Why did both sides of the Spanish Civil War rush to buy advanced tanks, because they had just experienced a major tank battle, both sides lost a large number of tanks, and both sides recognized the huge role of tanks in ground warfare, especially in urban warfare.

In 1934, when Franco's army had lost its advantage on the ground battlefield, the Spanish Republican Army was beginning a counteroffensive. In July of that year, in Brute, the Spanish Republican Army wanted to take advantage of the absolute superiority in the number of tanks to attack the positions of the 12th Infantry Division of the Franco Army from the northeast of Brut in order to completely divide the Franco Army.

In order to defend against a possible offensive by the Spanish Republican Army, the second company of Franco's 502nd separate medium tank battalion was hastily sent to the Tysenburg area. In order to stop the Republican offensive, the commander of the second company, Lopel, was ordered to lead his troops to Belvigan, north of Tysenburg, to stop the Republican army. To the east of Belvigan is a small village called Marilovo.

The tanks used by the Franco army are mainly Italian Fiat tanks, IAT3000B 1930 models, this kind of tank is more than four meters long, more than two meters high, weighs only six tons, has a maximum speed of only 22 kilometers, a maximum driving distance of 90 kilometers, and the engine is a 63-horsepower water-cooled tandem 4-cylinder gasoline engine. A 37mm tank gun was adopted. This tank is a copy of the French Renault tank during World War I, and its performance is not very advanced. Of course, the Republican Army's Guncorps tanks were not much better.

Lopel joined up with a company of reinforcements on the north side of the hill outside the village, and had just enough eight Fiat tanks to fight. At this time, the remnants of the 12th Infantry Division were in an emergency retreat, and large groups of half-tracks, trucks, and motorcycles were crowded on the small roads west of the village. After learning about the situation with the infantry division. Lopel learned that the Republican army had about 100 tanks at this time!! Of course, there were actually quite a few tank regiments of the international column in these republican armies, which were coming from the east and south, and it was not known whether the village of Marilovo was occupied at this time, and these people had planned to retreat south to join the division headquarters. But now I don't know the specific situation in the village, so I don't dare to break in.

After a brief discussion, Lopel decided to crush the advance of the IRA in order to stop its attack and allow the 12th Division to meet at the division headquarters as soon as possible. The specific arrangement was as follows: Poulter led six Tiger and Sable assault guns to cover in the hilly area and contain the attack of the Republican army from the eastern road at any time, while Lopel and Kosher entered the village with two Fiat tanks to seize the road that the troops must pass. The two forces must maintain radio contact at all times.

Loppel's arrangement makes sense, as the situation in the village is not clear at the moment. All the chariots entered the village, and there was a possibility of chaotic street fighting. and will lose surveillance and control of the eastern road, which is the main direction of the IRA's offensive. Moreover, the path leading to the village was very muddy, and several tanks rushed through it together, possibly getting stuck there.

After arranging, Lopel and Kosher alternated cover and rushed to the village at full speed. At this time, the Republican Army did not expect that the German army, which had just retreated, would rush back with open fire. Two T34 tanks at the entrance of the village immediately rotated their turrets and pointed at Lopel's vehicle. Unexpectedly, he was killed by Kosher, who was behind the yellow finch, with two runs accurately.

After entering the village, Lopel ordered a low speed forward. Be careful to search for the IRA. Kosher quickly moved in and covered the left side of Lopel's Tiger 217. Suddenly!!! A medium tank with a long barrel and a streamlined turret rushed from the front right of Lopel. Suddenly, the five men of No. 217 immediately opened fire like clockwork machines, knocking out the medium tank - this. It was the Spanish Republican Army T26 medium tank, which had just appeared on the Eastern Front, and was specifically designed to deal with Franco's medium tanks. This tank had a terrible long-barreled 45 mm gun, which could easily penetrate the Tiger's armor at close range, while the Tiger, which was already slightly backward at this time, still used a 37 mm gun. But. Lopel immediately keenly discovered that this Spanish Republican Army medium tank had a huge disadvantage, although it was thickly armored and the caliber of the gun was a full circle larger than the tiger, but it was slow to react, and it was not suitable for maneuvering around the tiger at close range. However, at this time, Lopel was also well aware that they had been discovered by the Spanish Republican Army. Now, everyone's spirit is even more nervous.

At this moment, a green tank figure appeared in the distance hidden by the bushes in front of it. But perhaps the Republicans did not notice them, but hurried to the west of the village—it dawned on Lopel that the Republican army must have gathered at the east end of the village, and that the medium tanks and those that had just been destroyed by themselves were trying to go around to the west in order to encircle their own troops. He immediately radioed Boult and told them to use their fire to pin down the Republican tanks that were detouring westward, and at the same time summoned Kosher to approach and advance side by side. The muzzles of the guns are all pointed in the direction of 10 o'clock - this is the most likely direction for the enemy!

As expected, when they crossed a row of bungalows, their vision suddenly widened. In the open field ahead, there are 2 T26s heating up, and another 7 have already moved to the east of the village (it seems that the Spanish Republicans want to encircle the two wings) 2 to 15!!! Without waiting for Lopel's order, the 217 and 213 37-mm guns opened fire almost simultaneously, and the Spanish Republicans were immediately blinded. In less than a minute, 13 T26s were lying on the road. Only 2 fled to the east.

At this time, the barrels of the two tigers had already overheated in the rapid fire, and they were slightly blackened. Lopel's No. 217 load wheel was broken by 3, but fortunately it did not affect walking for the time being. Escher's tank was unscathed, and he slipped out of the conning tower and threw a strange smile at his old friend Lopel, but his face was very pale - the fierce battle just now was enough to terrify any veteran.

Lopel did not forget that there was still an enemy on the eastern flank that had not been resolved, and immediately called Boult by radio and learned that he was firing at 3 T26s and 2 BT5s. So, he ordered Kosher to go south to the entrance of the village to stand on guard. He quickly went around to the east of the village and attacked the back of the Spanish Republican Army tank. After 20 minutes, under the flanking fire of 6 tanks, the remaining Spanish Republican tanks had been destroyed. At this time, the Franco army took control of the village of Marilovo and destroyed a total of 17 T26 medium tanks and 4 BT5s of the Republican army!!

The battle was not over, after which Lopel ordered all Fiat tanks to concentrate at the north intersection of the village and line up to the east to guard the east, while the remaining vehicles of the 12th Division immediately passed through the village and quickly retreated to the south. Soon the dust was blowing in the east in the distance, and tanks, trucks, ammunition trucks and mechanized infantry of the Republican brigade drove mightily. Eight 37-mm tank guns adjusted their angles and fired at the same time, and the road in the distance suddenly turned into a hell on earth, a sea of fire.

Fifteen minutes later, the IRA retreated in a hurry, and with a hasty count of Lopel, another 26 Spanish Republican tanks were destroyed, and more were others......

It is worth mentioning that Kosher and Boult, who partnered with Lopel, were both ace commanders in the German army, while the opponent was the elite unit of the Republican Army: the famous Tank Regiment of the International Column!! And both sides threw in powerful tanks - it was a real duel!!!

Such tank battles have become the main fighting situation on the battlefield, and within two or three months, hundreds of tanks have been destroyed and both sides have won or lost. At this time, just after the opening of the 3rd International Defense Exhibition, I saw the small dragon tank series models of Dragon Soul Ordnance, and both sides ordered a huge number of tank series vehicles, and Dragon Soul Ordnance certainly made a lot of money. (To be continued.) )