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Renault NC: Destined for Export
The Renault FT ended up being not only the best tank of WWI, but the most numerous one. Its production continued after the end of the war, and 3728 tanks were built by 1921. Meanwhile, the French army...
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KwK 43 and the Schmalturm
Fantasizing about what might have been if the war in Europe continued past May of 1945 is not just a widespread hobby, but a profitable business. One of the vehicles frequently depicted laying waste to...
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T-60 Applique Armour
"To the 3rd DepartmentJanuary 19th, 1942I am sending you the numbers of T-60 hull parts that will have applique armour applied to them. The same armour thickness will be used in hulls with single-part...
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Rough Handling
It's no secret that the F-34 gun was also tested out on the KV-1 as a part of the various efforts to improve its firepower in 1941. After the gun was tested, the tank was converted back into its...
View ArticleSS Professionalism
"There's an interesting moment at the start of the Vienna operation that should be remarked on, regarding the issue of highly trained SS units. The Germans saw the preparations. Even though the weather...
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Renault R 40: Incorrigible
The Char leger Modele 1935 RÂ that was accepted into service by the French army on April 25th, 1935, was a compromise. Created as a replacement for the Renault FT, it did not surpass its predecessor by...
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Canon 25 mm S.A. Mle 1934: A "Baby" Gun for a Grown Up War
An old military saying states that "every army prepares to fight the previous war". That is how the French generals acted when planning new anti-tank guns. Thinking about enemy tanks, they envisioned...
View ArticleKV-3 Evolution
"To the BTU Chief, Military Engineer 1st Class, comrade KorobkovI report that the Kirov factory made the following decisions on the KV-3:The KV-3 will be based on the Object 221 with a future plan of...
View ArticleCromwells in Normandy
"Remarks regarding the use of Cromwell tanks in Normandy1. Exhaust fumes, exhaust system, sparkplug foulingA. The tank's users discovered that the exhaust fumes of the tank gave away the tank's...
View ArticleTukhachevsky on Tanks
A man like Mikhail Tukhachevsky needs no introduction, as he is one of the most famous military minds of the 20th century, having come up with the very effective Deep Battle doctrine. However, some of...
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KV-1 Engine Compartment
Details of the famous Aberdeen test are still not fully available online, all we have are scraps and rumours. However, user Makarov from Tiger's Corner shared a little bit of it with us. These high...
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Renault D1: FT on Steroids
Attempts to modernize the Renault FT, the most numerous tank in WWI, gave unexpected results. Initially, only the low speed was unsatisfactory for the French military, but its tastes grew by the...
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Renault D2: De Gaulle's Workhorse
The heavy Char B1 tank became the symbol of French pre-war tank building, and General de Gaulle is frequently associated with it. The 36 ton tank might have been the best French tank was indeed the...
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What's in a Name?
There are a fewexamples where the real name of a tank or gun sinks into the sands of time, replaced by a more popular, yet incorrect one. The Renault FT is another example. More often than not, you see...
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Ultra Gun
The Department of Inventions was flooded with a great deal of proposals from the population, most of which received an answer similar to this one. However, a small fraction of the inventions were...
View ArticlePzIII Shortage
"June 20th, 1942To the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and GABTU Chief, Lieutenant-General of the Tank Forces, comrade FedorenkoMoscow, 2nd NKO buildingAn experimental SPG on the chassis of a...
View ArticleGerman Tank Fear
"Anti-Tank Defenses14. The fear of massed enemy tank attacks still grips the soldiers, especially among the young and inexperienced replacements, to the point of mental breakdown. As a result, soldiers...
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LT vz. 35: Steel Fist of the First Czechoslovakian Republic
On April 19th, 1933, the Czechoslovakian army signed a contract with CKD to produce 50 light P-II tanks. This ended the 10 year long quest to build a domestic tank. The tank accepted into service on...
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Praga LTL and Pzw 39: Tanks for Neutrals
In May of 1935, an Iranian commission signed a contract with CKD for light Praga TNH tanks. At the moment, these tanks did not exist in metal, but the Iranians saw the potential in this design. A...
View ArticleKV Gun Upgrades
"The following work is necessary to perform trials of KV tank armament and improvement of blueprints:Install the F-34 gun instead of the F-32 gun into the KV-1 tank at factory #92 by March 1st, 1941.A...
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