STEEL INFERNO - WITTMANN'S TIGER AT KURSK - ORIGINAL PENCIL DRAWING By Nicolas Trudgian

STEEL INFERNO - WITTMANN'S TIGER AT KURSK - ORIGINAL PENCIL DRAWING

By Nicolas Trudgian

In July 1943 two battlefield 'giants' awaited the start of a Battle that would decide WW2 - Operation Citadel was Hitler's massive gamble in the East - a gigantic 'envelopment Battle' centred around the town of Kursk. Delayed by events elsewhere, Hitler still hoped that a decisive victory could still be achieved. The Soviets, fully aware of the impending German assault, had the extra time to construct defences no less than 20 miles deep, bristling with tank traps, anti-tank PAK fronts and millions of mines - all backed up by thousands of Tanks. The Germans, by contrast, were forced to scrape together whatever Units they could and were seriously outnumbered.

To offset the crushing numerical superiority of the Soviets, on the Southern Flank of the Kursk salient were gathered some of the finest SS Panzer Units, grouped together to form an 'SS Panzer Corps'. Among these was 1st SS Panzer Division 'Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler' or LAH, which would sperahead the attack in the South. Among it's armoured strength were Companies of Tigers with battle experienced crews and one of these was to become the most famous Tiger 'Ace' of all - Michael Wittmann.

Wittmann began his tank career in the rather modest StuG III but soon displayed his ability to take on - and destroy - enemy tanks. By the time of Kursk, Wittmann commanded Tiger '1331' and he, and the other Tigers, were expected to 'punch' through the Soviet defences.

Astoundingly, the Waffen SS Panzer Units did just that, causing panic in the Soviet command and forcing them to commit their tank reserves early in the battle.

This stunningly detailed drawing by Nick Trudgian shows Wittmann's Tiger '1331' slowly working it's way through a mass of knocked out Soviet armour, while Tiger '1335' commanded by Kurt Sowa follows him through the shattered landscape. Further away a Panzer III accompanies the 'heavies' and Kursk was to be the last time that it was deployed in large numbers.

In the skies above, the Ju87G 'Panzerknacker' aircraft from Rudel's SG2 are also hunting enemy tanks in front of the advancing Panzer spearheads, while dogfights between Yaks and Fw190's rage.

This fantastic LARGE Drawing is on paper measuring 45x32cms and is absolutely FULL of detail.