Designed in the 1950s, the US Marines' M50 Ontos and the US Army's M56 Scorpion were both intended to be fast, light, air-droppable tank-killers for the Cold War battlefield – an answer to the cumbersome and ineffective World War II-vintage tanks that had taken to the battlefield during the Korean War. Although they shared the aim of bringing light, mobile and lethal antitank firepower to the infantry the two vehicles varied wildly in design to cater for their unique mission demands. They first saw service in the Lebanon intervention of 1958 but it was in the Vietnam War that they made their name, with the M50 Ontos seeing intense combat action in the Battle of Hue in 1968.
Detailed illustrations and expert analysis provide the reader with a comprehensive history of these deadly antitank vehicles, from early development through to their combat history and the eventual disbandment of the Marine Corps' last antitank battalion with M50A1s in 1971.
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Introduction: original procurement concept of M50 & M56 /M50 Ontos development /M56 Scorpion development /Into service, 1950s to Vietnam /Combat history in Vietnam /Analysis & Conclusion /Bibliography /Index
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Designed as fast, light tank destroyers for the Cold War battlefield, the agile, heavily armed M50 Ontos and M56 Scorpion instead found their raison d'être in the jungles of Vietnam. This book offers a technical and combat history of these intriguing vehicles that will appeal to historians of the Vietnam War and US tank enthusiasts.
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Designed as fast, light Cold War tank destroyers, these very distinctive AFVs instead played an important role battling the North Vietnamese infantry in the Vietnam War.
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781472814739
Publisert
2016-11-17
Utgiver
Vendor
Osprey Publishing
Vekt
195 gr
Høyde
248 mm
Bredde
184 mm
Dybde
5 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
48
Forfatter