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Among the many different iterations of the AMX-50 tank in the French line-up is the AMX-50 (TO90/930). The tank itself may not be very impressive on the surface, with subpar firepower and armor protection. However, inside the tank lays lots of potential as a matchmaker tearing apart streams of enemy tanks from the flanks, enabled by its high mobility and auto-loading cannon. Dive into the AMX-50 (TO90/930) for its quirks and tricks to make it dictate the tide of battle.
The Type 90 (90式戦車) is a third-generation main battle tank (MBT) developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). Introduced in 1990 to replace the ageing Type 61 and Type 74, it was designed to counter modern Soviet tanks like the T-72 and compete with Western MBTs such as the M1 Abrams and Leopard 2. Armed with a 120 mm L/44 smoothbore gun, it reflects the standard firepower of Gen 3 tanks. Though still in service, the Type 90 is being supplemented & gradually phased out in favour of the lighter yet more advanced Type 10, shifting as the Japanese Gen 3.5 MBT.
Germany's anti-aircraft solutions take on many forms based on the Panzer IV, with vehicles like Wirbelwind, Ostwind, Ostwind II, and Zerstörer 45 that mount a rapid-firing autocannon. However, all have the same issue of having an exposed turret compartment that allows aircraft to strafe and knock out critical components and people within the turret. Kugelblitz changes that equation by having a fully enclosed turret, allowing the vehicle to spray 30 mm at incoming aircraft confidently. Let's explore the Kugelblitz a bit more to see what makes this vehicle tick!
The Type 97 Chi-Ha Short Gun / Short 12cm SPG (短十二糎自走砲) is a later iteration of the Chi-Ha with a modified turret coming from the Chi-Ha Kai, boasting a Navy short gun (120 mm) meant to defend naval bases and merchant ships in a multipurpose role. The Navy's modification of the Chi-Ha was meant to mimic the role of the Army's Ho-I tank to support infantry as a gun tank during the defense of the homeland.
Shimakaze, the only built of her kind, was the fastest large ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. As part of a three-type modernization of Japanese destroyer roles, Shimakaze served as a Type C, heavy-duty destroyer, utilizing superior speed and more torpedo launch tubes for a quick and decisive torpedo attack before speeding back to safety.
The MiG-23ML is an improved variant of the standard M version, developed in the mid-1970s. The primary and most impactful difference is the enhanced maneuverability due to the refined airframe (The L in the name stands for ‘’Lyogkiy’’, meaning lightweight). The MiG-23ML also received a more powerful engine, improving its flight characteristics even further. Overall the MiG-23ML is an agile and lethal aircraft, one which allows you to create a versatile loadout of air or ground weaponry to take on and defeat any contemporary enemy in the air or on the ground.
The Swedish King Tiger is a unique vehicle in its history and for the Swedish tank tree. It is almost the only heavy tank in the entire tree (KV-1 being the other), and it retains all the strengths of the German tank: strong hull, powerful gun, and good maneuverability. But now its vulnerable turret ring along with overall weak turret protection can be disappointing. Read more about the Kungstiger in this article.
Japan purchased the Tiger E (Chassis No. 250455) under the advice of General Hiroshi Ōshima, the Japanese ambassador in Berlin. General Ōshima had visited the Eastern Front, where he saw the formidable Tiger tank. In May 1943, Japan made an offer to acquire either the blueprints or an actual model of the tank. The plan was to ship the tank to Japan by submarine, intending to strengthen Japanese tank forces and serve as valuable research material. However, the transfer was never completed due to the increasing dominance of Allied naval forces. As a result, the Tiger I was loaned "back" to the Germans and subsequently used in the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion in Belgium.
As they entered the Cold War, American attack aircraft consisted of lofting propeller aircraft that could carry enormous payloads to strike critical targets or support the troops on the ground. As such, when searching for the successor for the AD Skyraider attack aircraft, one could be surprised to see that such a small aircraft like the A-4 was chosen to continue the legacy. However, its tiny stature proved ideal for the confined aircraft carrier spaces of the US Navy and US Marine Corps and helped perform many strike missions into areas like North Vietnam.
The RN Folaga (C 16) was delivered to the Regia Marina Italiana and commissioned on 16 February 1943, assigned to the Squadriglia Corvette, she underwent intense training at La Spezia in the spring, and after the training was over, she was repositioned at La Maddalena under the 7° Gruppo Anti-Sommergibile (7°Gruppo A.S.). Before the Italian armistice, she carried out 11 convoy escorts, fire actions against enemy aircraft, and 44 searches of enemy aircraft and enemy underwater units in the Upper Tyrrhenian Sea.