Tanks have been in service for over 100 years, starting in the trenches of WW1 and still fighting today. While the first designs were slow, massive, and under-armed, they were still revolutionary, introducing an entirely new way to fight wars. Many tank designs from many nations aimed to create the fastest, the toughest, and the strongest tanks. However, one of the most famous of them all is the United States' M1 Abrams. First fielded in the 1980s, it has since fought across the world from Europe to Iraq and it has gone through over 40 years of combat and upgrades. Today, we will explore the history of the Abrams and its impact on American tank design.
The Soviet KV series, most notably the KV‑1 and KV‑2, were among the heaviest tanks of the early war. When they were put to operational use during the midst of Operation Barbarossa, German forces found most of their anti‑tank weapons far too weak against the thick armor; even a single KV could stall an advance and demonstrate capabilities the Germans themselves lacked. That display of strength made captured examples highly prized. Yet the tanks were far from perfect. They consumed fuel at alarming rates, broke down often, and were difficult to supply, and as such many were left behind in retreat or captured intact. The Wehrmacht quickly put these tanks to use, repainting their insignia and assigning them new designations as Beutepanzer (lit. loot tank).
The Fokker D.XXI was a single-seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Dutch aviation company Fokker. It served primarily with the Netherlands’ Luchtvaartafdeeling (LVA) (Aviation Department) during the late 1930s, the Finnish Air Force in the Winter War and played a notable role during the opening phase of the Second World War. Although already obsolescent by the standards of 1940, the D.XXI demonstrated surprising effectiveness in combat, particularly in Dutch and Finnish service, where skilled pilots exploited its strengths to compensate for its technical shortcomings. This article focuses chiefly on the Dutch and Finnish variants and their operational history, while also addressing foreign use, like Danish variants.
During Operation Barbarossa, Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union, the Third Reich ran into Russia’s secret weapons: the T-34 and KV-1. While German engineers came up with move advanced tanks to combat Soviet armor, a quick solution was put together to face the Russians on somewhat equal terms. This stopgap would be known as the Marder.
Infantry has joined the ranks of aircraft, tanks, and ships in War Thunder! Engage in urban combat, storm the buildings, and participate in intense firefights and sniper duels. Fight in armored vehicles or aircraft. Be among the first to try the new mode by signing up for the closed beta test.
Today I’m going to tell you a little more about trains, but not the Br 52 this time. Today it’s about the EMD F series. The EMD F is an American diesel-electric locomotive from General Motors Electro-Motive Division. It was designed as a heavy freight locomotive, but it was also used for passenger trains. A total of 1,807 units were built between 1945 and 1949: 1,111 of type A and 696 of the cabless units of type B.
Sleek, powerful, and fast, the 'Sparviero' ('Sparrowhawk') was one of the deadliest warbirds above the Mediterranean when it first entered service in the mid-'30s. However, as the Second World War started to go badly for Italy, the SM.79's shortcomings were quickly exposed by a new generation of fighters, which this aircraft’s designers had not prepared for.
The Su-33 is a carrier-based air superiority fighter developed from the Su-27 to meet the needs of the Soviet Navy. It features reinforced landing gear, folding wings, an arrestor hook, and canards to improve low-speed handling during carrier operations. Designed for operations aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov, the Su-33 is optimized for long-range interception and high-maneuverability combat. Despite its increased weight, the Su-33 maintains decent maneuverability and is capable of employing a wide range of air-to-air missiles, making it one of the most capable carrier-based fighters of its era.
The T-80UK is a modified command and control variant of the T-80, equipped with multiple systems not present on some other T-80s, such as Shtora-1 soft kill APS, and a laser warning system. This, like many other T-80s, makes the T-80UK a dangerous opponent; however, it has a few fatal flaws that render it ineffective in certain situations. Being a squadron vehicle it means you have to research it and stock grind it. So, how is it played, and what modifications should be prioritised?
The Ruhrstahl X-4 missile was a World War 2, German-designed air-to-air missile, the first air-to-air missile of its kind to be produced. It is the earliest air-to-air missile that is available in War Thunder, and is available on the tech tree Fw 190 F-8. Let us dive into the interesting history of the missile, and later talk about how to use this unique missile!
