Favourite AFV?

I was suprised that we did not have a thread of this kind. We have a BEST tank thread, but not a favorate.
Anyway, me starting with the Valentine. Decent all round, definatly better than the Panzer III, it's main adversary in the Desert war, and much, much better than anything the Italians and Japanese had to offer. Also had a DD version. It's birthday is fast approching too. (14th Feb; hence the name).




And it's also British.

 

I'm strictly a StuG guy but it does not qualify as a 'tank' so I will go with the venerable Pzkfw IV Ausf. f2



The beginning of a good tank

 

Favourite's always better.
Still the Conqueror & Centurion for me, or is this one specifically WW2?

By the by, that story of the Valentine being named for St. Valentines day is a little uncertain. There's also speculation that it refers to Sir John Carden's middle name as a tribute to him, or is a contraction of manufacturer's titles. I'd also give credence to it being one of the Random codewords chosen for projects that by sheer serendipity happened to come to the presentation stage around that time. The 'Tank, Infantry, MK.III' was indeed presented to the government near that date in '38 but a few days before the 14th.
It seems like we might never know for certain.

Cheers,
Adam.

(There were a couple of similar threads:
Here & Here.)

 

King Tiger Baby, If looks could kill, or move, or be reliable.

 

The Valentine was a great tank, excellent service in the Red Army. Great Lend Lease contribution, thanks UK (2394) and Canada (1388)!

 

Za! You said something positive about a British tank design!...
Now that I've picked myself up off the floor; "Good man".

Anybody got any idea exactly where that vehicle above is? (Russki Battlefield page doesn't seem to say) Looks suspiciously like Berlin?
If it is that's a corker of a Lend-lease illustration.

Cheers,
Adam.

 

I just admire the striking power of the Ferdinand/Elephant tank from a distance.

 

hehehehehe!

There were Valentines in service in 1945, they were greatly valued as Light Tanks !!! Serious! They were valued for the low silhouette, ability to go anywhere, decent armour for the weight, the 6pdr also helped

I have no idea where the pic was taken.

Yeah, not bad for a project that was a flog for 90 surplus chassis that would otherwise be a loss for Mr. Krupp, made up in ridiculous numbers, and still managed to accumulate 2 names. Welcome to Germany!

 

Small, cute, and cuddly

 

And as useful as Matilda I



97 lost in France, more than Elefants built

 

The Cromwell for me.
I don't know why. Maybe it is because I am brought up to stick up for the people who are picked on. And the Cromwell is. Under armoured and under armed.

It also represent hope in a strange way. From producing tanks that were powered with an antique engine probably designed for a spin dryer, and armoured by a solid inch of plywood and tin. Sporting a peashooter that won't fire a high-explosive round, not that it matters because the bloody thing will probably break down if it starts in the first place. They took a new step in the evolution of tanks.

And yes I know I am beeing unfair. The Crusader actually looked like a tank, and the Valentine could get you to where you intended to go (and back again), but to have all ingredients rolled up in one did not exist. But the Cromwell pointed in the right direction. Powered by Rolls Royce, and a proper gun... This tank paved the way for the Comet and more importantly the Centurion. The mother of all MBT's.

So there it is. Not a monster like the Tiger, or a Panther with IR technology. Massed produced T-34 or M4's but the Cromwell. I think I am happy with my choise. I have selected a pretty looking tank that sounds nice, and apperantly has good climbing skills. Somehow I feel strangely British doing that, and I like it.

 

Matida II or the Stuart for me

 

So without descending into too much of the usual 'British tank' discussion (my fingers get so tired from all that defensive typing ) there seems to be some appreciation of the aesthetics of British vehicles going on?
(That's why 'favourite' is less silly than 'best', it doesn't have to be proven.)
For example, I'm fully aware of the Crusader's deficiencies in reliability, armour and gun but there's something just so 'Second World War' about it's rather racy lines roaring across the desert (no doubt shortly before breaking down) :


But I still have enormous trouble choosing a specific favourite, the Cromwell & Tilly2 just look so 'tanky' (as does the pz.38(t)), but I also have the most enormous soft spot for the Mark VI (not that I'd want to go to war in one!) and many other of those 20's - 30's designs.


As a compromise, somewhere between the Elefant and the Mark VI, how about this peculiar use of captured equipment, again, I wouldn't want to fight in it (or anything else really) but aesthetically it currently pleases me enormously:

Beutepanzer - 10.5 cm leFH-16 auf Geschutzwagen auf Fahrgestell Mk VI 736 (e)

Admittedly I'm going in the direction of 'Favourite AFV' rather than specifically 'tank'... but that's a tricksy semantic division anyway .

Cheers,
Adam.

 

That looks like it could fall over at any second!

Just to annoy the anti-British-Tankers, my second favorite;


And then this, but please don't ask why!

I risk loosing my reputaion for this, but...

(I have fond memories of it in one of my first WW2 games!)

 

I do love a good old rivetted light tank!

 

Or for an early extreme example of recycling and making do.......

 

Of course without a doubt THIS is the most aestetically pleasing form of any tank ever. Perfectly well 'ard

 

Die PanzerKampfWagen Tiger I

Beautiful site (pay a visit): PzKpfw VI TIGER I



Und Die Panzerjäger JagdPanther!



Und auch Die StuG IV