The Type 95 Ha-Gō was a light tank used by the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It proved sufficient against infantry but, like other light tanks, was not designed to combat other tanks.
This one was on display at Bovington.
The French Fourth Republic used leftover Japanese military equipment from the Japanese invasion of French Indochina. An ad-hoc unit of French and Japanese armour including the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank called the ‘Commando Blindé du Cambodge’ was created and this unit participated in the early stages of the First Indochina War
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk II (A10), was a cruiser tank developed alongside the A9 cruiser tank, and was intended to be a heavier, infantry tank version of that type. In practice, it was not deemed suitable for the infantry tank role and was classified as a “heavy cruiser”.
This A10 Close Support version was on display at the Tank Museum in Bovington. Rear view of the tank.
The Tank, Infantry (A22) Churchill was a British heavy infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, its ability to climb steep slopes, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war.
This Mark II was on display at The Tank Museum.
Looking back at photographs from my previous visits to The Tank Museum I had taken a photograph of the tank when it was outside (and I identified it as a Mark I).
The origins of the design lay in the expectation that war in Europe might be fought under similar conditions to those of the First World War, and emphasised the ability to cross difficult ground. The Churchill was rushed into production to build up British defences against a possible German invasion. The first vehicles had flaws that had to be overcome before the Churchill was accepted for wide use.
After several Marks had been built, a better armoured version, the Mark VII, entered service.
The Churchill was used by British and Commonwealth forces in North Africa, Italy and North-West Europe. In addition, a few hundred were supplied to the USSR and used on the Eastern Front.
The M3 Lee was an American medium tank used during World War II. It was a stopgap design that was quickly developed in response to the need for a more powerful tank than the M2 Medium Tank. The M3 had a unique design with a main gun in a sponson on the hull side, and a smaller machine gun turret in the center. This design was not ideal, as it made the tank’s silhouette very high and made it difficult to aim the main gun.
This M3 Grant Medium Tank was on display at Bovington.
Despite its flaws, the M3 was a reliable and sturdy tank. It was also well-armed, with a 75mm main gun and a .30-caliber machine gun in the turret. The M3 was also relatively easy to produce, which was important for the United States, which was not yet fully mobilized for war.
The British Army received a large number of M3 tanks under the Lend-Lease program. The British were not happy with the M3’s design, and they insisted on modifications, including a different turret. The British-modified M3s were called “Grants,” while the original American-designed tanks were called “Lees.”
The main asset of the tank, from the British point of view, was the 75mm gun which could fire high explosive and armour piercing ammunition. The former was the perfect answer to Rommel’s imaginative use of anti-tank guns and there is no doubt that Grant tanks were largely responsible for halting Rommel’s attack during the key battle of Alam Halfa.
For all that the Grant was a difficult tank to fight in. The low position of the main gun meant that it was impossible to conceal and the tank often had to swing round in order to bring this gun to bear. Riveted construction was also a serious liability by 1942 while the 37mm gun, in the turret, was all but useless.
Both the Lee and Grant tanks saw extensive service with British forces in North Africa, Italy, and the Far East. The tanks were not the best in the world, but they were reliable and sturdy, and they played an important role in the Allied victory.
The Crusader III cruiser tank was a British tank that was used during World War II. It was the third major variant of the Crusader tank, and it was the most widely produced version. The Crusader III was designed to be a fast and mobile tank that could be used for reconnaissance and flanking attacks. It was armed with a 6-pounder gun, which was a powerful weapon for its time.
This Crusader III was on display at the Tank Museum.
The Crusader III first saw action in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. It performed well in this battle, and it helped the British to defeat the Axis forces. The Crusader III continued to be used in North Africa, Italy, and the Far East. It was also used by the Free French Forces and the Polish Army.
The Crusader III had a number of advantages. It was fast and maneuverable, and it had a good gun. It was also relatively reliable, and it was easy to maintain. However, the Crusader III also had a number of disadvantages. It had thin armor, and it was vulnerable to enemy fire. It also had a cramped interior, and it was not very comfortable for the crew.
Overall, the Crusader III was a good tank for its time. It was fast, maneuverable, and armed with a powerful gun. However, it was also vulnerable to enemy fire, and it had a cramped interior. The Crusader III was replaced by the Cromwell tank in 1944, but it continued to be used until the end of the war.
The Panzerkampfwagen III, commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The Panzer III Ausf. N was an infantry support tank, armed with a short-barrelled 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun. 700 were produced or re-equipped from 1942 and 1943.
This Panzer III Ausf. N is on display at the Tank Museum.
The tank is based on a chassis ordered as a Panzer III Ausf. L. It was issued to a Tiger I heavy tank battalion, the 501st Schwere Panzer Abteilung and shipped to Bizerta in Tunisia in January 1943. The 501st Abteilung was absorbed into the 10th Panzer Division as the 3rd Abteilung of Panzer Regiment 7 on 26 February 1943.
This tank, which was part of 8. Kompanie, Panzer Regiment 7, had tactical number 832 painted on its turret. It was abandoned at Kzar Mezouar, during Operation Ochsenkopf, also known as the battle of the Hunt’s Gap, in late February, 1943. It was then shipped to the United Kingdom for evaluation and later sectioned to show its interior.
There is a Daimler Dingo Scout Car Mark III, “Rebel” at the Tank Museum. It has the regimental markings of the Royal Tank Regiment.
The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as the “Dingo” (after the Australian wild dog), was a British light fast 4WD reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War.
In 1938 the British War Office issued a specification for a scouting vehicle. Out of three designs submitted by Alvis, BSA and Morris, the one by BSA was selected. The actual production was passed to Daimler, which was a vehicle manufacturer in the BSA group of companies. The vehicle was officially designated Daimler Scout Car, but became widely known as Dingo, which was the name of the competing Alvis prototype.
The Carro Veloce 33 or L3/33 was a tankette originally built in 1933 and used by the Italian Army before and during World War II. It was based on the imported British Carden Loyd tankette.
This Carro Veloce L3/33 was on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.
This is the flamethrower variant, which was captured in North Africa. It carried 500 litres of flame fuel in a special trailer (which you can see behind the tankette). The flame fuel was delivered by a pump, driven off the gearbox, which gave it a flaming range of about 35 metres. However crews were warned not to use the flamethrower when travelling at full speed (26mph) as they might set themselves alight.
This Sd.Kfz. 251 was on display at Bovington. It was captured by British forces in the desert. One of the pictures taken after its capture shows a barrel strapped to its right exterior. It has a special step near the rear doors that identifies it as an ambulance.
The Sd.Kfz. 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was a World War II German armored fighting vehicle designed by the Hanomag company, based on its earlier, unarmored Sd.Kfz. 11 vehicle. The Sd.Kfz. 251 was designed to transport the Panzergrenadier (German mechanized infantry) into battle. Sd.Kfz. 251s were the most widely produced German half-tracks of the war, with at least 15,252 vehicles and variants produced by seven manufacturers.
The Sd.Kfz. 251 was a vital part of the German war effort, and it played a significant role in many of the German victories of World War II. It was a reliable, effective, and versatile armored vehicle that was well-liked by the German troops who used it. The Sd.Kfz. 251 was a major factor in the success of the German mechanized infantry, and it helped the Germans to achieve many of their early victories.
Here is the same Sd.Kfz. 251 taken on a previous visit to Bovington, but that time it was painted grey.
I also published on the blog a photo of the OT-810 at Duxford. The OT-810 is a post war production copy of the German World War Two Sd.Kfz 251 half track.
I have a 15mm Flames of War versions on my workbench:
This Valentine Tank was on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.
The Valentine tank was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during World War II. More than 8,000 of the type were produced in eleven marks, plus various specialised variants, accounting for approximately a quarter of wartime British tank production. The many variants included riveted and welded construction, petrol and diesel engines and a progressive increase in armament. It was supplied in large numbers to the USSR and built under licence in Canada. It was used extensively by the British in the North African campaign. Developed by Vickers, it proved to be both strong and reliable.
The Valentine first entered service with the British Army in December 1941, with the 8th Royal Tank Regiment in Operation Crusader. It quickly earned a reputation as a reliable and well-protected vehicle. The Valentine’s armor was particularly effective against German anti-tank guns, and it was also equipped with a powerful 75mm gun that could penetrate the armor of most German tanks.
The Valentine was used extensively in the North African campaign, where it proved to be a valuable asset to the British forces. It was also used in other theaters of war, including the Western Desert, Italy, and the Far East.
The Valentine was not without its flaws. It was relatively slow, and its armor was not as thick as some of the German tanks. However, its reliability and firepower made it a valuable asset to the British Army.
After the war, the Valentine was phased out of British service. However, it remained in service with other armies for many years. The Soviet Union, for example, continued to use Valentines until the early 1950s.
The Valentine tank was a significant contribution to the British war effort. It was a reliable and well-protected vehicle that was used extensively in all theaters of war. The Valentine’s legacy can still be seen today, as many examples of the tank are preserved in museums around the world.
