The T-34 Tank That Changed World War II Forever! The Soviet T-34, introduced in 1940, completely shocked German forces and revolutionized armored design. Reaching a top speed of 33 mph, it combined impressive mobility with revolutionary sloped armor that effectively doubled its protection against anti-tank fire. Armed initially with a 76.2mm gun, it outclassed early Panzers and forced Germany to develop heavier tanks like the Panther. Its rugged reliability and wide tracks made it a master of th

American M4 tank fitted with a T34 Rocket Launcher or ‘Calliope’. These could delivering a payload of 60 rockets in a short period of time. They were however limited by their reload time and inaccuracy. The noise created by the rockets firing was often enough to drive targets off in terror on its own though. This sound as well as the clustered pipes of the launcher looking like an organ, led to the weapon being nicknamed after the ‘Calliope’ steam organ. Footage courtesy of British Pathe | The T

The Sherman T34 Calliope. The high center of gravity made movement challenging, so the Calliope only saw limited use in 1945 with the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 14th Armored Divisions. | Tankers