Page 1 of 1

Prokhorovka on GE

Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 2:15 am
by Mobius
Wow, they improved the Google Earth maps of Prokhorovka since I made my kursk maps a few years ago. In fact you can get a street view or the road from Prokhorovka to Komsomolets State Farm along the railroad embankment.

RE: Prokhorovka on GE

Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 11:26 am
by Mobius
Here is a street level view looking at the direction the Soviet tanks would approach Oktiabr'skii State Farm as the Germans began their move toward Prokhorovka, a few kilometers away.

51°01'15"N 36°40'28"E Prokhorovka battlefield.
Check both sides the RR tracks down to 50°58' 36°34'. It is where Leibstandarte fought from 7/9/1943 to 7/12/1943.

Nice that Google Earth ran their truck along the dirt roads of the actual battlefield.
I don't know if that tree line in the distance was there in 1943 but it is only about 750m from Oktiabr'skii State Farm. One thing I'm noticing is the land is flatter than I thought it would be and the railroad embankment doesn't seem the obstacle that is portrayed in all the narratives.


Image

This image was taken 8/2013 and doesn't show much wheat growing. But take a tour on the other side of the railroad toward Jamki and the former stalinsk farm and there is wheat fields with tall wheat. That would be more like it in July 1943.

RE: Prokhorovka on GE

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:59 pm
by Elron Hubbub
I am reading 'Armor and Blood'-Showalter. The book really needs better maps and also Kursk photos that capture the terrain better. He also needs to be schooled on simple facts such as T34 used diesel, and that full 'gas tanks' don't explode like in the movies.