Table of Contents
What was the point of tank destroyers?
The purpose of tank destroyers was to have a relatively fast and maneuverable vehicle with a powerful gun that could respond to a tank breakthrough. Some types did have turrets, e.g. the American M10, M18, and M36.
What was the most effective tank destroyer of WW2?
Hellcat
The Hellcat was the most effective U.S. tank destroyer of World War II. It had a higher kill to loss ratio than any other tank or tank destroyer fielded by U.S. forces in World War II.
How effective were tank destroyers in ww2?
Tank-destroyers performed extremely well against tanks — perhaps because, as the armor branch alleged, the “umpire rules” were unfairly tilted in their favor. Tanks could only take out anti-tank units by overrunning them, rather than with direct fire.
Does the US Army have tank destroyers?
With the support of the Army’s chief of training and doctrine Lt. Gen. Leslie McNair, tank-destroyers became their own branch in the army, just like armor and artillery already were. A tank-destroyer center began training units at Fort Hood, Texas.
What are tank destroyers used for?
Tank destroyers were designed purely for the purpose of destroying enemy tanks. Their main distinguishing features include the majority of them lacking turrets and carrying much larger and more powerful guns. The larger and heavier armament is one of the main reasons why they tend to lack a turret, having gotten rid of it during the design.
Were the US Army’s World War II tank-destroyers a waste of time?
The US Army’s World War II Tank-Destroyers: Waste of Time or Wonder Weapon? Maybe one of the most curiously successful failures in U.S. military history. During the 1940s, the U.S. Army developed a special weapon to counter the tanks of the German Wehrmacht.
Why was the American tank turret open-topped in WW2?
Like all US tank destroyers, the turret was open-topped to save weight and provide better peripheral observation. However, the turret design was not a simple repeat of the sloped plates of the M10 but rather a thick casting with front and side slopes and a backwards recline.
What was the most important tank engagement of World War II?
Their most important engagement pitted the M3s of the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion against the entire 10th Panzer Division in the battle of El Guettar in Tunisia early in the morning on March 23, 1943.