101 Amazing Facts about Tanks: ...and Other Armoured Vehicles

By Merlin Mill

Do you know which year most historians agree saw the very first tank partake in battle? Which country first used the combined might of tanks and air power? What percentage of Germany's Afrika Korps tanks had been destroyed by the end of the campaign? And which tank was nicknamed Queen of the Desert?
This fascinating book contains over 100 amazing facts about tanks, with chapters including their history, the Second World War, tank design and many more. Whether you're already a massive tank fan or are completely new to the subject, this excellent guide is the perfect addition to your bookshelf.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jack Goldstein Books
• Release date: Oct 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781789828795

Book preview

General Facts

Tanks are armoured fighting vehicles, primarily used in frontline combat. They are typically judged by their capability in three areas: firepower, armour and mobility.

Though tanks are now thought of as fighting weapons in their own right, they were originally developed as a way to cross trenches and break through barbed wire on the First World War’s Western Front.

The reason tanks are called ‘tanks’ is because of the secret codename they were given to keep their development secret during the First World War. Since the prototypes were essentially the same size as large water carriers, the British government coined the synonym ‘tank’ (as in ‘water tank’), which stuck even after development had been completed.

Before a codename had been decided, the prototype tanks were usually referred to as ‘Caterpillar Machine Gun Destroyers’, ‘Land Cruisers’, or simply ‘Landships’.

Tanks have changed much throughout history, but one feature has almost universally remained the same: caterpillar tracks.

Until the arrival of the main battle tank, tanks were usually categorised by weight class (such as light, medium, heavy or superheavy) or by purpose (including breakthrough, cavalry, infantry and reconnaissance).

Most historians would agree that the first real tank wasn’t built until 1916, however the concept of mobile armoured protection in battle is