Non Series IDF
Tanks and Tracked Vehicles |
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References |
Available Kits |
While the IDF has relied primarily on series of tanks like the Sherman, Centurion, M48/60 MAGach and Merkava. It has also utilised varied numbers of other tanks like the Cromwell, AMX13 and Hotchkiss. While not used in particularly large numbers they were often all that were available to Israel. Most often these tanks were already obsolete or were under armoured and armed compared to those fielded by Israel's agresssive neighbors. Yet they served and were used to their fullest abilities allowing Israel to survive the momentary crisis and prepare for the next.
The first of these types was the Brittish Cromwell. Two of these tanks were stolen out of a British motor pool and at the time made up Israel's armoured Corps. Interestingly not even these two vehicles were quite the same as one mounted 75mm gun and the other a 6pdr. There abounds numerous stories as to why but the tanks were stolen with the help of two Brittish soldiers. Two more were supposed to have been stolen but the men who were chosen couldn't get them started.
The next tank used in limited numbers was the French built Hotchkiss H39. Ten of these obsolete pre WW2 tanks were were purchased and arrived in time for the fighting in 1948. These tanks were crewed by only two men making fighting them rather difficult. They mounted a short 37mm gun in a one man turret. These vehicles fought in the capture of Lydda and went on to fight in south. During one battle nine were either knocked out or incapacitated with only one engaging the enemy. This tank tank too eventually succumbed to fire although its crew survived. I was privileged to have interviewed the commander of this tank during my trip to Israel in 2005.
Another French built tank was the AMX 13. This tank had it's engine forward and an oscillating turret at the rear. It's main gun was the modified Panther 75 mm which would eventually grace the Israeli M50. Although a fairly fast tank it's armour was barely that of a modern M113. A man who crewed one just after the 1956 campaign said it could easily be penetrated by a .50 cal round. These tanks were delivered just in time for the Suez campaign and were removed from service following the 1967 Six Day war.
Two more tanks which of which the IDF made use in small numbers was the JS3 Stalin and the T-34. Both were captured in some numbers in 1956 and 1967, although used neither was used as a gun tank. The JS3 was used in small numbers as fixed artillery in some of the position in the Bar-Lev line along the Suez Canal. The T-34 according to a number of people was used by Golani as an open top APC with positions for four crewed .30 cal Machine guns.
The final vehicle used is not a tank but a tracked vehicle. This is the British Universal and Lloyd carriers. Small numbers of these vehicles were captured by the IDF during the initial fighting in 1948. Several of the standard carriers were put into service although the captured flamethrower variant was not. Some vehicles were totally repainted while others were simply given IDF marking and turned around and used against their former owners.