The T-34-85M tank increased the protection of the T-34-85 both through thicker armour and better layout of fuel tanks. Trials that began #OTD in 1944 showed that changes to gear ratios can compensate for the increased weight and preserve mobility. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

Trials of a third variant of the T-26 tank with wide tracks began #OTD in 1940. It turned out that the tracks bend easily when hitting hard objects without a second row of road wheels to cushion the impact. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

The Red Army preferred diesel over gasoline for its tanks and #OTD in 1942 requested American light tanks with Guiberson T-1020-4 diesel engines. The Americans themselves did not consider this series of engines promising and did not mass produce them. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

Development of maneuver (medium) tanks began in 1928 with work on the T-12 tank. The tank was reworked to improve the design and reduce the mass in 1930, with the new variant called T-24. #OTD in 1931 the project was cancelled in favour of the BT tank. #tanks #History

A Covenanter tank arrived at Farnborough for trials #OTD in 1940. This tank did quite well thanks to experimental cooling equipment, but the second Covenanter to be tested had issues with overheating and suffered from gearbox trouble. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

The GMC M18 Hellcat tank destroyer first went into battle #OTD in 1944 in Italy. The Hellcat design prioritized high speed over thick armour, relying on speed and surprise for protection. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

Even though the Soviet system of armaments had no room for the Christie tank, it was accepted into service #OTD in 1931 as a fast tank destroyer and put into production at HPZ instead of the ailing T-24 maneuver tank. #tanks #history

The Object 239 design was presented #OTD in 1943. The tank violated several design requirements, but performance was so much better than that of the 'law-abiding' Object 238 that this was overlooked. #tanks #History #WW2 #WWII

The Carrier, Churchill, 3-inch Gun Mk.I was an attempt to quickly make a tank destroyer using an obsolete AA gun and the Churchill tank chassis. This strange vehicle was riddled with weaknesses and came too late to see battle. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

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#OTD in 1941 the Artillery Committee reviewed requirements for a powerful new anti-tank gun. The 107 mm gun with a muzzle velocity of 1020 m/s would be used to fight German superheavy tanks. Work was cancelled a year later when these #tanks never showed up. #History #WW2 #WWII

Specifications for the Airborne Tank T9 were developed #OTD in 1941. This tank turned into the Light Tank M22 or Locust. It never saw combat with the US Army and only once with the British. #tanks #History #WW2 #WWII

#OTD in 1941 a report was composed on trials of T-34 track links cast from Hadfield steel. These track links were easier to produce than stamped links and were just as tough once the guide horns were reinforced. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

Trials of tank prototypes of the T20 series at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds ended #OTD in 1944. The Medium Tank T26E1 emerged as the clear winner over the T23 and T25E1. This tank evolved into the Heavy Tank M26 or Pershing. #tanks #History #WW2 #WWII

Since the Maus very vulnerable to air attack, an AA cupola with an MG 151/20 machine gun was included in the design. A 37 mm gun was proposed instead, but the cupola was cancelled entirely #OTD in 1943 since it took up too much space. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

The Infantry Tank Mk.I saw battle for the first time #OTD in 1940. Even the first engagements showed that the era of machine gun armed tanks was over. Despite its thick armour, this tank was nearly useless on the battlefield. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

The Battle of Arras was fought #OTD in 1940. The Infantry Tank Mk.II was at the top of the proverbial food chain in 1940, but this engagement proved that it takes more than the thickest armour and the biggest gun to win a tank battle. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

Among other changes, the T-70B tank had tougher running gear than the original T-70. Endurance trials that ended #OTD in 1943 proved that the design changes worked. The T-70B was much more reliable than its predecessor. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

A model of the Porsche Typ 100 turret was completed #OTD in 1941. The turret itself was never built, as the tank proved unable to keep up with ever-increasing requirements and never advanced past the prototype stage. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII

The PPS-43 was accepted into service #OTD in 1943. The gun fired the same 7.62x25 mm round as the PPSh, but it was lighter, easier to produce, and featured a collapsible stock, making it the weapon of choice for AFV crews, scouts, and other troops. #guns #history #WW2 #WWII

#OTD in 1940 work on a heavy tank was initiated in the United States. The result of this work was the Heavy Tank M6, which proved unsuitable for combat, but looked impressive for war loan drives. #tanks #history #WW2 #WWII