Merkava Mk.1B - Revision history

U38088265: /* Description */

2024-09-03T07:58:40Z

‎Description

U38088265 at 07:47, 3 September 2024

2024-09-03T07:47:48Z

U38088265: /* Description */

2024-09-03T07:45:39Z

‎Description

U123069732: /* Pros and cons */

2024-08-12T15:05:44Z

‎Pros and cons

U28580205: /* Survivability and armour */

2024-05-10T03:04:00Z

‎Survivability and armour

U146866080: added armour info

2024-04-16T12:05:05Z

added armour info

U15663414: added the M413 APFSDS round to the ammo table

2023-10-09T18:16:09Z

added the M413 APFSDS round to the ammo table

U38088265: /* Description */

2023-09-03T17:47:03Z

‎Description

U28580205: /* Description */ Minor changes

2023-09-03T01:31:49Z

‎Description: Minor changes

U74396666: New Description Project - Israel Priority: Tanks - Merkava Mark 1B

2023-09-02T06:38:51Z

New Description Project - Israel Priority: Tanks - Merkava Mark 1B

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The Merkava Mk.1 was the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. The IDF formerly had to rely on importing foreign weapons to maintain its armoured units since its industry was inadequate to develop domestic vehicles. The British decision not to sell the Chieftain to the Israelis (because they were already supplying them to Arab countries) led Israel to begin its own tank development program. Development was overseen by General Israel Tal, who was not a professional engineer but an experienced soldier who had participated in World War II and the subsequent Arab-Israeli wars. He laid down the philosophy of the design, which prioritised crew protection, resulting in the tank's unique configuration: the engine was located at the front and, for rapid evacuation and transport of soldiers, a rear hatch was installed, effectively transforming it into an "armoured IFV". By 1974, the first prototypes of the Merkava tank were sent for initial trials, and in December 1979, almost ten years after development began, the Merkava entered service with the IDF. It was first deployed during the 1982 Lebanon War. The '''Merkava Mk.1B''' and Merkava Mk.1 are distinguished by the addition of a new fire control system and additional side armour for the suspension. In 1983, manufacturing was stopped in favour of the upgraded [[Merkava Mk.2B|Merkava Mk.2]] variant.
+The Merkava Mk.1 was the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. The IDF formerly had to rely on importing foreign weapons to maintain its armoured units since its industry was inadequate to develop domestic vehicles. The British decision not to sell the Chieftain to the Israelis (because they were already supplying them to Arab countries) led Israel to begin its own tank development program. Development was overseen by General Israel Tal, who was not a professional engineer but an experienced soldier who had participated in World War II and the subsequent Arab-Israeli wars. He laid down the philosophy of the design, which prioritised crew protection, resulting in the tank's unique configuration: the engine was located at the front and, for rapid evacuation and transport of soldiers, a rear hatch was installed, effectively transforming it into an "armoured IFV". By 1974, the first prototypes of the Merkava tank were sent for initial trials, and in December 1979, almost ten years after development began, the Merkava entered service with the IDF. It was first deployed during the 1982 Lebanon War. In 1983, manufacturing was stopped in favour of the upgraded [[Merkava Mk.2B|Merkava Mk.2]] variant. Some Merkava Mk.1s were upgraded to the Mk.2 standard, being redesignated '''Merkava Mk.1B'''.
 Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the Merkava Mk.1B is the first indigenous armoured vehicle in the Israeli ground tree. The positioning of the engine at the front is one of the Merkava's most distinctive features, and improves the tank's survivability by absorbing shots from the front, protecting the crew. However, it also increases the risk of engine failure and fire. The Merkava boasts a powerful gun, a thermal sight, and excellent survivability, aided by its LWS and numerous smoke grenades, but low mobility compared to many Western tanks.

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 The Merkava Mk.1 was the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. The IDF formerly had to rely on importing foreign weapons to maintain its armoured units since its industry was inadequate to develop domestic vehicles. The British decision not to sell the Chieftain to the Israelis (because they were already supplying them to Arab countries) led Israel to begin its own tank development program. Development was overseen by General Israel Tal, who was not a professional engineer but an experienced soldier who had participated in World War II and the subsequent Arab-Israeli wars. He laid down the philosophy of the design, which prioritised crew protection, resulting in the tank's unique configuration: the engine was located at the front and, for rapid evacuation and transport of soldiers, a rear hatch was installed, effectively transforming it into an "armoured IFV". By 1974, the first prototypes of the Merkava tank were sent for initial trials, and in December 1979, almost ten years after development began, the Merkava entered service with the IDF. It was first deployed during the 1982 Lebanon War. The '''Merkava Mk.1B''' and Merkava Mk.1 are distinguished by the addition of a new fire control system and additional side armour for the suspension. In 1983, manufacturing was stopped in favour of the upgraded [[Merkava Mk.2B|Merkava Mk.2]] variant.
-Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the Merkava Mk.1B is the first indigenous armoured vehicle in the Israeli ground tree. The positioning of the engine at the front is one of the Merkava's most distinctive features, and improves the tank's survivability by absorbing shots from the front, protecting the crew. However, it also increases the risk of engine failure and fire. The Merkava boasts a powerful gun and excellent survivability, aided by its LWS and numerous smoke grenades, but low mobility compared to many Western tanks.
+Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the Merkava Mk.1B is the first indigenous armoured vehicle in the Israeli ground tree. The positioning of the engine at the front is one of the Merkava's most distinctive features, and improves the tank's survivability by absorbing shots from the front, protecting the crew. However, it also increases the risk of engine failure and fire. The Merkava boasts a powerful gun, a thermal sight, and excellent survivability, aided by its LWS and numerous smoke grenades, but low mobility compared to many Western tanks.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 132: / Line 132: @@
 === Pros and cons ===
 <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 '''Pros:'''
-* Has access to M413 that will pen most anything at its BR
+* Has access to M413 that can penetrate almost anything at its BR
 * The engine in the front provides extra crew protection
 * Gets access to thermals
 * Access to laser warning system
 '''Cons:'''
 * Reverse gear is slower than later models
 * Underpowered engine for its weight
 == History ==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''Merkava Mk.1B''' was the first and only subvariant of [[Merkava Mk.1 (USA)|Merkava Mk.1]], which was the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. The IDF formerly had to rely on importing foreign weapons to maintain its armoured units since its industry was inadequate to develop domestic vehicles. The British deciding not to sell the Chieftain to the Israelis (because they were already supplying them to Arab countries) led to Israel to begin their own tank development program. Israel first deployed the Merkava Mk.1 during the Lebanon War in 1982; following the battle, numerous modifications were made and implemented. The Merkava Mk.1B and Merkava Mk.1 are essentially distinguished by the addition of a new firing control system, additional side armour for the suspension, and chains with balls on the back of the turret. Under the back of the turret bustle, there was a shot trap where a well-placed shot might totally jam the turret. Chain netting was added to pre-maturely detonate rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) before they hit the main armour, increasing survivability. In 1983, manufacturing was stopped in favour of the upgraded [[Merkava Mk.2B|Merkava Mk.2]] variant.
+The Merkava Mk.1 was the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. The IDF formerly had to rely on importing foreign weapons to maintain its armoured units since its industry was inadequate to develop domestic vehicles. The British decision not to sell the Chieftain to the Israelis (because they were already supplying them to Arab countries) led Israel to begin its own tank development program. Development was overseen by General Israel Tal, who was not a professional engineer but an experienced soldier who had participated in World War II and the subsequent Arab-Israeli wars. He laid down the philosophy of the design, which prioritised crew protection, resulting in the tank's unique configuration: the engine was located at the front and, for rapid evacuation and transport of soldiers, a rear hatch was installed, effectively transforming it into an "armoured IFV". By 1974, the first prototypes of the Merkava tank were sent for initial trials, and in December 1979, almost ten years after development began, the Merkava entered service with the IDF. It was first deployed during the 1982 Lebanon War. The '''Merkava Mk.1B''' and Merkava Mk.1 are distinguished by the addition of a new fire control system and additional side armour for the suspension. In 1983, manufacturing was stopped in favour of the upgraded [[Merkava Mk.2B|Merkava Mk.2]] variant.
-Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the Merkava Mk.1B is the first indigenous armoured vehicle in the Israeli ground tree. The positioning of the engine at the front rather than the back, which is the conventional tank configuration, is one of the Merkava main combat tank's extremely distinctive features. The objective of such a design was to increase crew survivability, since Israel is a small country with limited resources and manpower, making it essential for them to survive battles. With its much-improved survivability compared to conventional main battle tanks, players will enjoy playing one of the Middle East's most iconic main battle tanks.
+Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the Merkava Mk.1B is the first indigenous armoured vehicle in the Israeli ground tree. The positioning of the engine at the front is one of the Merkava's most distinctive features, and improves the tank's survivability by absorbing shots from the front, protecting the crew. However, it also increases the risk of engine failure and fire. The Merkava boasts a powerful gun and excellent survivability, aided by its LWS and numerous smoke grenades, but low mobility compared to many Western tanks.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 |-
-| Hull || 60 mm (67-76°) ''Front glacis''<br>60 - 90 mm (30-57°) ''Lower glacis''
+| Hull || 60 mm (67-76°) ''Front glacis''<br>60 - 90 mm (30-57°) ''Lower glacis''
-| 50 + 10 mm ''Top''<br>50 + 10 mm ''Bottom''
+| 50 + 10 mm ''Top''<br>50 + 10 mm ''Bottom''
 | 30 mm (12-44°) mm
 | 20 - 30 mm
 |-
-| Turret || 30 - 65 mm (1-71°) ''Turret front'' <br> 100 mm (0-75°) ''Gun mantlet''
+| Turret || 30 - 65 mm (1-71°) ''Turret front'' <br> 100 mm (0-75°) ''Gun mantlet''
-| 65 mm ''Upper turret armour'' <br> 65 mm (0-60°) ''Lower turret armour''
+| 65 mm ''Upper turret armour'' <br> 65 mm (0-60°) ''Lower turret armour''
 | 65 mm (11° - 66°)
 | 30 mm
@@ Line 134: / Line 134: @@
 ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 '''Pros:'''
 * Has access to M413 that will pen most anything at its BR

@@ Line 134: / Line 134: @@
 ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 '''Pros:'''
+*
 '''Cons:'''
+*

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 |-
-| Hull || 60 mm (67-76°) ''Front glacis''
+| Hull || 60 mm (67-76°) ''Front glacis''<br>60 - 90 mm (30-57°) ''Lower glacis''
-- 90 mm (30-57°) ''Lower glacis''
+| 50 + 10 mm ''Top''<br>50 + 10 mm ''Bottom''
-| 50 + 10 mm ''Top''
+| 30 mm (12-44°) mm
-+ 10 mm ''Bottom''
+| 20 - 30 mm
 |-
-| Turret || 30 - 65 mm (1-71°) ''Turret front''
+| Turret || 30 - 65 mm (1-71°) ''Turret front'' <br> 100 mm (0-75°) ''Gun mantlet''
-Variable thickness armour (0-75°) ''Gun mantlet''
+| 65 mm ''Upper turret armour'' <br> 65 mm (0-60°) ''Lower turret armour''
-| 65 mm ''Upper turret armour''
+| 65 mm (11° - 66°)
 | 30 mm
 |-

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
-{{:Sharir (105 mm)/Ammunition|M152, M156, M111, M416}}
+{{:Sharir (105 mm)/Ammunition|M152, M156, M111, M416, M413}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Israeli medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].
+The '''Merkava Mark 1B''' is the first and only subvariant of [[Merkava Mk.1 (USA)|Merkava Mark 1]], which is the first variant of the [[Merkava (Family)|Merkava main battle tank family]]. Israel deployed the Merkava Mark 1 during the Lebanon War in 1982. By removing the palletized ammunition racks from storage during the war, some Merkava Mark 1s were transformed into improvised APCs or armoured ambulances. Through the back entrance, ten troops or walking wounded could enter and leave. Numerous modifications were made and implemented following the battle. Under the back of the turret bustle, there was a shot trap where a well-placed shot might totally jam the turret. Chain netting was added to pre-maturely detonate rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) before they hit the main armour, increasing survivability. The Merkava Mark 1B and Merkava Mark 1 are essentially distinguished by the addition of a new firing control system, additional side armour for the suspension, and chains with balls on the back of the turret (not implemented in-game). In 1983, manufacturing was stopped in favour of the upgraded Merkava Mark 2 variant.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 127: / Line 129: @@
 '''Pros:'''
+*
 '''Cons:'''
+*
@@ Line 140: / Line 144: @@
 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_merkava_mk_1b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
@@ Line 148: / Line 153: @@
 ;Related development
 * [[Merkava (Family)]]
 ** {{Specs-Link|us_merkava_mk_1}}
@@ Line 156: / Line 162: @@
 * ''other literature.'' -->
 ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.''