The purpose of this thread is to provide a basis for those people who don’t know how to get started. I’m going to restrict myself to AFV’s (Armored Fighting Vehicles) as I am most familiar with them. Understand that I’m not a Zipperhead (Tanker), but a Sapper, so any errors I might make are my own. If there is a desire for an Air or Naval thread then maybe Mario or some suitably salty squid can be convinced to start one. To view specific models that I mention through this post use Google Image search or some other similar method. This will also at the same time help build your own reference base.

Identifying vehicles correctly stems from a soldiers requirement to positively identify the enemy and minimizing the chance of a blue on blue incident. The vast majority of tanks and other vehicles share the same features. Design changes and other features are fairly consistent across all manufacturers. Look at the M1 Abrams style and the similarities in other current designs. Another example would be the Soviet series of tanks starting with a T-54/55 and seeing the design progression through T-62’s, T-64’s and T-72’s.

Tanks use a fair number of nautical terms when describing their components. Terms such as turret, bow, hatch, deck, periscope and hull are all straight forward. These are also key points to look at in determining it’s identity as each design has its own particular shape and construction. Some tank terms and descriptions are as follows:

Mantlet: The “shield” that protects the front of the turret where the main gun exits. See the Panther for an example. Note the size and shape. Compare it with the Sherman.

Glacis Plate: The front slab of armor that protects the hull. This is the thickest part of the tank. See again the Panther. Note the angle of slope. Note the bow Machinegun. Compare it with the T-34/85. Note as well the drivers hatch and vision ports. Now check the Abrams to see a modern design.

Muzzle Brake and fume extractor: The muzzle brake is on the tip of the main gun barrel and is used to reduce barrel movement after firing. See the Panther and compare with the Sherman. The fume extractor is the odd bulge located someplace along the barrel. See the Abrams and the M-41. Compare with the Sherman and T-34/85. Some countries use a thermal wrapping around the barrel (like on the British Cheiftain or German Leopards) and it may hide the fume extractor and other features.

Tracks: Each vehicle has its own particular style, but they share some common features. There is a drive sprocket at one end and an Idler wheel at the other. WWII era tanks almost exclusively had drive sprockets on the front. See the Panther and the Sherman. But as the war went on, experience indicated that it would be better for the drive sprocket to be placed in the rear. This would simplify construction, add protection to the drive train and make it easier to repair. See the M-41 and the Abrams. Note the style and material used in the steel tracks of the Panther and T-34/85. This material stayed very popular with the Warsaw Pact. Compare with the rubber pad style of the Sherman and on the later Abrams. The different styles of rubber pads found on Western tanks can be used to aid in identification. There are various styles and variations of tracks, but they can be roughly broken down into two main types. This is where my knowledge is sketchy so please correct me. They are:

Bogie: As on the Sherman. Note the grouping of the suspension components and their later design development on the M-41 Walker. The Walker utilizes individual return rollers (the small wheels that support the top of the track) while the Sherman has them as part of the bogie. The Abrams uses the latest evolution of this design (unseen due to the skirt). This style allows a “tight” track system.

Christie: This is a primary feature of early and WWII Soviet tanks. Note the large roadwheels on the T-34/85 and lack of return rollers. A variation of this style was popular on the later German panzers. They used an interleaved system like on the Panther. This made for an extremely smooth ride. A primary ID feature of this style is the “loose” appearance of the top of the track.

Some other features that can be used to quickly group vehicles is their size and turret shape. Soviet tank design follows a low vehicle profile and rounded turret style. Look at the T-54/55 and compare with the style development to the T-72. The T-72 is extremely low profile. The Russians reduced the number of crew from 4 to 3 and exclusively drafted only the smallest men into their Armored Force. The commander of the T-72 in the pic below isn’t likely to be taller than 5’4”. Western thought on design reduced the crew from 5 (as on a Sherman) to 4. Western tanks have almost exclusively opted to keep a human loader. This translates into larger turrets and hulls for livability for the average height soldier.

Some final considerations for identifying are external storage configurations, engine exhaust method if the rear is viewed, and tactical markings if present. Equipment attached to the turret such as search lights, machineguns, periscopes and commanders position may be helpful as well. Some later modifications have made ID harder. The addition of reactive armor packs can hide features, as well as add-on armor to extend the operational life of older models. Armored skirts to protect tracks can hide features and dust kick-up on vehicles at speed can completely hide them, forcing you to concentrate on the remaining visible bits. For identifying modern German panzers (the ol’ moving bush) good luck, because that’s all you usually get! APC’s are similar but have the obvious purpose of carrying troops. Modern IFV’s (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) such as the British Warrior, US Bradley, Russian BMPs tend to blur that line.

Hope this rambling and disjointed post helps and feel free to jump into the Recognition Quiz. You’ll still be right if you can nail down the basic vehicle. All the variants will come in time.

Questions?

   

as follows...

   

wow, thanks Spr!

   

Thanks man... that was good.... see around in the quiz...

-M-

   

That Was Great! Thanx I learned a lot. Who needs the history chanel?

   

Would need a NESOP ( Naval Electronic Sensor Operator ) to do the Naval recognition, since they handle that kind of thing these days. But it is really a moot point in modern naval warfare. If you can actually see the other guy then folks on both sides have screwed up BADLY. Shipping we see in this day and age is commericial shipping we monitor for possible boardings.