Q&A 21
Added 2021-05-28 16:42:55 +0000 UTCHere you go. Post questions below.
Comments
Tis a joke referencing my name and avatar. I'd suggest that VanOwen's questions below may be more pertinent and of interest.
Minion
2021-07-30 07:56:37 +0000 UTCI have no idea to what this is referencing. Can I get a hint?
The Chieftain
2021-07-30 05:02:22 +0000 UTCforgive me, the "ve"?
The Chieftain
2021-07-29 02:00:58 +0000 UTCHow many of each type of ammunition would a WWII tank typically carry?
Sebastian Craenen
2021-07-24 21:03:02 +0000 UTCIt is my understanding that during the second world war amphibious tanks come in two design philosophies, the first are essentially land tanks fitted with floatation devices, while the second are much lighter vehicles that have an almost boat-like appearance. Which of these wound up being more effective, or did they have different roles? Unless I am much mistaken, most of the Sherman DD tank wound up being used in the Western Front while the boat-like vehicles wound up used in the Pacific. Why was this? Would the reverse not have been more effective, as the sea state is usually much less turbulent in the Pacific than in the Atlantic?
Colonel Cheng
2021-07-08 07:52:14 +0000 UTCWhy did the U.S. not field smoke/WP rounds for the M256? Every previous tank gun from the M3 75MM up to that point including the M58 120MM on the M103 had smoke rounds.
PoisonPlazma
2021-07-03 22:14:04 +0000 UTCThe year is 2000. With the cold war over, Elbonia now finds itself able to buy almost any surplus military vehicles it wants. The problem is that the chap in charge of army procurement is the secret grandson of the now executed traitor who held this position 55 years earlier. Eager to avenge his grandfather, what MBT, scout vehicle, IFV, and self-propelled artillery vehicles may he buy, in order to ensure Elbonia's continued secret obsolesence in the new milennium?
Sebastian Craenen
2021-06-25 21:28:36 +0000 UTCIt's a lot harder to hit jets with guns than it is with missiles.
Sebastian Craenen
2021-06-23 21:11:24 +0000 UTCQ&A: don't know if this is a taboo topic and if it is, I apologize - whats happening inside a tank if it gets penetrated (mostly ww2 era). In many games and some films it is depicted as this wasn't that much of a problem and the crew just "changes out" the wounded or dead and keeps on fighting. Is this the reality? Whats the protocol in this kind of event? If this above is a taboo question I've got another: Why did most military switched to aa vehicles with rockets only, when gun-based aa vehicles did the same job and costing less (assuming that 1000 rounds of aa are cheaper than 2 surface to air rockets)?
Reichsbierminister
2021-06-21 15:39:03 +0000 UTCWhile the American Tank Destroyer branch was dissolved shortly after the end of WW2, the German Panzerjäger branch, which you've described as being conceptually near-identical, persisted into the Bundeswehr, fielding independent battalions into the 80s and not being entirely dissolved as a branch until either the 90s or the 00s. (I am afraid I lack actual reputable sources and Wikipedia contradicts itself on that point) What factors do you think led to this vast and continued difference in decisions?
JennyR
2021-06-18 20:55:56 +0000 UTCWhat countries used the U.S. M45 Quadmount besides America, Isreal and the U.S.S.R.?
Jaxon Fox
2021-06-17 06:07:10 +0000 UTCI have to say, I do not have any information I can use to address this one. I'll have to ask someone appropriate in the UK next time I see 'em.
The Chieftain
2021-06-14 01:16:38 +0000 UTC1985: It’s Red Dawn! The Soviets have invaded the continental United States. Putting aside the logistical improbability of the scenario, the US is on the defensive with the Reds in control of everything between New Mexico, Wyoming, and Louisiana, plus their northern army group having overrun Alaska, western Canada, and northern Montana. The National Guard has received a flood of WWII/Korea vehicles from collectors, VFW posts, and 3rd-world allies. M3 Halftracks, DUKWs, various tank destroyers, M3 & M5 Stuarts, Chaffees, Walker Bulldogs, and the whole menu of Sherman variants. Which, if any, of these could be made combat-capable enough to be useful within a month or less, assuming ammo supply is not a problem? Could any of them be fitted with more modern weapons, are they better than no tank at all even with their old guns, or are they just more trouble than they’re worth?
Sworn Brother of the Ballistic Order of Saint John Moses Browning
2021-06-13 21:30:47 +0000 UTCAsked somewhere else but here goes. What is your opinion on the Australian acquisition of M1A2sepv3 including bridging, engineering variants of the m1 chassis. And seeing as how the aussies are going to cram a fridge and likely an air con into the new tanks would the USA be more willing to add some creature comforts to their fleet?
Shaun Davis
2021-06-12 12:49:08 +0000 UTCHave a 2nd that popped into my mind, my apologies Since M36 vehicles were used in Korea, and TD branch had been disbanded, what org were they serving under? With TD branch abolished, what doctrine where they following?
Charles Sherrange
2021-06-11 12:05:43 +0000 UTCYou've mentioned in previous videos that the American WW2 TC command for "Please shoot those chaps over there" would be some variation of "Gunner, coax, doughs, 300,11 o'clock" . Knowing the British tendency to be different, did they use any different terminology, particularly in regards to identifying targets (infantry, tanks, buildings and so on) . Do you happen to know a good book or other source for the subject?
Joe Powell
2021-06-10 07:19:47 +0000 UTCWhy do modern military helmets look alike after Aberdeen proving grounds redesigned the steel pot. The Russians have a slightly different designed helmet, but it's like covid masks worldwide...most of them are blue
Mike Quinton
2021-06-07 20:30:40 +0000 UTC1. Are there automatic track tensioning systems? What are the pros and cons of them? 2. How goes the modeling? Did you ever get that Japanese Type 97 model finished?
VanOwen
2021-06-07 15:04:50 +0000 UTCSupplementary Q: Which tanks (if any) would be suitable for purple or jaundiced coloured mutants, some cyclopes? I suspect size and "easy of use" could be a limiting factor in ascertaining appropriate vehicles.
Minion
2021-06-05 23:38:55 +0000 UTCJust watching Rob Cogan and you waxing lyrical in Harmony Church, sorry Fort Benning TSF.... where does the name "Harmony Church" come from?
Minion
2021-06-05 23:30:38 +0000 UTCIt looks as if the British have hit yet another snag with Ajax. A recent report reads "Successful delivery of the programme to time, cost and quality appears to be unachievable." Furthermore, the Warrior upgrade plans have been axed. Ought the UK stick it out and complete Ajax, or is it time to buy something else. If so, what?
Sebastian Craenen
2021-06-03 22:02:43 +0000 UTCIn the past you've stated that artillery is one of, if not the most frightening thing a tanker could encounter. Indeed, advances have been made to deal with ATGMs, kinetic energy threats, and so on, but there remains little to protect from cluster munitions blanketing an entire group of tanks in hundreds of submunitions. But has this always been the case? Was artillery in the indirect fire role still such a menacing threat to armor before the advent of DPICM-like weapons, or were these specialized weapons the first time the field artillery had a proper counter to armor beyond just lobbing tremendous amounts of high-explosives?
Felicity Longis
2021-06-02 05:47:31 +0000 UTCThanks Trevor, I did wonder if things got better if you got regular hatch/periscope privileges!
Hammer of Terra
2021-06-01 22:32:43 +0000 UTCHello sir! I'd like to ask you if you still travel abroad and if so, is it more difficult for you (and other historians like you) to travel to Russia now with Covid and that the Cold War is apparently back. Especially given your military background, I heard that customs kinda make a big deal out of it in visa. Would you do "Inside the hatch" on the Kugelpanzer if you had a chance? Thank you!
Gorodeckij
2021-05-31 20:32:23 +0000 UTCThis has been a question I have seen debated around and you might have already answered it, but the question is how do the fins on APFSDS rounds work. Do they cause controlled spin on the round or do they act as some sort of stabilizer that keeps the round flying straight without gyroscopic stabilization?
Grim
2021-05-31 13:32:05 +0000 UTCCheers to another month, Chief. Sadly I can't join any drinks parties because I'm not on the same continent... A) Considering that the US is retiring the Stryker MGS after 2022, this leaves a potential hole in the US arsenal when it comes to a vehicle more portable and manoeuvrable than an MBT. Russia continues to use its BMP/BMD series, and China retains its ZBL-08 series of wheeled IFVs, including a MGS-esque variant with a large cannon. What is the plan of the US military with regards to light tank/cannon-armed IFV development, or is the NGCV program intended to introduce a vehicle which could potentially be armed with a large cannon? B) Everyone knows of Thunder Run in Battlefield 3 (the Abrams mission), where several allied Abrams are taken out during the process of a straight fight against some Type 69s and T-72s, as well as when the player character jumps out of their tank to act as infantry. There are many things to talk about in that mission both right and wrong - any plans to put out a video talking about how it compared to your actual service? (If you've already talked about Battlefield 3 before, I'd be a right dunce...)
Kazuki K.
2021-05-31 06:19:39 +0000 UTCLooking at newer IFV's like Lynx and ASCOD, they prioritise armour and especially mine protection at the cost of size and weight. How survivable is a 40 ton, 3.5m tall IFV in a high end conflict?
Sebastian Craenen
2021-05-30 09:37:50 +0000 UTCWhat are your opinions on the Technical class of improvised vehicles? Secondly, if you had to cobble one together yourself for some reason what would you go with?
Matthew Sears
2021-05-30 02:53:30 +0000 UTCI was playing CoH 2 today (very mixed feelings), and managed to lose a T-34/85 in a head-on, protracted duel with an Ostwind. Was it conceivable that a low-calibre HE weapon such as this could stun a tank crew sufficiently that they couldn’t get a good return shot off?
Hammer of Terra
2021-05-29 11:49:50 +0000 UTCCan we get an In the Hatch on the Oscar Myer Weiner Mobile? =)
TNSheep
2021-05-29 10:59:20 +0000 UTCHow did US experiences in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, shape their armoured forces organisation and doctrine? Did this manifest results in operations in Northern Europe? (Both positive or negative, if any of the later).
Minion
2021-05-29 03:50:17 +0000 UTCOther than Hilter, was there instances of executive meddling in the design of tanks/weapons systems and if there were, how did it turn out?
Sface
2021-05-29 03:39:48 +0000 UTCConsidering all of the ideas for machine guns in tanks that have been used over the years, how would you arrange the guns and apportion the crew to serve them in WW2, the mid-Cold War and on the modern battlefield?
Adam Schindler
2021-05-29 03:34:47 +0000 UTCWhy didn't the U.S. develop a 120MM smoke round for the M256? The 75MM,76MM,90MM,105MM even the 120MM on the M103 had smoke rounds available! So why with the introduction of the M256 was the idea for a smoke round apparently dropped?
PoisonPlazma
2021-05-29 03:07:43 +0000 UTCGonna have to go way back for this one Every M1917 light tank that I have ever seen has at least one plate on it with bullet impact marks. I guess that they would build the tank then shoot at it to confirm the armor is sound. Why on earth did they not batch test? Wouldn't doing a live fire test on your tank risk compromising the armor when it gets into field? And when did the army decide that shooting every finished tank was a foolish exercise?
Commissar Carl
2021-05-28 23:40:41 +0000 UTCMe and my flat mate are fans of the channel and we’re re watching some of your old videos and one comment started a discussion idea between us. In the video you said that towards the end of the war the US were getting tanks that were closer to what the Germans wanted at the start of the war, which got us thinking… how would things have changed if the Germans had those tanks? Are main points we were back and forth over was how would things like the tiger program turned out? If they had a strong medium tank that didn’t have the same issues against tanks like the Char B1 (bouncing off the armour and things) would they have started the tiger program? How would allied tanks change as a response? I know this is a very deep rabbit hole to go down but any surface level points you have would be appreciated.
Jordan Peterson
2021-05-28 23:06:49 +0000 UTCWhich xenos faction in Warhammer 40k has the best tanks/vehicles and why?
Matthew Lesich
2021-05-28 19:57:09 +0000 UTC2. Did you have a favorite Thunderbird from the Gerry Anderson show?
Thunderchild
2021-05-28 19:32:28 +0000 UTC1. Had Operation Unthinkable actually occurred, would it have made more sense to keep the German in German tanks and deal with getting the logistics going, or to reequip the Germans with Allied tanks and retrain crews? Or a mixture of German and Allied tanks?
Thunderchild
2021-05-28 19:31:49 +0000 UTCI've lately been reading on hypothetical WW3 scenarios (Twilight 2000, Red Storm Rising, etc.) and a question came up in my mind. Were there ever considerations regarding an interruption (short or long term) of fuel in regards to turbine engine tanks (ie: Abrams, T-80) or was it just assumed either the war would end so quickly from a mobility centric doctrine on either side or we'd all be too nuked to care?
Spencer Loper
2021-05-28 19:27:37 +0000 UTCIs motion sickness common amongst novice tankers?
Hammer of Terra
2021-05-28 18:44:14 +0000 UTCAre you gonna film at the museum at belvoir?
Mike Quinton
2021-05-28 17:50:00 +0000 UTCQuestion... the upgrade of Abrams...sepv3.. how many will be done... and..why doesn't the us adopt active protection systems on Abrams... And..why did they move the ve from apg to ft lee? The real reason not the briefing point reason.
Mike Quinton
2021-05-28 17:49:12 +0000 UTCWould you please compare the logistical needs of a WW2 platoon of tanks with the logistical needs of a current platoon of tanks. I realize ammo would be hard to quantify because it depends on the amount of combat, but vehicles on the move gulp fuel so I believe that would be a good comparison to use. Assume both platoons have 4 or 5 vehicles to make the platoon size needs easier to figure out. Thanks.
Larry Brown
2021-05-28 17:37:14 +0000 UTCWhen you commanded an Abrams, what were your regular maintenance tasks? Did you ever emphasize a particular smaller task get done to avoid having to do one that’s bigger, messier, or more unpleasant?
Caleb Engelhardt
2021-05-28 17:32:09 +0000 UTCDisregarding it's a horses for courses thing if cornered for an answer (that is not physically) what do you pick, firepower, armour or maneuverability?
Sim Crawford
2021-05-28 17:12:15 +0000 UTCQ@A ...with the Marines ditching their tanks and trying to acquire anti ship missiles plus other capabilities. Is it possible we could see the return of something similar to the Defense battalion concept of the late 30s and early 40s ?
Admiral Tiberius
2021-05-28 17:08:03 +0000 UTCFirst of all, congratulations on your promotion. You mentioned that it took a bit till you got your new rank. Can you explain the process?
Alexander H.
2021-05-28 17:02:09 +0000 UTCA known limitation of heavier tanks is/was that they require additional infrastructure to support them. This could be stronger bridges, special transport trucks, wider roadways, etc. Has there ever been work to develop a disassemblable tank which could be transported via normal infrastructure and be reassembled close to the battlefield?
J
2021-05-28 16:54:02 +0000 UTCIf there was a Mt. Rushmore of tank affiliated individuals, who would be on it? (Not just limiting to the US) Also do you plan to be at DDay Conneaut in August. I'm most likely going to be there Friday and would love to buy you a beer
Charles Sherrange
2021-05-28 16:50:54 +0000 UTCQ&A: I have noticed that a lot of heavy recovery vehicles spend a significant time driving backwards, either getting into position or executing the rescue, I understand that many of these vehicles are built from existing hull but without the turret or with a special turret; but has anyone built a purpose designed track to roof recovery vehicle or one that utilizes tandem drivers, one facing forward and the other to the rear?
Robert Henry Illston
2021-05-28 16:49:46 +0000 UTCHow dangerous is the muzzle blast of a tank's gun? What kind of training do infantry and armor perform to prevent casualties when fighting in urban areas?
Nuxes
2021-05-28 16:47:02 +0000 UTC
