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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Optics. <strong>The</strong> quality of a tank’s optics affected not only how well the crew could see out of the vehicle, but<br />
also the accuracy and usefulness of the rangefinder and optical targeting systems. Poor quality Soviet optics<br />
reduced the overall accuracy of their tanks. American and British optics were better than the Soviets but<br />
German glass quality, optical designs and workmanship were the best throughout the war, although they<br />
occasionally suffered from complexity. <strong>The</strong> utility of an optical system in viewing and determining range<br />
improved the speed and accuracy of the main gun, while its consistent alignment to the bore was critical to<br />
hitting any target. Different methods of gauging range were used. <strong>The</strong> most common, however, was to<br />
include a simple mil scale on the gunner’s reticule, enabling him to quickly estimate range by the size of the<br />
target vehicle in the sight. As a general conversion, one mil is equal to one meter of width at 1,000 meters,<br />
thus a four meter wide tank covering only two mils on the scale is at 2,000 meters range.<br />
Communications. By the end of the Second World War, nearly every tank had a two-way radio set. At the<br />
beginning of the war, only the German army had realized the need for two-way communications for all<br />
vehicles. <strong>The</strong> Soviets learned late, and often suffered horrendous casualties due to a lack of communications.<br />
Even the Sherman was initially equipped with a receiving set, in order to allow the platoon and company<br />
commanders to send orders down. This problem was taken care of quickly, however, unlike the Soviet radio<br />
problem, which lasted well into the war. All armies also produced special command, artillery, and<br />
communication vehicles with multiple radios and versions with greater power. <strong>The</strong>se were used to<br />
communicate with higher command, call for and control artillery and airstrikes, and provide reconnaissance<br />
information from far behind enemy lines.<br />
Ammunition stowage. All tanks face the problem of ammunition stowage. Larger supplies for the main<br />
gun means the tank needs to resupply less often, but also leads to a higher risk of crew death by explosion.<br />
<strong>The</strong> need for ammunition to be readily available to the loader is offset by the need to stow it safely and<br />
securely. Improper ammunition stowage often led to disaster. Sherman crews stored several loose rounds on<br />
the floor of the turret basket. This led to the vehicle receiving the nickname “Ronson” from the British, after<br />
a cigarette lighter which advertised that it always lit on the first try. It also led to the development of wet<br />
stowage, whereby the ammunition was stored in a solution of water, antifreeze, and a rust inhibitor, which<br />
reduced the likelihood of a fire reaching the ammunition before the crew could bail out.<br />
Vulnerabilities. Every tank has its vulnerable points, and experienced tankers knew this and protected their<br />
own, while taking advantage of the enemy’s. Shot traps, usually caused by an angled piece of armor<br />
deflecting shot into a weaker piece of armor (normally from the turret into the superstructure roof) could be<br />
taken advantage of at close range. Weak spots, such as where air exhaust or intakes passed through the armor<br />
or welded joints where face-hardening was weakest, were favorite targets, as were the thinner sides and rear<br />
areas of any tank, gun and vision ports, tracks and roadwheels, and the gap between the turret and the hull.<br />
Additional armor, such as the one-inch plates welded onto many American Shermans and the Schuerzen<br />
armor skirts on many later German tanks helped a great deal, especially against HEAT rounds. Field<br />
modifications and improvised armor, such as boards, sandbags, and spare track sections were often added as<br />
well. This measure of added protection sometimes caused additional problems due to the extra weight and<br />
bulk. Some of the add-on armor welded to the Sherman hull and turret sides was even used as a targeting<br />
aid by German tank crews who knew that the armor was weaker there, effectively negating its value.