In a small town of 15,000 people, a machine lay dormant by a memorial to Italian soldiers. It has been a subject of online curiosity among armor enthusiasts, who typically pass it by as nothing more than JPEG pixels on their monitors, eliciting laughs and scoffs. However, perhaps such a mysterious being has a deeper history… This is perhaps, but maybe not, a definite historical background of The Tonk.
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.
The Sd.Kfz.222 was a German armoured car used during the Second World War. This vehicle had a great deal of history and was deemed very useful during the early years of World War II. With its very high speeds and effective 20 mm cannon, this vehicle was very useful for quick close-combat situations. This article will explain this armoured vehicle’s history, armaments, mobility, and gameplay.
The Ratel 90 is an South African Light Tank in the British Tech tree. It is part of the Ratel family of fighting vehicles, a series of 6 wheeled IFV’s developed to replace the obsolete Alvis Saracen APC in South African Service. The Ratel 90 is a variant of the Ratel platform fitted with the turret of the Eland 90, and was utilized in the direct fire support role against enemy armour and fortifications. With a top speed of 65 mph, and a main armament that can penetrate 350mm of armour, it is a fairly decent light tank. However, with minimal armour protection, and a large silhouette, the Ratel 90 can be difficult to use effectively.
The N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker was among the best aircraft manufacturers in WW1, producing some of the most famous planes such as the Fokker Dr.I or the Fokker D.VII. The Fokker D.XXI came on the eve of WW2 and Fokker decided to go the opposite of other aircraft manufacturers and went with a much simpler monoplane design that would do wonders in Finnish hands. The Fokker D.XXI provides an excellent introduction to monoplane fighters after biplane designs and will need you to work around its flaws to achieve its best performance.
The British Vickers Mk. E had an unusual fate. In its home country, it never entered service or was produced in significant quantities. However, it became known as one of the best tanks of its time thanks to its production in the USSR under the designation T-26. Soviet tanks saw action in Spain, Finland, and China, and more than 10,000 were produced.
The Fokker G-1 Jachtkruiser was one of the most ambitious aircraft ever developed for the Dutch armed forces in the years preceding the Second World War. Designed in 1934 by engineers Marius Beeling and Erich Schatzki at Fokker, the twin-engined, twin-boom fighter was conceived as a heavily armed multi-role “fighter-cruiser” capable of bomber interception and ground attack. Its distinctive configuration and concentration of nose-mounted firepower made it a technological statement for Dutch aviation. Adopted by the Luchtvaartafdeling (LVA) as the G-1 Mercury variant powered by Bristol Mercury engines, the aircraft entered service only months before the German invasion in May 1940, where it would briefly but fiercely demonstrate its combat potential.
The history of armored warfare is filled with vehicles born from shifting geopolitical landscapes, and few exemplify this better than the Khalid (Arabic for “Eternal or Immortal”). Officially designated the FV4030/2, the Khalid represents a vital evolutionary link between the Chieftain and the Challenger 1. Originally designed to fulfill a massive Iranian defense contract under the Shah, the project was abruptly derailed by the 1979 Islamic Revolution, leading the British government to repurpose the tanks for the Royal Jordanian Army.
This article is about the history of the German 3.7 cm L/45 guns — mainly the PaK 36* and KwK 36 — as well as the tangentially related Navy 3.7 cm FlaK M42 L/69. The PaK 36 was the mainstay of towed anti-tank guns for Germany during World War II, being used from the war’s onset until the last days of the war, and were used in all sorts of roles, ranging from anti-tank operations in the late 1930s to infantry support using HE and fin-stabilized HEAT grenades during the closing days of the war. While the PaK 36 and its derivatives were largely obsolete by the end of World War II, their large production volume (20,000 units) meant that it wasn’t too hard to find them across various frontlines, still putting in work.
After WW2, most French vessels were armed with 5” guns, similar to the American 5"/38 Mk.12 cannon, and Bofors 57 mm guns. However, in 1953, a new gun was developed that would replace both of them and deal with anti-air and anti-surface duties. This led to the development of the 100 mm/55, a cannon that would equip all French vessels, from frigates to aircraft carriers, all the way to the modern day. In game, the 100 mm/55 is among the best French naval guns, combining an excellent fire-rate, great damage, and both anti-air and anti-ship capabilities. Found in both the German and French tech trees, it is the ultimate reward for coastal forces and offers great success in your engagements.
