Tag: tankfest 26

M3 Grant

This M3 Grant tank was running in the arena at Tankfest 26 at the Tank Museum.

The M3 Grant was the British-specification variant of the American M3 Lee medium tank, rushed into service during the Second World War to bolster Allied armour in the North African Campaign. While both models shared the same hull design, featuring a sponson-mounted 75mm gun on the right side and a secondary 37mm gun in the upper turret. The Grant was distinguished by a completely redesigned, lower-profile cast turret engineered to British specifications. This new turret eliminated the high commander’s machine-gun cupola found on the American Lee, reducing the tank’s overall height, and provided internal housing for a radio at the rear of the turret, allowing the radio operator to be positioned alongside the commander rather than in the hull. As a result, the Grant operated with a reduced crew of six (compared to the Lee’s seven) and offered a slightly less conspicuous target on the open desert battlefield, where its dual-gun firepower proved vital in countering German armour during battles such as Gazala Offensive and El Alamein.

World War One Tanks at Tankfest 26

One of the displays at Tankfest 26 had replica Mark IV tanks and a replica Whippet enter the arena.

These were impressive machines and certainly showcased these early metal behemoths which changed the nature of modern warfare.

This was one of the main reasons I wanted to attend Tankfest, though I should add that my view was obstructed by people standing in front of the seating area next to the arena.

Sturmpanzerwagen A7V

Sturmpanzerwagen A7V

Introduced by Imperial Germany near the end of World War I in early 1918, the Sturmpanzerwagen A7V was the German Empire’s sole production tank of the war, designed in response to the unsettling appearance of British and French tanks on the Western Front. 

Resembling a massive, armoured box on tracks, the 30-ton vehicle was armed with a front-mounted 57mm Maxim-Nordenfelt cannon and six 7.92mm MG 08 machine guns, requiring a unusually large crew of up to 18 men to operate effectively. Despite its thick steel plate protection and formidable firepower, the A7V was plagued by a high centre of gravity and low ground clearance, which severely limited its cross-country mobility and trench-crossing ability compared to the British rhomboid design. 

Only 20 chassis were produced, but the A7V secured its place in military history on April 24, 1918, at the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, where three A7Vs engaged three British Mark IVs in the world’s first tank-versus-tank combat.

This replica Sturmpanzerwagen A7V was in the Vehicle Conservation Centre at the Tank Museum.

Sturmpanzerwagen A7V

It is is painted to represent A7V number 504, Schnuck. The actual Schnuck was damaged by friendly fire at Fremicourt on 31 August 1918 then it was abandoned by crew, and captured by troops of the New Zealand Division three days later. Displayed in London on Horse Guards Parade 1918/19 and given to the Imperial War Museum in 1919 but was scrapped and disposed of in 1922.

Mark II Matilda

This Mark II Matilda was on display at Tankfest 26.

The Infantry Tank Mark II, better known as the Matilda, was a British infantry tank that served in World War II. It had a crew of four, was powered by two Leyland 6-cylinder diesel engines, and was armed with a 2-pounder gun and a machine gun.

The Matilda was designed in 1936 as a gun-armed counterpart to the first British infantry tank, the machine gun-armed A11 Infantry Tank Mark I. The Mark I was also known as the Matilda, and the larger A12 was initially known as the Matilda II, Matilda senior, or Waltzing Matilda. The Mark I was abandoned in 1940, and from then on the A12 was almost always known simply as “the Matilda.”

The Matilda was an excellent infantry support tank, thanks to its heavy armour. It was impervious to most German anti-tank guns at the time, and it could withstand heavy fire from enemy tanks. However, the Matilda was slow, with a top speed of only 14 mph. It was also not very well-armed, and its main gun, the 2-pounder, was effective against other tanks, but it had limited anti-personnel capabilities.

Despite its limitations, the Matilda was a valuable asset to the British Army during World War II. It was a reliable and well-liked tank by its crews, and it played a significant role in the North Africa Campaign. It was eventually replaced in front-line service by the lighter and less costly Infantry Tank Mk III Valentine beginning in late 1941, but the Matilda continued to serve in other roles until the end of the war.

Overall, the Matilda was a versatile and effective tank that served the British Army well during World War II. Its heavy armour made it a formidable opponent on the battlefield, and its reliability and popularity with its crews made it a valuable asset to the British war effort.

The Matilda II infantry tank from inside the Tank Museum.

A Matilda II infantry tank is at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester.

Sherman M4A3E2 “Jumbo”

Europe’s only running Sherman M4A3E2 “Jumbo” made its debut at Tankfest from June 26-28. Shipped from the Bastogne Barracks in Belgium, the rare World War Two assault tank ran in the arena.

The standard Sherman armour was too thin against German anti-tank guns. The US Army modified it. They welded heavy steel plates onto the tank hull. The frontal armour of 4” was twice that of the standard Sherman tank. Troops called it the “Jumbo” because of its heavy, bulky frame. You can clearly see the extra frontal armour on the tank.

Only 254 Jumbos were built to lead heavy attacks.

Nashorn Tank Destroyer

This Nashorn Tank Destroyer was taking part in Tankfest 26 at The Tank Museum.

The Nashorn (German for “Rhinoceros”) was a formidable German tank destroyer developed in 1942 as an interim solution to counter heavily armoured Soviet T-34 and KV tanks.

Built on the specialised Geschützwagen III/IV hybrid chassis, which combined elements of both the Panzer III and Panzer IV medium tanks, it mated a highly mobile tracked platform with the devastating 8.8 cm Pak 43/1 anti-tank gun.

This weapon was one of the most lethal anti-tank guns of World War II, capable of penetrating the armour of almost any Allied or Soviet vehicle at extreme ranges, often well before the enemy could close the distance to fire back.

However, to offset the immense weight of the 8.8 cm gun and maintain mobility, the Nashorn was designed with a tall, open-topped, and lightly armoured superstructure.

With only 10 mm of armour protection on its gun shield and sides, the crew was highly vulnerable to artillery fragments, small arms fire, and air bursts. Consequently, the Nashorn had to be operated strictly as a long-range sniper from concealed positions, utilising its exceptional gun optics and ballistics to strike from afar rather than engaging in close-quarters armoured brawls.

This is a privately owned Nashorn with the hull serial number 310163 and was restored to running condition in the Netherlands.

Iraqi T55 Tank

These rusty Iraqi T-55 tanks were next to the Tank Park at Tankfest 26 at the Tank Museum.

The T-55 is a series of Soviet-era medium tanks that were introduced shortly after World War II. It is one of the most widely produced tanks in history, with over 100,000 units built in the Soviet Union and under license in Poland and Czechoslovakia. The T-55, along with its predecessor the T-54, became the backbone of armoured forces for the Warsaw Pact and many other nations.

The tank featured a low-slung, compact design with a cast, dome-shaped turret and was armed with a 100mm rifled gun. While it was considered advanced for its time, its design was later outmatched by more modern tanks. However, its simple, rugged, and reliable nature has allowed it to remain in service with various armed forces worldwide, often with significant upgrades.

Operation Unthinkable T55 Tanks on the workbench.

FV101 Scorpion CVRT at Tankfest

The Scorpion Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (tracked) FV101 was at Bovington. Though most people would call it a light tank.

The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by Alvis, it was introduced into service with the British Army in 1973 and served until 1994.

Scorpion became the first of a whole family of fighting vehicles including Scimitar, Striker and Samaritan. It served in the Falklands and the Gulf as well as being a success on the export market. Changes in British policy, and the international situation meant that surviving Scorpions were fitted with a new weapon, the 30mm Rarden Cannon, and renamed Sabre.

It has been supplied to Belgium, the Irish Republic, Malaya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman and Venezuela.

I have some Team Yankee Scorpions, they are currently in the process of being painted as BAOR versions.

Some thoughts on the RAF Regiment Scorpion I saw at RAF Cosford.

BRDM 2 Scout Car

This BRDM 2 Scout Car was at Tankfest 26. The BRDM-2 is a Cold War-era Soviet amphibious armoured scout car designed to replace the earlier BRDM-1. Introduced in the early 1960s, the 4×4 vehicle was specifically engineered for high mobility and stealthy reconnaissance. Unlike its predecessor, which featured open-top or flush-mounted weapons, the BRDM-2 was equipped with a fully enclosed, manually operated turret housing a potent 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and a coaxial 7.62mm PKT general-purpose machine gun.

Powered by a rear-mounted 140-horsepower GAZ-41 V8 gasoline engine, the 7-ton vehicle can hit speeds of up to 100 km/h on paved roads. One of its most distinctive engineering traits is its off-road capability: in addition to a centralised tire-pressure regulation system, it features two pairs of auxiliary, chain-driven belly wheels that can be lowered hydraulically by the driver to help the vehicle crawl over wide trenches, ditches, and steep obstacles. With its fully amphibious hull propelled by a single rear water-jet, an overpressure collective NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protection system, and infrared night-driving equipment, the BRDM-2 became a ubiquitous scouting asset produced in the thousands and exported to dozens of nations worldwide.

Citroën U23 Light Truck

This Citroën U23 Light Truck in German camouflage was part of Tankfest 26.

The Citroën U23 (or Type 23) successfully bridged the gap between passenger car elegance and workhorse utility. By marrying the distinctive, swept-back front grille and wings of the revolutionary Traction Avant with a conventional, rugged rear-wheel-drive chassis, Citroën created an instantly recognisable aesthetic that defined French roads for decades. Originally powered by the same dependable 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine found in the Traction Avant, the 2-ton truck proved to be incredibly versatile, serving as everything from open flatbeds and enclosed vans to city buses. Its durability became a vital asset during World War II, during which it was heavily utilised by the French military and subsequently requisitioned in large numbers by German forces. Remaining in production for over thirty years until 1969 the U23 cemented its legacy as one of the most enduring and beloved backbones of mid-century European transport.