The Terror Of The Panzerfaust: How Germany’s Deadly Anti-Tank Weapon Smashed Allied Tanks

To Allied tank crews during World War II, the Panzerfaust was one of the German army’s deadliest weapons.
Only introduced in 1943, the Panzerfaust was very much a sign of the state of the war effort, which had turned against Nazi Germany and its once seemingly unstoppable military faced assaults on all fronts. Inexpensive to produce and simple to operate, the Panzerfaust gave a single infantryman a weapon that could take out enemy armor.
Allied tank crews on the western front during the 1944 campaign found the Panzerfaust to be one of the German-army's most lethal weapons.
Stuart Hills, a British tank commander detailed his firsthand encounter with the Panzerfaust in his book "By Tank Into Normandy."
He gained a close-up perspective of its effectiveness while engaged in combat in northern Belgium in the lead-up to Operation Market Garden.

Пікірлер: 110

  • @jasonmussett2129
    @jasonmussett21294 ай бұрын

    Possibly the most notorious anti tank weapon in history!

  • @user-ih1mo8vv7o

    @user-ih1mo8vv7o

    4 ай бұрын

    ❤❤❤❤❤

  • @Luis-bo2uj

    @Luis-bo2uj

    4 ай бұрын

    thee RPG would be that

  • @jasonmussett2129

    @jasonmussett2129

    4 ай бұрын

    @@Luis-bo2uj fun fact, the Soviets used captured Panzerfausts under the designation RPG-1.

  • @hb9145

    @hb9145

    4 ай бұрын

    @@Luis-bo2uj The Panzerfaust is the RPG's father.

  • @mr.samurai901

    @mr.samurai901

    4 ай бұрын

    Yes I think it would be the RPG-7.

  • @markdavids2511
    @markdavids25114 ай бұрын

    Hell of a weapon, it enabled a child to knock out a tank, cheap too. Tanks always need infantry support in built up or wooded areas.

  • @trukomf1nn162
    @trukomf1nn1624 ай бұрын

    - Panzerfaust ('Panssarinyrkki' in Finnish) had a tremendous impact in summer 1944. Germany had delivered them to Finland in order to help stop the overwhelming Soviet Red Army offensive.

  • @billballbuster7186
    @billballbuster71864 ай бұрын

    A very potent little weapon and highlights the necessity of mutual support between tanks and Infantry. The British used the Motor Battalions which advanced with the tanks in Halftracks and Carriers to take out infantry getting too close. This generally worked very well if all went to plan. In turn tanks would take out anything impeding the infantry.

  • @user-lm3pd4xc9s
    @user-lm3pd4xc9s4 ай бұрын

    パンツァーファウストを開発した人は天才だなぁ

  • @REALDEALMMA91
    @REALDEALMMA914 ай бұрын

    Great stuff ! Love these classic ww2 videos

  • @FactBytes

    @FactBytes

    4 ай бұрын

    Thanks 😊

  • @nigelmorris3014
    @nigelmorris30144 ай бұрын

    The shaped charge so simple and frighteningly effective. The basic IED that was used in Iraq.

  • @donaldkroth2579
    @donaldkroth25794 ай бұрын

    Great information and ideas for those building military model dioramas! 🙂🇺🇲

  • @dongilleo9743
    @dongilleo97434 ай бұрын

    Interesting to ponder the "what if" had German troops had the Panzerfaust available a few years earlier. One of the numerous problems with a German invasion of England in 1940, was that invading German airborne and sea landing infantry would be vulnerable to a British tank counterattack before the Germans could successfully ship anti-tank guns across the Channel, unload, and move them forward. In contrast, crates of Panzerfaust could have been flown to England and landed at captured airfields, or carried ashore by sea landed troops. If the Germans had the Panzerfaust available during the 1941-42 period on the Eastern front, it might have proven to be an effective counter to the large numbers of T-34 and KV-1 Soviet tanks they had to deal with.

  • @markdavids2511

    @markdavids2511

    4 ай бұрын

    It was the fact Britain destroyed the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain leaving the NAZI invasion fleet an easy target for the huge Royal Navy to blow it out of the water with ease.

  • @uic505050

    @uic505050

    4 ай бұрын

    Absolutely. I've looked into this question and if they had it from 1941 onwards Soviet armor losses would have been prohibitively high and German infantry losses much lower. If they could supply the Panzerfaust 250 by 1943 and sufficient numbers to their allies then I think the Eastern Front would have gone a different way. By 1943 Soviets could not advance operationally without heavy use of armor and having infantry that could fight at a distance against armor would have blunted operational level advances.

  • @masroor5672

    @masroor5672

    4 ай бұрын

    Agreed....

  • @Andy-co6pn

    @Andy-co6pn

    4 ай бұрын

    Panzerfaust not really an effective weapon on the wide open Russian plains

  • @uic505050

    @uic505050

    4 ай бұрын

    @@Andy-co6pn yet the German infantry successfully used AT mines and crowbars in tracks in Ukraine successfully. Ukraine is not nearly as open as you think and dug in infantry are hard to spot from a buttoned up tank

  • @jasonmussett2129
    @jasonmussett21294 ай бұрын

    I can recommend James Hollands Brothers in Arms for those interested in tank crew experiences.

  • @UniqueHumanThing
    @UniqueHumanThing4 ай бұрын

    Amazing video!

  • @gehtdichnixan3200
    @gehtdichnixan32004 ай бұрын

    better translation for panzerfaust would be tank fist ( panzer means armor and tank ) that translation would also fit the scheme the anti air weapon was called fliegerfaust "flyer" or plane fist

  • @markushuber214
    @markushuber2144 ай бұрын

    The warhead was really good but the range was far too short which reduced the chance of a hit just for ambush operations

  • @mohammedsaysrashid3587
    @mohammedsaysrashid35874 ай бұрын

    It was an informative and wonderful historical coverage video about Panzerfaust weapons against tanks utilized by infantry members of Vermacht and SS divisions.. Germans utilized Shrekfaust anti tank weapons.

  • @TheSpritz0
    @TheSpritz04 ай бұрын

    BIGGEST problem is it was just introduced a few months TOO LATE... it missed the biggest battle that it quite possibly could have turned the tide in- KURSK!!!!

  • @Spellscape

    @Spellscape

    4 ай бұрын

    It was mostly open ground terrain. So there could be nothing besides increased losses

  • @gruntforever7437
    @gruntforever74374 ай бұрын

    That is why tanks always need infantry support when not running at speed.

  • @michaelbizon444
    @michaelbizon4444 ай бұрын

    Most WW2 tanks ran on gasoline not diesel, ouch!

  • @dtbrown1335

    @dtbrown1335

    4 ай бұрын

    Russian tanks were diesel.

  • @michaelbizon444

    @michaelbizon444

    4 ай бұрын

    @@dtbrown1335 Soviet tanks came in both, but were primarily diesel. German, American, and British tanks came in both, but were primarily gas. So my post stands as correct. "Most" WW2 tanks were gas. I think the French, Italian, and Japanese were all gas too.

  • @garyraines7511
    @garyraines75114 ай бұрын

    They handed out This Waffen to the Alte Manner and Kinder of the Volksturm in the End.......also to some Frauleinen----the Panzerfaust came in Several Sizes, so one size doesn't have to ""fit All"....AND the Krautovskiis ALSO had the Basic Bazooka. glr

  • @gavinswails4896
    @gavinswails48964 ай бұрын

    Panzerfaust means tank fist… panzer is tank.

  • @aka99
    @aka994 ай бұрын

    Panzerfaust! 🤜✊👊👊

  • @mikeywilkinsjr3769
    @mikeywilkinsjr3769Ай бұрын

    The granddaddy of the RPG

  • @ClimateScepticSceptic-ub2rg
    @ClimateScepticSceptic-ub2rg4 ай бұрын

    See also the British PIAT and American bazooka, though these needed more training to use.

  • @burtvhulberthyhbn7583
    @burtvhulberthyhbn75832 ай бұрын

    Doesn't make sense to say it's impact on the war was minimal when it killed 70% of the tanks killed

  • @jozefbubez6116
    @jozefbubez61164 ай бұрын

    Anyone know how this might have compared with the British PIAT? On paper, PIAT could penetrate up to 4" of armour but had limited range and even an experienced firer could not guarantee a hit.

  • @serenity9373
    @serenity93734 ай бұрын

    What sources did you use?

  • @TheYeti308
    @TheYeti3084 ай бұрын

    Great Knocking Devise .

  • @markust3345
    @markust33454 ай бұрын

    Seeing this Video, i have to think about the ending of the movie Fury, where the ss Elite Panzergrenadiere have approximatly 50 of those and cant hit an Immobilie Sherman...

  • @andrewhart6377
    @andrewhart63774 ай бұрын

    Not only influenced the soviet design but also the American ones.

  • @zillsburyy1
    @zillsburyy14 ай бұрын

    almost anything could knock out a ronson

  • @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    4 ай бұрын

    At least the "ronson" didn't spontaneously burst into flames on its own accord like the Panther. It also had a superior kill ratio vs the Panther. Your idol, Michael Wittman was killed when his Tiger's turret launched into the air after being hit by a round fired from a ronson. Ronsons were also used in frontline service for decades after the the war, while Tigers and Panthers were either scrapped or put in museums.

  • @frenchfan3368
    @frenchfan33684 ай бұрын

    Great video and great information but "faust" (fist in English) is pronounced "fowst;" not "fahst."

  • @FactBytes

    @FactBytes

    4 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the info!

  • @tekis0
    @tekis04 ай бұрын

    The pronunciation is like the "o" sound in the word "frost."

  • @marioborkowski5894
    @marioborkowski58944 ай бұрын

    Cheap and deadly

  • @donjorge8329
    @donjorge83294 ай бұрын

    „Reign of terror“…😂😂😂😂 What is this, preaching or what? It was a weapon. Not more, not less.

  • @Phalanx11
    @Phalanx114 ай бұрын

    The innovative Germans were first in.... Handheld AT weapons Infrared optics Jet aircraft rocketry Blitzkreig tactics Tank radios Panzer Korps formation Jet bombers are you not entertained?

  • @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    4 ай бұрын

    The Americans were the first to use rocket-launched antitank weapons in combat. Americans also were the first to use war-winning weapons like the atomic bomb and proximity fuzes in combat. The Germans were no where close. The Germans were way behind in electronics, radar and crytography. The Allies could read German encrypted Enigma messages as fast as the receiver on the other end. Allied superiority in technology won the war. By the way, you forgot the Maus tank -- another wunderwaffe.

  • @Phalanx11

    @Phalanx11

    4 ай бұрын

    @@user-ys3wf7bl4k Actually i like your reply. I'm American btw. Just respectful of German ingenuity.

  • @alexandermelbaus2351

    @alexandermelbaus2351

    4 ай бұрын

    @@user-ys3wf7bl4kThe Allies had the big advantage using radar with the development of the magnatron; This advantage directly affected the German U-boats and this technology gave the Allies victory over them. The Allies had the ability to break some encrypted German communications; Some area's of communication were easily intercepted, but other's were not. Apart from a few small details, Germany had superior technology across almost all industries. Their weapons and military equipment was superior. Make no mistake, every modern army is modelled on the German Army and the US, Russia and England were all trying to get as much German technology as they could. Plastics, synthetic fibres, fuel injection, missiles, jet engines, synthetic oils and fuels, the first assault rifles (a term coined by AH). They had night vision, diesel-electric submarines. The German's had seriously dangerous chemical weapons; They were never deployed to my knowledge.Their guns were better, their sights were better, the ammunition was better quality and far safer. Look up the Horton-229. The Normandy invasion confronted only a fraction of the German Forces; 80-85% were destroyed by the Red Army. The German Army suffered some strategic defeats in the East, but mostly it was overwhelmed by a seemingly endless enemy.

  • @Collectorfirearms

    @Collectorfirearms

    4 ай бұрын

    @@user-ys3wf7bl4k true. Really I actually saw a video on how the Germans were close to proximity fuses in a way. But most of the things that guy listed we were close to inviting or were making at the same time. If he wanted to impress us he would have said the subs the Germans came out with at the end of the war or the way the made the first v-2 or other wise known as the A4 rockets.

  • @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    4 ай бұрын

    ​@Phalanx11 The Germans were no more innovative overall than any of the major nations. They led somewhat in some fields, but were way behind in others than could win the war. I'm also tired of all this talk of "German engineering". German engineers are notorious for making things more complex than necessary, yet those engineers could not come up with a cavity magnetron or stabilized tank gun -- like that on the Sherman -- the first tank to be so equipped, thus making it more technically advanced than its Geman counterparts. German mathematicians thought that Enigma was unbreakable. They had no idea that the Allies were using the first computers to aid in code breaking. Who were the German equivalents to Alan Turing or Tommy Flowers? The Allies won not just because of numerical superiority, but because they possessed superior intelligence, in every sense of the word, as well. This festishization of German technology, is just ridiculous -- especially as you say you're an American.

  • @infantrycaptain9224
    @infantrycaptain92244 ай бұрын

    Armor Devil not fist

  • @richardbinkhuysen5224
    @richardbinkhuysen52244 ай бұрын

    Geel was defended by Kampfgruppe Chill which was bolstered by several other units. The main counter attack force was 2nd Batallion of Fallschirmjäger Rgt.6 supported by Jagdpanther of s.Pz.Jg.Abt.559. The Resistance Group my Granddad belonged to fought against a Company of 3rd Batallion Fallschirmjäger Rgt.6 several weeks later. We are making a You-Tube series about them and their 2 German counterparts they had to face. Episode 4 : 'The Battle for Geel' kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZIhsk8Z7hZmpfrw.htmlsi=r-0qTlkvy6z35Nlh

  • @mitchellculberson9336
    @mitchellculberson93363 ай бұрын

    It means tank fist not armor fist.Know your history.

  • @leebarrr1

    @leebarrr1

    2 ай бұрын

    “ I want to be heard “

  • @bobns509
    @bobns5094 ай бұрын

    Hm, after watching this video, except hearing that it was dangerous weapon about 20 times during seeing a video, I still don't have any impression how really dangerous it was, how many Allied tanks it destroyed and how effective this actually was. Subject of this video is not covered.

  • @user-du6yr1qx5d
    @user-du6yr1qx5d4 ай бұрын

    Видео - обман...склейка разных сьемок...подбитые пушками танки выдаются как подбитые гранатометами...За обман дизлайк!👎

  • @karl-p.schlor9022
    @karl-p.schlor90224 ай бұрын

    And for all dont know the people right and the Geneva convention that says that there is war against civilians as part of non combattants is striictly forbidden, and Germany didnt started it, but the Royal Air Force Bomb Comnand against German cities in 1939 already! The German revenge against that war crime first started.with air raids against industrial targets by some collateral damages of civilians .nearby the industrial targets, as for example at the facrories of weapons at the city of Coventry cause the houses of workers with their families lyed near their working places. Later than from 1941 on Germans also terrorized civilians in London when it was clear that BRITISH TERROR raids where continuisly taking place over Germany.

  • @Derry429
    @Derry4294 ай бұрын

    Panzerfaust was First RPG in the world

  • @josephshultz4541

    @josephshultz4541

    3 ай бұрын

    Not true...the Panzerfaust didn't use a rocket...it launched a grenade by a blackpowder charge .

  • @bertclock6628
    @bertclock66284 ай бұрын

    Terror....clickBait... weapon of defense

  • @davidfisher9026

    @davidfisher9026

    4 ай бұрын

    My feelings too. The tank was the terror weapon.

  • @jonboll2066
    @jonboll20664 ай бұрын

    0:51 must have been near the end of the war.. germany was handing out old school rpgs to 12 year olds lol

  • @allanryan4210
    @allanryan42104 ай бұрын

    Its means TANK FIST not ARMOUR FIST plse get your facts right

  • @RyansuBike
    @RyansuBike4 ай бұрын

    "smashed" maybe, but did not seem to slow down either the Western allies or Russians...

  • @TheTurfrex

    @TheTurfrex

    4 ай бұрын

    Because the panzerfaust came to late in the war.

  • @DavidSmith-ss1cg
    @DavidSmith-ss1cg4 ай бұрын

    The Panzerfaust was directly inspired by the German Army meeting the US Army's Bazooka in North Africa as soon as they met them there. The German weapon was an improvement; it was a throw-away, 1-man device, cheap but effective. It became common knowledge to current-day "Wehraboos" when it killed a crewman in the popular move "Fury."

  • @afp259

    @afp259

    4 ай бұрын

    That's not correct. You are mixing up Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck. The Panzerschreck is the equivalent to the Bazooka and inspired by it. It is way more powerful than the Panzerfaust and reloadable.

  • @paultyson4389
    @paultyson43894 ай бұрын

    Highly repetitive.

  • @nolotrippen2970
    @nolotrippen29704 ай бұрын

    Please learn how to pronounce the equipment you're covering.

  • @charlesthepaperman

    @charlesthepaperman

    4 ай бұрын

    It's AI generated. It's a robot voice.

  • @luigiaschettino5373
    @luigiaschettino53734 ай бұрын

    Onore ai soldati tedeschi

  • @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    @user-ys3wf7bl4k

    4 ай бұрын

    Like the "honorable" German soldiers that massacred thousands of Italian soldiers of the Acqui division?

  • @romsebrell710

    @romsebrell710

    4 ай бұрын

    ​@@user-ys3wf7bl4kgli Italiani se. La sono Cercata. Studia meglio la storia!!!!.

  • @lawrencefleck1117
    @lawrencefleck11174 ай бұрын

    A I pictures SUCK

  • @williamfurman2042
    @williamfurman20424 ай бұрын

    Invented by Eva Braun.

  • @trygd100
    @trygd1004 ай бұрын

    Modest shopping power??

  • @user-uy9os4ey8n
    @user-uy9os4ey8n4 ай бұрын

    Американские освободители....