Good Old Fashioned Tank P*rn

[Colin]

cough*

 

[Paul G.]

cough*

 

 

Ahh but that was discounted as French Folly. Look what the US and Brits were fielding in 1940.

[Sovngard]

 

Historical fact about the B1 :

 

« Pierre Billotte is known for his extraordinary actions on 16 May 1940 during the battle at the French village of Stonne. Billotte served in the 1st Compagnie of the 41st Tank Battalion, equipped with the Char B1 heavy tank. Then-Captain Billotte, commanding a Char B1 Bis tank nicknamed "Eure", was instrumental in capturing the village of Stonne, defended by elements of the German 8th Panzer Regiment. The village had already been the scene of fierce fighting before Billotte's action, having changed hands numerous times and lying on a strategic location on the road to Sedan. On 16 May, while under heavy fire from German tanks, Billotte and his B1 Bis managed to break through the German defences and to destroy two German PzKpfw IV tanks, eleven PzKpfw III tanks and two enemy guns. Billotte's Char B1-Bis tank received 140 hits from enemy tanks and guns, but none were able to penetrate the tank's heavy armour. »

[Colin]

Had the US been able to field the Lee in good numbers in even 1938, they would have had one of the worlds best tanks. Reliable, decently gunned, armoured and mobile.

[rmgill]

I had never considered that particular advantage of the Gav!n.

The M557 would have been a better selection. More head room and the tent off the back provides an annex space.

[JasonJ]

Type 97 Chi-Ha Improved version on Shumshu island, one of the northernmost Kuril islands.

 

 

After the surrender of Japanese forces, the Soviets attacked Shumshu in a rush hoping to snag some extra territory. The Japanese were completely surprised but mounted a fierce defense before losing the island.

Edited April 30, 2014 by JasonJ

[Nikolas93TS]

 

On August 18, 1945 a Soviet force of 8,360 troops supported by naval and air forces made an amphibious landing on Shumshu. Forty Japanese tanks from the Japanese Army 11th Tank Regiment commanded by Col Zueo Ikeda attacked the Soviet landing force in "self-defense". During a vicious close-quarters battle in the fog that lasted more than two hours, the tanks claimed to have killed over 100 Soviets until their anti-tank guns were deployed and disabled twenty-one of their tanks. Two days later on August 20, a cease fire was signed and the Battle of Shumshu officially ended on August 23 with the surrender of the island's garrison, ending the last battle of World War II in the Pacific.

[Chris Werb]

Just found these, know nothing about the picture, but early "Combat cars"?

 

edit from the link: http://kevinraber.com/tag/phase-one-p65/

Hard to believe that in such a pristine place you can find tanks. In antarctica on one of our stops we came across these tanks with aircraft rotary engines in a field near an abandoned US Research base. You must know if you are a regular follower that I have a thing for rust. And, of all places in this snow field I got my full dose.

 

 

Colin these must be ultra rare survivals of very interesting vehicles - is anyone making any effort to get these recovered? I'd hate to see them scrapped in some misguided future environmental clean-up.

[Paul G.]

Had the US been able to field the Lee in good numbers in even 1938, they would have had one of the worlds best tanks. Reliable, decently gunned, armoured and mobile.

 

It wasnt that the US couldnt field an M3 Lee it was they didnt think they needed an M3 Lee in 1938.

 

This is what the US medium tank looked like in 1940.

 

[Colin]

Thanks to the MG mafia!!! Complete I see with MG deflector plates to shoot down into the trenches. They had the gun and the tank, they just needed the idea.

[DogDodger]

In 1938, it was the opinion of the Chief of Infantry that a 75 mm gun medium tank was unnecessary...

[Mr King]

Thanks to the MG mafia!!! Complete I see with MG deflector plates to shoot down into the trenches. They had the gun and the tank, they just needed the idea.

 

Colin what exactly are the MG deflector plates in that picture? I have never heard of such a thing.

[DogDodger]

The plates hovering diagonally over the rear fenders were intended to have the rear sponson MGs fired onto them so that the bullets could be deflected down into any trenches the tank should cross.

[Mr King]

Thanks!

[Jim Warford]

Christie Combat Car being demonstrated at Fort Leavenworth...

 

[Colin]

In 1938, it was the opinion of the Chief of Infantry that a 75 mm gun medium tank was unnecessary...

Are these the same guys that did not allow the Cavalry to have tanks?

[Mr King]

[bojan]

IIRC from the movie "Lebanon".

[Mr King]

IIRC from the movie "Lebanon".

 

Yep. Never seen it myself, just happen to come across the image while searching for some different images tonight.

[bojan]

It is a strange movie, but IMO worth watching.

[DogDodger]

 

In 1938, it was the opinion of the Chief of Infantry that a 75 mm gun medium tank was unnecessary...

Are these the same guys that did not allow the Cavalry to have tanks?

 

To be fair, Cavalry and Infantry were both vying for total control, but the legislature itself ensured that tanks were given to the Infantry with the National Defense Act of 1920. Cavalry still had tanks, of course (and these fit right in with the machine gun mafia), but they had to call them "combat cars."

[Colin]

T-85

 

and some sort of heavy AA Sherman

[Colin]

[DKTanker]

[Sovngard]

Edited May 3, 2014 by Sovngard