Forces of Valor Pocket Armor Military Vehicles

Designed as a stopgap measure until the M4 Sherman tank could come on line, the M3 General Grant medium tank saw action in the North African campaign with both US and British forces battling the Afrika Korps. The M3 tank was unusual because it mounted two large caliber weapons in the body of the vehicle.

After the campaign in France in 1940, J. Gast KG. Berlin were ordered to develop a projector for the Wurfgerat 40, which would be fitted on the Mittlere Schutzenpanzerwagen. The resulting Stuka zu Fuss ("Stuka on foot") could be traversed by the driver and used against enemy troop or armored formations some distance away.

The first generation T-34 medium tank made its debut in combat during the summer of 1941, when the Wehrmacht launched its invasion of the Soviet Union. The T-34 easily outclassed the German PzKpfw III and IV models, thanks to its hard-hitting 76.2mm main gun, thick frontal armor, wide tracks, and overall superior mobility.

The best known American half-tracks were the M series made as a standardized design by Autocar, Diamond T, International and White. The M series had a similar front end to the White M3A1 Scout Car but used more powerful engines: a 147bhp 6.3-liter White AX in the Autocar, Diamond T, and White, and a 143bhp 1HC in the International.

The Su-122 was an assault gun which used the hull of the T-34 tank and was the result of an April 1942 specification for assault guns aimed with guns of 122mm caliber or higher. The Su-122 was designed by the Uralsky Machine Building factory (UZTM). The first production SU-122s were built at the end of 1942, with a total of 25 vehicles being built.

The M4 Sherman medium tank was regarded by many as the workhorse of the US Army during World War II. In fact, virtually all of the Allied armies employed the Sherman in their armed forces, including the British, who developed an upgunned variant called the "Firefly".

In January 1943, a new Tiger tank was ordered by the Waffenamt, this time with a turret large enough to mount the fearsome 8.8cm L/71 gun. Besides improving its tank killing capabilities, the new Tiger was also intended to be more survivable on the battlefield.

The Ausf. E mounted a huge 8.8cm KwK36 L/56 cannon and featured two MG34 machine guns for close support against enemy infantry. By war's end, 1,354 vehicles had been produced, some rolling off the Wegmann assembly line.

One of the many hazards faced by both man and machine in WWII was the landmine. Various means were designed to counter it, and while none were more effective than clearing an area by sheer manpower, there were some mechanical devices designed to be fitted to the front of tanks that came into being. The US developed a mine clearing device known as the T1E3 exploder (a.k.a. "Aunt Jemima"), which was mated to the front of a standard Sherman tank.

The "Churchill" began life as a 1939 requirement that envisaged a return to trench-warfare, and was therefore slow and heavily armored like the Russian KV-1 series. That said, the final Churchill prototype was much lighter than had first been thought acceptable, although it still resembled a World War I tank in appearance.

Just one month prior to the commencement of "Operation Typhoon" (the German assault on Moscow) the Waffenamt was scheduled to begin installing the long-barreled 7.5cm KwK gun on its new Mark IV Ausf G tanks.

In January 1943, a new Tiger tank was ordered by the Waffenamt, this time with a turret large enough to mount the fearsome 8.8cm L/71 gun. Besides improving its tank killing capabilities, the new Tiger was also intended to be more survivable on the battlefield.

The Ausf. E mounted a huge 8.8cm KwK36 L/56 cannon and featured two MG34 machine guns for close support against enemy infantry. By war's end, 1,354 vehicles had been produced, some rolling off the Wegmann assembly line.

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The M10 were, numerically, the most important US tank destroyer of World War II. In its combat debut in the North African campaign, the M10 was successful as its M7 3-inch gun could penetrate most German tanks then in service at long range.

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First deployed during the end of WWII and then again in the Korean War, the Maxom quadruple .50 caliber AA machine gun mount was called "Meat Chopper" because of its impressive firepower when used against human wave attacks.

The Wespe was designed by Alkett early in 1942, and was chosen as the most practical self-propelled mount for the leFH18 cannon, using the PzKpfw II chassis instead of the PzKpfw III or PzKpfw IV. As an interim measure, the Wespe proved a great success and in February 1943, all further PzKpfw II chassis were ordered to be used for its production.

The basic Zgkw 8t was built by Krauss-Maffei, Borgward, and from 1943, Saurer. The FlaK vehicle was built with a special superstructure which formed an adequate platform for all-around traverse if the sides were folded down. Ammunition was carried in a special single-axle trailer. The 3.7cm FlaK36 gun was mounted on the Zgkw 8t from 1943, after production of the 5t Zgkw ceased.

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Through the invasion of Czechoslovakia the Germans got a reasonable tank in the LT-35, but they also got a better tank in the LT-38, otherwise known as the TNHP-8 or, in German service, as the PzKpfw 38(t) (t=tschechoslowakish). The LT-38 shared many features with the LT-35, like riveted and bolted armor (weaker than welded armor), the same crew and high silhouette.

The German Sturmgeschutz was one of the most successful armored fighting vehicles of the Second World War. It arose from an original concept of the pre-war panzer divisions, whereby a special vehicle for infantry support work was planned.

In January 1943, a new Tiger tank was ordered by the Waffenamt, this time with a turret large enough to mount the fearsome 8.8cm L/71 gun. Besides improving its tank killing capabilities, the new Tiger was also intended to be more survivable on the battlefield.

Designed as a stopgap measure until the M4 Sherman tank could come on line, the M3 General Grant medium tank saw action in the North African campaign with both US and British forces battling the Afrika Korps. The M3 tank was unusual because it mounted two large caliber weapons in the body of the vehicle.

The GMC 6x6 was built for the US Army as part of a standardization program begun in 1939, which allowed for only two of each type of vehicle to be considered, and emphasized commonality of parts and accessories wherever possible.

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The Wespe was designed by Alkett early in 1942, and was chosen as the most practical self-propelled mount for the leFH18 cannon, using the PzKpfw II chassis instead of the PzKpfw III or PzKpfw IV. As an interim measure, the Wespe proved a great success and in February 1943, all further PzKpfw II chassis were ordered to be used for its production.

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Beginning in 1942, the Bussing-NAG type 4500 A replaced the Bussing-NAG type 500 A. The engine bonnet of the type 4500 rose noticeable in direction to the driver's cab. It was horizontal on the type 500.

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Manufactured in Czechoslovakia at the Skoda Munitions Works, the Hetzer was designed to be a low-cost light tank destroyer that could stand up to the rigors of battle on any front. Entering service in July 1944, the Hetzer used a wide range of existing components from the outclassed PzKpfw 38(t) tank.

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Through the invasion of Czechoslovakia the Germans got a reasonable tank in the LT-35, but they also got a better tank in the LT-38, otherwise known as the TNHP-8 or, in German service, as the PzKpfw 38(t) (t=tschechoslowakish). The LT-38 shared many features with the LT-35, like riveted and bolted armor (weaker than welded armor), the same crew and high silhouette.

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The Sonderkraftfahrzeug (Sd. Kfz.) 251 half-track had its origins in the same requirement as the smaller and lighter Sd. Kfz. 250. Intended as an armored personnel carrier, the Sd. Kfz. 251 entered service in 1939, and quickly became the standard means of transport for the panzergrenadiers.

The GMC 6x6 was built for the US Army as part of a standardization program begun in 1939, which allowed for only two of each type of vehicle to be considered, and emphasized commonality of parts and accessories wherever possible.

The basic Zgkw 8t was built by Krauss-Maffei, Borgward, and from 1943, Saurer. The FlaK vehicle was built with a special superstructure which formed an adequate platform for all-around traverse if the sides were folded down. Ammunition was carried in a special single-axle trailer. The 3.7cm FlaK36 gun was mounted on the Zgkw 8t from 1943, after production of the 5t Zgkw ceased.

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Through the invasion of Czechoslovakia the Germans got a reasonable tank in the LT-35, but they also got a better tank in the LT-38, otherwise known as the TNHP-8 or, in German service, as the PzKpfw 38(t) (t=tschechoslowakish). The LT-38 shared many features with the LT-35, like riveted and bolted armor (weaker than welded armor), the same crew and high silhouette.