Tanks Encyclopedia

With all work on Maus development over by the end of 1943, all that was left of the program was a contract for a pair of hulls (one unfinished) and for a single turret (finished but needing modifications, along with half a dozen unfinished armored hulls. The completed hull, now at Böblingen for trials, was not going to wasted despite the serial production being cancelled. A programme for these trials was set on 1st November 1943, but without a turret, a weighted mockup would have to be used to simulate the loading on the hull. This mockup turret (Ersatzgewicht) was a crude affair, roughly similar in shape and size to the Maus Turm but unable to rotate and held in place by cross pieces which were simply tightened up against the underside of the 2,959 mm diameter opening in the hull for the turret ring to hold it in place. Article: https://tanksencyclopedia.com/ww2/naz... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by @ConeOfArc   Edited by Big Turn  Sound edited by Kraiger

Even before a finished design was ready or approved, Hitler, in November 1942, ordered that 5 Mäuschen were to be built and a timetable set by Wa Prüf 4 to achieve this. Turret and hull drawings were to be ready and approved by March 1943 and then 5 vehicles built within just 6-7 months- an ambitious and unrealistic schedule, as this also called for trials by 5th May 1943. The Heereswaffenamt (Army Ordnance Department) arranged for Colonel Haenel to help ensure timetables for the Maus were adhered to by going from firm to firm to press them to meet production requirements and, if necessary, assess severe penalties for missing deadlines. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/na... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by @ConeOfArc   Edited by Séraphin Panlion  Sound edited by Gabe The Tanker

It is impossible to consider the Maus and not be impressed by the machine as a feat of engineering. At 188 tonnes, it is the heaviest operational tank ever made by any nation at any time in any war and was made despite the shortages of raw materials, industrial capacity, and manpower at the time in Nazi Germany. Yet, despite the impressive achievement of making this rolling behemoth, the vehicle stands as a testimony to the total waste taking place in the German industry and the inefficiencies inherent in the way in which tank development was carried out. By the time the Maus was finished in 1945, it was a boondoggle. No amount of awe at the size, weight, firepower, or armor on this beast could disguise the incredible waste of resources it accounted for, nor could it make any difference to the outcome of the war. The Maus, as a weapon, was simply useless, yet the lessons learned from its development did find use in other programs and the very existence of such an enormous machine has inevitably drawn a significant amount of attention. Drawing both awe and fascination in equal measure, the Maus is a complex tank with a lengthy development. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/na... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by @ConeOfArc   Edited by ya boy Jim Zawacki  Sound edited by Gabe

After the Battle of Stalingrad ended in February 1943, a great effort was made by Germany to develop heavily armored vehicles armed to be more effective at assaulting fortified positions and buildings, particularly in urban environments. The realization that such a vehicle was required came soon after fighting in Stalingrad began, and the straightforward solution to this problem was presented in Hitler's conference on the 20th September 1942. The initial result of this calling was the SturmInfanterieGeschütz 33B (Eng: Assault Infantry Gun 33B), a variant of the StuG III assault gun with a heavily modified box-like casemate armed with a 15cm (5.9 in) sIG/33/1 howitzer. With 80 mm (3.15 in) of frontal armour, the StuIG 33B was capable of directly attacking fortified positions while still being adequately protected against return fire. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/30-5-c... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by C.Ryan  Narrated by @Sofilein  Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Gabe The Tanker

One of, if not the most famous French tanks of the Second World War was the B1 heavy tank and its improved model, the B1 Bis. These large infantry heavy tanks were some of the most heavily armed and armored tanks existing in the world during the late 1930s. While their production only started in the second half of this decade, they had roots going back as far as 1921, with the Char de Bataille program that started a search for a medium, well-armed tank to fill in the void between the small and numerous Renault FT and the gigantic and rare FCM 2C tanks. One of the proposals to this program was created by the manufacturer of the FCM 2C, Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/char-d... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Marisa Belhote  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Jim Zawacki  Sound edited by Gabe

With the introduction of the Tanque Argentino Mediano (TAM) and the Vehículo de Combate Transporte de Personal (VCTP) in the early 80’s and the infrastructure to produce more vehicles using the same technology, Argentina was in a unique position to produce a family of vehicles based on the same chassis. After a mortar carrying vehicle and plans for a Self-Propelled Gun, the next step was a command vehicle to coordinate the units of the Ejército Argentino: the Vehículo de Combate Puesto de Comando (VCPC). Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/vehicu... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Gareth Lynn Montes  Illustrated by Pablo Javier Gómez  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Sound edited by Kraiger  Edited by ya boy Jim Zawacki

The Light Tank T3, made in the late 1930’s, occupies a period of time in US tank development history best described not so much as a dark age but more of a grey age. Lots of failed and somewhat obscure ‘T’ number designs were being developed to fulfil an unclear and poorly considered set of strategic goals at a time when an isolationist America was unprepared to wage a modern war. If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by @The_Chieftain   Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Pavel Alexe

The United States had, by the 1970’s, realised that the majority of their artillery was ageing rapidly or just out of date. Open topped, slow, vulnerable, based on obsolete chassis, the existing self-propelled guns (SPG’s) in service were not suitable for a potential Cold War showdown with the Soviet Union, which had a more modern SPG force. Early development work took place under the program names Division Support Weapon System (DSWS) and Direct Support Armored Cannon System (DSACS). The DSWS had changed by 1979 into the Enhanced Self-Propelled Weapons System (ESPWS) program with the goal of producing a common platform for self-propelled artillery for the Army. All of these programs were also grouped under the general name of the Howitzer Improvement Program (HIP). Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/fmc-ho... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by Lucian Stan  Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Kraiger

The E100 was a project which is occasionally and somewhat erroneously referred to as a rival to Dr. Porsche’s Maus design. This is not strictly true, as the E100 came after the 130-tonne Tiger-Maus design from Krupp, which was the Maus-rival. When the Porsche-Maus was approved by Hitler on 3rd January 1943, the Krupp Tiger-Maus was abandoned. Shortly thereafter, Ernst Kniekampf (Panzer Kommission), without informing Krupp, gave work on the project over to the firm of Adler at Friedberg to build a simple prototype (E100 versuchs-farhgestell: Experimental 100-tonne test hull) for trials. This was done despite the lack of experience by the firm in the design or manufacture of tanks and turrets. According to Kniekampf, Krupp was already overburdened with other work, but it lay within Kniekampf’s general Entwicklungsreihe versuchs panzerkampfwagen ( (development series test armored car) framework trying to rationalise tank development in different weight categories. It would be nearly a year later (after the failure of the Porsche-Maus production plans), that the failed Tiger-Maus, a vehicle which showed a large amount of promise in simplified production over the Maus, had shown any substantive progress. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/e100-e... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by @ConeOfArc   Edited by Kraiger  Sound edited by Pavel Alexe

A little known armored car design, the Automitrailleuse CDM, or CDM armored car, is one of the most extensive armored vehicle projects undertaken in secrecy, not only from the general public, but also from the higher-ups of the manufacturer’s own military. This was a project undertaken by a rogue element of the Vichy Regime’s military that refused to accept the Armistice and prepared to resist a German invasion of the unoccupied southern half of France. The CDM armored car’s production was in full swing by the point the invasion of the Vichy “Free Zone” in November of 1942 put a definitive halt to the secret armament project. Article:https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/cdm-armored-car/ If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Marisa Belhote  Video editor: Big Turn Audio  Editor: Gabe  Narration: Stan Lucian

When the US joined the war in 1941, their primary light tank was the M3 Stuart and, while this vehicle was acceptable for that time, there was an interest in a new light tank. In January 1941, the US Army started the T7 Light Tank program, however, by August 6th, 1942, this tank had grown in weight and size and was now reclassified as the M7 Medium Tank. With no replacement for the Light Tank M3 in progress, the T21 Light Tank project was started.   If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/t21-light-tank/ An article by Katherine  Narrated by Nicholas Moran (@The_Chieftain )  Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Kraiger

It doesn't actually strike back.  If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund  Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/it... An article by Arturo Giusti  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by ya boy Jim Zawacki  Sound edited by Kraiger

The Semovente 75/18 was a family of Italian self-propelled guns based on the chassis of the Italian medium M13/40, M14/41 and M15/42 tanks armed with a 75 mm L.18 Ansaldo cannon in casemate. It is the most widely produced self-propelled gun in the Kingdom of Italy during the Second World War, capable of fighting against almost all opposing armored vehicles. It was used in various roles by the Regio Esercito (Eng: Royal Italian Army) for infantry support and as a tank destroyer. 288 vehicles were produced in total. It was also appreciated by the Wehrmacht, which captured several of them and put them back into service in its armored divisions. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/it... if you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Giusti Arturo  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Séraphin Panlion Big Turn Sound edited by Kraiger

One of the biggest problems with Self Propelled Guns (SPGs) is that they can only carry a limited amount of their precious and delicate ammunition, so other vehicles have to be tasked with supplying it to the SPGs. Argentina did exactly that at the beginning of the current millennium, when they converted the Tanque Argentino Mediano (TAM) chassis into the Vehículo de Combate Amunicionador (VCAmun) to supply the Vehículo de Combate de Artillería (VCA). Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/vehiculo-de-combate-amunicionador-vcamun/ An article by Gareth Lynn Montes   Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Sasuri  Sound edited by Gabe

The final decades of the Cold War saw a generational change in Western tanks as they faced off against the armies of the Warsaw Pact across Central Europe. The Soviet-led forces were dominated by tanks such as the T-55, T-72 and variants of both, and there were continuing concerns over even newer Soviet tanks with improved armor and firepower. The Western tank armies of NATO were dominated by an older generation of tanks in a long and slow process of improvement and replacement: the British wanted a replacement for the Chieftain, the Americans were replacing the aged M60 with the new M1 Abrams, and the Germans were replacing the Leopard I with the Leopard II. Much of that Western generational change from tanks based on steel armour had come about as a result of the British development of a new type of armor, announced in June 1976 as ‘Chobham’. A whole new level of protection for Western tanks promised to provide a true qualitative edge in protection over their Soviet contemporaries. With this new armor, and a need for a replacement for Chieftain urgently required, there was a clear opportunity for a large and lucrative contract for a new main battle tank for the UK, and potentially for export. If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/vicker... An article by Andrew Hills  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Big Turn  Sound edited by Gabethetanker

During WWII, Hungary was one of Germany’s allies with a significant domestic production of armored vehicles. While these locally produced vehicles were fine by the standards of the early war, unfortunately for the Hungarians, by the time these were fielded in larger numbers, they were already obsolete. To bolster their ally’s firepower, during the war, the Germans supplied the Hungarians with a selection of armored vehicles, including a small number of the famed Tiger tanks in 1944. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/tiger_hun If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Marko P  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Kraiger

Lt. Colonel Gladeon M. Barnes from the US Army’s Ordnance Department casts a long shadow over tank development in the USA in the period around the start of WW2. Barnes was an interesting man, but some of his ideas and designs were demonstrative of a disconnect between his thinking and military reality. One such example came in 1938 with the idea for a small heavy tank armed with a single machine gun. Quite what role such a vehicle was meant to fulfill is hard to imagine years after other users of such vehicles had already accepted the serious inherent limitations of a similar type of vehicle. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/barnes... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Andrew Hills  Voiceover by Nicholas Moran  Audio Editing by Gabethetanker  Video Editing by ya boy Jim Zawacki

To date, 9 AB41 armored cars have survived, three have become monuments at Italian Army barracks, four are on display in museums, two in Italy, one in Egypt in the El Alamein War Museum and the last in South Africa in the Museum of Military History in Johannesburg. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/it... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund

In 1937, the Esercito Italiano (Eng. Italian Royal Army) realized that the Lancia 1ZM armored cars in service in the reconnaissance units since 1915, still employed in the Italian African Colonies and in the Spanish Civil War, even if still efficient, were obsolete because they were not fast, were weakly armored and had bad off-road driving capabilities. This led to the development of the Autoblindo Fiat-Ansaldo series, of which the most prominent was the AB41. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italy/autoblinda-ab41/  If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Giusti Arturo  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Kraiger

In recent years, thanks largely to erroneous publications and popular video games such as ‘World of Tanks’ and ‘War Thunder’, a comedy of errors has surrounded the history of the officially named ‘Centurion Mantletless Turret’. This redesigned turret – intended for installation on the Centurion – is often incorrectly identified as the ‘Action X’ turret, with the X being the Roman numeral for 10. It is also known as the ‘Action Ten’ or simply as ‘AX’. In turn, vehicles fitted with the turret, such as the intended Centurion, then have a false suffix attached to them, ‘Centurion AX’ being an example. There is also a false belief that the turret is associated with the FV4202 project, however as we will see, this is not the case. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/centur... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Mark Nash  Narrated by Stan Lucian  Edited by Pavel Alexe  Sound edited by Kraiger