The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling
The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling
The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling
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M3A1 Antitank Gun<br />
117<br />
Type: Antitank gun Weaponry: 37mm L/45<br />
Availability: Jan 42 – May 45 Turning time: 16 seconds<br />
Playability: AI only Ammunition: 50 (37mm)<br />
Target Size: Small Height: 0.97 meters<br />
<strong>The</strong> M3A1 37mm L/45 was a copy of the famous German PaK 35/36 series antitank gun, fitted with a muzzle<br />
brake to reduce recoil (since the recoil was so low anyway, the muzzle brake was usually removed before the gun<br />
left the factory!). This weapon was already obsolete by the time it was adopted, although variants were made<br />
for use on light tanks and the gun itself was used in the campaign in North Africa. It was quickly declared<br />
unsatisfactory, and most of them were sent to the Pacific theater, where they were effective against the lightlyarmored<br />
Japanese tanks at close range. In the European theater, it was replaced by the 57mm and 76mm<br />
antitank guns M1 and M5.<br />
Options: None.<br />
M1 Antitank Gun<br />
Type: Antitank gun Weaponry: 57mm L/50<br />
Availability: Jun 44 – May 45 Turning time: 16 seconds<br />
Playability: AI only Ammunition: 50 (57mm)<br />
Target Size: Small Height: 1.27 meters<br />
<strong>The</strong> M1 57mm L/50 antitank gun was a copy of the British 6-pounder antitank gun.<br />
Options: None.<br />
M5 Antitank Gun<br />
Type: Antitank gun Weaponry: 76mm L/55<br />
Availability: Jan 42 – May 45 Turning time: 16 seconds<br />
Playability: AI only Ammunition: 50 (76mm)<br />
Target Size: Medium Height: 1.32 meters<br />
<strong>The</strong> M5 76mm L/55 antitank gun was based on the 3” M3 antiaircraft gun, modified to accept the breech and<br />
carriage assembly of the M2 105mm howitzer. It was heavy for its type, requiring a 6x6 truck to tow it,<br />
however, it was still a very popular weapon due to its long range and good penetration characteristics. It was<br />
mounted, in a slightly modified form, on the M10 Wolverine tank destroyer. Although manufacture had begun<br />
before the North African campaign, it was not available in quantity to front-line units until the invasion of Italy<br />
in 1943. 2,500 M5 antitank guns were built, and another 6,824 were made for the M10 and other<br />
tank destroyers.<br />
Options: None.
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