Question about tanks

[JOACH1M]

Could tanks in WW2 operate their main gun with the engine off like in game?

[DubiousKB]

YUUGE 


Great question for all those who've found the "advanced sounds" area... One of the first things I learned from vehicle jockies... Tweek sounds to gain an advantage.   

[PR3D4TOR]

All tanks could do that yes. Most of the Russian tanks had hand-cranked turrets. Same with the Pz. IV. T-34 had a powered traverse, but the gunner needed to hand-crank the final adjustments to aim and also elevation. All tanks with powered traverse and/or elevation also had manual backups.

[JimmyD3]

A better question is, Did real tanks in WW2 main gun aircraft?

[Zimme83]

They prob tried.
Real tanks also did not have a large icon that was affected by the engine so there was less reason to turn it off.

[JOACH1M]

I guess i was asking if they were hydraulically actuated, being the engine would need to be on the have the hydraulic pump creating pressure.  Hand cranking didn't cross my mind.

[PR3D4TOR]

Some were hydraulic, other were electrically actuated. Some had neither.

[Ack-Ack]

A better question is, Did real tanks in WW2 main gun aircraft?

Yes.  Otto Carius in his wartime memoir "Tigers In The Mud" recounts the action in which his main gunner shot down an IL2 with the Tiger's main gun.  In Hans Rudel's book "Stuka Pilot" he briefly mentions how a Ju87 in his flight was shot down by a T-34's main gun.  In Dmitriy Loza's book "Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks: The World War II Memoirs of Hero of the Soviet Union", he recounts how they used to park their Sherman so they could use their main guns as defense against low flying Luftwaffe planes.

ack-ack

[bustr]

In game if you are close enough for the player to spark you up with the MG on the turret, he just got his aim confirmation to pull the main gun trigger. There are a few who are getting proficient at lining up the turret to your line of attack exit. So as you pass over the tank to pull out, they nail you as you just start to pull up. This ain't gonna be good for the Hs129 when we get it. The one shot kill tactic with the MK101\103 had to be carried out at a low angle of attack shooting sub 100m. Tested it with the Ju87 BK3,7 against the T34s and TigerI. Works if you fire sub 100yds just before you have to pull up or ram the tank. Tried it in the game once, I gave away Ju87 kills to a bunch of happy skeet shooters.

[JunkyII]

They prob tried.
Real tanks also did not have a large icon that was affected by the engine so there was less reason to turn it off.

Don't know exact tactics but I'm sure Tankers turn their engines off whenever possible because of noise discipline....don't want enemy to hear where you are operating at.

[Chalenge]

To answer the OP more precisely, not every tank that is in the game could operate the turret ring without the engine running.

Also, the German tanks had the ability to start and stop their engines at will, except after a prolonged period of sitting with engine off. The American M4s would have to run at idle for about two minutes before moving, and if they shut down too quickly (without likewise idling for two minutes) would foul their engines or overheat.

The M4s also have an internal generator, so they did not have to have the engine running to operate the turret.

[OldNitro]

Some tanks could unclutch their geared Turret traverse, and turn the turret by hand too.
A lot faster than turning a crank wheel. That was fairly common before the Turrets grew to gargantuan size.

[Randy1]

Might make for an interesting wish.   Have the turret speeds turned down if the engine is off.  Oh at the whining from the professional spawn campers.

[RODBUSTR]

german mark 5...tiger only had a hand ttraverse I thinkif tank was not on level ground tankers had difficult time cranking it uphill

[PR3D4TOR]

Tiger had power traverse, but hand cranked elevation. Traverse could be hand cranked in an emergency though.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JRx4PkDYg