The Space-Saver Sherman (Inflatable, 1 each)

A brief discussion on the merits and disadvantages of having a collapsible Sherman.
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[@LokisChaos]

Surely the largest downside to the inflatable tank is no track tension to discuss.

[@danieltaylor5231]

But you could tension the tie downs!

[@LokisChaos]

@danieltaylor5231 true, wonder if there's an FM for that

[@SonsOfLorgar]

​@@LokisChaos you can bet there is at least one per inflatable vehicle type and version...

[@rotwang2000]

The one in the background on the right seems to be a very careless one when it comes to tension ...

[@ssgtmole8610]

How high does a quarter bounce off of it for a proper inflation test. 😁

[@havokvladimirovichstalinov]

Poor tank is depressed, youd think being able to meet the Chieftain would cheer him up

[@shaunpatterson9148]

Needs some viagra...

[@devil5cry]

Cheftaine join war thunder event vehicles confirm?!?!😂😂😂😂

[@naamadossantossilva4736]

It is a cold day.

[@marcusott2973]

He's sad because his track can't be tensioned.

[@markfryer9880]

Maybe he didn't get excited because he didn't want the Chieftain getting a strike against his channel for showing off erect gun barrels? After all this is not an age restricted channel? Mark from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺

[@gummonster1]

I played this tank in War Thunder. It shot whole carrots and potatoes and was powered by 4 men on bicycles connected to an internal frame... It seems the real ones lack this functionality but the mock cannon barrels are just as floppy as I remember.

[@jeffthebaptist3602]

I mean no armor is best armor...

[@devil5cry]

​@@jeffthebaptist3602 M56 stronk!!!!🎉

[@LeftCoastStephen]

They may be floppy but the angle of depression is pretty impressive.

[@FokkerBoombass]

One of the greatest April Fools events we had. And the best thing about it was that it was all a jab at WoT with the way the tanks handled and the health bars.

[@gummonster1]

@@FokkerBoombass ayo FACTS

[@echo_9835]

0:40 I'm pretty sure they make a pill for that now. You should call your maintenance and supply depot if the gun stays up for more than four hours though.

[@johnhughes2653]

Projectile dysfunction is no laughing matter!

[@arthurreis1906]

Sadly, the pills for depression have the side effect of making your gun depressed.

[@yowie0889]

Be wary that the pills claiming to increase the calibre are a scam.

[@builder396]

There is one advantage of the inflatable tank that nobody seems to talk about: Its fully amphibious.

[@mandowarrior123]

Its more than that, a true land-sea-air vehicle.

[@mbr5742]

So now we also get "how to check air pressure on your tank" :)

[@M4A3Sherman]

I always wanted one of these. Perfect for parties, holiday decorations, or tricking your neighbor into thinking your invasion will come in the front yard when you’re really coming in via the backyard!

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Those special glaze ribs shall be mine this time, Smith! *Muahahahahahaha!!!!!* 🤣

[@robotbjorn4952]

No one _ever_ expects it from the rear!

[@windwalker5765]

Okay, if an Army inflatable tank blows away in a storm and you find it, no, you didn't. I don't know what you're talking about, no you can't look in my shed.

[@straybullitt]

I know that if I find an inflatable tank in my garden... I'm keeping it!!! 🤠

[@Skorpychan]

That would depend on if I can wangle a ride in a REAL tank as a reward for finding their fake one.

[@ConeOfArc]

Just imagining some random brit look out their window to see a tank floating through the sky. As for modern dummy inflatable tanks I have seen some photos of an inflatable Abrams and some articles referencing the Army having some although I'm not sure if the pictures were real. I don't see why they wouldn't have them though considering Russia does

[@tgapmax4051]

Isn't the Tiger in Munster a fake made by the old East German dummy tank equipment?

[@tfcooks]

"That one bounced."

[@pacificostudios]

NICK!! - I cant believe you found an actual inflatable Sherman, even a replica of the WWII version. This is amazing!

[@dirus3142]

I see Chieftain is one of those who takes their Christmas decorations down at the end of January.

[@bilalsadiq1450]

I like the hull mounted cannon, I'm sure the Sherman would've been far more effective if the driver got to fiddle with a fixed 37mm cannon.

[@DeuZerre]

B1 bis gang

[@ssgtmole8610]

I think it might be an attempt to simulate a long barrel 76 at maximum depression. I'm guessing they had a hard time producing a long enough inflatable tube to match the real gun. It would likely look more convincing in aerial photographs. 🤔

[@janslavik5284]

you've basically described an M3 Lee

[@DeuZerre]

@@janslavik5284 reverse m3 lee

[@janslavik5284]

@@DeuZerre yeah

[@brandonwestfall3241]

"Radio Battalion Field Maintenance if your gun barrel remains elevated for more than 4 hours."

[@hoosierfarmkid]

No “oh bugger the tank is on fire” Day ruined lol

[@Jermster_91]

More like "Oh Bugger, the inflatable is on fire".

[@konstantin.v]

Well, you can inflate it with hydrogen 🤪

[@nhancao4790]

The HOA is gonna have a field day with this

[@littlekong7685]

Yes, but from a distance, because they think you have a tank.

[@Wrang15]

Mine would not care.... now the dirt bike, atv, and snowmobiles might slow on the roads, lol .. someone would probably blow it up with fireworks.

[@timh6845]

Step one: inflate tank. Put on front lawn. Step two: receive complaint phone call from HOA. Tell you don’t have a tank and to come have a look for themselves. Step three: quickly deflate tank and hide in garage Step four: upon their arrival accuse them of being senile. Repeat

[@TzunSu]

@@timh6845 "What do you mean i must have moved it? It's a goddamned tank, do you see any track marks!? Go take your medicine, grandpa."

[@larrywest8046]

“Do they have something inflatable? I dunno, I haven’t seen it.” Stealth inflatables, brilliant! 😉

[@Hludwine]

Very funny but it also made me appreciate for the first time just how dangerous that deception job must have been. Imagine deliberately provoking artillery fire on your location.

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

Finally a place where GTFO skills are job requirement.

[@fluffly3606]

@@alexturnbackthearmy1907, To be fair, GTFO skills are job requirement for most special forces.

[@chriscookesuffolk]

There was an inflatable boy, and he goes to an inflatable school. Bored with the lesson, he gets up and walks out of the inflatable classroom but, while walking down the corridor, he sees the inflatable headmaster approaching him. The inflatable boy pulls out a pin and punctures the inflatable headmaster before running out of the inflatable school gates. Just as he gets past the gates, he thinks again, "I hate school", and once more pulls out his pin and pokes it into the inflatable school. He then runs as fast as his inflatable legs allow, all the way home and races into his inflatable bedroom. A couple of hours later, his inflatable mother is knocking at his bedroom door and with her are the inflatable Police. Panicking, our inflatable boy yet again pulls out the pin and jabs it into himself. Later on that evening, he wakes up in an inflatable hospital and, in the bed next to him, he sees the inflatable headmaster. Shaking his deflated head - more in sorrow than in anger - the Headmaster gravely intones: "You've let me down; you've let the school down, but worst of all, you've let yourself down."

[@markfryer9880]

This whole story was a let down! Now who is going to pack it up and put it away? Mark from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺

[@tgapmax4051]

We don't need no (inflatable) education, We don't need no (inflatable) thought control

[@JovianLoop]

Coming to this late - but this is a seriously underrated comment. It made my day - thank you sir.

[@cyberleaderandy1]

The fact the sergeant major who lost the tank name was Pratt doesn't help him one bit 😂

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

"Secret Soldiers" by Philip Gerard tells the story of the 23d Headquarters Special Troops who were in charge of deception operations for the US Army in Europe during WW2. It's a great story with an amazing cast of characters.

[@cartermaloof4980]

"And you can't take it shopping" Someone will Nick, this is the internet.

[@LukeBunyip]

Best jumping castle evar!

[@moosemaimer]

Put a heater on the air pump and it would probably fool IR sensors, especially if the inlet was where the exhaust should be. Maybe impregnate the fabric with something radar-reflective, like an anti-stealth paint.

[@allangibson8494]

Or just order one with the IR generator and road wheels from the German manufacturer… (They make live fire targets for ranges that fully emulate real tanks).

[@LilithTheAbyssalGoddess]

would be cool to see an inflatable Abrams tank if that even exists.

[@akizeta]

Just type "inflatable Abrams" into Google image search.

[@tomhenry897]

Have something Been too long Had a heater to simulate the engine

[@ilyan41]

i would imagine that they exist in some form, though i doubt they'd be that useful against most modern forms of air/space reconnaissance. inflatable tanks don't really have a large radar or thermal signature after all

[@Chilly_Billy]

​@@ilyan41 Both can easily be simulated by radar reflective material and hot but otherwise fake powerplants.

[@ilyan41]

@@Chilly_Billy powerplants are not the issue, especially for static vehicles. the issue is that they aren't made of steel. Metals don't glow the same under thermal as textiles do. Sure you could coat a tank in paint with a high metal concentration to better reflect radar waves, but the return would never match an actual vehicle. not to mention the need to maintain said paint to make sure the radar return doesn't drop because it has been out in the sun for too long

[@icy3-1]

Speaking of jeeps, I saw around the Christmas 2023 season, a fellow churchgoer at my town's parish (I'm from the Philippines btw, the province of Pangasinan in particular where General Douglas MacArthur landed to begin his push towards Manila) who brought an actual, driving condition, refurbished Willy's Jeep with a roof on it. Even still had markings on it. No weapons unfortunately xD

[@TallDude73]

Your observation at 0:42 is quite normal, just happens with age. Of the tank. 😀

[@captianmorgan7627]

I love that the Chieftain is wearing a shirt that perfectly camouflages him against the tank.

[@kiwiruna9077]

All I see is the Chieftains head and some blue jeans, maybe he is trying to not be seen.

[@IchwurdeHierzugenotigt]

A German Wiesel should fit into your garage. But do you fit into a Wiesel ? Greetings from Germany.

[@amaladiguna8873]

Man.. that first bit has me remembering a magazine infographic of what it would be like to own a jump jet in a suburb

[@W1se0ldg33zer]

Great to see someone else has a thing for inflatable toys.

[@patrickwentz8413]

Owning a real tank would be like owning a baby elephant. Really fun but really expensive.

[@UncleJoeLITE]

Surprisingly, I've only considered a Hetzer [Pz38t] as a dainly driver. Obviously I'd need to swap in the short barrelled 75mm for utility. =)

[@mini_high]

I want one

[@PSYCOMMUnist]

I remember reading in a history book these saw extensive use in the Gryps War.

[@dyingearth]

Deployment of them is far faster than Chieftain describes here. With a flick of a button, some pilots can send out half a dozen inflated MS to confuse the enemy target acquisition sensors (no, radar don't work in this particular situation due to the battlefield scattering of Minovsky particle.

[@fishua5564]

Next year's hottest yard decoration for Halloween and xmas!

[@Operator8282]

That tank needs a "little blue pill".

[@aeslec-525]

I'm looking forward to seeing if the inflatable tank passes the "Oh no, the tank is on fire!" test.

[@IVIaskerade]

I bought one a while ago, but after blowing it up and admiring it, it was ultimately a huge letdown.

[@Olebull93]

Me: "Mom, can we get a Sherman. Mom: "We have a Sherman at home" Sherman at home:

[@onkelfabs6408]

Nick, you should have added a warning for smokers: "Inflating this tank may be in excess of your lungs' capacity."

[@robertlewis8295]

How about some version of a Universal Carrier? They should fit in your garage. Or maybe you should get a M-16 GMC and try popping wheelies in one again?

[@Kumimono]

The most amphibious tank of them all. With helium, it even flies! With hydrogen, finally a Sherman that actually burns as well as some think! I think they used an inflatable dude to pass as a drowned officer to confuse the Germans at some point. Floated too well, they didn't fall for it. (That was a joke, but, look up Operation Mincemeat, if you haven't. "The Man Who Never Was" is also a recommendation, about the same story.)

[@whatnow9653]

They should have used these in Normandy, instead of DD Shermans.

[@FamousEccles]

People might enjoy "The War Magician", a biography of the magician Jasper Maskelyne who came up with a lot of these deception tactics.

[@alherch]

This would be a sweet canvas for holiday decorations on your front yard!

[@bare-footjo35]

Oh come on! No "Oh bugger the tank is on fire!" drill, and no track tensioning! This is ridiculous, I demand a remake!

[@ultrablue2]

“Oh my god, the inflatable tank is on FIRE!”

[@arkdeniz]

A fully… inflated… Sentinel tank would be most imposing.

[@drmarkintexas-400]

Wishing you a Happy Healthy and Safe 2024 🏆🤗🙏💙

[@hallamhal]

It's crazy how the internet has changed our perception of time, you said a couple of years ago, the article is from 2002, and I just went "oh yeah, 2002, that wasn't that long ago"

[@danieltaylor5231]

What? No "Oh bugger the tanks deflating" drill?

[@barelyasurvivor1257]

Great quick video TY

[@PaladinDansesGirlfriend]

This needs to be in your merch store for sure

[@glitterboy2098]

iirc, the declassified footage and pictures of the WW2 deception 'vehicles', at least those in the D-day related deceptions, tended to show painted cloth over wood frameworks. which makes sense. it would be cheaper than inflatables (at least for the time), and when you are having to pretend that whole divisions are present for an invasion of Calais that isn't going to happen, you'd want to save some funds. the ones used in the desert against Rommel seem to have been mostly food frames and cloth as well. (as were the german ones. both sides in north africa went big into deception warfare.)

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

The frames in WW2 were inflatable, as it happens

[@stevemercer952]

For the man who has everything!

[@archiegeorge3969]

Are there any Crusader “Sun Shields “ preserved anywhere? Those were a great idea

[@trevorwhitham6742]

Emotional support Sherman great for hugging

[@PaulMcElligott]

The “Oh, bugger. The tank is on fire.” drill is much different for this model.

[@facilegoose9347]

Need to get one for Halloween ... and Christmas.

[@robertmorey4104]

I thought you'd mention the inflatable tanks greatest victory in Ww2. That was Pattons "Ghost" First army group which tied up real German armor divisions in the Pas de Calais area, keeping them from counter attacking the Normandy beachhead.

[@phil20_20]

There's something scary about that picture.

[@ianprescott7378]

Who wouldn't want one? I know I do. How about if some enterprising tent manufacturer designed a Sherman Tent? I'd want one of those too.

[@markfryer9880]

Would the opening be camouflaged?

[@McRocket]

The best part about them - no track tensioning!!! ☮

[@davidbrannon5003]

Ahh the days of Jasper and his magic gang...Now there's a story!

[@Colinpark]

Track tension is achieved by pumping up to the correct PSI

[@mikewilliams8698]

Fun fact, inflatable vehicles are still available as targets or testing aids and come in many varieties, mostly soviet. Look up i2kdefense if you are interested. While most look a little floppy up close, at a distance or through a scope, they look pretty good!

[@ObligedOrca9161]

You should get a Ferret, it's a dream of mine to own one (while the M8 LAC is my favorite, it's a lot less usable in daily life)

[@burhanbudak6041]

The Army does have distraction tank, its actually invisible and is called Ezekiel's Wheel

[@cedhome7945]

That tanks gun reminded me of waking up on a Sunday morning after a wild night on the town .... you know it's like a monkeys nesting in your mouth and your body feels like a train wreck there's a traffic cone in the bathroom and your wallet is empty....

[@robertsolomielke5134]

Sounds like an ill fated foray into Las Vegas ;)

[@gallendugall8913]

That looks like it would make a great waterbed.

[@johnhughes2653]

What's your favourite position in bed? - Gunner?

[@lewiswestfall2687]

Thanks

[@legbreaker2762]

But how do you tension the tracks?

[@konstantin.v]

By inflating, of course 😊

[@kevinoliver3083]

At last! A sergeant you can call pratt without being charged with insubordination.

[@Calbeck]

I want one for Christmas displays!

[@minutemanhomestead7214]

well done good sir well done!

[@charleswade2514]

The flying turkey can work, maybe. A inflatable tank, well it always works.

[@zumbazumba1]

This is amazing! With todays laser cutting technology you could make 10.000 tanks for a price of one out of plywood.Then you dig holes and assemble them in it to look like the tank is digged in and it guards position.When enemy artillery strikes you can use counter artillery radar to destroy it.All for the price of couple 5mm plywood boards and a bucket of paint ! With todays precision of laser cutting you could make copy of tank that looks identical to a real thing to a point that nobody would know the difference especially from the air.

[@Shadow_Lunatale]

Sir, you need a bigger garage. I suggest the dimensions to be at least 40 ft in length, 15 ft in width and 12 ft in heigth. This will make sure that a Chieftain will fit into said garage, if you ever happen to find someone willing to sell you such a tank. Thank you for your great content, it is much apprechiated.

[@slee3155]

does the Chieftain fit inside?

[@johnhughes2653]

Only if you deflate him first!

[@Spookston]

I'll take twenty

[@khoipham8303]

I'll take 20,000

[@SledgeOfHouseHammer]

Those barrels look a little limp. Can you put some viagra in the compressor?

[@moosemaimer]

"I was in the pool!"

[@mandowarrior123]

New definition to 'our cover is blown'

[@beanhavok2287]

We should start a gofundme to get Chieftain a tank!

[@andrewgillis3073]

It was more than just inflatable vehicles, they also simulated noise and radio traffic, even trash piles!

[@Kumimono]

And, a dead officer. The body was real, but his rank, and the secret papers with him, were not.

[@JustSomeCanuck]

To adjust track tension: Inflate tank to recommended pressure. No further adjustments are necessary as long as tank remains within specified pressure range.

[@pauld6967]

Chieftain, once again another great video. Thank you. However, you forgot to provide the link to where a person can buy a 1:1 scale inflatable Sherman tank. :-( I suppose there are people out there who would want a Tiger or an IS-2 so this could be quite the cottage industry for someone.

[@firefox5926]

1:25 pretty good nbc p... well pretty good bc protection once you inside i would imagine tho lol

[@bobchmi3855]

I would absolutely buy one

[@pacificostudios]

Where is this exhibit? It's not the one at the Spy Museum in Washington.

[@thomasmaloney843]

The favorite of the 25th Armored Division which Dad was in.

[@ModdedLink]

this is a great ad for inflatable anything

[@GARDENER42]

I keep one of those in my wallet for unexpected encounters...

[@PaletoB]

I believe It's also amphibious, air portable and won't cost you your house when the marriage fails...

[@marinetech262]

I totally want to see "Oh bugger... The inflatable tank is on fire."

[@warriorwolf77]

With the way military procurement is nowadays it'd cost more to get a plant to manufacture inflatable M1s than it would to produce a new actual tank.

[@itsnotagsr]

No link to your website? I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking “I need this!!!”

[@ElysiumNZ]

A serious question…….how do you tension its track.🤔

[@banie01]

If they can make this in Xmas colours? I reckon I could convince my wife to let me decorate 🤣

[@Texasplit]

3D printed tanks with an attachment for a golf cart inside…

[@Nderak]

can you recommend some books? i read To Fool A Glass Eye some years back and wished there was a companion textbook that went more in depth and covered recent conflicts

[@durandol]

First Forgotten weapons reviews the shotgun from Halp, and now this. It's not April yet, guys.