recently on television showed a new film of the famous film director K. Shakhnazarov "White Tiger".The tank, after which the picture takes its name, became a negative character, along with a completely animated Soviet tank.He behaves like a live and very dangerous animal hiding in the swamp, and crawling out on the hunt.The film is an art, it is rich in associative series, parabolas, and other techniques, reinforcing the emotional impact on the viewer.Truth in the historical sense it is almost there, but after seeing the work there is a perception that Hitler's Germany has a special armaments, constitute a danger for the armored forces of allies.And if the Red Army had tanks WWII able to fully withstand the onslaught of the enemy, the allies fared worse.
Bulk tanks
Every fighting army in addition to unique pieces, as a rule, there is mass produced entirely appliances.The Soviet army during the Second World War received tens of thousands of "tridtsatchetverok" and HF, the Germans often used the T-III and T-IV, the British were "Matilda", "Churchill" and "Cromwell."Serially produced and an American tank M4, named after a hero of the Civil War General William Sherman, a northerner.For all technical features, this machine was out of date, but the amount in which it was produced, giving a chance for the victory.He distributed the M4 and the Soviet Union, but special role in the battles he has not played.Soviet tankers prefer our tanks World War II, but in war all means are good, but orders are orders.In addition, the comfort of the crew compartment was different from the usual for our military modest spartan conditions were good fire control devices, and American radio worked just fine.More depressing: a chance to survive fighting in the "Sherman" was not enough.
Normandy 1944
began to fight "Sherman" against "Tigers» T-VI in June 1944, after the Allied landings on the northern coast of France, in the province of Normandy.Situation prevailing during the fighting immediately revealed numerous systemic flaws of American car design.Reservation was weak not only for German 88-millimeter shells hit them at that time could not stand virtually no tank in the world.Own weapons poor, rifled gun not only for its gauge (75 mm), which had already been abandoned in the Soviet Union because of low efficiency, but also the length of the barrel does not meet modern requirements.Cannon could not hit the target at long range, and come close to the tank M4 "Sherman" could not, by stealth he also had problems with the design.
Effect of transmission on profile
Location transmissions and German, and American and British tanks during the war was the front.Gearbox are located on the nose of the car in almost all countries that produce armored vehicles, it has a positive effect on the handling.But such a scheme would inevitably lead to a very serious problem in increasing the height of the tank, or, to put military-technical terms, the growth profile.The flat car, the easier it is to hide it in the folds of the terrain, the more difficult to get into it.Front-transmission forces to carry on with her propeller shaft from the engine, therefore, need to lift the bottom of the tower.Increased weight (excess amount still requires booking).Useless eaten engine power, fuel consumption.Our tanks had to fight harder, the internal volume of spaciousness was no different, but it played a minor role compared to the best fighting qualities.In the battles that were "Sherman" against the "Tigers", however, this design flaw, too, was not so significant.They had German cars and even the most modern.
Heart "Sherman»
During the war, diesel engines were equipped with Soviet tanks only.The fact that gasoline vapors tend to explode, known to all.M4 Tank "Sherman" was equipped with different engines.The most successful variant - Aviation 350-horsepower engine brands Continental, but it came later.Powerplant version M4A4 consisted of five car (from the "Chrysler") L6.About how this "team" with 30 cylinders and candles, loaded on one universal joint, we can only guess.Any specialist armored idea of such an arrangement will cause sadness.Another was a modification of the M4A2, driven by two diesel engines "GE".Also not a gift, but still better.All of these engines were produced for the US industry purely peaceful technology, except for the 500-strong "Ford V8", designed specifically for the tanks, but it appeared by the end of the war and was also petrol.Nevertheless, driven by these "wonders of technology" and their cords, "Sherman" against the "Tigers" fought.It was difficult and dangerous.
Powerplant T-VI
German industry, as well as American and British, too, during the war and have not been able to create high-quality and technologically advanced diesel tank of sufficient capacity.But the problem of powerful engines in Nazi Germany still paid attention.Heavy tank "Tiger" (he weighed about 55 tons, for comparison, "Sherman" - 30 m), powered by a 700-horsepower engine of the brand "Maybach" in two versions.Despite the impressiveness of this figure, it should pay attention to the available power ratio is the ratio of power to weight.It turns out that the lighter "Sherman" little superior maneuverability indices German heavy tank "Tiger".The characteristics of these two cars, such as speed, overcome by walls and moats, and so forth., A little different.However, a lot of weight still affects many other parameters, and not for the better.
Bogies
best suspension serving as the main element of the chassis, for the time of World War II, recognized as the inventor of American design Christi.And in the Soviet version.It is not appreciated anywhere except the USSR.When considering the chassis "Sherman" unconsciously begs comparison with agricultural machinery.It consists of six reference carts, each of which are located on the two rollers: about the same as on the tractor - workers of the fields.
But more depressing aspect makes navigating in the tank "Tiger".Features mainly mass, prompted German designers to place thin "pancakes" in a checkerboard pattern.This solution helped to reduce the specific load on the ground, but greatly complicated the operation and maintenance.Rollers bent, demolition and replacement takes too long, heavy edifice stood not every bridge, and loaded on the railway platform has been a living hell for the German soldiers.
conceptual differences about how were fighting in Normandy, many survivors told after the war, American and British soldiers.It was not easy, sometimes we had to show the wonders of resourcefulness and courage.Loss of "off scale" for each destroyed T-VI had at least three dead M4.For the West Front of the death of a huge number of soldiers it was unusual.The cause of many failures was that the "Shermans" vs. "Tiger" to fight should not have been.They were intended to support infantry during offensive operations.To accomplish this, they had everything we needed, including artillery armament.But the "Tiger" was originally conceived as a tank destroyer.And for that he, too, was all.A high mobility of tank destroyers, acting from a distance, is not necessary.
Tactics application
The film "White Tiger" tank, mysterious and elusive, menacing growling engine and releasing powerful jet exhaust, leaves nowhere, appearing just before the Soviet "Thirty."The artist is allowed to dream, but in a real combat crew T-VI would rather act at a distance, realizing the benefits of long-caliber guns, shoot accurately and far.He contributed to such tactics and excellent Zeiss optics, which did not have our cars, and the American, too.
As for the "Shermans" their main virtue, relates more to the capabilities of the US industry, capable of producing huge quantities of even an imperfect art.During the war machines of this type were produced almost 50 thousand pieces.Shells were riveted connection of power plants already mentioned, the gun did not meet the needs of the front, but there were many, and the Germans simply did not have time to deal with them.And it should be noted, in spite of the strong opinion of the weak fighting as soldiers of the US Army, the tankers "Shermans" were brave men.
After the war
«Tigers" were too complicated to manufacture to the war-torn German industry was able to organize their mass production.T-VI-X was released in 1942 just 1354 pieces, and even a powerful book did not save them from the almost complete destruction of the coalition forces.
American tank, despite more than a modest combat characteristics, time to take part in many armed conflicts the end of the 40s, survived the fifties and even in the 60s participated in the Arab-Israeli wars.It was the third mass model of armored vehicles in the world, giving primacy to the Soviet T-34 and T-54.
