Welcome to the second installment of this... whatever this is. Hopefully you enjoyed the previous entry on "Der Panzerwaffe", which, if you haven't already I do recommend you check out!

This entry focuses on the Allies of the West. For this entry includes armour of France, Britain, and the United States. I have more photos of various other Western machines but I've decided to hold off on those ones for the time being and focus on the more prolific examples in this entry here.

Hope you enjoy!

Matilda Mark II – British infantry tank famous for its actions in North Africa. Mounting a less-than-desirable 2-pounder gun (40mm), it was rather under-gunned for its weight. It also suffered from a lack of speed and mobility; however it made up for these faults with more than enough armour for the time with 78mm of frontal hull armour. It was largely removed from frontline services when the Valentine Mk II became available.

M4A1 Sherman – World famous American medium tank manufactured in immense numbers totaling nearly 50,000 built. A prime example of the American mindset to create a tank that was a jack of all trades, master of none. The early model, was armed with the mediocre 75mm M3 L/40 gun, it was unable to penetrate the armour of the more advanced heavier models of German armour. Decently mobile, able to use its large numbers to encircle opponents and attack where their armour was thinnest. However, this tactic resulted in a large amount of casualties; as a single well placed penetrating round would knock a Sherman out. There has been a myth that M4’s were extremely vulnerable to catching fire due to their gasoline engines; this is false. The primary reasoning behind the M4 Sherman’s nicknames of “Tommycooker”, “Ronson”, and “Burning Grave” were due to its precarious ammunition storage placed in the sponsons, which are above the tracks. The Sherman was also famous for being modified for many uses such as; bridge layer, flamethrower, howitzer, rocket artillery, submersible, bulldozer and more.

Churchill Mk IV – British heavy infantry tank famous for its appearance. Named after the British Prime Minister of the time, this Churchill mounted an Ordnance QF 75mm gun and thick frontal armour at ~100mm. The tracks jutting past the front and rear of the tank allowed for easier travel on rough-terrain, a good aspect for a heavy, slow infantry support tank. Having decent mobility despite its size and weight, it made for an excellent addition to the British armoured corps. Much like the M4 Sherman, the Churchill was converted into different roles to fit various purposes.

3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10 – American tank destroyer based on the chassis of the M4 that had widespread use by the American military as well as the British. Reaching speeds of up to 50km/h, it was armed with a 76.2mm gun and could deliver its firepower wherever it was needed along the battlefield. Its turret was not enclosed and therefore the turret crew was exposed to enemy fire, the turret also lacked powered traverse and thus had to be hand-cranked to turn left or right, making this vehicle unsuitable for close engagements. It remained solely a support tank for eliminating enemy tanks and vehicles at a distance. It had relatively thin armour (57mm max) and therefore was vulnerable to any form of enemy AT fire as well as explosive and shrapnel from the open turret.

M3 Grant – The American M3 medium, designed as a stop-gap when the US entered the war to buy time for a superior tank to be fielded. As the Americans were having difficulties mounting potent cannons on turrets, the M3 had a very unique design featuring a hull-mounted 75mm gun, and a 37mm on the un-centered turret. The rather odd looking machine had a very ineffective design, as it was 3 metres tall and its main gun was too low to be any use in a defensive hull-down position. It also suffered from relatively poor off-raod capabilities which proved to be an issue on the desert terrain of North Africa, where it was primarily fielded. Its huge profile, mediocre armour, and crew of 6 or 7 men earned it the nickname “Purple Heart Box” from its American crewmen.

Char B1– This early-war French heavy tank saw service during the Battle of France and in other early theatres of war in German employ. Armed with a turreted 47mm gun and hull-mounted 75mm gun, the Char B1 was a large, slow and cumbersome machine, topping at 28km/h. However, for the constant defensive positions the disorganized French military had to take during the campaign, monstrous armour and firepower for the sake of speed was a decent enough trade-off against the early-war thinly armoured German tanks. The suspension was complex and the turret was a tight-fit for the crew. Despite its cumbersome drawbacks, it remained a feared opponent of early-war panzer crews due to its nigh impenetrable armour thickness. After the fall of France, many were pressed into German service (under the designation Panzerkampfwagen B-2 740 (f)) and some were even converted into artillery or flamethrowers.

Char S35 Somua – This early-war French tank was arguably one of the best of its day. Being a classic example of what a “medium” tank is, with decent armour, armament, mobility and speed. However, it was expensive to produce and outdated French tactics limited this tank’s effectiveness during the Battle of France. Often being uncoordinated and confused, French tank crews found it difficult to utilize their machines under such conditions. Mounting a 47mm gun, reaching speeds of up to 40km/h and a maximum armour thickness of 47mm, it was a good all-rounder tank. Much like the Char B1, it was also pressed into German panzer divisions such as the 23^rd Panzer Division for combat.

I'm up for any suggestions as to what I should be writing about next. The only suggestion I've received thus far is from Starshine, requesting I write something about how Germany's Blitzkrieg was so effective. There is also a chance I will be re-visiting the Canadian Warplane Heritage museum nearby again this weekend and will be taking higher quality photographs there, including one of the only two Avro Lancasters that still fly. This being the case, my next entry may perhaps revolve around the Royal Air Force, but we shall see.