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Tank Gun Systems: The First Thirty Years, 1916 1945: A Technical Examination
£27.30£33.30 (-18%)
Much has been written about the use of tanks in battle. Little, however, has appeared about the gunnery systems that are at their core. This book describes and examines the main gun systems of medium and heavy tanks from first use in 1916 in World War I to those fielded in numbers to the end of World War II in 1945, including tanks of the interwar period. Specifically considered are guns of a calibre greater than 35 mm, which have been deployed in numbers greater than 100. The emphasis is on guns mounted in turrets on heavier tracked armoured fighting vehicles (greater than 15 tonnes) which were considered tanks. There are, though, exceptions, in that the naval 6 pounder guns in First World War British tanks, as well as the 75 mm guns in French medium tanks of the same period (all turretless) are included. The treatment of gun systems includes sighting and fire control equipment, gun laying equipment, mounts and the array of munitions fired, as well as the actual gun, including its, barrel, cradle, breech, firing mechanism, sights and recoil system. Related to this are issues of gun handling (loading and unloading), ammunition design and rates of fire. Also examined are the maximum impulse and energy generated by firing some of the munitions available that must be absorbed by the gun recoil system.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Pen & Sword Military (6 April 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 576 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1399042351 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1399042352 |
| Dimensions | 18.42 x 3.81 x 25.4 cm |
by Simon Johnson
In my opinion this is a beautiful book (probably not exactly what the Author was aiming for), not in the same way that a coffee table book of photos of The Grand Canyon or Snowdonia is, but beautiful none the less.
The author Professor William S Andrews is I suspect a little bit more than just an “enthusiast”, this book has the air of a lifetimes utter dedication to his subject. He has made this old Chieftain gunner very happy indeed. I have developed a habit in the last few years of as I read a military book I open up a mapping App and look at the ground that they were fighting over. This huge volume of information is the tank version of that App. You can open it at the correct page and see where the gunner sat, what controls he had, what the loader had to do to open the breech and the rounds that he was loading. The depth of information and knowledge is nothing short of incredible, encyclopaedic is an often overused word in the literature world but I think it most definitely applies to this book.
It opens with concise yet detailed explanations of the essential components that comprise a gun system. With that laid out the Professor then breaks down his subjects by nationality which also gives an excellent perspective of the various philosophies by Country. I have always had a particular interest in Churchill in its various marks, I’m not going to lie I went straight to page 498 and there it was. Almost reminiscent of those gunnery course pamphlets, actually not reminiscent probably taken FROM them are lavish diagrams that lay out, breach mechanisms, recoil systems, barrels, muzzle brakes, ammunition and on and on. Pure unadulterated gunnery porn. Like the Matilda it’s right there, the Lee? Grant? A perfect explanation. One of those perverts that drools over the Panther? You get a detailed description of just why the muzzle brake was configured as it was.
As is probably obvious I found the book fascinating and I cannot recommend it highly enough I doubt anyone with an interest in armour would ever be disappointed by even the most obscure chapters. I mean he even cover the Italians……
by Railway Mike
A masterpiece of detail. It will take you a long time to read and absorb it.