FlashfyreSP
Posts: 1193
Joined: 7/6/2002 From: Combat Information Center Status: offline
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The "tank destroyer" concept was fueled by the thinking of the period that tanks would not fight tanks; tanks were 'breakthrough' weapons, used to exploit holes in the enemy's defense line by moving in his rear areas, destroying artillery and support units and disrupting communications. To fight tanks, it was thought, you needed tank destroyers, fast but lightly armoured vehicles that could shoot from cover, strike hard, and then move to new positions before the enemy tanks could pinpoint them. Remember, at this time 'shooting from the move' was discouraged, as most of the tanks of the day did not have any means for keeping their main guns 'on target' while moving. The US M4 Sherman was an exception, having a rudimentary hydraulic stabilizer fitted to the breech which kept the muzzle 'locked' on the target. It only worked in the vertical plane, though, and only kept the gun steady at elevation; it did not keep the gun on the target as the tank changed positions, but did help when moving straight at the enemy. As improvements in sighting and fire control gear were made, tanks became more multi-functional units, and the weaker-armoured tank destroyers were phased out in favour of better tanks.
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