British Tanks

Author: Pat Ware
Publisher: Images of War
ISBN: 9781848845008
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Perhaps the British did not produce the most successful tanks of the Second World War, but they certainly designed an extraordinary range of light, medium and heavy tanks along with many that were adapted for special purposes. This fascinating variety of military machinery is recorded in Pat Ware's photographic history. Using a selection of wartime photographs - supported by some modern photographs of preserved vehicles - the book describes the origins of the tank in Britain during the First World War, looks at British tank development during the inter-war period and contrasts this with advances made elsewhere - in Germany, France, the USA and the Soviet Union. All of the British tanks that saw service during the Second World War are described, among them the cruisers (Crusader, Cromwell, Comet), the infantry tanks (Matilda, Valentine, Churchill) and the US imports (Stuart, Lee/Grant, Sherman). Finally, an extensive section is devoted to the so-called 'funnies' - the tanks developed for crucial tasks like bridge-laying, mine-clearing, flame-throwing and amphibious operation. Pat Ware's photographic survey of these tanks at war is an expert introduction to a key period in the history of British fighting vehicles.

British Battle Tanks

Author: David Fletcher
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472821491
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 282

Book Description
This lavishly illustrated volume details the design, development and operational history of the British-made tanks in World War II. Plagued by unreliable vehicles and poorly thought-out doctrine, the early years of World War II were years of struggle for Britain's tank corps. Relying on tanks built in the late 1930s, and those designed and built with limited resources in the opening years of the war, they battled valiantly against an opponent well versed in the arts of armoured warfare. This book is the second of a multi-volume history of British tanks by renowned British armour expert David Fletcher MBE. It covers the development and use of the Matilda, Crusader, and Valentine tanks that pushed back the Axis in North Africa, the much-improved Churchill that fought with distinction from North Africa to Normandy, and the excellent Cromwell tank of 1944–45. It also looks at Britain's super-heavy tank projects, the TOG1 and TOG2, and the Tortoise heavy assault tank, designed to smash through the toughest of battlefield conditions, but never put into production.

British Battle Tanks

Author: David Fletcher
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472817567
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 238

Book Description
A highly illustrated history of the development and operation of the first British tanks, published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of their introduction in World War I. When British soldiers charged across the Somme in September 1916 they were accompanied by a new and astonishing weapon – the tank. After a stuttering start armoured behemoths such as the Mark IV, Mark V and Whippet played a crucial role in bringing World War I to an end. Marking the centenary of their battlefield debut, this comprehensive volume traces the design and development of the famous British invention during World War I and the increasingly tense years of the 1920s and 30s, from the first crude but revolutionary prototype to the ever-more sophisticated designs of later years. Bolstered by historic photographs and stunning illustrations, author David Fletcher brings us the thrilling history behind the early British battle tanks.

Tanks of the Second World War

Author: Thomas Anderson
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473859328
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 225

Book Description
This book lists all the important tanks used in the Second World War, both by the Allied (England, France, Russia and the USA) and Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan). Thomas Anderson, an expert on the history of the Second World War, offers an in-depth volume detailing the vehicles, their use in battle and relevant technical specifications. This comprehensive survey is full of authentic eyewitness accounts as well as being profusely illustrated with many photographs having never been published before.

Genesis, Employment, Aftermath

Author: Alaric Searle
Publisher: Helion and Company
ISBN: 1804516163
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 258

Book Description
The employment of the first tanks by the British Army on the Western Front in September 1916, although symbolic rather than decisive in its effects, ushered in a new form of warfare - tank warfare. While much has been written on the history of the tank, this volume brings together a collection of essays which uncover new aspects of the history of these early machines. Leading military historians from Britain, France and Germany offer insights into the emergence of the tank before the First World War, during the conflict, as well as what happened to them after the guns fell silent on the Western Front. Based on painstaking research in archives across Europe, each of the chapters sheds new light on different aspects of the history of First World tanks. Two chapters consider why the Germans failed to recognize the possibilities of the tank and why they were so slow to develop their own machines after the first British tank attack in 1916. Two other chapters chart the history of French tanks on the Western Front and after the end of the war. Tank communication, the employment of British tanks on the Western Front, as well as the activities of British Tank Corps intelligence, are also explained. The use of British tanks in Palestine and in the Russian Civil War is examined in detail for the first time. The volume also reflects on the impact of the Battle of Cambrai, both in terms of its psychological impact in Britain and the power it exerted over military debates until the end of the Second World War. The aim of the book is to reconsider the history of First World War tanks by widening the historical perspective beyond Britain, to include France and Germany, and by reflecting on the pre-1914 and post-1918 history of the these new weapons of war.

M1 Abrams Tank

Author: Henry Wilson
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473834236
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 193

Book Description
The Ml Abrams has proved itself to be the finest main battle tank in the World since its introduction into US Army service in 1981. It combines the ultimate balance between firepower, mobility and protection as demonstrated by its superior performance during the two Gulf Wars and in Afghanistan. It routed the Soviet equipment of Saddam Hussein's army and today remains the yardstick by which friends' and foes' MBTs are judged. Its versatility and continual modernisation of weaponry armour and engineering guarantees that the MI Abrams will remain the US Army's spearpoint for years to come. Expert author Michael Green has produced a comprehensive collection of images and highly informed text.

FV430 Series

Author: Robert Griffin
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 152674290X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 308

Book Description
Fully illustrated with archival photographs, this volume examines the development of this Cold War era armored vehicle. During the Second World War, the British infantry found itself lacking suitable transport to cope with the fast-moving German Blitzkrieg tactics. While various stopgap measures were implemented during the war, the postwar threats from nuclear, biological and chemical warfare made it imperative that a robust solution be found. By the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, the AFV430 series was introduced. The FV300 and FV400 Cambridge carriers paved the way for the AFV430. Initially a basic armored personnel carrier, the series grew to cover a multitude of roles, including command, recovery, mortar, Swingfire, and remote mine clearing. This volume of the Images of War series describes in words and images the AFV430 and traces the development of infantry carriers for the British Army.

M4 Sherman

Author: Pat Ware
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473834449
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 174

Book Description
This pictorial history of the legendary American tank combines color photographs, commissioned illustrations and authoritative information. The M4 Sherman was one of the most famous tanks of the Second World War. Produced in greater numbers than any other Allied tank, it fought on every front, and continued to serve as a front-line fighting vehicle in the Korean War, the Arab-Israeli wars, and the Indo-Pakistani wars. This detailed history of the Sherman covers its design and development, its technical specifications, the many variants that were produced, and its operational role in conflicts across the world. While the Sherman outclassed the older German tanks it encountered when it first went into combat in 1942, it was vulnerable to the later German medium and heavy tanks such as the Panther, Tiger I, and Tiger II. Yet the Sherman was ultimately more effective than these superior German tanks because it was reliable, durable, cheaper to build, and extremely adaptable. The Sherman was converted into a tank-destroyer, an amphibious tank, a recovery vehicle, a mine-flail, a personnel carrier—and, after the Second World War, it was developed to confront more modern tanks in combat. Pat Ware's expert account of this remarkable fighting vehicle is accompanied by a series of color plates showing the main variants of the design as well as common ancillary equipment and unit markings. This is an essential reference work for World War II buffs and armored warfare enthusiasts.

French Tanks of the Great War

Author: Tim Gale
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473881935
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 263

Book Description
A detailed history of France’s development of tanks and the combat the tanks served in during World War I, by an armored warfare expert. The French tank corps was an essential part of the French army from 1917 onwards, yet its history has been strangely neglected in English accounts of the Western Front. Using information derived from the French military archives at Vincennes—much of which has never been published in English before—author Tim Gale describes the design and development of the tanks, the political and organizational issues that arose between the French military and civilian bureaucracy, and the record of these pioneering fighting vehicles in combat. All the major engagements in which French tanks participated are depicted in graphic detail, often quoting directly from recollections left by individual tank commanders of their experience in battle, and each operation is assessed in terms of its impact on French tactics in general and on tank tactics in particular. The Nivelle offensive and the battles of Malmaison, the Matz, Soissons, and Champagne are featured in the narrative, and the actions of the French tanks serving with the U.S. army are covered, too. Much of the material in Tim Gale’s study will be entirely new to non-French speakers. The story will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in the Great War, the French army, military innovation and the history of armored warfare. Praise for French Tanks of the Great War “Gale’s book . . . is very easy to dip into.” —Military Modelling “It is a wealth of information and I would definitely recommend it.” —Forgotten Weapons

The Great Book of Tanks

Author: David Miller
Publisher: Zenith Press
ISBN: 9780760314753
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 512

Book Description
This superb reference volume records the history of the most significant tanks that have seen service around the world. The book begins with the World War I era tanks, such as the British Mk 1, that attempted to break the deadlock of the Western Front. It then examines major tanks that emerged during the interwar period. All the celebrated World War II tanks are featured, including the PzKpfw VI Tiger, the M4 Sherman and the T-34. Finally, it surveys the incredible tanks of the postwar era, including the M48, the Merkava and T-54/-55.The text provides succinct information on the design, development, and combat performance of all the tanks featured. Entries are arranged by the year in which a tank first saw service. An introductory chapter presents an in-depth analysis of the development, production, and deployment of tanks.