I did include in my Kursk book 32 aerial photos taken by the Germans in June and July 1943 (pages 569-600), in what was called the “Photo Reconnaissance Section.” I considered them useful for examining the terrain and a nice supplement to the 1:5000 scale maps I included in the book. I also included 12 such photos in my Prokhorovka book, pages 189-202. It is a nice, large and untapped collection at the National Archives. You can tell when archives files have been heavily used. These looked untouched. I was directed to these files by John Sloan about 10 years ago.
Apparently a British historian by the name of Ben Wheatley tapped into the pictures of the battlefield taken on 14-16 July. He was able to see in some of them the destroyed tanks on the battlefield. It resulted in this article in BBC (it is nice that they pay attention to history): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48963295
That article was posted in a message to this blog by David Carr. Ben Wheatley paper is here: . https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16161262.2019.1606545
The real story at Prokhorovka has been known for a while, so surprised that this has been getting such attention. The BBC article states that the Germans lost 5 Pz IVs at Prokhorovka while the Soviets lost more than 200.
This is probably a little more certainty about the figures than I have in my books. So over the next couple of posts, I will be exploring what those figures may be. The first problem is the definition of the battlefield and who is on it. The next problem is what tanks were lost on what days. There is also an issue with defining what a loss is.
“these looked untouched. I was directed to these files by John Sloan about 10 years ago.”
Major John Sloan Brown?
Col. John Sloan is a “Sovietologist” who has been around for a very long time. Retired now, but very knowledgeable.
If we consider the battle under Prokhorovka zerg-rush of the 18th and 29th tank corps on the LSSAH, the loss ratio is 5: 138.
Moreover, if you carefully consider the second figure, then it will probably be less. After 1100 on July 12, part of the irretrievable losses could have been inflicted by Totenkopf tanks and aviation.
If we take Prokhorovka as the actions of all five corps of the 5th tank army, then the loss ratio is less disastrous. In addition to 5-6 tanks of irretrievably lost LSSAH, one must take into account the irretrievable losses of Totenkopf and Reich tanks.
Wait around. I have a few more posts already prepared on this that will be showing up in the next few days.
Objective Ponyri! The Defeat of XXXXI. Panzerkorps at Ponyri Train Station by Martin Nevshemal has some nice aerial recon photos of the action in the north.
Thanks. That book is still sitting in my “to be read” pile…still in its bubble wrap.