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Tank Archives

@tankarchives.bsky.social

3K followers 80 following 3K posts

Author, reenactor, film photographer, military historian specializing in 1930s and 1940s armoured warfare.

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · Nov 13

Following the latest Twitter exodus here. For everyone who didn't come from there, I post daily tidbits from the history of tanks and other armoured vehicles. Check out my website at www.tankarchives.com

Tank Archives

A blog about World War II era archive documents, primarily dealing with armoured warfare.

www.tankarchives.com

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 2h

A school opened in Kazan #OTD in 1941 to train Soviet tankers on British tanks. Ironically, these were the same grounds where German tankers were secretly testing their tanks a decade prior. #tanks #History #WW2 #WWII

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 5h

Production of the DTM tank machine gun was approved #OTD in 1944. The improved variant moved the recoil spring to make it more resistant to overheating. #tanks #guns #history #WW2 #WWII

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 7h

Soviet mobility trials of the GMC M10 ended #OTD in 1943. The tank destroyer was judged to have the same mobility as the M4A2 tank that it was based on, with the same strengths and weaknesses when driving. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 8h

Mostly them, but it really helps when climbing into the vehicle too.

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 9h

#OTD in 1932 the Ordnance Committee finished specifications for a new convertible drive tank. Christie lost the resulting tender and the contract for the US Army's next Christie tank went to Christie's greatest rival: American LaFrance. #tanks #history

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 10h

#OTD in 1943 the ISU-152 finished factory trials. Handrails were welded on before it was sent to the Gorohovets artillery proving grounds for government trials. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 11h

Three Japanese Type 95 tanks arrived at the NIBT Proving Grounds in Kubinka #OTD in 1945. Since they offered absolutely nothing new for Soviet tankers, they were retained as museum exhibits. One tank from this set is still on display to this day. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 13h

#OTD in 1944 the installation of DShK machine guns on IS-2, ISU-122, and ISU-152 SPGs was approved. This machine gun came in handy during street fighting, as the mount allowed it to be used to flush anti-tank teams out of ambushes. #Tanks #History #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 14h

A variant of the Begleitwagen (future Pz.Kpfw.IV) with a torsion bar suspension was ordered #OTD in 1935. The design submitted by Krupp performed so badly that the company never designed a tank with a torsion bar suspension again. #tanks #history

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 15h

An experimental tank battalion was formed #OTD in 1942 in Cairo under the command of Major King. Kingforce, as it came to be known, took part in the Second Battle of El Alaimein, showing the value of the Churchill III tank in combat. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 16h

The first Medium Tanks M4A3E2 were issued #OTD in 1944. The "Sherman Jumbo" was much better protected than any American tank and even better than some German heavy tanks at the time, but only a limited number were made. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 17h

The Panzerfaust was a very common weapon, but that didn't stop a number of myths from emerging around its use. I take a look at how these weapons were used and what methods were devised against them in my latest video. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

youtu.be/jGA7TFdKxLQ?...

Panzerfaust: Effectiveness and Protection

YouTube video by Tank Archives

youtu.be

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

Officially, the Porsche Tiger was accepted into production in parallel with the Henschel Tiger. However, this led to production of two very similar types of tanks. The decision to suspend production and carry out comparison trials was made #OTD in 1942. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

Without a "proper" Exakta Tele-Tessar I jury-rigged a large format 1920s f/6.3 250 mm Tele-Tessar onto my long-suffering VP Exakta. Oh and I also made it half-frame because at this point, why not. Shot on Agfa green sensitive medical X-ray film.

#filmphotography
#analogphotography
#believeinfilm

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

#OTD in 1942 a decision was made to build a lighter version of the Gefechtsaufklärer Leopard, since the old one ballooned to 26 tons. The new design was supposed to weigh 18 tons but grew to 22 tons during development. This tank was never built. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

There was no nation in the world in the 1930s that even entertained the idea of having an army filled only with medium tanks. The biggest medium tank builder of the 30s was the USSR with a whopping 503 units built. The Pz.Kpfw.I and II were light tanks, but they were definitely serious tanks.

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

Indirectly: Canada relied on French experience to make large castings required for the Ram tank, then shared this knowledge with the Australians.

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

#OTD in 1942 the KV-13 returned to trials after repairs. The tank worked reliably, but a critical weakness of the cooling system and clogging air intakes was found. These were resolved in later iterations of the design. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

Please tell me what Nazis were in power in Germany in 1929 and which of them were involved with Kama.

The Leichttraktor and Kleintraktor also had absolutely nothing in common. Not a single wheel, suspension element, layout, nothing. They are different tanks.

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

The tyre. It's the softest and most vulnerable part of the running gear. It will take the most damage when driving, particularly in hot weather. Look at the edges of this one, they have chunks missing like someone's been chewing on it. That's normal damage after decades of service.

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

Field penetration trials were conducted against a King Tiger tank #OTD in 1944 by the 1st Howitzer Artillery Brigade. The upper front plate was a formidable defense, but other areas including the joint between upper and lower front plates were vulnerable. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 1d

The Kleintraktor and Leichttraktor are not the same tank. Not all Germans are Nazis. You should probably read at least a little bit about history before making ridiculous assumptions like these.

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 2d

Here's a tank in the same weight class, with the same armour, and the same armament: two machine guns. Yet, the Vickers Mk.E was a huge commercial success and no one would think to call it a training tank.

Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 2d

Bulletproof armour and machine guns for armament was not an uncommon thing for light tanks in the early and even mid-1930s. Training tanks on the Pz.Kpfw.I chassis looked like this: no turret platform and benches for students instead of a fighting compartment.

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Tank Archives @tankarchives.bsky.social · 2d

No they weren't. The Nazis came to power in 1933 and the secret tank school in Kazan was closed that same year. Work on the Kleintraktor and the Pz.Kpfw.I was conducted only in Germany.

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