recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
MBT-70

In the early 1960s, tanks such as the Leopard 1 and the M60 Patton tanks were the main battle tanks for their respective countries. Their main armament was the M68 105mm rifled gun (developed from the British Royal Ordnance L7). Though it became very clear that the next generation of Soviet tanks would have increased firepower and protection, and both tanks would be placed at a disadvantage by the new smoothbore gun in the T-62. An upgrade project for the Leopard was planned, but it appeared this model would not be enough of an advance to be worthwhile. Due to this, West-Germany and the US started a project together to develop a tank as an upgrade to both tanks. The two made a memorandum of understanding that specified certain desired characteristics. Despite this, both countries were constantly in conflict over engineering practices, which would plague the MBT-70 through its development.

The designation for the US prototypes was MBT-70, while the German prototypes' designation was Kampfpanzer 70 (KPz-70), both meaning Main Battle Tank. The US version was to mount the newly developed Continental AVCR air-cooled V-12 diesel engine, while the German version used a similar Daimler-Benz model, but later moved to an MTU design.The US prototypes also were fitted with the M73 machine gun, while the German version utilized the MG-3 machine gun.

A prototype series started in 1965, with two mild steel hull and six "complete" hulls of both the US and German versions, for a total of 14 hulls. The lower hull and drivetrain were tested in 1966, and full trials began in 1968. A year behind schedule, the U.S. and Germany debuted their MBT-70s publicly in October 1967. By 1969, the MBT-70 cost 5 times what was the original price, at $7.06 million per unit in today's money. In the same year, West-Germany pulled out of the project to pursue its Leopard 2 project. The US would only cancel the project in 1971. It used the technologies of the MBT-70 in its development of the M1 Abrams tank.

A few MBT-70 prototypes survive today and call still be visited. Some locations include the Aberdeen Proving Ground for the American prototype, and the German Tank Museum in Munster for the German prototype.
T28 Super-Heavy Tank

During WW2, US needed a tank which could break through heavy German defenses of the Siegfried Line, though the Siegfried Line was already captured by Allies before T28 could finish its trials. Thus, it was decided for the tank to go fight on Japanese mainland, but Japan surrendered before it could be transported overseas.

It was originally named Heavy Tank T28 when the project started in 1944. In 1945, U.S. Ordnance Department requested for the tank to be called 105 mm Gun Motor Carriage T95 as it did not have its armament in a revolving turret. However, due to its heavy armor and armament, it was renamed Super Heavy Tank T28 in June 1946 by OCM 37058.

There were 2 prototypes of T28 built (see Gallery), both got tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Knox facilities until 1947. In 1947, one of the prototypes was heavily damaged by an engine fire, and was sold for scrap. It was unknown what happened to the other prototype until 1974, when it was found abandoned in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. It was first exhibited at the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor in Kentucky. In 2011, it was sent to Patton Park, Fort Benning, Georgia. It got damaged in 2017 when it broke loose from the M1070 HET carrying it to a refurbishment facility. The T28 project was discontinued in September 1947 by the War Department due to obsolete design, high maintenance costs, and the heavy weight (95 tons). By this time, projects such as T29 and T30 projects were entering service.

## **Trivia**

* The T28 had pop-off tracks where it could attach its extra tracks to traverse better cross-country and detach the extra tracks when being transported by train or another transportation vehicle.
* Although there were only 2 prototypes were built, there were plans to build 5 of these and there were considerations of arming these other 3 canceled prototypes with the 120 mm T53 and the 155 mm M1.
SU-100

The SU-100P is a Soviet prototype self-propelled howitzer, designed for artillery and anti-tank purposes.

At the end of the Second World War many nations started to develop self-propelled artillery pieces capable of firing from closed positions. These guns eventually started to replace the earlier towed artillery cannons. The USSR started to design multiple new self-propelled artillery pieces to replace their older artillery after it became clear that the poor gun elevation of their current self-propelled artillery pieces was severely hampering the range of these guns. But the hull of the SU-100 had major improvements over the SU-85; the thickness of the front armour was increased from **45 to 75 mm (1.8 to 3.0 in)** with a constructional armour slope of 55 degrees, making armour as effective as 125mm

Uralmash's OKB-3 division began work on two prototype self-propelled guns after being tasked to do so by a decree from the Soviet government. OKB-3 designed most of the vehicles, while OKB-9 worked on the armament. In 1948 two prototypes had been finished, the SU-152G (Object 108) and SU-100P (Object 105). Both designs began factory testing in the fall of that year, however it became clear that the chassis and elevation mechanisms on the SU-100P had stability and power flaws. Both prototypes began state trials in 1949, which further highlighted the issues with the chassis on both tanks. Despite this however, improvements were made to the tanks up until 1955 when both the SU-100P and SU-152G passed trials and were accepted into military service. However they never saw mass production beyond a few prototypes as all work on self-propelled guns was called off by the Soviet government in 1955.
Rhino Heavy Armoured Car

Information found From Wikipedia.

## Rhino Heavy Armored Car

**Car, Armored, Heavy (Aust)**, also known as **Rhino**, was an armored car designed in Australia during the Second World War. Due to enemy action and design problems, the project never got beyond the prototype stage.

## History

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the Commonwealth for armoured fighting vehicles. This led many Commonwealth countries to develop their own AFVs.

In mid-to-late 1941 a specification for a heavy armoured car was issued by the Australian Directorate of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Production. Two prototype hulls and turrets were built and tested on the same chassis in 1942. The vehicle suffered from excessive weight and in 1943 the project was cancelled.

The vehicle utilised a Canadian Military Pattern truck chassis and engine produced by General Motors Canada, the rear-engined Model 8446 with GMC Model 270 engine. The same chassis as used for the Canadian Fox Armoured Car. To this a welded armored body fabricated from an Australian Bullet-proof Plate (ABP-3) of 30 mm (1.2 in) thickness to the front and 11 mm (0.43 in) to the sides and rear was fitted. The vehicle was completed by a welded turret with 30 mm all-around protection similar in design to that of the Crusader tank. The armament consisted of a QF 2-pounder Mk IX gun and a coaxial .303-inch Vickers machine gun.

A pilot model of an armoured personnel carrier with an open-topped hull and no turret was also built.
M24 Chaffee

The **Light Tank M24,** or commonly known as the **M24 Chaffee,** is an American light tank used during the latter part of World War II, but never saw action. In British service, it was nicknamed **Chaffee** after the United States Army General Adna R. Chaffee Jr., who helped develop the use of tanks in the United States armed forces. By the 1960s, the United States and NATO forces completely removed the M24 from service, but remained in service with many Third World countries and fought in numerous foreign conflicts.

### **M-24 IMI-OTO 60 mm**

As Chile's stockpile of M24 light tanks grew obsolete, the Chilean Army up-gunned their M24s in the mid-1980s. The M24s original armament was replaced with the IMI-OTO 60 mm Hyper Velocity Medium Support (HVMS) gun, with roughly comparable performance to a standard 90 mm gun. Chile operated this version of the tank until 1999 when the Chilean Army purchased and accepted the Leopard I into service.
T-26

T-26 is a Soviet light tank. In May 1930, a Soviet buying committee, under the direction of Seymon Ginzburg, took a visit to Great Britain. There, the committee inspected and bought tanks, tractors, and cars for use in the Red Army. Among these purchases was the Vickers 6-Ton. On May 28th 1930, Vickers-Armstrong delivered 15 Twin-turreted British Vickers light tanks to the USSR with full technical documentation so that series production was possible in the USSR. Four more Vickers light tanks were bought at the end of 1932, which mounted a 47 mm gun in a single turret. It's armor was quite weak with 15mm.

These tanks were designated as the **V-26** in the USSR, and were successfully tested for cross-country ability at the small proving ground on Poklonnaya Hill near Moscow in early 1931. In order to define a tank type suitable for Red Army service, Kliment Voroshilov ordered the creation of the "Special Commission for the Red Army new tanks," or RKKA.

On January 26th, 1931, the head of the RKKA , I. Khalepsky wrote a letter to S. Ginzburg, stating according to their intelligence, Polish government had decided to purchase Vickers 6-Ton light infantry tanks and the Christie M1931 cavalry tank with assistance from Britain and France with series production. Because Poland was considered the USSR's main enemy, the Soviet Revolutionary Military Council decided to pass the now T-26 into immediate production.

### **T-26 mod. 1933**

In 1933, the Soviet Military unveiled the T-26 mod. 1933. Unlike its predecessors, the T-26 was fitted with a new single cylindrical turret that sported the 45 mm L46 gun and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. A rear ball mount was also installed into the rear of the turret. In the turret, the tank came equipped with a radio set and a hand-rail radio, greatly improving communication and performance on the battlefield. The tank was powered by a T-26 90 horsepower flat row 4-cylinder air-cooled petrol engine, which was a similar copy to the Vickers 6-Ton Armstrong Siddeley engine. From 1931 to 1941, Factory No. 164 and the Stalingrad Tractor Factory produced 12,000 T-26 units.
T-28

T-28 is a Soviet Medium tank. In 1929, a need of an infantry support and a breakthrough tank was needed that was able to exploit breakthroughs and handle infantry fortifications. The final result of the tank design had three turrets with the main turret mounted with a 76.2mm L-10 gun and the two turrets with 7.62 machine guns. The design was highly praised to the point that Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, requested for a heavier version of the tank, able to suit the role of a breakthrough, which resulted in the T-35. The first T-28 prototype was built in 1931 with production beginning in the Kirov Factory in Leningrad in 1932 and was soon pressed into service on August 11th, 1933. Only serving from 1933 to 1941 with the Red Army, only 503 units were produced.

## **Trivia**

* The T-28 might get mistaken for the T28 Doom Turtle, although they are two extremely different tanks
* A tip to help avoid confusion between the T-28 and T28 is that the T-28 has a Hyphen (-) while the T28 does not. Another way is to call the T28 the Doom Turtle or just Turtle.
AC4 tank

### Credits go to wikipedia.org, this could also mean that some information is incorrect/wrong.

The AC4, also known as the Australian Cruiser Tank Mk. 4, was a tank that was designed in Australia during World War II. It was meant to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, the AC3 Thunderbolt. One of the key features of the AC4 was its one-piece cast hull and turret, which was similar to its earlier versions.

But what set the AC4 apart was its main weapon – a 17-pounder tank gun. This powerful gun was a significant upgrade and would have given the AC4 considerable firepower on the battlefield. It was a response to the evolving needs of armored warfare during that time.

The AC4 project showcased Australia's efforts to keep up with the changing demands of modern warfare and create a tank that could hold its own in combat. Unfortunately, despite its promising design, the AC4 didn't see widespread production.

## History

Concerns about the effectiveness of the 25-pounder gun on the AC3 tank and its limitations in penetrating armor prompted some experimentation. They decided to try mounting a British 17-pounder (76 mm, 3 in) gun, which was considered one of the best anti-tank guns used by the Allies at the time.

To adapt the AC3 for this new gun, they built a turret and mounted it on one of the development vehicles. This wasn't straightforward because the 17-pounder had more recoil than the 25-pounder. They solved this by mounting two 25-pounder gun-howitzers and firing them simultaneously, simulating the recoil of a 17-pounder. They conducted tests with this configuration on November 2, 1942, and after successful trials on November 17, 1942, they decided to go with the 17-pounder for the AC4 design. For the AC4, they designed a new and larger turret, which could accommodate the 17-pounder. This required changes to the upper hull to make room for the turret ring.

The design process for the tank was ongoing, and there were several adjustments. They needed to redesign the internal stowage and incorporate new features like removing the turret basket, adding a gyro-stabilizer, switching from hydraulic traverse to an electrical system, and replacing the volute spring suspension with torsion bars.

The project received authorization to build a total of 510 AC4 tanks. Among them, 110 were designated as the "A" variant, which would be fitted with the 25-pounder gun instead of the 17-pounder. Interestingly, the tank didn't have an official name, but there was a suggestion from the Director of AFV Production, Alfred Code, who had "Woomera" in mind for the tank. However, before the design could be finalized, the program was terminated in July 1943, leaving the AC4 project incomplete.
KV-2

The KV-2 (Kliment Voroshilov-2) was a Soviet heavy tank armed with the 152mm M-10T Howitzer built on a KV-1 chassis. Few were ever produced due to its combat ineffectiveness and unreliability due to the weight of the turret and other limiting factors.

In Finland, the KV-1's armament was found to be incapable of knocking out Finnish fortifications, especially at the Mannerheim line. As a response, an order was placed to mount the 152mm M-10T howitzer onto the KV-1. However, the sheer size of the howitzer meant an extremely large turret would be needed to mount the M-10T howitzer, causing serious problems for the tank such as reduced top speed, increased weight, and slow turret traverse. This was so bad, the KV-2 turret could potentially flip the vehicle over because of its weight, according to test reports. As a result, the KV-2 was put under limited production with only 334 units built.

A heavy assault tank with the M-10 152 mm howitzer, the KV-2 was produced at the same time as the KV-1. Due to the size of its heavy turret and gun, the KV-2 was slower and had a much higher profile than the KV-1. Those captured and used by the German Army were known as *(Sturm)Panzerkampfwagen KV-II 754(r).* Few were produced due to its combat ineffectiveness, mainly the decreased speed due to the weight of the new gun and turret. Due to an increase in turret weight from the expanded dimensions and a heavier gun, the turret traverse mechanism could work only on level ground.

## **Real Life Trivia**

* During the battle of Raseinai, a lone KV-2 had stopped the entire German 6th Panzer Division, with 20 tanks destroyed before the vehicle was destroyed itself.
* When captured by the Germans, the KV-2 was re-designated as "Panzerkampfwagen KV-II 754 (r)."
* The turret was so heavy that the tank could tip over if it wasn't on even ground.
* 334 KV-2s were produced.
* There is only 1 surviving KV-2 left in the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow.
* It shares the informal *Zveroboy (beast slayer)* nickname with the SU-152 and ISU-152 due to their ability to just destroy Tiger 1, Tiger 2's, and Elefant (Ferdinand) tank destroyers effortlessly regardless if the hit penetrates or not.
Tiger II

In the late 1930s, companies Henschel and Porsche got awarded a design contract for a heavy tank. Both companies used the same turret design from Krupp; the main differences being the hull, transmission, suspension and automotive features. Henschel eventually won the design contract, and all Tiger 2s were produced by the company.The first 50 Tiger 2s had a so called "Porsche" turret due to the misconception that it was designed by Porsche. Later Tiger 2s had a so called "Henschel" turret, which is the more recognizable one. (See Gallery section)489 units were built, each costing around 4.4 million USD in today's money. These units were produced from 1943 to 1945. The last surviving Tiger 2s (of which are 4) are all on public display. The last working example is in *Musée des Blindés,* Samur, France.

### Trivia

* It is known under the informal name Königstiger (Bengal Tiger) or King Tiger by Allied soldiers, especially by American forces.
* The Tiger II was the successor to the Tiger I, combining the latter's thick armour with the armour sloping used on the Panther medium tank. The tank weighed almost 70 tonnes, and was protected by **100 to 185 mm (3.9 to 7.3 in)** of armour to the front.
* The Same Gun on the Tiger II was from the Tiger I.
M4 Sherman

## The M4 Sherman

The M4 Sherman was an American medium tank of WW2 with 50,000 tanks produced from 1942 up to 1945. The tank from the beginning was designed for mass production, being cheap, easy to maintain, simple, and reliable. Despite of these traits, the M4 Sherman was fast, well armored, and well armed making this tank the good-all-around armored vehicles that the Allies had sought for. It saw action in every corner of the globe under flags of different countries during the war. The Sherman saw service after the war up to the end of the 20th century with a total service life of 60 years.

### Trivia

* Due to the US industry being unprepared to build the M4 Sherman in early 1940, the M3 Lee was made as a stop-gap solution.
* Commonly known incorrectly as a "death trap" or the "right tank for the wrong war"
* The last remaining Sherman in service was the Chilean M-60 which was finally removed from service between 1999 and 2003.
* The M4 Sherman is the 3rd most produced tank of all time and the 2nd most produced tank of WW2.
* The M4's main armament was a short-barreled, low-velocity 75-mm gun, and its armour thickness was **a maximum of 75 mm and a minimum of 12 mm** (3 inches and 0.5 inch).
T-80 Light Tank

The T-80 is a Soviet light tank and was an upgrade over the previous T-70, having a new turret with an additional crew member, (to not make the commander as over-worked), better armor and suspension.

The tank itself is a variant of the T-80, using the 45 mm VT-43 gun, instead of the 45 mm 20-K gun. The T-80 VT-43 was only a prototype that was accepted for service, however, it remained a prototype due to termination of the T-80 and other light tanks with the arrival of better light tanks from America and Britain.

The T-80 Light tank was an evolution of the previous T-70 Light tank, in an attempt to make it's design relevant again. This was done through making a new two-man turret, improving the armor, strengthening the suspension and widening the tracks. The new turret allowed the gun to have a range of -8° to 65° and be used as anti-aircraft through the use of a new sight, it also helped the commander not be as over-worked. The gun could have a fire rate of up to 12 rounds per minute with a capacity of 94 rounds (the coaxial DT had 1,008 rounds to it) and had a maximum range of 3.6 kilometers, with up to 6 km being recorded.

A prototype of the tank was sent for trials in December of 1942 where it passed. Beginning the next year, the tank began production in Factory 40 (Metrovagonmash or MMZ) Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast. The production of the tank however, was short-lived, as all Soviet light tank production was halted in October 1943, only around 9 months after production began, with only around 120 T-80s being produced. The tanks on the other hand, were used up until the end of the war as command tanks of SPG regiments.
Renault FT-17

The Renault FT is a French light tank developed and produced during the latter years of the first world war.

The FT was designed to be a far faster and more agile tank compared to the Schneider CA-1 and Saint Chamond, the two tanks in service in the French army at the time, and was also designed to be cheaper and easier to manufacture.

The design produced by Louis Renault in 1916 featured a fully rotating turret, a driver towards the front, a commander to operate the turret behind him, and an engine placed at the rear. This layout would eventually become the standard for tanks going forward, with turretless designs in different configurations (such as the Mark I-V) being left behind. The tank could either be armed with a 7.92 mm Mle 1914 Hotchkiss machine gun, or a Puteaux SA 1918 37 mm cannon. After several modifications and bureaucratic delays, the FT-17 began production in late 1917, with about 3500 units produced before the end of the war in 1918. The tank had issues with reliability and maintenance throughout service. However, it proved to be extremely adaptable on the battlefield. The thickness of the armor plates ranged from **6 mm to 16 mm**. The Renault FT tank prototype had a cast steel turret with an observation cupola.
WW2

## WW2 Tanks

By the year, 1945, medium tanks had the maximum armor thickness of 60 mm, with the guns in the 75 and 85 range ( 3.0-3.3inch) range, and weights of 30 to 45 tons. Light tanks, which dominated the battlefield early in the war, gradually disappeared from the frontlines. WW2 tanks also had better engines, making them faster than WW1 tanks. They also started mounting a commander's cupola. Giving the crews better vision and situational awareness.
M41 Walker Bulldog

## Overview.

While the M24 Chaffee was a successful tank and accomplished its role, already by the end of WW2, it was outdated. Thus, beginning in 1946, the United States Army commissioned the T37 project to oversee the replacement of the M24 Chaffee light tank in the reconnaissance role. The T37 concept did not reach viability until 1949, when three disparate prototypes were finally built. The second prototype of the trio, T37 Phase Two, was selected for further testing and received a unique designation, T41.

The M41 was a real improvement over the M24 Chaffee. It was even more mobile and agile, well-armed to deal with lighter armor than MBTs and WW2-era tanks, with an accurate and fully stabilized main gun. It was simple to operate, maintain, with an engine which can be quickly replaced on the field. However, it was also found cramped, noisy (a real problem in reconnaissance missions) with an engine of high consumption with limited range. Later foreign upgrades included systematic replacement of the powerplant for a sober Scania or Cummins diesel engine and extended fuel capacity. After entering US service, all M41s received the designation "Little Bulldog" and subsequently, "Walker Bulldog" after the late General Walton Walker. The Army placed orders for the T41 in August 1950, yet the first M41s only were completed in March 1951. These entered service too late to take part in the Korean War, though some may have been shipped out to US forces in that region just as the fighting ended. Production of the M41 ended in 1954, but stayed in service with the US army until 1967. The M41 was succeeded by the M551 Sheridan.
Conqueror

In 1944, General Staff began works on a new tank project, designated as **"A45 Infantry Support Tank."**

As the project continued after World War II, the project was re-designated as a "Universal Tank" design in the form of the FV 200 series. In 1949, a new requirement was set for the project for the tank to mount a heavy, 120 mm gun, in response to the appearance of the frightening Soviet IS-3 heavy tanks.

Due to this new requirement, the project was delayed as no gun of this caliber had been developed at the time. To substitute this, the first tank of this series, the FV 201, was fitted with a Centurion Mark II turret with a 20-pounder gun, designated as the **"FV 221 Caernarvon."** However, the tank was deemed unsuitable as the successfulness of the Centurion was preferred. After further development of the FV 201, with the emphasis of both armament and armor, the FV 214 Conqueror tanks were conceived. A total of 185 vehicles were mass-produced from 1955 through 1959. The Conqueror served with NATO forces in West Germany intended as a support vehicle for the lighter Centurion. The tank was replaced in 1966 by later model Centurions and the lighter FV4201 "Chieftain."
GAZ-MM

The **GAZ–MM** was a simplified licensed version of the Ford Model AA produced at the end of the 1930s and at the first part of the 1940s by GAZ in the Soviet Union. At the beginning of World War II, more than 150,000 were in use with the Red Army.

The GAZ was equipped with the 25 mm automatic air defense gun M1940 (72-K) (Russian: 25-мм автоматическая зенитная пушка образца 1940 года (72-К)), developed in 1939-1940 at the 8th Kalinin Artillery Plant under the guidance of its Chief Designer, Mikhail Loginov. It was a very common anti-aircraft weapon in the Soviet Union, leading to about 4,860 units produced. It occupies an intermediate position between large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns of the ANC and the more powerful 37mm anti-aircraft guns of the 61-K.

## Trivia

* GAZ is the name of the company which made these trucks. GAZ is an acronym for Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (Russian: Горьковский автомобильный завод, ГАЗ). Right now they are still producing Vans and Trucks.
T-34/76

In the late 1930s, the Red Army's tank arsenal consisted mostly of the BT-series tanks, and the T-26. These were outdated for the time, and as such, they needed a replacement. In 1937, the Red Army ordered Mikhail Koshkin as the leader for a new design team, which would design a replacement for the BT-series tanks.

Eventually, this would result in the A-20, namesake being its 20 mm armor. This tank had a 45 mm gun, and a petrol engine. It also incorporated then-unseen sloped armor. During the border war with Japan in 1938-39, the tanks had numerous issues. Their petrol engines would often catch fire, as petrol is flammable, due to the Japanese using Molotov cocktails. They were also easily destroyed by Type 95's 37 mm guns.

After the war, Koshkin convinced Stalin to let him design another tank, which would be more armored, and armed. Koshkin named the tank A-32, after the 32 mm armor. This tank also had a 76 mm gun, and a diesel engine. It was tested against the A-20 in field trials, which themselves were held in Kubinka. Overall, the A-32 performed better.

A heavier, up-gunned, and up-armored A-32 design which had 45 mm of armor, a better 76 mm gun, and wider tracks was designed as the T-34. Koshkin chose the name after the year 1934, when he began to formulate his ideas about the new tank, and to commemorate that year's decree expanding the armored force and appointing Sergo Ordzhonikidze to head tank production.

Koshkin's team completed two prototype T-34s in January 1940. In April and May, they underwent a grueling 2,000-kilometer (1,200 mi) drive from Kharkiv to Moscow for a demonstration for the Kremlin leaders, to the Mannerheim Line in Finland, and back to Kharkiv via Minsk and Kiev. Some drivetrain shortcomings were identified and corrected.

In 1940, the tank finally entered service in with the designation T-34/76, the 76 for its 76 mm gun. Overall, about 80,000 units of the T-34 family were produced, and around 40,000 were lost during WW2. T-34 was exported to many third-world countries, last seeing combat in the Yugoslav War (1991-99). As of the time of writing, (December 2021), there are around 130 T-34s in service today.
PanzerJager StuK 40

As WW2 was reaching its end, Germany was trying to get anything into its hands that could fire a bullet or a shell. One of the vehicles that was used during the last year of the war was a *Panzerjäger I Ausf. B* with a KwK 40/StuK 40 gun, instead of the traditional Škoda-built 4,7cm KPÚV vz. 38 (German designation "4.7 cm PaK (t)") which was present on all *Panzerjäger I*s.

The *Panzerjäger I* was the first German *panzerjäger* (a self-propelled anti-tank gun) to see service in the WW2. All mounted the Czech Škoda-built 4,7cm KPÚV vz. 38 anti-tank gun on a converted Panzer I *Ausf. B* chassis. It was intended to counter heavy French tanks like the Char B1 *bis* that were beyond the capabilities of the 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun and extended the life of the obsolete Panzer I chassis, which was available in abundance. A total of 202 Panzer I chassis were converted to Panzerjäger I standard in 1940–41, and were employed in the Battle of France, in the North African Campaign and on the Eastern Front.

The StuK 40 conversion itself seems to have been a one-off, with photographic evidence (see Gallery section) suggesting it fought in the Battle of Berlin. No StuK 40 conversions survive to this day, though normal *Panzerjäger I*s do survive in museums.
Cold War

The era of medium, light, and heavy tanks end here. Main battle tanks replace them. With their good mobility and high firepower. They outclassed these older tank classes. They also were cheaper than other tanks. The classic main battle tanks of this Era was the Soviet Union T-54/55 series, The Centurion, US M46 to the M60, which saw continuous updates throughout the Cold war and are still being used today. These tanks also started using ATGMs, and ERA.
IS-2

In 1943, with the rise of Panther and Tiger tanks, Soviet high command realized they need a heavy tank to compensate for the new German tanks, and also to replace the soon-to-be-obsolete KV and BT series of tanks. And so, a project, called Object 237, was called to design and make a heavy tank. This would result in the IS-1 (IS-85). First deliveries were made in October 1943, and the tank went immediately into service. Production ended in January 1944.

By late 1943, Soviet engineers were able to mount a 85 mm gun to a T-34 chassis, which was called IS-122. Though the upgrade was not enough. 2 candidates to replace the 85 mm gun were the D-25t 122 mm tank gun and the D-10 100 mm gun. Eventually, D-25t won. At the start of 1944, the production of the IS-2 began and by 1944 equipped with a molded frontal part, the thickness of the armor which reached **120 mm**; since the second half of 1944, as the presence of high-hardness rolled armor, the frontal part of the steel began to be welded from 90-mm armor plates. With the rest of the details, the frontal part was welded. Production of the IS-2 ended in 1945.
T110E5

## Overview

During the early 1950s, the US was looking for better heavy tanks, which could replace the M103, which wasn't in service yet. In June of 1954, Detroit Arsenal held a conference, where they would brainstorm heavy tank ideas. The conditions for the new tank were that a prototype was to be finished in two years, and that it could fit in the Berne International Clearance Diagram, a code for standardization of rail tunnels, established in 1913.

The conference produced a few tank designs, of which most notable are TS-2, TS-5, TS-6, and TS-31 (“TS”, for “Tracked vehicle Short development”). The TS-31 design was eventually chosen, with production being handed over to Chrysler, with the tank being given the designation “120mm gun tank T110”. The T110 project would have six drafts, which weren't improvements over the former, but *competing* designs, by Detroit Arsenal, and Chrysler. The first five drafts were all casemates. The sixth draft, by Chrysler, had a conventional rotating turret. Unfortunately, by the the sixth draft came, the M103 already proved a vastly better tank. All T110 drafts also didn't do one of their original goals: fitting in the Berne International Clearance Diagram. Due to these reasons (primarily due to the first one), the project was canceled, shortly after the M103 started production in 1957.

## **Real Life Trivia**

* The designation "T110E5" is fictional, made up by Wargaming for World of Tanks. In reality, it never had a name. There isn't particularly any reason that the T110E5 is not named "T110E6" (as it's the sixth draft).
T-34 ( 1940 )

In the late 1930s, the Red Army's tank arsenal consisted mostly of the BT-series tanks, and the T-26. These were outdated for the time, and as such, they needed a replacement. In 1937, the Red Army ordered Mikhail Koshkin as the leader for a new design team, which would design a replacement for the BT-series tanks.

Eventually, this would result in the A-20, namesake being its 20 mm armor. This tank had a 45 mm gun, and a petrol engine. It also incorporated then-unseen sloped armor. During the border war with Japan in 1938-39, the tanks had numerous issues. Their petrol engines would often catch fire, as petrol is flammable, due to the Japanese using Molotov cocktails. They were also easily destroyed by Type 95's 37 mm guns.

After the war, Koshkin convinced Stalin to let him design another tank, which would be more armored, and armed. Koshkin named the tank A-32, after the 32 mm armor. This tank also had a 76 mm gun, and a diesel engine. It was tested against the A-20 in field trials, which themselves were held in Kubinka. Overall, the A-32 performed better.

A heavier, up-gunned, and up-armored A-32 design which had 45 mm of armor, a better 76 mm gun, and wider tracks was designed as the T-34. Koshkin chose the name after the year 1934, when he began to formulate his ideas about the new tank, and to commemorate that year's decree expanding the armored force and appointing Sergo Ordzhonikidze to head tank production.
WW1

## World War I Tanks

In WWI a new vehicle was created. The armored tank. These early tanks were quite slow and could often get stuck in the mud. But these could break through enemy lines easily. Earlier battles were often fought in trenches with each side charging at the opposing trench. Often having heavy losses without cover. They also couldn't bring machine guns as these were quite heavy and clumsy. Artillery couldn't be brought either due to the muddy terrain. However tanks could drive through the muddy terrain, being able to carry machine guns and artillery. Some of them even had rotating turrets. Their armor initially was quite thin for our standards. The Mk-1 only had 8mm of side armor. But it could resist most things. The only way it could be destroyed was K-bullets, anti tank guns, and other tanks. Their tracks also had low ground pressure. Unlike their armored vehicle counterparts. Some of these tanks had gun depression. But they weren't that good compared to WW2 gun depression
M108 howitzer

Information was found on Wikipedia.

The **M108 Howitzer** is an American self-propelled 105 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s as a replacement for the M52 self-propelled howitzer.

The M108 was powered by a Detroit Diesel turbocharged 8V-71T 8-cylinders 405 hp engine. It used the same hull and turret as the 155 mm M109 self-propelled howitzer, and components of the M113 armored vehicle. The M108 was phased out soon after the American intervention in the Vietnam War, as the M109's 155 mm calibre was considered better fitted for modern war.

The M108 was used by several NATO countries.

## Operational history.

The M108 howitzer's sole use in combat occurred in the Vietnam War. M108s equipped the first U.S. Army field artillery unit deployed to the conflict, when the 3-6 Field Artillery Battalion was deployed to Pleiku on June 17, 1966. This was soon followed by the 1-40th Field Artillery Battalion to Dong Ha Combat Base in October, 1966. M108s were generally employed from fortified fire bases providing artillery support to units in the field. Because M108 and M109 howitzers could traverse their main gun 360 degrees, unlike towed artillery, they were ideal for holding fire base positions, which might be subject to attack from any direction. Both M108 battalions were withdrawn and phased out of U.S. Army service in 1975.

## General characteristics.

* Length: 6.11 m
* Width: 3.15 m
* Height: 3.28 m
* Weight: 21 t
* Speed: 56 km/h (35 mph)
* Range: 360 km
* Crew: 5
* Armament:
	+ Primary: M103 105 mm Howitzer
	+ Secondary: .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun
* Rate of fire: 4 rds/min
* Shooting range: 11.5 km (HE) 15 km (HERA)

## Users.

### Current users.

* Brazil: Brazilian Army 72 **M108AP**.
* Chile: Chilean Army 4 **M108**.

### Former users.

* Australia: Lent by US Army for Australian Defence Force during the Vietnam War.
* Belgium: Belgian Army: 90, until the 1980s.
* Cambodia: Khmer National Army: withdrawn
* Spain: Spanish Army: 48, withdrawn
* Taiwan: Republic of China Army: 100
* Turkey: Turkish Army: 26 **M108T** withdrawn
* United States: US Army withdrawn.
* Tunisia: Tunisian Army 48.

## See more.

* Mark I "Male"
* M24 Chaffee
* M41 Walker Bulldog
* M551 Sheridan
* MBT-70
T-23 Tankette

Information was found on Wikipedia.

The T-23 was a prototype tankette developed by the Soviet Union during the interwar period.

Only 5 Examples of the vehicle were produced.

## Design history

The development of the T-23 began in 1929. The Red Army, now with experience from the earlier T-17 tankette, began development of the T-23. The design featured 2 crew members (placed on a row) with a single 7.62 mm DT machine gun as the primary armament. The armour was made of riveted iron and was up to 10 mm thick on the front and sides of the vehicle. It was equipped as well with a tail, similar to that of the T-18 tank.

Many of the original design features of the tank were changed during the development. Originally the T-23 was to contain the same 35 hp 4 cylinder engine as the T-18 light tank but this was eventually changed to a larger 60 hp version to enable it to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. The length of the tank was also increased by almost 30 cm from original specifications.

## Production

The T-23 never proceeded past the stage of a prototype stage. The design changes introduced to the tankette caused the price of production to rival that of the T-18 light tank itself, which had a much more powerful armament and a rotating turret. There were only 5 examples produced before the project was scrapped in favour of licensing the Carden Loyd tankette from the United Kingdom in 1930. This design was subsequently modified into the T-27 tankette and began full production in 1931.

## See more

T-26

T-80 Light Tank

Tiger 1

Tiger II

T-34-85
Tank Destroyers

A **tank destroyer**, **tank hunter**, **tank killer**, or **self-propelled anti-tank gun** is a type of armored fighting vehicle, armed with a direct fire artillery gun or missile launcher, designed specifically to engage and destroy enemy tanks, often with limited operational capacities.

While tanks are designed for front-line combat, combining operational mobility and tactical offensive and defensive capabilities and performing all primary tasks of the armored troops, the tank destroyer is specifically designed to take on enemy tanks and other armored fighting vehicles. Many are based on a tracked tank chassis, while others are wheeled.

Since World War II, gun-armed powerful tank destroyers have fallen out of favor as armies have favored multirole main battle tanks. However, lightly armored anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) carriers are commonly used for supplementary long-range anti-tank work. The resurgence of expeditionary warfare in the first two decades of the 21st century has seen the emergence of gun-armed wheeled vehicles, sometimes called *protected gun systems*, which may bear a superficial resemblance to tank destroyers, but are employed as direct fire support units typically providing support in low-intensity operations such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Fox Armoured Car

information found, from Wikipedia.

## Fox Armored Car

This article is about the World War II Canadian vehicle. For the post-war British vehicle, see Fox Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle. For the German/American NBC reconnaissance vehicle, see M93 Fox.

The **Fox Armored Car** was a wheeled armored fighting vehicle produced by Canada in the Second World War.

## History.

Built by General Motors, Canada, based on a construction of the British Humber Armored Car Mk III, adapted to a Canadian Military Pattern truck (CMP) chassis. The turret was manually traversed and fitted with 0.30 and 0.50 in Browning machine guns. The four-man crew consisted of the vehicle commander, the driver, a gunner and a wireless operator. 1,506 vehicles were manufactured.

It saw operations in Italy, UK and India. Among its users was Polish 15th *Pułk Ułanów Poznańskich* ("Poznań Uhlans Regiment"), fighting in Italy in 1943–1944. After the Second World War, many of them went to the Portuguese Army, which used them from 1961 to 1975 in counterinsurgency in Angola, Guinea, and Mozambique. The Netherlands, faced with a shortage of Humber armored cars for use in the Dutch East Indies, acquired 39 Foxes, 34 of which were fitted with Humber Mk. IV turrets. The resulting hybrid vehicle, called "Humfox", was immediately successful and popular[*citation needed*], and some were passed to the Indonesian Army after independence.

## Former operators.

* Canada
* Indonesia
* Netherlands
* Portugal
Panzerkamfwagon E-100

The E-100 is a German super heavy tank that was part of the Entwicklung concept series created during mid-World War II. The tanks was a competitor to the Maus and was heaviest vehicle in the Entwicklung series. The project used the Tiger-Maus design but with upgraded suspension. The E-100 initially had a turret similar to the Maus, but later in development, a new turret was designed named the Maus II Turm. The E-100 was proposed to be the basis for a heavy artillery system, anti-aircraft vehicle, and heavy tank destroyer, but only the chassis of the vehicle was completed and was then captured by the British and later scrapped.

### Trivia

* With the conceptual E-100 Turm (turret), it would've weighed 123.5 metric tons.
* The constructed chassis had the same engine as the Tiger II, the V-12 Maybach HL 230 P30 and the same transmission (OG 40 12 16B) which would have given it a power-to-weight ratio of 4.2 hp/t and a top speed of 23 kph, which is extremely underpowered when compared to other tanks of the era.
* Only the chassis was made. At the end of the war, it was captured by the British and later scrapped.
* The project B Antrieb listed a Maybach 1,200 engine with the steering unit and transmission in the rear for rear-drive with a capable top speed of 40 km/h. The rear placement of the transmission and steering unit made it necessary to move the engine compartment forward which would've resulted in a completely different E-100 hull design to what we see and was constructed.
* The E-100's predecessor, the Tiger-Maus was very similar to the E-100 in design. However, there were differences between the two. The Tiger-Maus used torsion bar suspension, while the E-100 used mostly external suspension in line with the Entwicklung Series philosophy.
Tiger 1

The **Tiger I** was a German heavy tank of World War II that operated beginning in 1942 in Africa and in the Soviet Union, usually in independent heavy tank battalions. It gave the German Army its first armoured fighting vehicle that mounted the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun (derived from the 8.8 cm Flak 36). 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was phased out in favour of the Tiger II. During it's time in service, the impenetrable armour, powerful gun and huge size of the Tiger made it a legend in its time. It struck terror into the hearts of Allied tank crews when it first appeared in 1942. The armour was **100mm thick at the front**, making it impervious to Allied guns.

## **Trivia**

* One Tiger I tank, known as Tiger 231, absorbed 252 direct hits while still being able to retreat safely with its crew still alive during the Battle of Kursk. However, the tank was considered out of action by that point. Video on Tiger 231 here.
* A Tiger I tank, known as Tiger 212, was commanded by the most decorated German tank ace, Michael Wittman. Wittman's tank scored over 120 kills. He was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords by Hitler personally, which was the second most prestigious military award in Germany at the time.
* There is currently only 1 Tiger I tank in the world that can move by its own power, in the Bovington Tank Museum, known as Tiger 131.
Leopard 1

In 1956, a project was started in order to develop a modern tank, the *Standard-Panzer*, to replace the Bundeswehr's American-built M47 and M48 Patton tanks, which were rapidly becoming outdated. In 1957, the detailed specifications for the tank were released. The tank couldn't weigh more than 30 tonnes, had to have a power-to-weight ratio of 30 horsepower per tonne, needed to be able to withstand hits by 20 mm rapid-fire guns on every side, as well as to be able to operate in a battlefield contaminated with chemical weapons or radioactive fallout, and had to have a 105 mm main cannon (the British L7A3 was chosen), it also had to carry at least as many rounds as current US tank designs.

Mobility had priority, while firepower came second. Armor was seen as less essential, as it was believed that no real protection against hollow charge weapons was possible anyway. At the time, it was also suspected that future conflicts would involve nuclear weapons, which no tank at the time could be directly protected from.

France was very interested in the project as its AMX 50 project had failed. Thus, in June 1957, France joined West-Germany in the development program, while Italy would join in 1958. Three German (*Arbeitsgruppe* A, B and C) and one French design team would be included in a competition, with each team producing two prototypes. In 1960, several prototypes were made. Among the prototypes was Porsche's *Model 734* with a cast turret. Even before these first prototypes were finished, it had (in 1959) been decided that a second phase with improved designs would be started: Team A had to build 26 phase II prototypes for testing, while team B six. Only two tanks of the required six would actually be constructed by team B.

The Porsche Prototype II was eventually selected as the winner of the contest in 1963. Germany eventually dropped France from the program after France repeatedly missed deadlines for its contribution to the program. In February 1963, the defense minister said he would ask the defense committee for full production of the tank. By this time, the tank weighed 40 tons and each unit cost $250,000 each. In July, the Defense Ministry ordered 1,500 tanks with production to take place between 1965 and 1970. Germany also announced its agreement to develop a successor with the United States the MBT-70, though the program failed to materialize a tenable design.

Leopard 1 was eventually drawn out of service in 2003 by Bundeswehr, though it still uses Leopard 1-based vehicles in utility roles. Only a few countries haven't taken the Leopard 1 out of service, such as Brazil.