#ww2
During the Second World War, there is no doubt that Germany led the world in military designs and innovations. However, in the years after the war, a near legendary status has surrounded Germany’s tanks, with names such as the Panther, Tiger I and King Tiger (and, of course, the redoubtable Maus) all coming to mind as nearly indestructable fighting machines. But was this actually the case? Were Panzers as amazing as we have been led to believe, and how have they gained such a formidable reputation?
Germany had already toyed with the idea of possessing its own aircraft carrier during the First World War; this was to be called Ausonia, but it was never seriously pursued. However, shortly after the termination of the Treaty of Versailles, a new carrier project was initiated, based on the experience of other major powers such as Japan, the USA, and Great Britain, acquired through exchanges or espionage. Ultimately, not a single aircraft carrier was fully commissioned or built. The Graf Zeppelin was largely completed, but its construction was halted, while its sister ship, Aircraft Carrier B, was abandoned during construction. During the design of the accompanying aircraft, some were built specifically for the project, such as the Arado 197. However, this met with little approval from the Luftwaffe, which is why modifications of existing aircraft like the Bf 109 T, the Ju 87 C or T, or the Fi 167 found more favor.
The Bf 109 (or Me 109) really needs no introduction. It is one of the most famous and popular aircraft of the Second World War, and the fighter with the most aerial victories ever. In my previous article, I wrote about the history of the Messer’s development. This one will focus on these fighters in War Thunder (primarily in Air RB), their performance, strengths & weaknesses, tactics, recommendations, and some fancy graphs.
The Supermarine Spitfire is one of the most famous propeller aircraft ever made, and easily one of the best of its time. Initially a high performance, short range interceptor, the Spitfire could be found fighting in every theatre of the World War II. In War Thunder, its high speeds, unparalleled maneuverability, and heavy armament make it a pleasure to fly and a force to be reckoned with. In this article, I will be talking about the two main types of Spitfires, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as tactics, how to fight common enemies, and how to use this plane in battles.
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 T14 was a heavy tank that was the result of a joint American and British project aimed at developing a universal heavy infantry tank. The United States built two prototypes, one of which was sent to Great Britain for testing and the other was tested in the United States. They never entered serial production and never saw combat.
Kamikaze (神風 “divine wind”) was a military tactic used in the later stages of the Second World War, used by pilots of the Imperial Japanese Air Force and Naval Air Service. The tactic consisted of an aircraft loaded with explosives; the pilot would then attempt to deliberately ram the aircraft into enemy ships to inflict damage.
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.
