Special Sub-Topic: Historical Armor ID Authored by: MCGunner Sub-topic of: War History

The main gun of the PzKpfw III Ausf F was what make and caliber?

KwK L-2F42 50mm. The Ausf F was the first major production variant of the PzKpfw III. This particular model was a main-stay of Rommel's Deutche Afrika Korps.

The Scimitar (FV-107) is based on what vehicle?

Alvis Scorpion. The Scimitar is the assault version of the Alvis Scorpion. The main difference is in the replacement of the 76 mm low velocity cannon of the Scorpion with a hyper velocity 30mm Rarden Cannon.

The Soviet T-35 had a ten man crew and a main armament of?

One 76.2mm, two 45mm and five 7.62mm. The T-35 had a unique suspension that protected the hull sides by the use of bolt-on armored skirts. Although heavily armed for the period (1933), the vehicle was unreliable mechanically. Most were destroyed, captured or broken down by the time the Germans invaded in 1941.

The Israeli Merkava series of main battle tanks is unique in that the drive sprocket is in the front. Not counting WW II tanks, which other tank has a front mounted drive sprocket?

AMX-13. This French light tank was designed and produced shortly after the end of WWII. It had a 90mm main gun and a crew of three. Although almost 60 years old, the vehicle is still in use with several small countries.

The Soviet T-80U was introduced with a conventional diesel engine because of a problem with the gas turbine engine fitted to the earlier variants. What is the designation of the engine that replaced the gas turbine?

SM-1000. Unlike the M-1 series of main battle tanks, the Soviets never really did iron out the problems of using a gas turbine engine. All production variants of moderns CIS tanks now utilize various diesel engines.

The engines of the T-72 series of main battle tanks are multi-fueled. What three type of fuels will the engine run from?

Diesel, Kerosene, Benzene. The V-46 V-12 diesel engine of the basic T-72 develops 840 H.P. at 2,000 rpms. Although almost primitive by Western standards, the T-72 in all its guises will operate in extreme weather conditions. The M-48, M-60, AMX-30 and Leopard I would need some level of modification to operate mechanically on an equal footing.

What was the 'Sherman DD'?

An M4A2 variant modified to be amphibious. The DD series of modified Shermans made their operational debut during the initial Overlord landings (D-Day). The modifications were carried out in the UK and consisted of a highly secret flotation screen system invented by a Hungarian engineer emigre named Nicholas Straussler. This system had successfully been used in training on the British Valentine Tank. The system consisted of 36 tubular rubber pillars fitted to a special steel frame. The system took about 15 minutes to erect and fill. Most sank upon their launching in the rough seas. Those that made it ashore never reached their intended attack positions. Heavy surf, land mines, anti-tank weapons and bad luck took their toll.

What was the main armament of the Renault M-17?

37mm & 37 mm. The French Renault M-17 was designed in 1916 and by 1917 had begun to go into limited production. The vehicle weighed 6.7 tons, had a 39 HP engine, a crew of 2 and could reach 5 MPH on a good day.

True or False? The Ontos had six (06) M-106 Recoiless Rifles as its main armament.

True & T. This vehicle, when utilizing a 'Canister' or 'Bee-Hive' round, was capable of nailing entire enemy platoons up against trees.

The secondary armament on the OT-54 was?

A flame thrower. Most pre-T-72 Soviet Tanks had a flame thrower variant. The co-axial 7.62mm was removed and replaced with a flame thrower containing 200 liters of flammable liquid.

What was 'Zimmerit'?

A special magnetic anti-mine paste developed by the Germans. 'Zimmermit' was a special paste designed by the Germans to prevent magnetic mines from being attached to the vehicle. The paste was spread on with a cement trough thus giving it its distinctive 'lined and grooved' appearance.

Which of the tanks mentioned below was never exported by the former Soviet Union?

T-64 series.

Which of the following tanks was the heaviest?

German A7V. The German A7V weighed 32 tons, the British Mark V (Male) and Whippet weighed 29 tons and 14 tons respectively and the Ford M-1918 weighed but 3.4 tons.

The M-551 Sheridan had what size main gun?

152mm. In addition to the 152mm main gun, the Sheridan had the MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank missile. This air-droppable vehicle was the main immediate support vehicle for the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division up until 1998. Most of the remaining vehicles have been sold or modified to represent 'threat' vehicles at the U.S. Army's National Training Center.

The Japanese Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha had what size main gun?

47mm. The 47mm main gun of the Japanese Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha was, like most of the armored effort of the Japanese during WWII, sub-standard compared to its British and American counterparts. Although this gun did fire an armor piercing shell, its muzzle velocity of 1,378 fps (420 mps) was only half that of a British six-pounder (57mm).

The United States Marine Corps was deployed to Saudi Arabia starting in August of 1990 for Operation Desert Shield. What was their main battle tank at the start of the operation?

M-60A1. The majority of the Marine Corps heavy armor were M-60A1's. Most were fitted with various types of ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) and the Israeli Clear Lane Marking System (CLAMS). The Marines first large scale exposure to M1 equipped units were various joint operations with the U.S. Army's 'Tiger Brigade'.

Why do the Soviet T-64 (and all subsequent Soviet main battle tanks) have a crew of three?

Because they utilize the 'Corizina' carousel style auto-loader. The 'Corizina' (Basket) carousel style auto-loader allowed the Soviets to reduce the crew from three to four. On later model Soviet tanks this auto-loader has more or less been perfected. On earlier production models of the T-64, the auto-loader had a nasty habit of not only loading the main gun round, but the gunner's leg as well.

The Polish army had several small 'tankettes' in production when the Wehrmacht invaded on 1 September 1939. They had one vehicle that could be considered a modern 'Tank'. Which vehicle was it?

7 TP jw. The Poles had 169 of these tanks on hand on the morning of 1 September 1939. Of these, 114 were immediately available to help slow the German Blitzkrieg. These tanks gave a good account of themselves, however, due to the rapidly deteriorating military situation sheer numbers soon overwhelmed them. Those that were not destroyed in combat were put to use by the Germans and the Romanians as the PzKpfw 7TP (p).

The Soviet BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle has a 100mm Main Gun and an additional tandem mounted 30mm Spotting Cannon. Which anti-tank missile can this vehicle fire from the Main Gun?

AT-10 Stabber.

Name the defunct vehicle that was to be the U.S. Army's main self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle in the 1970's.

M-247 Sgt York. The US Army spent several million dollars on this weapon's platform only to find out that it could not do anything that it was supposed to be able to do. Fortunately for the Army, it was canceled and not force-fed down their throats.

Which of the following is NOT based on the Soviet T-55?

Chinese Type 90.

The M-256 120mm cannon of the M1-A1 series of Main Battle Tanks is a licensed copy of which cannon?

120mm German Rheinmetal.

The PzJgr Elefant series of tank destroyers made their large scale debut at the Battle Of Kursk in July of 1943. What was THE major draw-back of this vehicle that was soon corrected?

The vehicle had no co-axial machinegun. Soon after, the Germans realized that allowing fanatical Soviet Infantry to swarm all over your tanks/vehicles with no way to shoot them was bad business.

Which was the flame thrower version of the German SdKfz 251?

Sd Kfz 251-16.

The NVA used Soviet armor against the United States during the Vietnam War. Their two most numerous tanks were the?

The PT-76 and T-55.