#youtube
In the late 1980s, after extensive experimentation, Soviet engineers equipped a prototype BMP-3 with a dual weapon configuration consisting of a 100-mm gun/launcher and a 30-mm 2A72 autocannon. While the 2A72 shared the caliber of the BMP-2’s gun, its simplified design and reduced rate of fire made it a better fit for light vehicles. Once the BMP-3 entered mass production, many of its innovative features sparked debates, but the dual weapon system definitely stood the test of time. By the late 1990s, China acquired the license for this successful design, and in the 2000s, Russian engineers developed the modern ‘Bakhcha-U’ combat module for a new generation of BMPs, with improved fire control systems.
Since the dawn of aviation, the power plant has always been a key component of any aircraft. Sometimes, engineers would even design not an engine for a plane, but a plane for an engine — like with the very first jet fighters. Today, we’re here to tell you about the most outstanding aircraft engines in our game.
Creatively different and boldly designed, French wheeled tanks are usually more fondly remembered than their tracked counterparts. This comes as no surprise, given the mixed performance of WW2-era French tracked tanks. Not to mention that after the war, French engineers opted for a completely new direction.
The Shooting Range 419. In this episode:
Metal Beasts: The Stealthiest Addition
Pages of History: Gas Turbines and Diesels in Tanks
Arsenal: Arms for a Long-Range Fighter
Hotline: Can you make a video on the Mirage F-1 Premium? What's the best way to play the Spitfire against jet aircraft that don't want to dogfight? What is the long rod on the engine deck of the Jagdtiger? Is the Ikv 91 amphibious? Can you talk about the Brazilian AMX-A1?
A few years after World War II, the USSR began producing the T-54 tank. Thousands of these tanks were produced and saw action across the globe, from Europe to Africa. Even though half a century has passed since then, T-54s are still in service today. Tanks from this family are also featured in War Thunder, appearing across multiple ground vehicle tech trees.
The US Army joined the Korean war with a rich experience of World War 2 behind its back. The command knew perfectly well how important it was to have a mobile self-propelled howitzer on the battlefield, and the Chaffee-based M41 that they had in service provided unsatisfactory protection for its crew. Besides, the M24 chassis was on the verge of becoming obsolete.
In the middle of the 20th century, legendary designs like the Huey, the Cobra and the Mi-24 heralded the start of the new era, the era of helicopters: combat vehicles perfectly suited for the purposes of lightning-fast air support. New helicopter designs were being developed by superpower states as well as many other countries with advanced defence capabilities, like West Germany, France and, naturally, the United Kingdom… which is perfect, because today we’re going to speak specifically about British helicopters.