Tanks on the Battle field, Of WW2 Check it out Options

[Spartan]

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), more commonly referred to as the Panzer IV, was a tank developed by Nazi Germany and used extensively in WW2. It was designed initially as an infantry-support medium tank, to work in conjunction with the anti-tank crews. Later in the war, it was up-gunned and up-armored, and took over the tank-fighting role. The Panzer IV was the most common German tank of World War II, and was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, such as tank destroyers and self-propelled antiaircraft guns. By the end of the war nearly 9000 had been built.




Panzer III
n 1936 german industry passed to develope a true battle tank using the experiences got with the previous panzers. Panzer III Ausf. E (Sd.Kfz. 141), armed with a 37mm L46 gun (muzzle speed of 762 m/s), appeared in less than a hundred (previous III models included) during the polish campaign. Circa 300 Panzer III were ready for French campaign, too few to fill the Panzerdivisionen's order of battle and so being often replaced by the light PzKpfw 38(t)s, 35(t)s and IIs; this last operation proved the "foolness" of using 37mm gun against the heavy armored tanks such as the Char B1-bis or the british Matildas. A handful of new Ausf. F, armed with 50mm L42 KwK 38 was tested in the final days of the campaign. Ausf. Fs and heavier armored Ausf. Gs formed the bulk of General Rommel's Afrika Korps when it landed in Libya on 28th February 1941 for reinforcing the Italian anti-tank defence. Experience on the field proved necessity of better tropicalization in both engine filters and turret ventilation.





Sherman M4
In March 1941 the U.S army decided it needed a new tank to replace the Grant M2A1. After looking at five different proposals the Sherman M4 was chosen. Production began early in 1942. The original armament was a 75mm gun capable of firing high explosive shells. Its 500hp engine had a maximum speed of 26mph. This was replaced by a 76mm high-velocity gun in February 1944. The tank's suspension was redesigned and improved by the beginning of 1945.

Although inferior to the best German and Soviet tanks in armament and protection, it was superior in terms of reliability, serviceability and cost-effectiveness. The British army used the Sherman Tank at El Aleman in 1942 and by 1943 was the mainstay of Allied operations in Africa and Europe.

No picture available. sry guys

Like last time i want u guys to do a lil reaserch.

[Spartan]

Iam Sry I got a bit Off topic But I've returned wit THE SS!!
For the 1939 invasion of Poland, three SS regiments ("Deutschland", "Der Führer", and "Germania") were grouped into a division, the SS-Verfügungstruppe ("Special-Purpose Troops"). After Poland, one regiment ("Germania") was sent to form another division (5.SS-Division Wiking), and a new third regiment was created (SS Regiment 11); this became the 2nd SS Division Reich ("Empire").

In November 1942, the division became a Panzergrenadier division and its name was changed to 2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich. In 1943 the division was reorganized as a Panzer division by adding the 2.SS Panzer Regiment, thus creating the 2.SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich".

After fighting on the Eastern Front for a long time, the division was recalled from battle for refitting. Most of Das Reich was stationed in the southern French town of Montauban north of Toulouse gaining new equiptment and freshly trained SS men. The joint allied invasion of Normandy, meant that the division was in action again, and was pulled up to support the defence of France alongside the 3rd SS Division Totenkopf and 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler fighting north of Caen.

Das Reich was trapped in the Falaise Pocket for some time, before escaping to the west. After the substantial losses in the Allied summer campaign, the Wermacht was pushed back almost to the borders of Germany in late 1944. In the second week of December, 1944, the German army was ready to make it's counter-offensive to reclaim the port of Antwerp, and regain the initiative in the west. The German Ardennes offensive opened a large break in the American lines. Das Reich played a role in the Battle of the Bulge.

Major gains were made, but by December 25, the German offensive was halted. The sieged town of Bastogne was never captured, eventhough numerous attempts were made to enter the city. Das Reich's panzer commander Ernst Barkmann became famous for the creation of Barkmann's Corner, where he destroyed numerous American tanks in small skirmishes.

After the Ardennes debacle, SS division Das Reich was again pulled back, this time to Germany, for refitting. The crisis in the south-east saw Das Reich in the thick of it. The failed German counter-offensive around Budapest saw Das Reich pushed back into Germany, after fighting in Vienna and Prague.

The remnants of the division in the south surrendered to the Americans in May 1945.

The division is infamous for the massacre of 642 French civilians in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane, on 10 June 1944, in Limousin region. A trial was held in the post war years, but very few of the accused perpetrators were punished. Apart from this, Das Reich was of the front-line SS divisions that had an illustrious, mostly crime free career. Only the Regiment "Der Führer" was held responsible for the massacre.

The SS Division Das Reich was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during World War II. It is one of the most well-known and reasearched of all the SS divisons. Das Reich was composed of some of the best, most well trained and battle-hardened troops in the world at the time.