10 Facts you may not know about Tanks 

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One more thing - tanks go into battle without a fire extinguisher, spare parts, modern ammo etc. You earn those by proving yourself in combat first. At least thats what Gaijin told me.

Tank fact #11. A tank crew can make half a field kitchen of food and coffee magically disappear inside their vehicle and in external stowage.

The most powerful tool in an armored divisions arsenal is the humble logistic truck

Wires used to decapitate crewmen were used in WW2 in Italy by the Germans. They noticed that US troops folded the windshield down to avoid detection, and so hung piano wire from trees. Many soldiers were killed or injured so they simply put big metal poles on the front of vehicles like Jeeps. Hope I helped!

I was a M6 Bradley Linebacker Crewmember, not a tank but pretty close. What I found surprised people the most about tracked vehicles is that only one "wheel" gets power from the engine. I explain to them that only the drive sprocket is actually turning from the engine, and then explain to them the idler, road wheels, and support rollers.

No. 10 - you could also argue that every tank that brokes down, has some kind of gun mounted on. Hence, it's bad luck to mount a gun on a tank...

When your figthing an us abrams as an soilder you try as a last attempt to shoot the tank with a rifle, wich is obviously ineffective. Then you throw a box of apricots at the tank and the tank suddenly retreats.

Breaking news: US Tank Battalion Trapped in Town because Roads leading out are blocked by apracots and carms.

My Pop fought in WWII and I remember him pointing out that no GI's would ever be driving their jeeps around a newly "liberated" are with the windshield down, because the "unfriendlies" would string piano wire across the streets (especially in the small urban streets) and it would decapitate you. Later on in the war, you'll notice many jeeps had a piece of angle iron welded on the front for that very purpose. It killed quite a few GI's, especially REMF's that weren't in tune with the real war. Always great to learn from Matsimus - these are important learning tools.

I didn't know american armor vehicles were allergic to apricots 🤔

SSSSSHHHHHH! Don't be giving any terrorists the idea of throwing those damn apricotes at our tanks!

I can see that the extremely realistic representation of real life tank combat, masterfully crafted by Gaijin in their widely acclaimed simulator "War Thunder" have really increased your knowledge of tanks Mat.

Lol the apricot / Charms thing reminds of Generation Kill, where the Marines refused to have Charms in their Humvees for fear of bad luck.

my older brother was deployed in iraq during Iraqi freedom/desert storm....he was the gunner on a humvee and he would talk about piano wire being strung across the streets at neck level for the gunner and it would take your head clean off goin 30+ MPH.....as a gunner he would duck about every 5 or so seconds to avoid getting decapitated while driving down the street....he would not talk too much about his tour since he was one of the guys who kicked in doors and cleared room to room. Building to building. the most he would say about his tour is "you wouldnt feel bad about shooting someone until you watch one of your friends die infront of you and theres nothing you could do about it" but not too much else. he also redeplayed as a loader for artillery after his first tour as a paratrooper. Props to the people who lived through war, really helps civilians appreciate the sacrifices they made when you talk one on one with a veteran who went through all of that

No. 11 - Tanks are the coolest thing in the entire military world, if you disagree you are probably in the raf regiment

Mat, I just wanted to let a lot of people know being a "tanker" is a very hard and tiring life, repairing the vehicle, dealing with the elements and terrain, worrying if you'll be ambushed, hit with AT-rockets, run over IEDs, be run into by VBIEDs, the long, stressful drives, there's just so much people don't know about being a "tanker", even if many think "battle taxis" like the Warrior isn't a "tank", the crew are still considered "tankers" for what they have to put up with. I kinda wish that a war/action movie was made to truly show what its like being a "tanker" and show you'er machine, a movie like "Fury" only shows the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reality, atleast it showcased the threats and how things were to a certain degree, but it still needs more depth to what "tankers" have to go through, if its ok, could you do a video about the experience of a "tanker", I know you have mentioned what you went through here and there, many still don't get it. P.S. As I said during your live stream Q&A, I would like to see a "Warrior MGS, L7 105, tank destroyer/fire support" type vehicle, I feel the British ground troops need such a vehicle over all, atleast for now till something better pops up.

9:35 Weren't they originated in american jeeps back in ww2 because Germans place wire on certain roads to kill both driver and passenger?

My Grandad used the tank telephone on a crocodile on D-day to ask them to shoot flame into the air over the Bunkers that he was tasked with assaulting - they did and the germans surrendered, probably saved his life:-)!

Abrams: I'm the most meanest, baddest tank around! Gaze at my depleted uranium armor and weep! Apricot: *I'm about to end this man's whole career*

It's better to have that tank phone and never need it. Than need it, and not have it. Just because something is a bit old fashioned doesn't mean it's worthless. Thought of the day, what can go wrong, always will go wrong.

“We are not running Prius’ here” well now there is the problem. Needs a Prius Tank

I think having the telephone on the back is a good thing still. Combat is crazy and having that little bit of redundancy in being able to communicate can be key.

I REALLY want a tank, but I mean who wouldn't?

True Story. I was a student in the Armor Officer Basic Course in 1980 when I was told about the apricot superstition. Apricot Jam was part of the Meal, Combat, Individual ration box (C-Rats) and the NCO instructor told me to discard it immediately. I told him no, that it was a mere superstition, and I had a BS degree with scientific knowledge to back up my assertion. If I recall, another officer on my tank also ate his ration of Apricot Jam. After the meal break, we started our tank (an M60A1) and drove forward about 10 feet. We threw the left track off the sprocket and broke three torsion bars, rendering the vehicle immobile for the rest of the field problem. I became a true believer after that.

I remember this scene in generation kill, where they had a native fighting force run away, but they all left the Charms behind. The Marines were impressed with their savvy for avoiding the cursed food.

Great video 🙂 Re tank phones. The Americans have installed them on their Abrams tanks as part of the TUSK upgrade, so presumably there is still a need for them. I would assume they are easy enough to install, are small and do not weigh much, so why not have them, even if only as a back up. One big advantage they may have is that they are a hardline, and thus cannot be disrupted by interference or deliberate jamming.

Idea to make the DU penetration obsolete , apricot loaded rounds, fire, forget, see the plume of smoke rise up later when they break down.

I've encountered wires. They were used in Germany by protestors. There was an incident where a grunt decided to use a tank telephone. He reported "Enemy to your front, get out of here". Unfortunately he didn't realize that tanks reverse out of position, and the driver also hears the messages. So the driver heard him and high reversed over him.

I heard that some American tank commander said that the apricot mith is stupid and that he doesnt believe it, so he drank some apricot juice or something and his tank broke dow shortly after lol

Might not be too many examples of wires actually cutting someone. But certainly there are cases of army vehicles running into low hanging wires. My training squad had this one guy who was left alone to do one thing, build cable over a little forest road. Of course the dunce ignored his training and safety rules, and left that cable hanging too low. An APC hit it, luckily no one was hurt. Also in 3rd world countries it's quite common to see all kinds of random cables strung up between buildings, so you can never be sure when one of those has suddenly slipped lower and now someone is missing a head.

Hmm didn’t know all these facts But now I do ;)

Nr. 3. That reminds me of the tusken raiders in star wars. Same track riding. Hiding numbers by following tracks. Seems like star wars did it first. Tusken raider style.

Matsimus you’re one of my favorite youtubers bro. Whenever I’m bored, nothing to do, and just feeling down I like to watch your videos to educate myself, and I understand you work really hard to keep us entertained. Love bro.

I would have never thought about synchronizing system shut down to avoid giving away numbers. That's pretty damn cool.

I was in UK infantry for 12 years. Some of these facts I didn’t know (the tank specific ones). Thanks, very interesting 👍

Nr. 3: Sand people always ride single file to hide their numbers.

My grand father told me about his friends having their head chopped during the campain of Black Forest at the end of WW2. His eyes were lost in the void when he told me that.... Not all their vehicules were equipped with cable cutters...

Oh man, I pity those poor lads in CBRN gear, It's like wearing a damn greenhouse while breathing through a straw! :(

I've learned recently that Abrams can't do engine smoke screen anymore, because they changed fuel around the time A1 was introduced. As for the CHARM, Challenger can't really function without them!

Fact #11. You *can* cook some amazing fvcking curries in the BV of a Challenger, esp if your loader is a Sikh and grew up around his parent's restaurant business. They are especially nice when on a 7 day exercise in Germany in mid winter, pouring rain with sub zero temps, circa 1989.

Big rolling boom boom buggy

I didn’t know these things. That’s why I watch your channel because I’ve never even done basic training so it’s educational and entertaining.

fun fact: tank telephones are making a comeback in modern combat because of situations like the battle of Falluja where the urban terrain was limiting the effectiveness to radio communications but close coordination of infantry and supporting armor elements was critical.

3:46 "We are not running Prius here" Elon musk: Are you challenging me.

Same track driving is also essential for avoiding mines. If the first tank doesn't hit it, chances are you won't either.

really interesting i learnt something

I'm a bit obsessed with tanks so I usually already know all this, but . . . Number 1 - didn't know that. 2 - didn't know that. 3 - knew that one 4 - Nope - I always thought they were for cutting barbed wire, like with the WW1 vehicles. 5 - yeah, I know a bit about that one - I thought they used smoke grenades rather than this method these days though. 6 - Didn't have a clue about that one. 7 - yeah, knew that one. 8 - Yeah, knew that one too. 9 - Didn't know that one. 10 - didn't know that one, but it sounds like a load of bollocks. Nice one. Not often I watch a video about tanks and actually learn something. 😃

Fun fact. In Swedish soldiers field-manual given at basic training it has a picture that shows four different ways to attack a tank. Rear, side, side with turret pointing at you and front with turret pointed at you. Rear = Optimal Side = Good Side w turret at you: Not so good Front w turret at you: *Suicide* (sic)

U.S tank crewmen: We fear no man Apricot: *Exists* U.S tank crewmen: It scares us..

Waffle Iron Hot toasted sandwiches were a treat. Folding Chairs Having chairs are a luxury. What other things do tankers have in the field?

Abrams: sees t72 Abrams: meh Abrams: sees apricot Abrams: *shrill scream and screeching*

Mats, you should try to get yourself to Tank Fest some day and see if you can't do a colab with either the Chieftain, Jingles, or both when you're there. At worst you could maybe do something with Lloyd of Lindybeige fame.

My god. Steel beasts, great job matt

Thank you for your service. I was with the 2nd Squadron 14th ACR and later the 11th ACR in Bad Kissingen Germany from Aug 1971 to Jan 1974. You need to do an episode on my track, the M551 Sheridan. May not have been the best of armored vehicles ever made, but I really enjoyed serving as a driver, gunner and lastly a TC.

The apricot thing is the same as for infantry, my dad was a Marine and he was told that if he ever got jolly ranchers in an MRE, throw them away and when he asked why, they told him that it brings storms

Great info, thanks for your insight and your service Mastimus!

Great video. I'm was an U.S. Army Combat Medic and had never heard of the apricot superstition before. I was light infantry and eventually Senior Emergency Treatment NCO in our Battalion Aid Station, hence, had very little contact with Armor. That is funny. I knew most the rest but still really enjoyed the video. The convoy light part really brought back memories. In the early '90's nvgs were just getting good but still driving an ambulance, at speed at night in blackout conditions was hair raising. Thanks O7 uhraa

Wait a second, can't the enemy just ignite the hot diesel cloud with an explosive round?

From having watched "The Chieftain" 's videos, every tank can make small objects like pens, notes, pieces of equipment disappear because it is churned up by the "turret monster."

Wire cutters was used since ww2, where the jeep drivers died from germans putting up wires.

0:41 It’s John Wick

Very nice video! But the best is the title! Not clickbaiting, just "you MAY not know.." Very good.

Great vid 👍 I actually learned some new stuff

I don't normally enjoy tank related content, but this was really interesting!

Good video, very informative. I learn some new stuff here. I hope you will make more videos like this.

THANK YOU! LEARNEDa few tricks ! nice to know about the wire cutter!!!!

In Breaking News all non US based Tank Weapons now have High Explosive Apricot Shell Ammo as standard

I love your channel so much!

Tank Fact - The tank was invented by Tommy Tank who was upset that his name was rhyming slang for masturbation.

I never thought about the laser range finder overheating, that sounds like quite a big issue, especially in a prolonged engagement.

I actually didn't know these. Great video Mat! 👍

I honestly believe strongly Matsimus that we should keep the Tank Phone. Even though we're still improving our communication ways especially with radios that we're improving even in today's world, I still think that just in any case or situation we should still keep the Tank Phone because you never know if something or anything could go wrong someday. I really want to become a tanker and I'm glad I'm listening to a Veteran RU-vidr who was also one even if you are British or Canadian. I'm hoping to do my part for my country in a tank and you taught me a lot in this video honestly. Thanks from a Yank

Funny stuff...no MRE's had apricots in them when I served...never knew that was a jinx though!

And also telephones. Every tank, old or modern, (& also any armored vehicle) should have them. Thanks for the vid Matsi!

19k D Co2/81 US Army 08 - thank you for calling me out yesterday and its pronounced STRI- ZH-I - means swift in Russian. I was adopted and figured I should do my part in the good ol US....doesn't mean I agree with all things American but in the sense of what our forefathers did - well that just flat out makes me a patriot or a traitor from your POV - July 4th!

Re convoy lights. You were talking about how easy to see they were ,well. I rememeber walking (hah more like a 50% run) in single file through a forest at o-dark-thirty, on a fairly moonless night. The corporal[1] ahead had little luminescent panels on his helmet, these were VERY hard to make out . At one foot you could just see them at two feet no chance . At one point I fell back just a little bit and could no longer see the corporal's[1] flashes . I could only follow him by listening to his breathing (we were TABing hard), rather nerve racking going through woods trying to be quiet trying not to fall out of line and get lost, after all the one behind me was following my flashes the one behind him his etc so if I'd lost the corporal[1] everybody would have followed me . [1] The one who actually knew where we were meant to be going.

I learned that tanks are way heavier than I thought- I was thinking like the equivalent of maybe 10 cars, but they are about 75 tons!!

This was really interesting thanks for making the videos

I'd guess same track driving is also great for avoiding mines

Thank You for a very informative and inspirational video! It is some of that down to earth information, that everybody seems to know - but doesn't. Information that may one day save your life or much more important - the tank! My point being: It takes time and training to become a competent tanker/pilot/sailor etc. It is one of my chief beefs with conscription. You can't train a conscript in 9 months to become a soldier with just a reasonable chance of surviving on the battlefield - and what is worse: You'll probably destroy a piece of equipment that is not only very expensive; but very difficult to replace when you need it! (say: When somebody is shooting at you). Another point is the management (and it is not leadership; but management) of tanks - or other equipment. Staff officers generally approach with a definate plan in mind (which is preferable to not having any idea of what you are doing) and that breaks down into fair sized bits of numbers. Then the endless haggling starts with parliament etc. In Denmark we had an interminable debate if we were to buy 24 or 27 F-35 - whether spares were included or not. Then was the endless discussions of price. Basically there was the point of being on a budget - which is a neat devise for negotiations and bazar-like haggling (with Hägglunds). To cut that story short: The budget was originally 20 bio. DKK and with every type of salesmans swindle the got just enough jets for the task foreseen. Splendid! Now the payment was turned over to the capable hands of the Nationalbanken. By some deft handling of the currency reserve (buying american sovereign bonds when they were cheap) the price tag was reduced to somewhere between 18 and 19 bio. DKK. Some of it will probably be spend cleaning up some of the compromises entered into to force the price down - spares holdings f.i. What the present government has done is to take a more or less burned out Secretary of Finance (secretaries of Finance are generally hated and all possible measures are taken to bring them down) and made him Secretary of Defence - he knows swat about tanks and aeroplanes - but he knows something about arm twisting (you know the type - he does not clean his nails - he polishes his brass-knuckles): He is having a very serious problem, that regularly brings him to tears: He can't spend all the money!!! He is trying desperately to find ways to spend money - and is succeeding poorly. But it means there is generally money for upgrades - the Danish Huitfeldt-class will probably get some pretty fancy Storm Shadow missiles - (my guess) - when the british government does something stupid (a regular occation).

Great informative video thanks for producing.

That's some great info buddy. Thanks for that.

Nice one! Wasn't aware of the apricot one.

Great little nuggets of info there!

In respect to tank phones , it’s always handy to have a have back up method of communication , for the situations where the main communication channels are compromised or inactive

Bruh...make a video on the C-130 Super Hercules..that plane is probably the best modern military aircraft ever!!

thats a pinzgauer! glad to see a bit of austrian military equipment!

Im presuming the Irn Bru external supplies are on a scots regiment Challie

The Abrams AGT-1500 is much quieter than the Diesel Tanks. Hard to hear.

This was informative for me at least, thx. And btw, have an idea for your tank review videos. Look up EE-T1 MBT.

I swear mat is gonna cover the Bob Semple Tank any day now. Probably for an April fools thing

the thing is about laser range finding, my friend who was a abrams tanker, he said that you can fire 3 burst of the laser range finder but you always go on the first shot if not the 2nd one cause the third one tests to burn it out faster

I was a US Army Tanker for many years and have never been afraid or even known an apricot jinx. Not saying it isn't so but I've not heard of it, however canned peaches were very valuable. M-48A3-A5, M60, M60A1, well I guess that sort of dates me. I exited as the M1s were being delivered.

Nice opening scene, Hohne ranges germany! Bringing back loads of memories 😊👍

Tanks are my favourite military machines, and guess which is my favourit fruit ......., I’ll never end up in an ambrams I guess

only thing I knew about funnily enough was charms so thanks for background on that and the other stuff!

I most certainly appreciate your informative approach - which is a recognition of the fact, that not all of the public is officers material - some of them might occationally show a glimmer of intelligence (faint, but all the same....). What I have observed in the Danish armed forces is emergence of the technical staff. You know the chaps that makes the things run on a daily basis and pick up the pieces after bad decisions - such as dragging out the tank from a "slightly damp" swamp. It primarily leads to the money being spend better - which is just as important as the amount of money spend in total. You can allways train a handfull of mongs to drive a supply truck. We have seen a naval technical captain - with a barely concealed smirk - tell about the Huitfeldt-class where the communication between engine and bridge is limited to telling the engine room how many diesels his devinity wants in operation. The chiefs main concern is to kick the suppliers in the butt for delivering shoddy goods - and planning the next yard visit. The technical staff at Aalborg got the problem, that an engine got smashed on a Challenger (canadian aircraft) - it happens: In the Danish navy there is a saying: "You'll never become admiral before you have struck bottom." They mean that litteraly - and with shoaling Danish waters it is a rather common contingency - just don't make a habit of it. Now the supplier gave a prospective delivery date of a replacement engine - close to the retirement of the youngest of the staff. After having suffered the uncontrollable mirth of the sales-person (impertinent bugger!), they got down to brass tacks and searched the internet for something - and found a private jet of a bankrupt arabian. The cost of the engine was the same as the entire aeroplane. So they had an Absalon-class in the vecinity (anti-pirate operations) pick it up and in due course sail it home. It took some disassembly and zero-timing, but then you had a splendid (little used) jet with an extraordinary posh interior. It is now our Air Force 0.1. It enhanced the operational readiness by simply not having to tear out the seating and installing the patrol equipment. The pilots got something to do with the flying hours needed to keep up proficiency - with something remotely approaching a usefull purpose. By the end of it - the supplier had reconsidered the price of the replacement engine..... Knowing there are two (commercially irrelevant 60 pax Challengers - much cabin staff) in a leasing company that went belly up. They should be available at a much reduced prise? I hope I have planted the idea - and it would allow replacement crews to travel in style - a Hercules does not score highly on passenger comfort. What does this have to do with decent musik? More than you should think! Prinsens Musikkorps will probably be transferred to the Air Force. Now those musicians could double as cabin staff - after a minor course in evacuation technique (also usefull in case of an unreceptive audience - pulling the plug on their hearing aids is not allways practical). If that could finance a clarinette section - which according to my lousy ear would suit the tone of the orchester - that would be something. Good clarinettes are very scarce in this part of the world. I'm still working on a stringsection. Getting some cultural money transferred to the defence budget.

Good content as always! Have you thought about using twitch maybe and stream on it and chat with ppl etc? IT would be awesome!

That tank at the beginning was so cute, they remind me of big animals ^_^ no idea how a 100 ton gigantic killing machine can be cute.