jouni
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Finland had a group, whose name was magnificently Panzer Division. This armored division was called "Marshal's fist". The division commander of the Mannerheim Cross Knight Ruben Lagus trained his units spirit and competence world-class set of - which was to be used as a whole (artillery, Jaegers, armours). Used this way, it would have been really "steel fist", despite the fact that the tanks and equipment was mainly obsolete scrap (light armored poorly equipped and too weak cannon). even light tanks would certainly have been successfully used for many purposes IF there would also have been sufficient amount of modern heavy tanks.
Finland tried to buy from Germany Russian T-34 (Duck) battle tanks 200 pieces of war trophy tanks, but the Germans refused to sell them to Finland. If you would have been even 100 t-34 outlet for the spring of 1944, the Russians would have been in a tight spot with the major attacks. Finland had a heavy battle tanks, unfortunately, only about one Klim Voroshilov, a couple of old "Mail Trains" (T-28) and the operating condition, taken from January to February one war trophy T-34 for Tali-Ihantala major fighting at the time.
Even now, these minor T-34s "made miracles". For example, 25.6. their counterattack at Portinhoikassa one Sotka commander / gunner Sergeant Reino Lehväslaiho and promoter of the Mannerheim Cross Knight of Staff Sergeant Lauri Heino destroyed 7 enemy tanks, 5 of which were 30-ton T-34 (Duck) and two 43 tonnes with an assault cannon SU-152. [lii]
Of course, we must not forget bought in Germany Stu 40 "Sturm" (24 tons, 75 mm cannon), but the assault gun is not a battle tank (the cannon is directed by turning the whole wagon sideways). With them were destroyed of course, significant amounts of enemy tanks. As part of the Armoured Division was the assault gun battalion, which was 23 assault guns. The battalion's training was still in progress when the offensive started on 06.09.1944. That topic can find good information about Finnish soldier's number 3/2004 - also on the internet: http://www.suomensotilas.fi/naytenumero/Sturm.pdf
25.6.-26.6. Assault tank battallion made a counter-attack from the gate to the stretched direction at the junction Leitimo lake. As it advances Battalion destroyed number of enemys tanks. The enemy counter-attack was defeated and 26.6. morning Sturms destroyed twenty enemy tanks. [liii] A total of Sturms officially destroyed 87 enemy tanks with eight of their own losses. [liv] The most successful leader of an assault cannon was Börje Brotell whose account is officially 11 Russian tanks. Tali-Ihantala Brotell destroyed eight enemy tanks. [Lv]
http://personal.inet.fi/koti/juhani.putkinen/T_I_torjuntavoitto.htm
