Nicholas Moran takes a look at the M47 Patton!
Yuri Pasholok articles via Archive Awareness
April 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Over at the Archive Awareness blog, they have recently posted a number of English translations of article by Russian tank researcher Yuri Pasholok. We have posted titles and links below for those who may want to check these out.
Covenanter: Reservist Tank
Winston Churchill’s saying “The tank that carries my name has more drawbacks than I do!” in regards to the Infantry Tank Mk.IV is well known. Despite this evaluation, the Churchill was the longest-living British tank, even finding itself useful in Korea. It is not know what the Prime Minister thought about the Cruiser Tank Mk.V, more known as the Covenanter, but there is one fact that says more than enough: it is the most numerous tank of the Second World War that never saw combat.
Medium Tank Mk.I: First of the Maneuver Tanks
The end of the First World War coincided with the decline of vehicles designed by William Tritton. Drastic budget cuts meant that further development of heavy tanks in Great Britain stopped. As for the first post-war medium tanks, they turned out to be too heavy, and could not repeat the success of the Mk.A Whippet. In late 1918, development of the Medium Tank Mk.D began, directed by Lieutenant Colonel Philip Johnson. The result was truly revolutionary and could reach a record of 20 mph (32 kph), but a large amount of mechanical problems brought about the end for that tank. After trials, the tank was not approved for mass production, but it did not disappear into nothingness. Later on, the Americans used it as a basis of their Medium Tank M1921. In England, the Vickers company had a go at making tanks and attained success with its first steps, creating the successful Medium Tank Mk.I.
Light Tank M22: Steel Locust
Thanks to John Walther Christie, the USA was the leader in airborne tanks before WWII, but with one caveat: not a single one of his vehicles was actually accepted into service. However, Christie’s experiments resulted in a very good understanding of what an airborne tank should be like. The idea of a tank with wings was quickly discarded in favour of a light tank that was attached under the fuselage of a heavy bomber or transport plane. This concept was used to make the Light Tank M22.
T2 Medium: Scaling Up
Starting with the M2 Medium Tank, American medium tanks were based on the M2 Light Tank. The method of their creation was as follows: novelties were tried out on a light tank, then the tank was proportionally scaled up in size. Of course, many changes were introduced into the design, like increasing the number of bogeys or return rollers. Overall, this method was successful. However, this was not the first attempt at using this method by American tank designers. The first time they tried it, they got something different…
KV-7: Lock, Stock, and Three Smoking Barrels
Work on heavy SPGs in the Soviet Union began in the early 1930s. By the end of the decade, development stopped, but began anew in early 1940. The Red Army needed tanks to destroy enemy pillboxes. The result of this requirement was the 212 SPG which, for various reasons, was never built. In April of 1942, the 212 project was finally closed, giving way to another no less interesting project: the KV-7 assault tank.
The Last of the Char B
There is a misconception that the French worked only for their new masters during the occupation of 1940-1944. Indeed, most French tank manufacturing facilities ended up in the German occupation zone. Nevertheless, the resistance that so many speak of was active, and even on occupied territories, work continued. It became the foundation for French tank building that began immediately after the country was freed from occupants.
World of Tanks History Section: Panzer 58 Mutz
What is Switzerland famous for? One immediately thinks of watches, banks, mountains, and cheese. Despite fighting its last war in 1848, this small country remained among the top producers of armament for decades.
For many years, Switzerland did not have its own tanks or SPGs. Even though Europe experienced a tank building boom after the end of the Second World War, Switzerland preferred to buy British Centutions and Czech G-13s (an improved version of the Jagdpanzer 38(t), mistakenly called Hetzer). This was cheaper than developing and producing domestic designs. The situation changed in the 1950s.
More on the Stuart tank at Berwick
April 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment
A couple weeks ago we posted about a WWII era Stuart tank that has found a new home in Berwick PA, site of the former American Car and Foundry factory. Bob Kalinowski of The Citizen’s Voice of Luzerne County has posted an article and video about the Berwick Stuart tank and Louis Kovach, a 90 year old former employee of American Car and Foundry who welded parts on many of the 15,000 Stuart tanks produced by the company.
Louis Kovach welded parts of all 15,224 tanks manufactured at the American Car and Foundry in Berwick that were used in combat during World War II.
At age 90, he finally got to see one return home.
A 1942 Stuart tank, built at the American Car and Foundry, recently arrived back in Berwick following a 12-year effort by a group of citizens motivated by a motto they adopted — “Bring Stuie Home.”
“It was built in Berwick and a lot of people served in those tanks. Coming back to its original place in Berwick was quite an achievement,” Kovach said recently. “It’s nice for Berwick.”
Today, the tank will take center stage in the borough where it was born. The tank will be paraded through Berwick around 2 p.m. on a trailer as part of a homecoming ceremony, then it will be on display at the Reliance Fire Hall for people to take pictures. Members of the committee expect a lot of interest since more than 9,100 people from Northeastern Pennsylvania worked at the plant during its peak, including 1847 workers from Luzerne County.
The tank has been stored on a trailer in a garage in Salem Township since arriving 10 days ago.
Kovach’s nephew, Columbia County Commissioner Dave Kovach, was part of the Stuart Tank Committee that worked for 12 years to find, buy and relocate a Stuart tank.
Click on this image to view the video of Louis Kovach and the Berwick Stuart.
Team Konigstiger
April 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Over at the Swiss Military Museum, a group has been working on the restoration of a WWII era King Tiger tank since 2006. They have documented the restoration process on their website, including some rather nice photo galleries. Unfortunately, the website is not in English. However, there are enough good images at this site that we felt it merited mention here. Those curious about the text on the website can get a somewhat readable English version using the translate feature in Google Chrome.
The galleries include:
Tank Chats #17 Tiger I
April 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment
From the Tank Museum Youtube channel:
David Willey, The Tank Museum Curator and co-author of the Tiger Tank Owner’s Workshop Manual, presents this Tank Chat on the subject of the most famous tank in the Bovington collection- and perhaps the world – the German Tiger Tank from World War Two. Don’t miss Tiger Day on 30 April – for more information visit tankmuseum.org.
IDF Friendly Fire accident?
April 1, 2016 by 3 Comments
Over at the SH forum, regular poster “LoooSeR” has posted some images and a link to a video that claim to show damage to an Israeli Merkava 4 caused by “friendly fire”.
This incident with caused this damage is supposedly shown in this video (click on the image below to go to the page hosting the video.)
Book Alert: AFV Photo Album Vol. 2
April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The new book “AFV Photo Album Vol. 2: Armored Fighting Vehicles on Czechoslovakian Territory 1945” is available. This hardcover book comes in at 176 pages and is authored by Marek Solar, Petr Dolezal and Vladimir Kos. The book is published by Canfora Grafisk. Copies are available through third party vendors on Amazon or through the website for Canfora Grafisk.
Publishers Description:
In the second volume in our series we continue the journey through the Czech lands, where a tremendous number of vehicles were knocked out, blown-up or simply left behind by retreating German forces during the final momentous weeks of World War 2. Among them were also vast amounts of Red Army machines, knocked out in the many tank battles that raged along the retreat route.
Few historians and modellers know the full facts about the units and their hardware, which were involved in some of the last battles of the war. Now we revisit many of the places covered in Volume 1, revealing new facts and in many cases unpublished photos to illustrate the journey, accompanied by highly detailed captions.
The book will take a closer look at what happened to the vehicles after the war, when they were collected systematically and transported to the melting plants. King Tigers, Panthers, Pz.IVs, StuGs. Hetzers, SPWs, T-34s and IS-2s were among them, as well as more rarely seen vehicles such as Möbelwagens, Marders and L/70As. We will also glance at a few of the surviving vehicles that went on to serve in the post- war period.
This work is aimed at the modeller and historian alike and although mainly a photographic examination, detailed accounts of the units’ strength, and details about vehicle production variants are also included. Modellers will also benefit from the highly realistic colour profiles, printed in large format.
Video of the Day: Training with tiny toy tanks
April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This video has been making the rounds the past few days, having been featured on a few websites and blogs. It shows German soldiers training Kurdish Peshmerga how to fire a German Panzerfaust III using a small toy tank and a pink paper clip.
US Army female tank mechanics
April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The Fort Hood Herald has posted an article about female US army soldiers serving as tank mechanics in South Korea as part of the 1st Cavalry Division.
The Army job of “M1A1 tank system maintainer” — also known under its military occupational specialty as 91 Alpha — opened up to women in 2013.
It was previously closed to women; not because it’s a front-line job that involves shooting directly at the enemy, but rather because it involves being in a front-line unit, repairing the tanks in quick fashion so they can return to the fight.
Pfc. Evelyn Gomez and Pfc. Kelley McKeon are both tank mechanics in 1st Brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment — a combat unit outfitted with battle tanks. Years ago, women in the unit were unheard of.
“I was the only female in my platoon,” said Gomez, 23, recalling when she arrived to the unit last year.
Now, Gomez and McKeon, 19, are both part of the battalion’s Charlie Company, which has about a dozen tanks, dozens of tankers to operate the vehicles and a handful of maintenance personnel. That’s where Gomez and McKeon fit in.
Sweden to upgrade Leopard 2 and CV90
April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
IHS Jane’s is reporting that the Swedish Army has ordered upgrades to 350 of its Leopard 2 main battle tanks and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. According to Jane’s the cost of the upgrade work is worth nearly USD300 million. Under the work both vehicles will have their existing Tactical Command and Control System (TCCS) replaced with a new Battlefield Management System (BMS).
Under the first contract, worth EUR92 million (USD105 million), Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) will provide renovation and refurbishment kits for 88 of the Swedish Army’s Stridsvagn 122 MBTs (analogous to the Leopard 2A5) and 8 Bärgningsbandvagn 120 (Bergepanzer BPz3 Büffel) armoured recovery vehicles. Besides the addition of the BMS, work will be undertaken to replace obsolescent parts.
After the upgrade, due to be completed in 2023, the 77 Stridsvagn (Strv) 122A MBTs being modified will be designated Strv C, with 11 upgraded Strv B MBTs being renamed Strv D.
The second contract, worth SEK1.55 billion (USD190 million), will see BAE Systems conduct work to upgrade 262 CV90 IFVs between 2018 and 2020. Alongside replacing the TCCS with the new BMS, this work is to include the replacement of the CV90’s existing Ksp m/39 (M1919A4) coaxial machine guns with the Ksp m/59 (FN MAG) and refurbishing their chassis.
All five of the Swedish Army’s CV90 variants will go through the upgrade, namely: 172 Strf 9040 IFVs, 40 Stripbv 90 command vehicles, 22 Epbv 90 forward observation vehicles, 16 Lvkv 90 air defence vehicles, and 12 Bgbv 90 armoured recovery vehicles.
Besides the generic upgrades across all the variants, the Epbv 90 and Lvkv 90 variants will have their thermal imagers replaced by the same one used by the Strf 9040C IFV. The Strf 9040s will also receive a software update to their fire control systems.
Tank and AFV News 