The AFV News Discussion Board hosted by Com-Central.net is home to quite a few AFV shutterbugs who regularly post pictures of the vehicles they track down and photograph. One of the collections of tank and AFV photos worth checking out belongs to Rick and Barb Eshleman, known as flicker user “brick6757.” Their collection includes 30 galleries, quite a few of which feature over a hundred photos or more. The photos are primarily of vehicles in the USA, including galleries of vehicles from Aberdeen Proving Grounds, AAF Museum at Danville VA, US Army Heritage Center, and National USMC Museum.
Eshleman AFV Photo Gallery
February 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Lebanon receives M109 self propelled howitzers
February 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Jane’s 360 is reporting that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have received a shipment of approximately a dozen M109 self propelled howitzers. Reportedly, these vehicles were supplied by Jordan via a third party. It is not stated in the article which variant of the M109 was supplied, but wikipedia lists the Lebanese M109’s as the M109A3 variant. This M109 acquisition is part of a Lebanese Armed Forces program to upgrade their artillery capability. The LAF have been regularly shelling Sunni militant groups in the mountains of northeast Lebanon. Lebanon is also scheduled to receive 72 M198 towed howitzers from the United States and 24 CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzers from France purchased with funding from Saudi Arabia.
Saumur Tiger II at Retromobile
February 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This past weekend, the last Tiger II tank in running condition was featured at the Paris Retromobile show. This tank normally resides at the Musee des Blindes in Saumur, France. Several videos have appeared on youtube documenting this historic vehicle arriving at the show and moving into position under it’s own power.
WWII Tiger II Panzer arrives at 2015 Retromobile Paris Show
Book Alert: British Cruiser Tank A13
February 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Amazon has listed for a release date of February 19, 2015 the book “British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk. I Mk. II” by Peter Brown. Part of the Armor PhotoHistory series from Model Centrum Progres, this title promises to give an in-depth look at the A13, a vehicle which as far as we know has never had an entire book dedicated to it.
From the Vault: Patton defends the M4 Sherman
February 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
During the drive into Germany in early 1945, the American press broke the story that American tanks, in particular the M4 Sherman, were inferior to those of their German adversary, in particular the Panther and the Tiger. News of the articles travelled to Europe where troops heard them. At a press conference in March of 1945, General Patton was questioned about the quality of US tanks and publicly defended them. Patton also wrote a letter to Lt. Gen, Thomas T. Handy, Deputy Chief of Staff, which was released by the War Department to the American press. In the letter Patton points out that while the Sherman “would not last” in a straight forward slugging match with a German Tiger, “the great mobility of the M-4 usually enables it to circumvent the slow and unwieldy Tigers and not to engage in a slugging match but to attack them from the rear.” [Read more…]
Armata tank a drone?
February 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Today the Motley Fool is running an article pointing out that the upcoming Russian Armata tank may have the potential to be a “optionally piloted” vehicle, aka, a robot tank.
“Perhaps the most surprising revelation about Russia’s Armata tank, though, is that it’s evolving into an “optionally piloted” design. Initial versions of the tank will feature remotely operated loading and firing of the tank’s 125 mm cannon from an internal, separate crew compartment. Military experts, however, believe this is only a first step toward remotely operating the entire tank as a robot.
This would permit the Armata tank to be deployed as the spearhead of an armored offensive, breaching enemy defenses without risking the lives of Russian soldiers. Subsequent tank waves crewed by three humans each — a driver, gunner, and tank commander — could then follow the robotic shock troops.”
Of course, being a financial paper the Motley Fool article primarily focuses not on the military (or moral) implications of the idea of robot controlled tanks, but rather on how investors can personally profit from such a development.
Serbia to sell 282 tanks, 220 APC’s
February 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In News (by inSerbia Netword Foundation) is reporting that the Serbian Ministry of Defense has announced that it will begin the sale of 282 T-55 tanks. Also available are 220 armored personnel carriers M-60, M-80, BTR-50 and BTR-60 and antitank weapons POLO, as well as 200 howitzers of 105 and 155 millimeters. Various stocks of small arms, anti-aircraft guns, rocket launchers, and three SNAR-10 radars will also be for sale. It should be noted that most of this equipment is from the Cold War and relatively obsolete by European standards. The notice published on January 27 on the website of the Ministry states that the invitation to participate in the public bidding for the purchase of above mentioned weapons will be sent to legal entities that are legally entitled to buy this kind military equipment. It is unclear from the article exactly which model of T-55 is being sold. Serbia operates an upgraded version of the vehicle called the T-55H which includes an improved powerpack, ERA protection and enhanced fire control systems.
Tanks in Flight
February 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment
We Are the Mighty.com has posted an amusing photo gallery of tanks “flying.” Images include several different Russian tanks in the air, a flying Merkava (!) a Leopard as well as a couple older pics (Cromwell, M3 Stuart.)
Other posts at We Are the Mighty.com that may interest tank fans are a Sherman Tank Quiz, and a photo collection of What Life is like for US Tankers,
From the Editor: Panther Reliability
February 8, 2015 by 3 Comments
(This piece was originally posted on my old blog on Feb 18, 2014. We are slowly in the process of migrating the popular material from the blog over to here.)
Over at the World of Tanks forum, there have been quite a few debates over the merits of the German WWII medium tank “Panther.” No vehicles seems to illicit the range of opinions as the Panther does, and judging from how heated the debate often becomes, people are emotionally invested to a surprising degree in this particular piece of military equipment.
One of the more interesting posts on the topic is in the “Chieftains Hatch” section of the forum, it details a postwar report by the French in regards to the Panther tanks they used in the late forties. This report [Read more…]
Photo Gallery of former APG vehicles in storage at Anniston Army Depot
February 7, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Over at the AFV News Discussion board regular poster “the_shadock” posted a link to a really fantastic photo album. The album belongs to Flicker user “cmwebbjr” and features the vehicles formerly stored at Aberdeen Proving Grounds that are now in temporary storage at Anniston Army Depot.
Here is the description posted in the Gallery: In late 2012 the United States Army Museum system began moving many vehicles and weapons that had been in outdoor display at the various Army Museums around the country to temporary storage. Anniston Army Depot was one of the depots designated to receive them and consequently a parking lot there is now filled with a huge amount of history. I was able to get a camera authorization and make a photographic record of these vehicles. I understand that these vehicles will be stored here until a museum has a requirement for a particular example for a display at which time the article will be cosmetically restored and sent to them. Some of these vehicles are one of a kind experimental vehicles or captured military equipment from other countries.
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