The Gloster Meteor was the first operational jet fighter to enter Allied service, marking the United Kingdom’s transition into the jet age during the final phase of the Second World War. In Belgian service, it played a central role in the post-war reconstruction and modernization of the Belgian Air Force, equipping the nation’s first generation of jet fighter squadrons from the late 1940s through the early 1960s and forming the backbone of its emerging Cold War air defense capability. The Meteor operated both at home and abroad, most notably seeing combat during the Korean War. Although it was rapidly overtaken by more advanced swept-wing designs, the aircraft proved invaluable as a transitional platform, enabling Belgian pilots to develop proficiency in jet operations, air defense, and ground attack, while establishing the doctrinal and operational foundations for later aircraft such as the Hawker Hunter and SABCA F-104G Starfighter.
British battleship names typically referenced monarchs and historical figures, various corners of the empire, mythological characters, and naval traditions. In 1911, the lead ship of a new class — an evolution of the Orion — was laid down at Portsmouth. She was named King George V in honor of the recently crowned king.
The Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeug (German for “New Construction Vehicle,” abbreviated Nb.Fz.) was a prototype multi-turreted medium tank developed by Germany in the pre-WWII era. While its service was brief and limited, its history is quite interesting. The Nb.Fz. was an early attempt to develop a German medium tank and was part of the experimentation that accompanied the development of Germany's early armored forces. It also saw limited combat during the early stages of WWII and was used extensively for propaganda purposes, despite never entering full-scale production. In today’s article, we’re going to take a look at the history of the Neubaufahrzeug, from its development and design to its limited combat service and eventual fate.
The de Havilland Sea Vixen is considered one of the most bizarre-looking aircraft ever employed by the Royal Navy, with an asymmetric side-by-side cockpit, no cannon armament, and a twin-boom design. In War Thunder, the Sea Vixen is one of the first examples many players will experience gunless jet combat with, and it introduces a completely new playstyle that throws the fundamentals of early jet combat out the window.
The British Army has always needed military vehicles capable of operating in remote regions. During World War II, that role fell to AEC armored cars and light tanks, but by the early 1960s the existing fleet was in dire need of replacement. At the same time, the defense budget left designers with very little breathing room.
By the mid-1930s, Europe was once again caught up in an arms race. Before long, it spread to other parts of the world as well. The United States could not remain on the sidelines either. Events in Europe and Asia were making it increasingly clear that geographic isolation alone was no guarantee of security.
We’ve already seen plenty of strange military mashups in War Thunder. You’d think experiments like these would’ve been left somewhere in the distant past. But no! European engineers decided to combine two modern MBTs: the German Leopard 2A7 and the French Leclerc S2. And that’s how the EMBT was born. So what came out of this Franco-German tank-building set? Let’s find out.
The Ratel ZT3 is a South African tank destroyer in the British tech tree. It is part of the Ratel family of fighting vehicles, a series of 6-wheeled IFVs developed to replace the obsolete Alvis Saracen APC in South African service. The Ratel ZT3 is a later variant of the Ratel platform fitted with the turret that houses a 7.62mm Browning MG4 machine gun and ZT3 ATGMs. With a top speed of 65 mph and the ability to carry a tandem charge ATGM that can penetrate 1000 mm of armour, it is an excellent tank destroyer. However, with minimal armour protection and a large silhouette, the ZT3A2 must be played according to its strengths.
In the history of military aviation, it is rare to find instances of enemy air forces battling each other using the same aircraft. The British withdrawal from Palestine in 1948 is an example of such a rarity: Mustangs, Spitfires and Mosquitoes alike all took part in this conflict, as well as other R.A.F. and I.A.F. aircraft, which will be discussed here as well.
The XM800T is an ARSV, developed in the 1970s by Chrysler, FMC Corp., and Teledyne Continental. It was meant to replace the M114 but never entered production, although the experience gained was used in the M2 Bradley later on. However, this tank combines weak armor with a gun that can’t even penetrate 70mm of armor up close. So how to play this exceptional light tank? Find out in this article!
