The technology and art of war
Imperial War Museum
The Imperial War Museum shows the history of the many wars and battles that occurred in the 20th century including experiences of wartime life in Britain.
Inside the Museum
In the main atrium there is a large display of fighting vehicles and firearms showing the types of technology that were used in the past wars. The exhibits ranges from different aircrafts designs that were used in World War I to tanks that were brought to the museum from World War II.
There is also the Secret War Exhibition which reveals how special communications technology has been used to gather intelligence and break top-secret codes. This includes an original German Enigma cipher machine which it was used to send secret messages during WWII by sending an electric current from the keyboard through a set of rotors and a plug board to light up the code alphabet.
M4 Sherman V Tank
In the large military equipment exhibition, there is an M4 Sherman V tank. Although it was an American-built tank, it was British troops that nicknamed it after the controversial US general. The M4 was used for the first time in the Battle of El Alamein by the British in 1942 and it was the most widely used Allied tank in World War II. It could only go at 40 kph, but its 17-pounder gun made the tank powerful enough to fight against the German tanks.
Although powerful and proven, its high center propeller shaft gave the hull a tall profile. Suspension was a rugged and simple design, known as VVSS (Vertical Volute Spring Suspension), with three units (or bogies) on each side, and each with two road wheels. The transmission was 5-speed forward plus reverses. Early production M4's had a 3-piece front transmission cover, and a cast one-piece steel turret mounting a 75mm main gun.
Submitted by: Josevan Vallejo, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 21 January 2007
