#history

The LOSAT-CCVL is a very unique vehicle in War Thunder in both looks and gameplay. Boasting low survivability, no gun elevation whatsoever, but the best penetration for a kinetic penetrator in game, the LOSAT needs little to no introduction. Lets take a look into what makes this "Tank" special!

The Cold War was a unique period of world history. The fierce confrontation between the USSR and the USA led to the birth of many unique aircraft used in specialized missions, one of which was the high-altitude supersonic reconnaissance aircraft of the US Air Force, SR-71, nicknamed the Blackbird. This aircraft, created in the '60s, was practically invulnerable to interception by both ground and air defense systems as it could develop an outstanding speed of over Mach 3.0 at an altitude of over 22,000 meters.

The Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (meaning "Magnificent Lightning") was the only canard-configured aircraft ordered for mass production during World War II, and it was one of the most unique aircraft designs to come out of Japan. The concept for this distinctive configuration originated with Captain Masaoki Tsuruno of the Japanese Navy's Technical Staff. Captain Tsuruno envisioned replacing the rear-mounted radial engine driving a six-blade propeller with a turbojet engine.

The Panther, or Sd.Kfz.171, was a technical masterpiece of World War II, combining firepower, armor, and mobility in a way that surpassed many of its contemporaries. Designed as a response to the Soviet T-34, the Panther aimed to blend the maneuverability of a medium tank with the combat power of a heavy tank. At least 6,000 units were built from 1942 until the end of the war.

In 1943, the Japanese recognized an imminent threat on the horizon: the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Development of this powerful bomber had begun in 1939, and the Japanese were certain it would eventually be deployed against their homeland. However, they faced a significant challenge—they lacked an effective way to counter the B-29 and feared they wouldn’t have a solution ready in time. The answer to this problem came in the form of one of the most innovative interceptors ever to see operational use.

The Kawanishi H8K flying boat, developed under the Navy Experimental 13-Shi Large Flying Boat specification, was a remarkable achievement of Japanese aeronautical engineering during World War II. It was intended to surpass the capabilities of earlier models like the Navy Type 97 Flying Boat, as well as contemporary Allied designs like the Short Sunderland and Sikorsky XPBS-1.

Dunkerque's history was not filled with epic victories in combat or spectacular achievements; nonetheless, she participated in two major historic events that changed the balance of power in the Mediterranean, making her an important vessel from an historical perspective, even if she did not sink any hostile vessels in anger.

The Sd.Kfz. 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) was a half-track armored personnel carrier widely used by the German Wehrmacht during World War II. Developed by Hanomag, it became one of the most versatile and commonly deployed vehicles of its class, with over 15,000 units produced. Designed primarily as an armored transport for infantry, the Sd.Kfz. 251 was adapted into numerous variants to fulfill a wide range of battlefield roles. Powered by a Maybach HL42 TRKM 6-cylinder engine delivering 100 horsepower, the vehicle had a maximum road speed of 53 km/h and a range of up to 300 km on roads. It weighed approximately 7.8 tons, featured sloped armor ranging from 8 to 14.5 mm, and could carry a crew of two (driver and commander) along with up to ten soldiers.

The A-5C (Q-5III/强-5III), NATO reporting name: Fantan, is the export version of the Nanchang Q-5 during the early days of China’s paid military sales in the 1980s. China was in desperate need of funding after economic reforms, and since previous aircraft exports were essentially given as aid rather than sales, military factories were also searching for a means to generate funds for their new projects.

Back in 2023, I visited the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection at Fort Benning, Georgia (now Fort Moore) for the first time. One of the vehicles that piqued my interest was the MBT-70 and XM-803. I have enjoyed both vehicles in War Thunder, and seeing them in person was a great experience. In this post, I included a short history of each vehicle and some pictures I snapped while there.