Impossible Shot - The Tank that Shot Down a Fighter Plane

As the war in the East reached its brutal zenith in 1943, the depleted Wehrmacht forces made up what they lacked in critical supplies with the fearlessness and wits of the men determined to bring victory to Germany.

One such man was Otto Carius, a soldier who fiercely fought during those desperate days, overcoming ever-worsening odds and performing one astonishing feat after another.

Carius was a renowned German Panzer Ace credited with destroying over 150 enemy tanks and was well-known by the enemy. The soldier would achieve most of his accomplishments aboard his fearsome Tiger one, one of the most influential and resilient armored vehicles in the world.

One fateful day, as Carius and his unit found themselves pummeled by enemy fire from relentless Sturmovik fighter aircraft on the Eastern Front, he and his gunner got increasingly annoyed by the constant attacks.

They had orders to hold their position no matter the cost, and thus, as they heard a squad of approaching assault bombers, Carius positioned the tank, and his gunner then aimed its powerful 88-millimeter cannon at them.

Protecting their Panzer unit was their priority, and it was now or never…


- As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -