Tank Crew Question: Vertical Stabilizer?

[MikhaVT]

Hey all, 

 

I was wondering if the the M4A2 modeled in Tank Crew has a functional vertical stabilizer on the gun?

Edited January 23, 2020 by Kataphrakt

[DD_Arthur]

Vertical stabilizer on the gun?  What’s that then?

[Jade_Monkey]

Please post in TC forum. You might get better answers.

[migmadmarine]

As it stands, it doesn't. Then again, most of them remained disabled, since most US divisions didn't train their crews on their use, let alone the USSR. 

[DD_Arthur]

I’m still in the dark?

[MasserME262]

4 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

I’m still in the dark?

the vertical stabilizer to shot on the move I guess? Idk, I'm definitely not a PRO about tanks

[Legioneod]

41 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

I’m still in the dark?

 

35 minutes ago, ME-BFMasserME262 said:

the vertical stabilizer to shot on the move I guess? Idk, I'm definitely not a PRO about tanks

Not really for firing while moving like modern stabilizers. From my understanding it was mostly for keeping the gun stable for quick stop and shoot situations, that way you could stop real quick and get of an accurate first shot off, instead of having to sit and adjust the gun/waiting for it to be stable after moving/stopping.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Legioneod

[MikhaVT]

15 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

Please post in TC forum. You might get better answers.

Sorry, I hadnt realized we had a TC forum. This is what i get for leaving my browser window so narrow it uses the mobile interface. 

 

15 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

Vertical stabilizer on the gun?  What’s that then?

13 hours ago, ME-BFMasserME262 said:

the vertical stabilizer to shot on the move I guess? Idk, I'm definitely not a PRO about tanks

 

Like Legioneod said above, the vertical stabilizer didnt help much with firing on the move. From everything i've read in Steven Zaloga's book Armored Thunderbolt, the Hunnicutt book on the M4, and from what the Chieftain has said it helped keep a target within the sight of the tank while driving forward at "moderate" speeds (for a WWII tank in combat). This combined with the optics setup on the M4 would allow an experienced gunner to quickly engage from a position where the tank has only the upper optics exposed, then drives forward when the gun is ready and a target has been spotted. The later M4 variants had a unity periscope for the gunner as well as a direct telescope through the mantlet which was the primary sight (while the variant for IL-2 only has the periscope). With these later variants when engaging a target from defilade, the gunner could spot a target through the unity sight, engage the stabilizer, have the driver move forward to expose the gun, then the gunner would switch to the telescope sight to precisely lay the gun. This sight would also help him see if the gun was clear of the terrain to fire while a periscope can see the target before the gun is clear. In this case the vertical stabilizer worked very well allowing rapid target acquisition (assuming the crew knew how to use and maintain it, apparently this wasnt part of standard training for the US).

 

The Chieftain has a good article about the stabilizer, and the issues with its employment here.

 

I Also cant say for sure whether or not the lend-lease M4s had the gyro stabilizers. I have yet to read anything stating specifically that they were placed or removed. 

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

5 hours ago, Kataphrakt said:

I Also cant say for sure whether or not the lend-lease M4s had the gyro stabilizers. I have yet to read anything stating specifically that they were placed or removed. 

 

Based on that link, it sounds like the crews knowing how to use them or not could also be an issue, even if they were present.