Some great tank battle footage

[Sam1]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3c0_1382913640

 

For the people that like to watch armor in action... These tanks break about every rule in the book concerning proper maneuvers, but it's still interesting.

[Rightwinger]

Been watching this stuff on Youtube for weeks, from both perspectives.  Lots of GoPro cameras being mounted on tanks and the rebels do a bunch of recording as well.  Propaganda war going hard and fast on both sides.  There is even a "SyriaTube" channel. 

 

Nothing like being on the second floor of a building while a T-72 or T-90 is blasting the main gun at the lower levels below you!

Some of the videos even let you see the tank rounds coming directly at the cameras!  Worth a view or 10.

[peejman]

I know nearly zip about tank warfare, but it sure seems like driving up an alley where you can't traverse the turret 360 deg is just a bad idea. 

 

What kind of rounds are they shooting?  Maybe I've watched too many movies, but it seems like they're having little effect.  Just blasting holes in stuff. 

[Rightwinger]

I have been wondering what they are shooting as well.  AP would be a waste of time since it would leave a small hole and keep going through the next several buildings.  HEP (High Explosive Plastic) probably but the bursts on the receiving end don't look big enough.  For all I know they could be shooting the practice rounds which would do enough carnage hitting a cinder block wall and causing that to be the shrapnel.

 

I was in armor for a short time back in the 80's and HEP was already on it's way out.  Sabot and HEAT were about all we carried and not the first choice I would say for shooting up apartment buildings.

[Dolomite_supafly]

That is not Syrian the narrator is speaking. Some sort of Slavic language.

I have spents days watching the Syrian war. It is interesting the amount of ingenuity they have.

[Rightwinger]

I believe it's Russian.  There are several videos with Russian "advisors" in them. 

[Sam1]

I know nearly zip about tank warfare, but it sure seems like driving up an alley where you can't traverse the turret 360 deg is just a bad idea. 

 

What kind of rounds are they shooting?  Maybe I've watched too many movies, but it seems like they're having little effect.  Just blasting holes in stuff. 

 

My guess is they're using some kind of armor piercing round because there's no secondary explosion and the damage looks to be too light to be any kind of anti-personal shot like a beehive round (which they should be using in this situation).  granted any kind of concussion at that range will suck the sense right out of you, it's a waste, they should be running some kind of larger caliber chain guns through there like a BMP and leave the cannons for longer distance.

[Joseg]

RPG will probably take out a BMP. Probably the reason why the T72. Are they sporting the reflective armor? 

[Sam1]

single rpg would take out/disable a tank through the top, and they cost a lot more (or from the side & rear).  tanks aren't designed for city use because the top is easily targeted and outside of the 50 & 7.62 on top of the turret, the primary cannon and coax (the two most accurate weapons) can't get enough elevation to fire more than a couple stories up at close range.  City fighting in a tank is a very, very scary thing from the inside of one of those things.

 

And yes, those little bricks are reactive armor.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Sam1

[Guest TankerHC]

The M84, which is what they are using, the Czech export version of the T72, uses two types of rounds. APFSDS-T, (Sabot), which is a Kinetic energy round, and HE (not the HEP we used to use).

 

Going down alleys between two buildings in a tank is not a good idea. But they are still trained in Soviet Linear Tactics and have no idea how to properly employ Armor and Infantry with Artillery and other support. (Ask the Russians how driving a tank column down a street (In Chechnya) worked for them.

 

Take my word for it, these arent Tankers, these are Tank "riders" with three objectives. 1 Shoot tank. 2. Park Tank. 3. Get off Tank.

 

Im speaking from experience and have buddies training Arab tankers in several countries on the M1 right now I spoke to yesterday, these guys don't even know how to coil up.

 

 

Whatever works for them I suppose.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Here is an amazingly heroic act on the part of a single guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8AevLyTR6lM#t=136

Guy runs up and throws a hand grenade down the barrel of a tank. Good or bad it is still an amazing act of bravery.

 

Jump to 2:00 to see it.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Dolomite_supafly

[Sam1]

whew that dude having some balls is an understatement.

[Sam1]

best head on shot i've ever seen, goodness gracious!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYI4kM6je-k

 

 

anyone know what kind of round that is?  looks to be some kind of heat, but i can't find anything online for those that use 6 fins.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Sam1

[Dolomite_supafly]

It almost looks like some sort of sabot round. The fines probably folded out after firing and the dark colored ring sealed the "dart" to the bore. Didn't sound like an explosion either.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Dolomite_supafly

[Sam1]

Looks too fat to be armor piercing, plus it's moving a lot slower than one should go. There's a substantial difference in speed between the two on an m1, I just don't know that much detail about the Russian/Chinese stuff.

[Rightwinger]

That's not APFSDS.  The penetrator would have a sharper nose.  I thought the ring was the sabot as well but it should be disengaging from the round by then.  As for the explosion, I'm surprised the camera even survived to download.  The noise you hear is overpowering the mic so it could be good old fashioned HEP (high explosive plastic).