded yours.

[@mikebrase5161]

I have been studying WW2 for 40 years and have a bookcase full of books on the SS. I have never read of Wittmann referred to as the Black Baron.

[@freddieclark]

That's because the term was made up long after the end of the war.

[@nrom5960]

What beautiful scenery for such destruction! I love the history In Europe and the historic buildings.

[@rogerjohnson8707]

In 2018 and 2019 I spent several weeks going through the WWI battle fields of France and Belgium. Beautiful country. Never particularly thought much of that part of the world but it made a believer out of me. Paris, not so much.

[@W.A.T.P...55]

I'm British and I love the fact my country has such history..I don't always like the things I learn,,but it's mostly amazing and historic things I find out

[@shanebeckett3557]

@@rogerjohnson8707 immigration has almost killed western Europe your lucky you atleast got to see it before Islam tales over

[@inthemaze7441]

D you should be proud! I’m American and can’t think of a better alliance.

[@andilemuthe1658]

History of blood and suffering?? Nothing to be proud of

[@daveybyrden3936]

This man was not called "Black Baron" during his lifetime. It's a stupid modern name. Rather like the movie "Abraham Lincoln - Vampire Hunter"

[@evandotterer4365]

If the allies did not have control of the sky’s when they invaded France we would had no chance against the German tanks.

[@JohnSmith-kz8yo]

sure..you control the air you also pretty much control the ground

[@stastu6484]

Buddy there was like 100 tigers on the entire western front, most were panzer 4s and besides the Allies had lots of 76 shermans and fireflies, they were just so rarely needed as there were so few "wunderwaffle" tanks like the tigers and panthers

[@kingmobmor7656]

If you listen to Bert, he says he took the last tiger, and then the second to last tiger because he had to get him before the tiger got him. Wittman gave the order and turned his turret towards the threat never to be heard from again. Also in the overhead view Wittman's tiger is second to last. Doesn't listen to Bert.

[@mathswithgarry7104]

I got the impression that he was talking about the three tanks in a row, not the one beyond them.

[@jameslewis2635]

Killing tanks isn't the most amazing thing he did with a Tiger tank. The most amazing thing he could do with it was to keep it running!

[@markmitchell450]

@K Will they weren't the most reliable thing and difficult to repair

[@richnz44]

Jeepers guys, it's "LEIBstandarte" - not "Liebstandarte". It's the German equivalent of the Queen's "Lifeguards" - with "Leib" (meaning "body") being closely related to the English word "Life" with which it rhymes. Sad when docos can't pronounce even basic things correctly.... That's why I tend to stick with Mark Felton's channel - top quality docos and he doesn't mangle foreign terms.

[@rikspring]

🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱

[@sdferh]

I had the pleasure to work alongside a panzer mechanic Billy Hoffman, for many yrs , when I was young lad , the man was a genius on the tools.

[@tkgus2408]

British Tank Crew Member: "Any person that goes into another person's country... ...to kill, is no hero". Britain: Doesn't stop at the German border, even when an armistice is offered. Carpet bombs German cities to kill millions of innocents, even when it proves to do nothing to stop the war effort".

[@2ezee2011]

Wittman was brave and dedicated soldier, also an adherent to the core of a system that advocated and pursued the murder of millions. Being Waffen SS did not make a person just another soldier. It was political and personal commitment to genocide and racism.

[@eoincaomhanach1983]

It depends, I would counter that to some they potentially joined purely because it was an elite unit. You also have to look at the fact that there were Waffen SS units from the Baltic states who joined as a chance to fight the Soviets. We all know what the Nazis stood for, but we must not tar all those who: a. Joined the Waffen SS (or other SS units). b. Fought for the Axis powers. as without actual knowledge of their personal political, racial beliefs etc.. of each person who joined it would be completely wrong to do so.

[@noth606]

2ezee2011 you're wrong. Joining the waffen SS was by no means some idiotic commitment to genocide or racism. I knew an ex Waffen SS guy very well and we spoke about his time during and before the war and why he joined etc, and I can guarantee that thoughts of genocide or racism never even entered his mind. He wanted to fight for his country and the Waffen SS were the most elite unit which he could join to do so. So take your stupid ideas, shove them where the sun doesn't shine.

[@williamredfern5504]

The same as religion does, but the Messiah was real not like jesus,,

[@bc9554]

The memorial to Wittman in France that sees flowers daily disagrees with you

[@patricklemire9278]

Amazing parallels to the death of The Red Baron

[@reginaldmcnab3265]

"When this war is over we will be accused of an infinity of murder as if all men at war everywhere hadn't behaved the same way" The book "The Forgotten Soldier

[@jameszeschke2182]

An awsome book about a French-German caught in a war few wanted

[@reginaldmcnab3265]

Very interesting book! The first book that I had read that was not by an allied soldier but from a German soldier.

[@joespeciale5875]

And it’s the cowardly Neville Chamberlain diplomats, the so-called statesmen, that actually create the conditions ripe for war and mass murder.

[@olivernorth7418]

I forgot when Americans soldiers murdered 6 million jews, I thought they only executed small numbers of SS prisoners in retribution

[@exp2tr10t]

Moral of the story: never be taking a pee when you are in a firefight. Imagine the other lives that would have been saved had the one Cromwell gunner had ignored the call of nature.

[@shiloh6519]

Very well done, and the ending was spot on. Thank you

[@andrewdavison7700]

Your welcome

[@myunknownland9272]

This is so interesting, I thank you for posting.

[@shanekupke7082]

I Personnely Have No Desire to go into Battle in ANY Tank but Agree that the TIGER- WAS,IS,AND ALWAYS WILL BE The Best Armoured Vehicle Ever Used in Battle

[@grahamcox8385]

Imagine that you are moving into a area that was declared safe and then wittmann bursts out of nowhere in his tiger tank, I personally would be grateful if I survived the encounter

[@gerritverbeek5720]

Thank you for putting out a documentary with free, public access. However, you don't need to say his full name every 30 seconds... the intro was a bit tedious.

[@benjaminc8789]

Interesting to see all the exhibits of his tank . But he’s keen handling that AP shell lol

[@slimchancetoo]

"his death is shrouded in mystery. How was he defeated, and by who?" and so the legend began.

[@Dave-jj3fk]

Let me tell you a story of darth wittman the ace

[@marcswanson7066]

Well done, very informative.

[@barryfletcher7136]

I doubt you check comments on a video from May, but I thought you did an excellent investigation and forensic re-creation of the battlefield in question. Some speculation is a given, but your conclusion is the most likely scenario to be true.

[@dirkswanepoel3048]

If a person going into somebody's country to kill the people of that country is a criminal, what can we then call the British, who built an. empire doing just that. It can not be forgotten what they did to the Boer people during the Anglo/Boer war. from 1899 - 1902 when they were responsible for the death of twenty seven thousand women and children in their concentration camps, that does not include black people who were kept in separate camps.

[@hanschouwman4536]

Legend in his own right

[@tedsmith1295]

sherman tank was totaly outclassed , dem tiger tanks were sumpn. else

[@NapFloridian]

Wittman was epic, hands down.

[@weirdopokemon2199]

I thought Whitman died all seven of those tanks died in a line. And Whitman had went back to Germany and saw it in ruin and he lead that group of seven knowing life was over and he was on break time but he knew the boys wouldn't feel confident without him. So this is different

[@hakon_brennus_wolff106]

13:04 You guys used a clip with an IS-3. Michael Wittman never saw one of those I promise lol.

[@centurion1314]

Agreed. The IS-3 wasn't used during the War.

[@SvenTviking]

Crewed by Midgets and carrying little ammunition, I believe.

[@Theywaswrong]

Doesnt matter one whit...mann

[@Seygem]

@@Theywaswrong it does matter a whole lot. a channel that wants to seem professional can't make mistakes like that.

[@hilldwler420]

Why don’t timeline do a documentary on the real panzer ace of aces Kurt Knispel? A real hero

[@edwardgrano4560]

Does it matter. Point is he died being overwhelmed by allied armor

[@Dave-jj3fk]

@@teosalmela9117 this dude did not ask an educated question

[@michaelmace924]

I wasn't sure if I saw this before or not until I heard this dude say, "About 50 yards?" If you pay attention to him, every time he tries guessing the distance it's 50 yards everytime & he does it in this video like 5 to 8 times but it feels like 10.

[@cavscout62]

And what of Kurt “Panzer”Meyer? Ah, there he is.

[@dickvansteijn4115]

He got that monicer because he fell of a roof during his training and was uningured. That man is built like a tank the comment was. Hence Panzer Meyer

[@sunsets4990]

there were lots of Ace in the German ranks, Wittman, Knispel and Peiper.

[@eribertorivera3507]

I still like the King Tiger tanks

[@lisajohnson9456]

I would love one then we would see who gets cut up on the road.

[@AlreadyTakenTag]

What about ZE TRANSMISSION

[@Baskerville22]

The successes of Allied rocket-firing fighters against German tanks were grossly inflated....

[@jfdesignsinc.innovationsid1583]

Baskerville22 I m happy you used the word grossly,,, It needs a strong resurgence back to its potential..... also who is the one telling the story here? If u hadn’t fled to Argentina maybe people would have listened to what u have to say

[@winnietheshrew2957]

2:58 The "ei" in Leibstandarte is pronounced as in "wipe" or "gripe". The "e" at the end of Standarte is unstressed, but clearly audible. The Timeline guy just dropped it entirely.

[@krell2130]

he's probably given a script to read and reads to the best of his ability and knowledge base

[@wolfschanzemusikundvideo6455]

Why did they replace the old narrator who was much better imo?

[@JDSFLA]

Otto Carius was another top German tank ace (150 kills). I read his book, "Tigers in the Mud" but in truth it was pretty boring. He died not long ago in 2015 at the age of 92.

[@andrewdavison7700]

Thanks

[@mahonishizumi5608]

Out of curiosity after Michael Wittman gets mentioned several times in Girls und Panzer, I was lead here.