Cold War Tanks

Since the First World War, Tanks have been a powerful force on the battlefield. Throughout the First World War, tank designs quickly became better and more sophisticated – on both sides. Capable of driving across the terrain, these heavily armoured fighting machines were an intimidating sight on the battlefield. Throughout the Second World War, tanks became better than ever, with more and more creative designs being produced to improve on these monster machines. If you fancy a chance to have a go at tank driving yourself you can do just that here https://www.armourgeddon.co.uk/tank-driving-experience.html

As the Second World War drew to a close it heralded the beginning of a darker and even more dangerous war – the Cold War. As the East and West started to build vast stockpiles of nuclear weapons capable of ending all life on earth, you may think that the tank would be the last thing that anyone would want to build, when they had these ultimate weapons of destruction to threaten the enemy with. But, even during the Cold War years, tanks still played a role. Here are a few of the post Second World War tanks…

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The Centurion Tank (Mark 3) –  First produced in the UK in 1948, the Centurions were built at the Royal Ordnance Factory near Leeds and Vickers-Armstrong in Newcastle upon Tyne. These new tanks featured a Rolls Royce engine and an 83.4mm gun, and they were produced until 1956. Their greatest success story was the Korean War in 1950, in which they proved themselves to be a very successful tank.

The T-54 – In 1949, the USSR was busy building up an enormous arsenal. It was built to be lower and more streamlined than its predecessors, so that it was more able to keep a low profile (as low as it is possible for a tank!). Because of this, space inside of the tank was very cramped and limited, and it is said that the Red Army selected smaller men to use these tanks! Despite the relatively small size of the tank, it still had a 100mm gun! These were one of the most successful tanks of the USSR and many were sent all over the world.

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The M48 – This American made tank was designed in 1950 but was not used in service until 1953. The shape of this tank is specifically designed to give it protection from land mines. The hull and the turret of the tank are curved, giving the tank a more rounded shape. The survival chances of tank crews hitting a land mine in one of these was much higher than in others. These tanks were produced in huge numbers and have fought in the Vietnam War and the war in the Middle East.