[Fundguy1]

And tanks, well, is their anything better? My favorite is the German Leopard 2.

[abeardo83]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

And tanks, well, is their anything better? My favorite is the German Leopard 2.

Challenger ii!!

IMO the best tank of WW2 wasn't the T34, it was the Panther. Grandfather of the MBT.

Favourite AFV was the Jagdpanther.

[Fundguy1]

Panther, King Tiger, JS-3, m26, and if it had been finished a few months earlier, the centurion would have been the best design. I agree, the panther is the father of modern MBT, the mg 42 the father of modern belt fed, and the mp44 the father of assault rifles.

[Fundguy1]

T34 was THE tank of the war only because it had the numbers, impact, introduced sloped armor, and had a good balance of speed, armor, firepower, and producability.

[abeardo83]

Never a fan of the m26. Even though it carried a 90mm gun it was still underpowered compared to the German long 75 and 88... and the British 17lber. Have you seen the video of the Panther vs m4 and m26 in Köln??

Centurion and the Chieftain were light years ahead of their counterparts at the time.

[Fundguy1]

The main problem with the leopard 2 is political correctness. The Germans refuse to use depleted uranium rounds and against most mbt won't have the penetrating power needed. They have the same gun as the Abrams but even longer for more velocity. Put the correct rounds in it and it'll be lethal.

The Abrams problem is also a benefit. The turbone engine. It's quieter and more powerful but it eats gas to fast giving it 20% less range and requires a vulnerable fuel convoy to follow it around. If I was covering large distances like the Iraqi desert I'd prefer the diesel. The Leopard is 10 mph faster than the abrams. Fast scoots and defense posture the turbine.

[08njSTEP]

We had 3rd cav doing maneuvers around the missile range I was at. You always knew they were around when 20 HMTT tankers were parked. And A10s would train on them and WOW....what an aircraft. We had an A-4 that was used for targeting practice for red eye/stinger. Pilot could really fly that thing. The M1 can haul serious ass. Its hard to believe their speed until you see it.

[abeardo83]

I thought the Tungsten APFSDS that had been created was now better than the CHARM3 depleted uranium round?

That turbine engine can't be great when it drinks fuel. Surely it's be better to use a Diesel engine?

[Fundguy1]

Turbine has pros and cons. Pros lots of power and quiet. Cons bad mpg, range. It's technically a helicopter engine.

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by abeardo83

I thought the Tungsten APFSDS that had been created was now better than the CHARM3 depleted uranium round?

That turbine engine can't be great when it drinks fuel. Surely it's be better to use a Diesel engine?

Tungsten is good but still doesn't have the penetrating power of depleted uranium making the DU a better round at range. You can kill your opponents at longer distances.

[08njSTEP]

Turbine is QUIET from any angle but straight behind. Tracks make more noise than turbine.

[AWSAWS]

I read lots of books on WWII and the Cold war when I was younger. The tanks were my favourite topic in WWII. However I've always been an even bigger fan of aircraft. The modern day drones and air superiority just make tanks far less valuable than they once were. Just like the battleships.

The King Tiger had to be my favorite tank because of it's size and power. The tank killers were awesome but with no Turret a bit limited in an active battlefield.

I bought myself a model (by Heng Long) of the King Tiger but the dam metal tracks kept coming off it. I'd get a Tamiya made one but they are a bit too pricey.

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

I read lots of books on WWII and the Cold war when I was younger. The tanks were my favourite topic in WWII. However I've always been an even bigger fan of aircraft. The modern day drones and air superiority just make tanks far less valuable than they once were. Just like the battleships.

The King Tiger had to be my favorite tank because of it's size and power. The tank killers were awesome but with no Turret a bit limited in an active battlefield.

I bought myself a model (by Heng Long) of the King Tiger but the dam metal tracks kept coming off it. I'd get a Tamiya made one but they are a bit too pricey.

When I was a kid I had a few ww2 Tamiya model tanks a 1/32 scale tiger 2 was around a fiver to buy back then. Everytime I see a model shop I have to have a look around & cannot believe how expensive kits are nowadays.
I had a 8x4 sheet of ply in the spare bedroom that I made into a battlefield & used to buy a couple of 1/72scale tanks or support vehicles every week & these kits used to cost around a pound each, they are five or six pounds now
My favourite ww2 German tank was the jagdpanzer 1V.
Fortunately for the allies, although the Germans made excellent tanks they (like there cars) over complicate things making battlefield breakdowns commonplace & repairs slow & difficult. Unlike the Sherman or T34 that although not the best tanks, due to numbers & ease of maintenance would ultimately overcome the superior German armour.
My grandad was tank crew during the desert & Italian campaigns & they were equipped with grants later replaced with Sherman's. They used to nickname the Sherman the Ronson as it always lit first time

[Fundguy1]

And Gerry cookers. Ronson because the lit the first time every time. They used gas not diesel and would burn easily.

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

And Gerry cookers. Ronson because the lit the first time every time. They used gas not diesel and would burn easily.

Yep, not a nice way to go

[Fundguy1]

My favorite saying from ww2 was give them thw whole 9 yards. This refers to the Mustang 50 Cal ammo lined up side by side measuring 9 yards long.

[AWSAWS]

Tommy cookers no?

Yes I heard about that and the recounts of the shells jut bouncing off tigers at point blank ranges.

I was meaning an RC model tank. It was fun to use in the garden but it wasn't reliable. Gutted!

[Fundguy1]

You are correct. I'm a yank. Got my tommys and Gerrys reversed. Apologies.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

You are correct. I'm a yank. Got my tommys and Gerrys reversed. Apologies.

It's alright. We all lookalike

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

It's alright. We all lookalike

Different helmets. Makes it easy to identify targets.

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

Different helmets. Makes it easy to identify targets.

Unless you are American, grandad said they got shot at, strafed by American aircraft & shelled by American artillery quite often

[abeardo83]

M4's went up because of:
1) radial engine
2) lack of water jackets for ammunition

My friend owns a radial engined m4 and the thing goes up in flames just starting it up.

They're so easy to work on - you can tell they were made by car makers, unlike the German tanks.

As an allied tanker, it must have been line fighting so strong from the future, fighting panzers.