Does a tank have a turret?

A tank is an armored fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armor, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; usually their main armament is mounted in a turret.

What was the most powerful tank gun of ww2?

The powerful PaK 40 was an effective weapon against most types of Allied tanks, including the Soviet T-34 and American Sherman. The weapon, along with the famous 88 mm, was considered one of the best anti-tank guns of the war.

How are tank turrets turned?

In the conventional design, a spur gear in the hull (called the traverse gear) engages an internal gear lining the inside of the turret. Turning the traverse gear rotates the turret on the hull, allowing the tank crew to aim the main gun without turning the entire tank. The crew can also pivot the main gun up and down.

What do you call a tank without a turret?

Except for most American designs, tank destroyers were all turretless and had fixed or casemate superstructures. When a tank destroyer was used against enemy tanks from a defensive position such as by ambush, the lack of a rotating turret was not particularly critical, while the lower silhouette was highly desirable.

When did the first M3 Lee tank come out?

Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3s were operational in late 1941. The U.S. Army needed a medium tank armed with a 75mm gun and, coupled with the United Kingdom’s immediate demand for 3,650 medium tanks, the Lee began production by late 1940.

What kind of gun did the M3 Lee use?

Thus, the M3 Lee arose as a stop-gap solution. It mounted a 75-millimeter M2 gun in a swiveling sponson on one side of an expanded M2 medium tank hull, while a 37-millimeter gun was fitted on a fast-turning, electro-hydraulically powered turret—a similar configuration to the French Char B1bis.

Was the M-3 Lee the most ugly tank ever?

The M-3 (known as the Lee in American service, but called the Grant when used by the British) was as ugly a tank as ever rolled on treads. Vaguely resembling the Army Surplus Special in the 1960s cartoon “ Wacky Races ,” the 30-ton Grant stood an incredible 10 feet tall (compared to 9 feet for a Sherman and 8 feet for an M-1 Abrams).

What is the difference between an M3 and a tank?

The M3 differed slightly from this pattern, having a main gun that could fire an armor-piercing projectile at a velocity high enough for effectively piercing armor, as well as deliver a high-explosive shell that was large enough to be effective. Using a hull mounted gun, the M3 design could be produced faster than a tank featuring a turreted gun.