Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'abalị ise n'ọnwa Julaị n'afọ 1943, Model du ndị agha si n'ebe ugwu wakpo Kursk n'oge
Operation Citadel, atụmatụ nke kpatara nnukwu esemokwu n'etiti ndị isi ndị agha Germany. Günther von Kluge na Erich von Manstein, ndị na-achị ndị Army Groups Center na South n'otu n'otu, agwala na a ga-awakpo ndị isi na May, tupu ndị Soviet nwee ike ịkwadebe nchekwa ha. Ndị ọzọ, gụnyere Heinz Guderian, chere na ọ dịghị mkpa ịwakpo ha, ebe ọ bụ na ọ ga-eme ka ụgbọ agha ha funahụ ha nke ukwuu ma si otú ahụ mebie atụmatụ ndị e mere iji mee ka ụgbọ agha ndị Germany dịkwuo ike. Model nwekwara obi abụọ banyere ohere nke atụmatụ ahụ, na-egosi na Konstantin Rokossovsky's Central Front bụ nke siri ike ma karịa ya abụọ na otu na ndị ikom, tankị na egbe agha. Kama ikwubi na a ga-akwụsị mwakpo ahụ, o kwuru na a ga-eyigharịrị ya ruo mgbe ọ ga-enwetakwu nkwado, ọkachasị tankị Panther ọhụrụ na Ferdinand tank destroyers.