I agree. That thing will scat. I bet it was fun to drive, but not so fun in combat. That thing puts me to a mind of Studebaker's WW2 M29 "Weasel". Those were decent men/equipment/weapons/miscellaneous platforms for their time.
20 mm autocannon. Mentioned correctly in other parts of the u-tube. Armor on those tankettes was mostly shrapnel aside from the front good against machinegun fire.
I think it was a 20 mm. That's stated in the running commentary, and seems to fit both the art of the vid, and the state of the art in tank development at the time. Having served as a tanker, I watched the video interpretation and enjoyed seeing that the Poles had not lost the focus on cavalry in tank development, at least with the Cockroaches. There's an old quote that the "tracks are the most important weapon," and it's true. (I disremember the source; I believe it's a WWII US general officer [Patton? maybe].) Duking it out toe to toe is a loser's game - and the reason for tanks being developed in the first place. Hit them from the side/rear, with a gun that is big ENOUGH, and it doesn't matter that you are a cockroach.
Fascinating piece of history. After watching the video, I looked up Edmund Orlik. There's a monument in is honor which is basically a bronze plaque embedded in a big boulder in the middle of the woods. Also judging by the results I found, there are a lot of Orliks that figured in Polish history. -lg
200 mm autocannon is pretty big for a tankette.
ReplyDeleteI agree. That thing will scat. I bet it was fun to drive, but not so fun in combat. That thing puts me to a mind of Studebaker's WW2 M29 "Weasel". Those were decent men/equipment/weapons/miscellaneous platforms for their time.
ReplyDelete20 mm autocannon. Mentioned correctly in other parts of the u-tube. Armor on those tankettes was mostly shrapnel aside from the front good against machinegun fire.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TKS
I think it was a 20 mm. That's stated in the running commentary, and seems to fit both the art of the vid, and the state of the art in tank development at the time.
ReplyDeleteHaving served as a tanker, I watched the video interpretation and enjoyed seeing that the Poles had not lost the focus on cavalry in tank development, at least with the Cockroaches. There's an old quote that the "tracks are the most important weapon," and it's true. (I disremember the source; I believe it's a WWII US general officer [Patton? maybe].) Duking it out toe to toe is a loser's game - and the reason for tanks being developed in the first place. Hit them from the side/rear, with a gun that is big ENOUGH, and it doesn't matter that you are a cockroach.
Shoot 'n scoot IS a strategy!
ReplyDeleteFascinating piece of history. After watching the video, I looked up Edmund Orlik. There's a monument in is honor which is basically a bronze plaque embedded in a big boulder in the middle of the woods. Also judging by the results I found, there are a lot of Orliks that figured in Polish history.
ReplyDelete-lg
"In great deeds, something abides" - Gen. Joshua Chamberlain.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of them before. Those Ruskies had some balls. It was only time before the Nazis were defeated.
ReplyDeleteEd
Love it.
ReplyDelete