Much has been written about the use of tanks in battle. Little, however,
has appeared about the gunnery systems that are at their core. This book
describes and examines the main gun systems of medium and heavy tanks
from first use in 1916 in World War I to those fielded in numbers to the
end of World War II in 1945, including tanks of the interwar period.
Specifically considered are guns of a caliber greater than 35 mm, which
have been deployed in numbers greater than 100. The emphasis is on guns
mounted in turrets on heavier tracked armored fighting vehicles (greater
than 15 tonnes) which were considered tanks. There are, though,
exceptions, in that the naval 6 pounder guns in First World War British
tanks, as well as the 75 mm guns in French medium tanks of the same
period (all turretless) are included.
The treatment of gun systems includes sighting and fire control
equipment, gun laying equipment, mounts and the array of munitions
fired, as well as the actual gun, including its, barrel, cradle, breech,
firing mechanism, sights and recoil system. Related to this are issues
of gun handling (loading and unloading), ammunition design and rates of
fire. Also examined are the maximum impulse and energy generated by
firing some of the munitions available that must be absorbed by the gun
recoil system.
