Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cwjcc!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military From: kluksdah@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Norman C. Kluksdahl) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Fire control Summary: stuarts -- against 88's ?????????? Message-ID: <7298@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 9 Jun 89 03:28:35 GMT References: <7208@cbnews.ATT.COM> Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Organization: Arizona State Univ, Tempe Lines: 40 Approved: military@att.att.com From: kluksdah@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Norman C. Kluksdahl) In article <7208@cbnews.ATT.COM>, allen%codon1.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU writes: > > I read that in North Africa, the ... mode of > engagement for ... Stuarts ... to engage AT guns was > a zigzag approach until the tanks reached their effective firing range, > If such tactics are used by ... 15 > Stuarts to attack a ... five 88's, are any of the Stuarts > likely to make it close enough to take out any of the 88's? This reminds me of a book I once read about the battles in North Africa, especially the tank battles of Montgomery's army. There were quite a few Stuart tanks used, which created supply problems. The high-profile resulted from radial (? this point is muddy) engines, which required aviation petrol. Secondly, the book, "Brazen Chariots" outlines the escapades of one tank commander in a few days' battles, in which he had 5 or 6 Stuart tanks shot from under him. (The last one also took him out of action). In light of this data, I would not want to be one taking on an 88 with a Stuart. Or 3 Stuarts. Or 8 ....... Perhaps the name was inappropriately chosen for this tank. Perhaps it should have been the M5 Suicidal Insanity :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) [mod.note: Actually, it was the M3 at that stage of the war. The M5 came later; I don't know if it saw Sicily, but certainly was involved in France. Anyway, the Brits christened the M3 the "Honey", apparently more due to its automotive characteristics than anything else. - Bill ] ********************************************************************** Norman Kluksdahl Arizona State University ..ncar!noao!asuvax!enuxha!kluksdah alternate: kluksdah@enuxc1.eas.asu.edu standard disclaimer implied