Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:
If the Germans had abandoned their plans for super tanks at all
costs, and focused on their excellent Panther, things might have
been quite different.
I like the Panther, it's easily the sexiest WWII German tank but
I think even if Panther production were tripled the outcome would
still have been the same. More men would have died and perhaps an
Allied division here or there mauled badly, maybe added 2, 3 months
to the war in Europe but the end result would have been the same.
On the East front, mountains of tanks, infantry and artillery would
have crushed however many numbers the Germans would have cranked
out, quantity is quality.
On the West Front, one factor alone would have been decisive.
Absolute Allied air supremacy would have seen to making it
difficult for the tanks to get to the front lines without getting
shot at at least once and curtailing the supplies needed to run
them effectively, especially fuel. American infantry while not as
lavishly equipped with Bazookas as their German counterparts with
Panzerfausts/Panzershreks would demonstrate in places like Mortain
and Elsenborn Ridge that they could take on German armor and
prevail to say nothing 76mm gunned Shermans, Jumbo Shermans and the
johnny come lately Pershings.
Still, one wonders if production for the Mark IVs were dropped in
favour of retooling to push out more Mark Vs....