Most Popular Tank of WW2?

[achtungtshirt Bill]

Well of course we all know which tank is the best tank of WW2, no debate there, but which is the most popular?

[bf109 emil]

Well of course we all know which tank is the best tank of WW2, no debate there, but which is the most popular?

not sure how you claim the best tank? the fastest, heavily armed, most produced or according to the Military channel top ten tanks of all time which rated the T-34 the best tank ever?
their is a kinda post for this here http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=153426&hilit=+favorite+tank

[achtungtshirt Bill]

Yes of course the top ten from the Military Channel, but I want to know what people on this forum think is the most popular tank. What tank has had the most books written about it, the most model kits build/bought, the most interest in general.
Please submit your vote.

[Attrition]

The Valentine; compact, reliable and looks like a pocket KV. Later models even had a drop-tank, how stylish can you get?

[kelty90]

A reasonable candidate would be the British Sherman Firefly. All the advantages of US design; ease of production, ease of maintenance, reliable. Topped off with a Tiger-killing British 17pdr gun.
Given the costs involved in building and maintaining the German Tigers and Panthers, I suspect any German commander would have happily swapped all his available Tigers for double the number of Fireflies!.
And, yes, there are lots of kits around [and a few books].

[Steve Wilcox]

Yes of course the top ten from the Military Channel, but I want to know what people on this forum think is the most popular tank. What tank has had the most books written about it, the most model kits build/bought, the most interest in general.
Please submit your vote.

Under those specific terms, I would suspect the Tiger I to be the most popular among military history enthusiasts.

[AVV]

Under those specific terms, I would suspect the Tiger I to be the most popular among military history enthusiasts

Well, in such a case, I think Konig Tiger can be its most dangerous competitor

Best regards, Aleks

[achtungtshirt Bill]

Sorry guys, but that was a loaded question. We all know that the Tiger 1 is the most over rated, over exposed and over loved panzer of them all. I am guilty in my love for the Tiger 1 also. If you look on ebay, as an example, you will see an overwhelming amount of model kits and merchandise for this tank. Do you think it is just the style and looks of the Tiger 1 or also the legend that goes along with it?

[Tim Smith]

The Tiger I is the most popular IMO.

Stems from its legend as the best heavy tank in the world, for a 18-month period in late 1942 and 1943.

The Tiger I was better than the best American, British, and Russian heavy tanks of that period. Better than the US M6 heavy tank (which never saw action.) Better than the British Churchill. Better than the Russian KV-1 and KV-85.

In 1942-1943 the Tiger legend was established, and it kept its legend even after it was technically surpassed by later tanks such as the IS-2, M-26 and Comet.

[Alanmccoubrey]

My favourite is the Pz 35(t) which did more for the German war effort than the Tiger II did ! It enabled them to field 6 PD, the Romanian Armoured Division and the Bulgarian Armoured Regiment in 1941.

[kelty90]

Tim Smith has it right - the "legend" of the Tiger has ensured it's popularity. Nothing to do with usefulness or effectiveness, but a singularly dominant legend.
It is difficult to think of any other weapons system of such dubious worth that has such a wide-reaching "popularity".
As I noted in my earlier post, I suspect most German commanders would have much prefered Shermans or T-34's. Especially German Infantry who would seldom see a Tiger but be only to familiar with the Sherman and T-34.
Probably the wrong forum, but any other suggestions for the most over-rated weapon of WW2?.

[aahoo]

Tim Smith has it right - the "legend" of the Tiger has ensured it's popularity. Nothing to do with usefulness or effectiveness, but a singularly dominant legend.
It is difficult to think of any other weapons system of such dubious worth that has such a wide-reaching "popularity".
As I noted in my earlier post, I suspect most German commanders would have much prefered Shermans or T-34's. Especially German Infantry who would seldom see a Tiger but be only to familiar with the Sherman and T-34.
Probably the wrong forum, but any other suggestions for the most over-rated weapon of WW2?.

I dont think that many German tank commander at that time would have preferred Sherman or T-34 over Tiger.

Tiger I was intented as breagthrough tank, to fight against AFVs and that it did well, please explain how Tiger 1 was not effective at 1942 -- 1943?

[LWD]

Tim Smith has it right - the "legend" of the Tiger has ensured it's popularity. Nothing to do with usefulness or effectiveness, but a singularly dominant legend.
It is difficult to think of any other weapons system of such dubious worth that has such a wide-reaching "popularity".
As I noted in my earlier post, I suspect most German commanders would have much prefered Shermans or T-34's. Especially German Infantry who would seldom see a Tiger but be only to familiar with the Sherman and T-34.
Probably the wrong forum, but any other suggestions for the most over-rated weapon of WW2?.

I dont think that many German tank commander at that time would have preferred Sherman or T-34 over Tiger.
...

My impression is he wasn't talking about tank commanders but unit commanders. In which case I suspect he's correct. If you are in a tank you have a very vested interest in it being the toughest vehicle on the battle field. Once you move beyond that it's not the indivicual vehicle that's important but the effectiveness of the unit. That's where things like reliability, strategic mobility, suportability, and such start to predominate.

[bf109 emil]

Tiger I was intented as breagthrough tank, to fight against AFVs and that it did well, please explain how Tiger 1 was not effective at 1942 -- 1943?

I agree with this thought, it was a break through tank, perhaps then what? It wasn't highly mobile, it was a pig on fuel, it was never produced or sent in number to provide a decisive outcome...a wonderful Tank to tip the scales in battle but lack of quantity assure it would never be a threat to decide a battle...as aahoo how was it not effective at 1942/43 he is correct it proved a wonderful Tank for an army in an offensive march, but once the speed and bite was take from an offensive, the Tiger never had the speed, mobility or numbers to thwart an army who now counter-attacked...something the Wehrmacht was more apt to run into was T-34 in an offensive maneuver, then the Red army was in the same light, bound to be stopped by Tigers on their offensive thrusts...and as the war wound on more and more the Threat of Tigers turning a battle by breakthrough tactics became less and less

[Attrition]

Considering the small numbers of Tigers built, it seems to me that much of the war took place somewhere else. What was the proportion of Tigers to length of front on say, 1 January 1944? One per 200 miles? 400?

Compare that with the ultra-stylish Valentine - class!