World War II Documentary -British Tanks Of The Second World War 1939-1945 DVD

The British tanks by contrast were basic unimaginative throwbacks to the crude designs of the Great War. Tanks were needed to smash through defences and enemy lines to destroy gun positions and to isolate and paralyse the enemy in minimal time. As the war progressed relentlessly across Northern Europe British Tanks met the challenge of the heavier German Tanks by successfully mating the 17 Pdr Gun to the Sherman Tank creating the tank destroying Firefly. Other adaptations to tanks included the ability to 'swim' and lay bridges - helping to maintain the flow of armour... into the heart of the Reich. British Tanks of the Second World War is the fascinating story of the design triumphs and adaptations that turned around the mismanagement underproduction and technical inferiority of British tanks at the beginning of the war into a fearsome strike force that outfought the Panzer divisions and paved the way for Victory! Beach Obstacles (1943 31 minutes) - A fascinating silent film illustrating the many ways adapted tanks can be employed to overcome passive beach defences - walls wire-filled gullies concrete 'egg' obstacles steel tubes etc. Includes images of Churchill tanks with 'Carpet' laying equipment enabling troops to cross areas of densely packed barbed wire and customised Convenanter and Matilda with a variety of explosive charges. [show more]

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