Kagero Before the Birth of the MBT - Western Tank development 1945 - 1959 - Kagero via Casemate UK

[Julien]

Before the Birth of the MBT

Western Tank development 1945 - 1959

ISBN : 9788395157585

Kagero via Casemate UK

 

 

The Main Battle Tank or MBT that we know today is really a product of the 1960s and has come a long way form the tanks we finished WWII with.  During WWII the tank and armoured formations came to fore in movement warfare. The allies had many light and medium tanks but few of what we would call heavy tanks, and even super heavy tanks. These were being developed to the end of the war with the British A39 Tortoise and the American T28 which were more guns than tanks due to the lack of a traversing turret. 

 

 

The Americans ended the War with the medium Sherman and the M26. The T28, and follow on T29, 30, 32 & 34 were quickly side-lined as impractical, and the M26 was upgraded to the M46, and the hybrid M47. The M47 being an effective combination of a proven hull and a new better turret. The M48 would follow and while it had initial problems it would turn out to be an excellent combat vehicle. The M48 would be followed by the M60 which would be the US's first MBT. At the same time the last US Heavy tank the M103 was withdrawn from service, though in reality the tanks had failed to meet the Army's standards and most of the production went to the USMC. 

 

 

In the UK we had ended the war with the Many US Shermans, the A34 Comet Cruiser Tank, and even some Churchill tanks. The A41 was designated as Heavy Cruiser tank back as far as 1943 , this was further developed into the Centurion. This would prove to be a very adaptable design and in various marks would go onto serve until it was developed into the Chieftain in the late 1950s. The Chieftain would be Britain's first main Battle Tank, and would see the disbandment of the last British Heavy tanks the Conqueror. 

 

 

The French would again try to go their own way, and the first post war tank the ARL44was not so much a design as a hodge podge of parts using existing technology. It was not a success and disliked by crews. In fact the French used them alongside a regiment of reconditioned Panther tanks! The Americans funded the AMX13 under MAP but would not fund the AMX50 and the French had to accept M47s under MAP. M47s were also issued to the re-formed West German Army though the tanks were disliked by their "experienced" crews. 

 

 

 

The book is A4 softcover in format and 108 pages long, It is illustrated throughout with black and white photos, there are also 10 pages technical drawings, 10 of colour pictures and six pages of colour tank profiles. 

 

Conclusion

This book will give the reader an understanding of Tank development post WWII which lead upto the MBTs we see today.

 

Highly Recommended.

 

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