Brick Tanks - History
Posted by Nacho L on
Brick tanks are one of the most popular items of our store. Below, we will highlight the history of some of our main brick tanks: M1A2, Panzer and Tiger I.
M1A2 Brick Tank
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems). Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest tanks in service at nearly 68 short tons (almost 62 metric tons), it introduced several innovative features, including a multifuel turbine engine, sophisticated Chobham composite armor, a computer fire control system, separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment, and NBC protection for crew safety. Initial models of the M1 were armed with a licensed-produced 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7 gun, while later variants feature a licensed Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44.
Panzer IV Brick Tank
The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), widely known as the Panzer IV, was a medium-sized German tank produced in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. His ordnance inventory designation was Sd. Kfz. 161. 161.
The Panzer IV was the largest German tank and the second-most numerous German armored combat vehicle of the Second World War, some 8,500 of which were built. The Panzer IV chassis was used as the basis for numerous other fighting arms, including the Sturmgeschütz IV assault rifle, the Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and the Brummbär self-propelled gun.
Tiger I Brick Tank
Tiger I, a German heavy tank of the Second World War, had been operating in Africa and Europe since 1942, usually in independent heavy tank battalions. Its late war name was Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E. The early war version was called Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. H1. Often, people refer to both of the variants as Tiger.
While the Tiger I was considered an excellent concept for its time, it was often considered over-engineered, using costly materials and labour-intensive manufacturing methods. The Tiger was vulnerable to some types of track faults and accidents and was reduced in depth due to its high fuel consumption. It was expensive to maintain, but generally mechanically reliable.
In the North African Campaign, Tiger I saw the first action during the Tunisian Campaign on 1 December 1942 east of Tebourba, when three Tigers attacked an olive grove 5 km west of Jedeida. The thick olive grove made visibility very limited and the enemy tanks were engaged in close proximity.