Video: Soviet Super-powered Tank Destroyers
If the Maus or E-100 reached the battlefield during the Second World War, it would not be anywhere as invincible as it might have appeared. The Soviets had four prospective tank destroyers going...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tank Archives on Bluesky
Numbers don't lie, and the numbers haven't been in favour of my Twitter account for quite some time. Despite an increase in content, growth has plateaued and the effort hasn't been worth it....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Track Bashing
Changing tracks on T-34 and T-34-85 tanks at the Museum of National Military HistoryAs the saying goes, there is no such thing as a light tank. Many operations that seem quite simple are actually very...
View ArticleTank Archives on the big screen
My reenacting group sometimes acts as extras in war movies, but we also decided to make our own! The audio is in Russian, but English subtitles are available.
View ArticleVideo: Historically Accurate Panzer '46 - Heavy Tank M26 Pershing
The Americans were the first to get their next generation tank to the battlefield in 1945. How did it fare and what upgrades did they test out that could have been applied to the design had the war...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Armour vs Time
The battle of the sword and shield raged since time immemorial. The sword got an edge once, which led to the end of the era of knights clad in armour. However, history repeats itself, and the idea of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
2024 in Review
With 2024 coming to an end, it's time to look back on my achievements in military history over the course of the past year. 2024 was a major year for books. Thanks to several release dates coinciding,...
View ArticleVideo: Was the Tiger tank overengineered?
The term "overengineered" is used a lot when talking about German tanks, but what does it mean and is it really applicable? Check out my latest video where look at the T-34, Sherman, and Tiger tank...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Porche’s X-shaped engine
German tank development followed a very predictable course. This included engine development. After experiments in the 1920s and early 1930s, German tanks settled on the Maybach V-shaped series. These...
View ArticleVideo: Lend Lease Tier List Part 1
Lend Lease reviews can be a thorny topic. Did the Red Army like any foreign tanks at all? Watch my latest video and find out.
View ArticleBuggy Americans
"To Deputy Chief of the Engineering Department of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade, comrade RyavchenkoI report preliminary data regarding defects of American tanks based on use in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tractors and Prime Movers
A maneuver war requires a large fleet of motorized vehicles, including artillery tractors. This lesson was learned back during the First World War. It is no wonder that the Red Army cared about...
View ArticleVideo: 76 mm HE vs German Armour
We know how effective 152 mm high explosive shells were against German tank armour, but what about slightly smaller ones? Check out my latest video to find out.
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Oldest IS
It often so happens that a truly unique tank stands in shadow, unknown to those around it. There are many examples. For instance, the T-34 tank "Kantemirovets" on display at the Road of Life exhibit is...
View ArticleVideo: KV-1 with Applique Armour
The KV-1 was the heaviest and best protected heavy tank in the world, but the Red Army still wanted even more armour! Find out why and how effective this add-on armour was in my latest video.
View ArticleClik here to view.
Book Review: Tank by Mark Urban
When I'm asked to review books, they are usually written by tank historians for tank historians. They bristle with technical details, tables of organization, unit numbers, millimeters and kilograms,...
View ArticleVideo: Three Way Heavy Tank Contest
In 1939, the Red Army had not one, not two, but three whole heavy tank designs. Find out how they competed and who the winner was in my latest video.
View ArticleClik here to view.
Controversial Commander's Cupola
Three-man turrets appeared in the USSR back in the 1930s. The T-28 and T-35 tanks already had a dedicated commander. The problem was that his abilities were limited. He only had a periscope at his...
View ArticleVideo: IS-7 tank in 1946
The Red Army wanted a superheavy tank since its inception and in 1945 the conditions were finally right to procure one. The IS-7 was the heaviest Soviet tank yet, but could it see service if the war...
View ArticleVideo: Big HE Shells vs German Tank Armour
The SU-152 made a name for itself as a tank killer thanks to its big 152 mm gun firing a 40 kg high explosive shell, but how good was this weapon at destroying tanks? Was better ammunition not...
View ArticleVideo: IS-4 in 1946
The Red Army was eager to get their hands on the Object 701 and it was recommended for production in the spring of 1945. Why did it take another year for the tank to be accepted into service as the...
View ArticleVideo: How to Kill a Ferdinand
With up to 200 mm of armour, the Ferdinand was a formidable opponent. Nevertheless, trials showed that it had its share of weaknesses. Learn how to destroy the infamous tank destroyer in my latest video:
View ArticleVideo: Panzerfaust Effectiveness and Protection
The Panzerfaust was a very powerful weapon when used correctly. However, there are many misconceptions about the effectiveness of this weapon and the methods devised to protect against it. In this...
View ArticleVideo: Best Foreign Tank of the Red Army
The Red Army operated a number of foreign tanks, but only one was the clear favourite of Soviet tank units for the majority of the war. See which one it was in my latest video, the answer may surprise...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Russo-American Tank Destroyer
One of the key problems with using foreign tanks is keeping a steady supply of spare parts and ammunition. This problem is not exclusive to captured tanks. A similar situation often took place with...
View Article