Originally Posted by oz codger

Sorry fellas, another couple,

does a disabled engine cut the power supply to turn the turret to engage a target?

And in the case of a 'Mekava', the turret has a big gap from the outer edge down to the hull surface, can a HE round in that gap dislodge the turret? Indeed in any tank for that matter?

Monty's last post has the commander aiming for the drivers port, such a small point to aim at from a kilometre or more! I am amazed at just how many factors a commander has to keep in mind.

I don't think so, we need a tanker to answer that.

The gap between the hull and the turret is a weak point of a tank. A hit there can damage the hydraulics of the turret. Depending on the hit, the heat from it can also weld the turret to the hull. The older versions of the Merkava tanks had chains hanging from the turret to interfere the incoming round. As from an anti tank stand point, it's much better to engage tanks from the side and hit them where you can. To aim at weak points is almost impossible. The tanks operate in numbers and with infantry. To engage them when they are driving right against you is really dangerous, even if you hit the tanks. The surviving tanks, infantry units, and maybe artillery spotters will see the back blasts from our weapons. Missiles are also very visible to the enemy.

I have read the obituary of the tank so many times and I have heard it a lot of times too, and yet the tanks are still around. Shall we put the tank on the endangered species list?

I never tired of telling my brother that tanks and submarines were mobile coffins!

Originally Posted by oz codger

I never tired of telling my brother that tanks and submarines were mobile coffins!

They still are, but the crew of a tank can jump out and run.

I wanted to join the tank units, but I am too tall for being inside a tank. If I am sitting at the driver's site, I couldn't close the hatch. The gunner's site worked pretty good, but I could barely move sitting there.

Saw a clip the other day of a a couple of T-72 stopped somewhere in Syria. One was hit by a projectile and immediately black smoke plumed out the top hatch. The commander appeared to be blasted out by the pressure inside the hull and he survived, but within 3 or 4 seconds of impact the blast of flame was 30 feet high. Five seconds later it was all over.

OC

Originally Posted by oz codger

Saw a clip the other day of a a couple of T-72 stopped somewhere in Syria. One was hit by a projectile and immediately black smoke plumed out the top hatch. The commander appeared to be blasted out by the pressure inside the hull and he survived, but within 3 or 4 seconds of impact the blast of flame was 30 feet high. Five seconds later it was all over.

OC

Russian tanks (T64, T72, T80, T90, and the latest Armata) have an auto loading system. The ammunition is stored around the turret in the hull if you understand what I mean. A hit can ignite the ammo with severe consequences. The Russian tanks have lesser protection than their western counterparts, they weigh mush lesser than Western MBT's, but that doesn't mean Western tanks cannot be destroyed.

The French Leclerc has an auto loader too. My favorite is the Merkava when it has room for an infantry squad. Turkey has developed a new tank, the Alay or something like that, they developed it with the South Koreans and it looks like their K2 Black Panther

OK, another OT one, What did they do with the crew after such an event, did they have special troops to do the 'dirty work'?

And what happened to the crew of an upturned tank? Saw a pic of one that had been upside down since 1973.

Do not answer if you do not wish!

Originally Posted by oz codger

OK, another OT one, What did they do with the crew after such an event, did they have special troops to do the 'dirty work'?

And what happened to the crew of an upturned tank? Saw a pic of one that had been upside down since 1973.

Do not answer if you do not wish!

I can only relate to other mass casualty situations. There are special trained people doing things like that. Their main task is to identify the dead and give them a proper funeral. The military wants to get their fallen back and put a huge effort into it. There are still searching groups out looking for the fallen from the dual world wars. There are always missing service men out there. They might have been blown up so badly so more or less nothing remain. That may explain the majority of the missing from the First World War.

I don't know what happened to the crew of the tank you are referring to

If you go to YouTube and put in tank fails, you will get a giggle.

Originally Posted by oz codger

I never tired of telling my brother that tanks and submarines were mobile coffins!

You may be surprised, my understanding is that tank crews had a far lower mortality rate than infantry even during WW2 and survivability has only increased since then.

There was a general rule of thumb that said 1 dead and 1 wounded for every tank lost in action.

There are some reported American statistics that point to 3% of US KIA vs 18% for infantry.

Reaching back to my days with 5th Battalion Queens regiment, the anti tank gun at our disposal was the (1) 66 fire and throw away, (2) 84 mm Carl Gustav and (3) 120 mm Mobat. (4) 120 mm Wombat.

Basically the 66 could take out most (1970's) Soviet Armour provided the firer was close enough, the 84 was more effective (or so we were told) and the 120 mm Mobat for longer ranges. They were supposedly good bits of kit in their day but I'd warrant well out of date now. The only time I can remember an 84 used in combat was during the Falklands invasion, a Royal Marine nearly sank an Argentine warship with one, he hit it below the water line and hit the bridge. The captain got his ship out of range rather quickly.

The Mobat was towed behind a Land Rover, the Wombat was carried on the back of a Land Rover.