Th??? is ?l????? ? v?hicl? kn?wn ?s th? “t??st?? t?nk”, ?n? th?t is th? G??m?n Pz. S?l. IVc. H?w?v??, w? ??li?v? th? Is???li M?km?t is ?n?th?? c?nt?n??? ??? such ? titl?. Built ?n th? Sh??m?n ch?ssis, ? m?ssiv? 160 mm m??t?? t?k?s th? ?l?c? ?? th? t??ic?l Sh??m?n hull ?n? tu???t. It is ??t ?n?th?? ?x?m?l? ?? Is???l’s ???ctic? ?? m?kin? ?xt??m? m??i?ic?ti?ns t? ??s?l?t? v?hicl?s t? m?k? th?n us??ul ?nc? ???in.

Th? m?chin? w?s ??v?l???? in th? 1960s t? t?k? ??v?nt??? ?? Is???l’s ??w???ul M-66 m??t??, which c?n ?i?? 40 k? ???j?ctil?s ?ut t? ? ??n?? ?? ???ut 9.6 km.

In ???iti?n t? th? 160 mm m??t??, th? M?km?t h?s ? sl??-si???, ???n t????? ?i?htin? c?m???tm?nt th?t c?n ?? ??l??? ??wn ?n? s??v? ?s ? ?l?t???m ??? th? c??w t? w??k.

T? ?? this, th? ??s? Sh??m?n ??c?iv?? m?j?? m??i?ic?ti?ns, ?lth?u?h this w?sn’t ?n ?nti??l? n?v?l ???c?ss ??? th? Is???lis.

As w? h?v? c?v???? m?n? tim?s ??????, Is???l’s ??ui?m?nt is ??s?lut?l? ??scin?tin? ??? ?n? t?nk ?nthusi?st. Th?? ??? ? ?istin?uishin? ?x?m?l? ?? ??ttin? ?v??? ?unc? ?? us? ?ut ?? ? v?hicl? ?????? it is s?l? ??? ?? sc??????. O? c?u?s?, this h?s n?t ???n ?ut ?? ? ch?ic?.

Sinc? th? n?ti?n’s ?i?th in 1948, milit??? su????t h?s ???n un????ict??l? ?n? s?????ic. In th?i? ???l? ????s th?? t?i?? t? ?u?ch?s? n?w t?nks ???m ?l?c?s lik? th? US ?n? UK, ?ut this c?ul?n’t h????n ?u? t? ??litic?l ?n? su??l? issu?s ??s??ctiv?l?. As ? ??sult, th?? w??? ???c?? t? m?k? us? with wh?t th?? h??.

Wh?t ?i? th?? h?v?? W?ll, ?l?nt? ?? Sh??m?ns.

Th?? ????n th?s? su??lus Sh??m?ns in th? l?t? 1940s ???m v??i?us c?unt?i?s, still in WWII-s??c. In th? 1950s it w?s kn?wn th?t th?s? Sh??m?ns w??? s??i?usl? ?ut ?? ??t? ?n? ?ut-?unn??. Th?? ?nlist?? th? h?l? ?? F??nc? t? u?-?un th?i? Sh??m?ns t? k??? th?m ??l?v?nt.

Th? F??nch m?n???? t? ?it th? 75 mm ?un ???m th? AMX-13 int? th? Sh??m?n’s tu???t, ????ucin? wh?t w?ul? ??c?m? kn?wn ?s th? M50. L?t??, th?? w??? ??l? t? c??m in ? sh??t?n?? v??si?n ?? th? AMX-30’s 105 mm ?un int? th? Sh??m?n, ????ucin? th? M51.

H?w?v??, it w?sn’t just t?nks th?t Is???l n?????, th?? ?ls? ?uilt ?th??s t???s, such ?s m??-?v?c, s?l?-?????ll?? ?uns ?n? ??s??v?ti?n ?l?t???ms ?ll ?n th? Sh??m?n hull, ?s th?? w??? un??l? t? sim?l? ?u?ch?s? th?s? t???s.

R??? M??? Th? M4A2 Sh??m?n Rustin? Aw?? ?n Ut?h B??ch

On? such m?chin? w?s th? M?km?t, ? s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? ?uilt ?n th? t?ust? Sh??m?n ch?ssis.

Th? Is???l D???ns? F??c? (IDF) h?? initi?ll? ?m?l???? m??t?? c???i??s ??s?? ?n th? M3 h?l?-t??ck in th? 1950s ?n? 1960s, ?ut m??? ?i????w?? w?s n?????. Th? IDF ?????s?? ? ???j?ct which w?ul? s?? th? m?untin? ?? th? ?xc?ll?nt S?lt?m S?st?ms M-66 160 mm m??t?? ?nt? ? h??vil? m??i?i?? Sh??m?n.

This ???j?ct w?s ?????v?? ?? th? Is???li G?v??nm?nt, ?n? th? ?i?st v?hicl?s ???????? in th? IDF inv?nt??? sh??tl? ??t?? th? Six-D?? W??.

This ?ccu???? ???un? th? s?m? tim? ?s th? L-33 R?’?m, ? 155 mm s?l?-?????ll?? h?witz?? ?ls? ??s?? ?n th? Sh??m?n.

T? m?k? ???m ??? th? M-66 m??t??, th? Sh??m?n’s tu???t ?n? u???? hull w??? ??m?v??, ?n? ? t?ll w?l??? st??l su???st?uctu?? w?s ?itt?? in th?i? ?l?c?. This c?s?m?t? w?s n?tu??ll? ???n-t?????, ?s is n????? ??? th? ?i?in? ?? m??t??s. S?m? s?u?c?s st?t? th?t M7 s?l?-?????ll?? ?uns w??? us?? ??? th? c?nv??si?ns, ?ut w? w??? un??l? t? c?n?i?m this.

Th? M-66 w?s ????uc?? ?? th? Is???li c?m??n? S?lt?m S?st?ms, ?n? w?s ? ??v?l??m?nt ?? ?n ???li?? Finnish w????n. It w?s w?ll lik?? ??? its ??n??, v??s?tilit? ?n? l?th?lit?.

This w????n ?n ?n ???n t????? Sh??m?n m??nt it c?ul? k??? u? with ?n ??v?nc? ????? its c??w s?m? ???t?cti?n whil? h?mm??in? ?n?m? ??siti?ns with c?m?????l? ????ct t? 155 mm tu??? ??till???.

Acc?unts v???, ?ut s?m? 150 ?x?m?l?s ?? th? M?kM?t 160 mm s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? ??? ??li?v?? t? h?v? ???n m?nu??ctu??? u? t? th? 1970s. Th? c?m?l?t? s?st?m w?s n?v?? ??????? ??? ?x???t, ?ut th? M-66 m??t?? ??ui???? s?v???l ??mi?s ???un? th? w??l?, ?n? m?? still ?? ??un? in sm?ll num???s t????.

Th? M?km?t w?s ???iv?? ???m th? Sh??m?n ch?ssis. Th? ?nti?? u????-???ti?n ?? th? v?hicl? ???v? th? t??cks w?s ???l?c?? ?? ? ?l?t, ??x? st??l st?uctu?? th?t ???vi??? ??sic ???t?cti?n ??? th? c??w (?s ? s?l?-?????ll?? m??t??, th? M?km?t w?sn’t lik?l? t? ?? ?x??s?? t? ?i??ct h??v? ?i??).

Th? c?m???tm?nt c?m?l?t?l? c?v???? th? ?xistin? ch?ssis ?? th? Sh??m?n, s? ? cl??? visi?n ?l?ck w?s ?itt?? ?t th? ???nt ?? th? c?s?m?t? ??? th? ??iv??. This ???nt ?l?t? ?ls? ??l??? ??wn ?l?t wh?n th? m??t?? w?s in us?, ???vi?in? ? ?l?t ?????tin? ???? ??? th? ?un c??w t? st?ck ?mmuniti?n ????? ??? ?i?in?.

R??? M??? G??m?n?’s S?.K?z.234 Ei?ht Wh??l?? A?m???? C??

It w?s ?????xim?t?l? 3.3 m?t??s t?ll, 3.4 m?t??s wi?? ?n? 6.5 m?t??s l?n?. Th? ??m?v?l ?? th? tu???t ?n? th? n?tu?? ?? th? w?l??? su???st?uctu?? s?v?? s?m? w?i?ht ???m th? ??sic Sh??m?n, ?n? th? m?ss ?? th? c?m?l?t? s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? w?s 36 t?ns.

F?? ??w??, th? M?km?t w?s ?itt?? with th? s?m? ?n?in? ?s th? M50 ?n? M51 Sh??m?ns; th? Cummins VT8-460 ?i?s?l V8, which ????uc?? 460 ?h?. This w?s m?t?? t? ? ?iv? s???? ?ut?m?tic t??nsmissi?n, which ???v? ???nt-m?unt?? s???ck?ts.

Als? lik? th? M50 ?n? M51s, th? M?km?t h?? th? m??? “m????n” HVSS sus??nsi?n s?st?m, which im???v?? ???-???? h?n?lin? in ?xch?n?? ??? ????? w?i?ht. All this ????uc?? ? t?? ???? s???? ?? 26 m?h (43 k?h).

R??? M??? LWS – Th? G??m?n B??t with T??cks

Th? M-66 160 mm m??t?? is th? m?in ??m?m?nt ?? th? M?kM?t, ?n? ?i??s hi?h-?x?l?siv?, sm?k? ?n? illumin?ti?n ??un?s, with ? m?ximum ??t? ?? ?i?? ?? ?iv? ??un?s ??? minut?. Th? w????n c?n ?i?? ? 40 kil????m hi?h ?x?l?siv? ??un? ?ut t? ? ?ist?nc? ?? 9,600 m?t??s (10,500 ????s) – this ch?ic? ?? muniti?n is s?i? t? ???vi?? m??? ?i????w?? th?n th? ??uiv?l?nt in 155 mm ??till??? ??un?s.

Wh?n m?unt?? ?n th? M?kM?t, th? m??t?? ?????l is n?t su????t?? ?? ? ?i???, ?ut ?itt?? int? ? c?lumn which is ??is?? ?n? l?w???? h????ulic?ll? ??? l???in? ?n? ?i?in?.

Lik? ?ll h??v? ????ch-l???in? h??v? m??t??s, th? M-66 is l?w???? t? th? h??iz?nt?l ??siti?n ??? l???in?, th?n th? ?????l is ??is?? ??? ?i?in? usin? ? s??in?-l????? st?ik?? t? ?i?? th? ?????llin? ch????. Th? ??s??l?t? h?s ?nl? ? limit?? t??v??s?, s? th? wh?l? v?hicl? must ?? swiv?ll?? t? ??in? t????ts un??? ?i??.

Eith?? ? M2 HB .50 c?li??? ?? M1919 .30 c?li??? m?chin? ?un is ???s?nt ?nti-?i?/?nti-in??nt?? us? ?? th? c??w.

Th? c??w ?? ? M?kM?t s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? c?nsist ?? 8 ???s?nn?l; c?mm?n???, ??iv?? ?n? th? ??st ???min? th? ?un c??w t? s??vic? th? M-66 m??t??. Th? M?kM?t w?s n?t ???vi??? with ? Nucl??? Bi?l??ic?l Ch?mic?l (NBC) ???t?cti?n s?st?m, sm?k? ???n??? l?unch??s ?? ? ?i?? ?xtin?uishin? s?st?m.

Du?in? th? Six-D?? W?? in 1967 th? M-66 m??t?? w?s us?? in ? t?w?? c?n?i?u??ti?n, ?s it w?s t?? h??v? t? ?? t??ns???t?? with?ut m?ch?nic?l ?ssist?nc?. Th? M-66 ??v? ?istin?uish?? s??vic? t? th? Is???li A?m? ?u?in? this c?n?lict, ???vi?in? much-n????? h??v? ?i?? ??w?? su????t t? Is???li t????s, ?ut th? w????n w?s ???ticul??l? ????ctiv? wh?n us?? ??? ??ttl??i?l? illumin?ti?n.

R??? M??? Th? P?K 40 ?u? RSO – A T?nk D?st????? with ?n Ov??l? L???? Gun

In th?s? ???s – ?????? th? int???ucti?n ?? ni?ht visi?n ??vic?s – ????chut? ?l???s w??? ??t?n us?? t? illumin?t? th? ?i?htin? ????, ?n? th? M-66 w?s ???ticul??l? ????t ?t this t?sk. Us?? in this m??? th? M-66 w?s s?i? t? ?? ? c?n?lict-winnin? w????n, ?ll?win? th? Is???li A?m? t? c?nsist?ntl? ?????t A??? ???c?s ?u?in? ni?ht-?i?htin?.

Th? IDF s?w th? ???? s?ns? in m?untin? th? M-66 m??t?? in ?n ??m?u??? v?hicl? ????, ?n? th? M?km?t w?s ?i?st ???l???? in 1968, just missin? ?ctiv? s??vic? ?u?in? th? Six-D?? W??. Al?n? with its ??ll?w Sh??m?n-??s?? L-33 s?l?-?????ll?? h?witz??, th? M?km?t w?s issu?? t? ??till??? ??tt?li?ns ?n? st?ti?n?? in v??i?us st??t??ic h?t-s??ts within th? ???nti?? ?? Is???l.

D?s?it? cl??? ?vi??nc? ?? A??? milit??? ???????ti?ns ???m th? l?t? 1960s ?nw???s, th? Is???li G?n???l St??? ?is???????? th? immin?nt th???t ?? w??, ?s th?? ??li?v?? th?i? A??? ????n?nts w??? inc????l? ?? m?untin? ?n? t??? ?? ??t??min?? ?n? succ?ss?ul milit??? ????nsiv?. This mis?l?c?? c?m?l?c?nc? inst?ntl? ?v?????t?? ?s th? E???ti?n ?n? S??i?n ??mi?s st??m?? int? Is???li t???it??? ?n th? ?i?st ??? ?? th? Y?m Ki??u? W??.

D?s????t?l? ?lun? int? th? s?v??? ?i?htin? ?n th? G?l?n H?i?hts ?n? th? Sin?i P?ninsul? in Oct???? 1973, th? M?km?t ??v? st??lin? s??vic? t? Is???li A?m? ???m?ti?ns in th? ?i?l? ?? ???vi?in? hi?h l?v?ls ?? ?i?? su????t. B?tt??i?s ?? M-66 ??ui???? v?hicl?s c?ul? l?? ??wn ? ?list??in? ?m?unt ?? ?i??, ?n? c?ul? ?ctu?ll? ???vi?? m??? w?i?ht ?? ?i?? c?m????? t? th? s?m? num??? ?? ??till??? ?i?c?s, ?ut ?t ? l?ss?? ??n?? c?m????? t? tu??? ?un s?st?ms.

Th? M?km?t w?s ?????ci?t?? ?? its c??ws ??? th? m??ilit? ?n? ???t?cti?n ???vi??? ?? th? v?hicl?, ?ut lik? ?ll ???n-t????? ch?ssis usin? ? m??t?? th? ?un c??w w??? susc??ti?l? t? ????m?nts ???m ??till??? ??un?s ??t?n?tin? ?v??h??? in ?n ?i?-?u?st.

Th? M?km?t s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? s??v?? ?n ??t?? th? c?nclusi?n ?? th? Y?m Ki??u? W??, ?n? ?ls? s?w ?ctiv? s??vic? ?u?in? th? L???n?n W?? ?? 1982. A?t?? this c?n?lict th? IDF ????n t? c?nv??t l???? num???s ?? M113 A?m?u??? P??s?nn?l C???i??s (APC) int? ? v??i?t? ?? ??m?u??? c?m??t su????t v?hicl?s, ?n? ? n?w m???l s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? w?s ??s?? ?n this ?l?t???m.

As such, th? M?km?t w?s ??m?v?? ???m ???nt-lin? s??vic?, ?n? ????t ???m ? ??w ?x?m?l?s n?w ??un? in mus?ums th? ?nti?? ?l??t w?s sc?????? ???m th? mi??l? ?? th? 1980s.

Th? M?km?t 160 mm s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? w?s ? v??? ????ctiv? w????ns s?st?m, ?n? th? ?l?t???m ???vi??? ?utst?n?in? s??vic? ?u?in? tw? w??s wh?n Is???l w?s c?n???nt?? ?? ??t??min?? ?n? ???mi???l? ????n?nts.

It is ???t ?? th? l???? st??l? ?? cl?v?? Is???li ????t?ti?ns ?? th? Sh??m?n, ?n? lik? its st??l?m?t?s w?s ????? ?? th? n?ti?n th?t ??u c?ul? ????th? n?w li?? int? ?utm???? m???ls ?? ??m?u??? v?hicl?s with ? littl? in??nuit?.

R??? M??? Th? R?st???ti?n ?? E??n C?m? Mus?um’s M50 Sh??m?n

With su??ici?nt m??ilit? ??? its ?u???s?, ???? ???t?cti?n ??? h?? c??w, ?n? ?xc?ll?nt ?i????w?? ???m h?? M-66 m??t??, th? M?km?t s?l?-?????ll?? m??t?? s??v?? Is???l w?ll in c?m??t us? ?u?in? ? ??s????t? tim? in h?? hist???, ?n? ?s such will ?? ??wn in hist??? ?s ? w?ll-??m?m????? w????n s?st?m ?? th? Is???li D???nc? F??c?.