Table of Contents
Why did the French use oscillating turrets?
In the 1950s, tanks were rapidly growing more heavily armed, larger and heavier. This was the justification for the first oscillating turret, that of the French AMX-50 medium or heavy tank in the 50 tonnes class. This used first a 90 mm, then 100 mm, gun in an oscillating turret, primarily to save weight.
What is a tank turret?
The turret is an armored structure supporting one or more guns — typically a heavy cannon and a couple of machine guns. Turning the traverse gear rotates the turret on the hull, allowing the tank crew to aim the main gun without turning the entire tank. The crew can also pivot the main gun up and down.
How a turret works?
A modern gun turret is generally a rotatable weapon mount that houses the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in some degree of azimuth and elevation (cone of fire).
Is the S tank still in service?
Stridsvagn 103D In the mid-1990s, as the Swedish Armed Forces were looking for a new main battle tank, one Strv 103C was upgraded into the Strv 103D. The sole Strv 103D is today on display at the Axvall armor museum, together with some 103C models. They are all still in running order.
What was the best French tank in 1939?
As with Britian, French tank design entered a period of hiatus through the 1920’s. Nevertheless, the French Tanks of the Interwar Decades were as good as any designed and built elsewhere in the world, and one in particular, the Souma S35, was perhaps the best tank available anywhere in 1939.
What went wrong for the French in 1945?
A summer drought and a bitterly cold winter also conspired against the French in 1945. Help could only come from the state. De Gaulle’s government put in place a massive nationalization programme, funneling investment into heavy industry, as well as the finance, energy and transport sectors.
What was life like in France during WW2?
The French population was sick and very, very hungry: rationing would continue until 1949 and two thirds of children were suffering from rickets. One child in 10 did not survive childbirth. A summer drought and a bitterly cold winter also conspired against the French in 1945. Help could only come from the state.
How did planning for the post-World War II world begin?
Planning for the post-World War II world began before the United States even entered the conflict. On August 9, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill first met aboard the cruiser USS Augusta.