When the great Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu was creating his Art of War, there were about 2500 years left until the invention of tanks. Nevertheless, the prediction of the future use of tanks is clearly visible in one of the most well-known quotations of the ancient philosopher: “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
The first tank troops were relatively small, but the effect of their use was really mind-blowing. This explains why the need for mock tanks among all combatants of World War I was so urgent. However, the reasons for building dummy tanks varied widely.
The Central Powers and their allies had few tanks in their armies or did not have them at all. It was crucially important to cover up this fact and make the enemy think differently. Moreover, dummy tanks were used to train infantry and artillery how to fight against Entente tanks. When it comes to the Entente members, these problems were not urgent for them.
At the end of World War I, the combatant nations, except for defeated Germany, saw no need for building dummy tanks. According to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from having tanks; however, they tried to keep in touch with new technologies and sharpened tank tactics in any way they could. The photos from the 20s – 30s could be funny, but the beginning of World War II showed that there was nothing funny about those exercises with wooden boxes.
Generally speaking, dummy tanks saw few new use strategies during World War II. They served as shooting targets for gunners and created the illusion of the presence of armored forces on the battlefield. If it was necessary to transfer troops to another part of the front line, more peaceful camouflage was used, for example, trucks. Only the magnitude of their use got bigger. For instance, when preparing for the Normandy landings, the USA and England even created units of professional artists and painters equipped with sound hardware. The dummy versions of the Sherman not only looked realistic but also could make sounds like real vehicles. Those units were intended to deceive the enemy forces about the location where the future invasion would start.
During the time that has passed since the end of World War II, the production of military dummies in general, and tanks in particular, turned into a new industry branch. Crude methods became obsolete because of rapid development of aerial and space reconnaissance.
The tank with a two hungry horsepower engine. The Canadian soldiers transporting a dummy tank called John Collins to the frontline, December 1917
Austrian soldiers carrying a dummy tank, which weighs about 250 kg. The picture was taken shortly before breaking the Hindenburg Line on September 17, 1918
3D technologies in World War I. It is just a flat image of a tank painted by a skilled artist
It is a wooden replica of a British tank carefully created by Germans. The level of detail is really high, isn't it?
In this case, the original model is easy to recognize. It is the French Renault FT-17. This dummy was left by Germans in the Belgian Charleroi in 1918
According to another source, it is an American dummy, and exactly same dummies were a starting point for the American armored forces. The soldiers in the picture are not having fun, they are pulling the fake tank into position
A Bulgarian postcard from 1918 depicts the Bulgarian soldiers and officers. In the background, there is a tarpaulin fake tank. It was apparently used as a shooting target
Another English wooden tank surrounded by the German officers. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read the text on the front part of the dummy because of the low quality of the picture
The Wehrmacht officers near the dummy tank mounted on a car chassis
Two German dummy tanks mounted on a bicycle chassis. The photo was taken in 1925
At the beginning of World War II, the art of confusing enemies had to be learned again. In the picture, the English are building a dummy thank to mount it on a car chassis, February 1942, North Africa
Two Sikh soldiers from an Indian camouflage unit near a fake Stuart mounted on a car chassis, March 1942, Baghdad, Iraq
The British soldiers are transporting another fake Stuart, without chassis this time, April 1942, North Africa
Operation Bertram is the most successful British deception operation. It took place on September – October 1942. The German forces were deceived about the true direction of the future attack and, as a result, El Alamein was an Allied victory due to this operation. In the picture, the Matilda looks like a butterfly that has just emerged from its cocoon
This peaceful British tractor hides the Crusader, autumn 1942, North Africa
Pragmatic Germans, who captured many tanks of different types during the early stage of the war with the USSR, did not use them for training. Tanks in an operative condition continued fighting and were used against their previous owner, faulty tanks were remelted. For trainings, light dummies shaped like Soviet tanks were used
This self-propelled fake Т-34 based on a Polish tankette TKS served as a target for panzergrenadiers. The picture was taken in 1943
This German dummy is based on the relatively rare КV-2. It can apparently run on the rails, which are visible in the left part of the picture
This German dummy representing a captured Т-34 was later captured by Americans
Another dummy Т-34 during the training of German flamethrower operators
This dummy, judging by its placement among houses, was used for military training for local people
For training in throwing grenades, a dummy has to be strong and permanent. This fake T-34 is made of сoncrete
The less time the Germans had, the less quality of fake tanks was. This crude fake tank was intended to get in the way of the advancing Americans near Metz, France
The Japanese, too, did not miss out on an opportunity to deceive their enemies. In the picture, the American marine is examining one of Japanese dummies in Okinawa
In most regions, wood was traditionally used to build dummies; but a shortage of wood forced the Japanese to look for other ways out. The picture shows a unique fake tank, which was cut in the sandstone cliff in Iwo Jima. The picture was taken after the Americans captured the island
This dummy represents even a simpler approach. It is just a pile of stones. June 1945, Okinawa
This reinforced concrete dummy in Penghu, Taiwan, survives until today. It is difficult to say whether it was used for training or was intended to deceive the enemy
In 1944, the Allies paid more time and resources into building dummies than in the previous years. This wooden frame of the Sherman was made by British engineers during the Anzio operation, in April 1944, Italy
In this picture, you can see the same fake Sherman, but now it is ready for use
The crew members of the actual Sherman are watching their colleague doing something with the fake track of his dummy. Who knows whether they might have been jealous or mocking
The British militaries with their inflatable dummy M4 Sherman, the south of England. Inflatable dummies were used during the operation Fortitude to create phantom field armies in Edinburgh and the south of England, which threatened Norway and Pas de Calais
The strategy of mass use of inflatable dummies for creating alternative targets misled the Germans and diverted their attention away from Normandy
One of the inflatable tank groups created by the allies before the crossing of the Rhine looked so realistic from the air. Attention to detail like track trails of non-existing tanks is noticeable
If you have a closer look at the work of American and British camouflage specialists, you will surely see that it is not perfect
However, if you reduce this image, the similarity with the real Sherman will become higher
It is a unique color photo of an inflatable fake Sherman
The purpose of this replica of the German Panther remains unknown, but it appears to be a property of some American training area
Postwar dummies became more accurate. In this photo, you can clearly recognize the British Centurion
It is really hard to distinguish between this fake M47 Patton and a real one
Modern dummy tanks look like a piece of art. Just have a look at this fake T-72
When the great Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu was creating his Art of War, there were about 2500 years left until the invention of tanks. Nevertheless, the prediction of the future use of tanks is clearly visible in one of the most well-known quotations of the ancient philosopher: “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
The first tank troops were relatively small, but the effect of their use was really mind-blowing. This explains why the need for mock tanks among all combatants of World War I was so urgent. However, the reasons for building dummy tanks varied widely.
The Central Powers and their allies had few tanks in their armies or did not have them at all. It was crucially important to cover up this fact and make the enemy think differently. Moreover, dummy tanks were used to train infantry and artillery how to fight against Entente tanks. When it comes to the Entente members, these problems were not urgent for them.
At the end of World War I, the combatant nations, except for defeated Germany, saw no need for building dummy tanks. According to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from having tanks; however, they tried to keep in touch with new technologies and sharpened tank tactics in any way they could. The photos from the 20s – 30s could be funny, but the beginning of World War II showed that there was nothing funny about those exercises with wooden boxes.
Generally speaking, dummy tanks saw few new use strategies during World War II. They served as shooting targets for gunners and created the illusion of the presence of armored forces on the battlefield. If it was necessary to transfer troops to another part of the front line, more peaceful camouflage was used, for example, trucks. Only the magnitude of their use got bigger. For instance, when preparing for the Normandy landings, the USA and England even created units of professional artists and painters equipped with sound hardware. The dummy versions of the Sherman not only looked realistic but also could make sounds like real vehicles. Those units were intended to deceive the enemy forces about the location where the future invasion would start.
During the time that has passed since the end of World War II, the production of military dummies in general, and tanks in particular, turned into a new industry branch. Crude methods became obsolete because of rapid development of aerial and space reconnaissance.
The tank with a two hungry horsepower engine. The Canadian soldiers transporting a dummy tank called John Collins to the frontline, December 1917
Austrian soldiers carrying a dummy tank, which weighs about 250 kg. The picture was taken shortly before breaking the Hindenburg Line on September 17, 1918
3D technologies in World War I. It is just a flat image of a tank painted by a skilled artist
It is a wooden replica of a British tank carefully created by Germans. The level of detail is really high, isn't it?
In this case, the original model is easy to recognize. It is the French Renault FT-17. This dummy was left by Germans in the Belgian Charleroi in 1918
According to another source, it is an American dummy, and exactly same dummies were a starting point for the American armored forces. The soldiers in the picture are not having fun, they are pulling the fake tank into position
A Bulgarian postcard from 1918 depicts the Bulgarian soldiers and officers. In the background, there is a tarpaulin fake tank. It was apparently used as a shooting target
Another English wooden tank surrounded by the German officers. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read the text on the front part of the dummy because of the low quality of the picture
The Wehrmacht officers near the dummy tank mounted on a car chassis
Two German dummy tanks mounted on a bicycle chassis. The photo was taken in 1925
At the beginning of World War II, the art of confusing enemies had to be learned again. In the picture, the English are building a dummy thank to mount it on a car chassis, February 1942, North Africa
Two Sikh soldiers from an Indian camouflage unit near a fake Stuart mounted on a car chassis, March 1942, Baghdad, Iraq
The British soldiers are transporting another fake Stuart, without chassis this time, April 1942, North Africa
Operation Bertram is the most successful British deception operation. It took place on September – October 1942. The German forces were deceived about the true direction of the future attack and, as a result, El Alamein was an Allied victory due to this operation. In the picture, the Matilda looks like a butterfly that has just emerged from its cocoon
This peaceful British tractor hides the Crusader, autumn 1942, North Africa
Pragmatic Germans, who captured many tanks of different types during the early stage of the war with the USSR, did not use them for training. Tanks in an operative condition continued fighting and were used against their previous owner, faulty tanks were remelted. For trainings, light dummies shaped like Soviet tanks were used
This self-propelled fake Т-34 based on a Polish tankette TKS served as a target for panzergrenadiers. The picture was taken in 1943
This German dummy is based on the relatively rare КV-2. It can apparently run on the rails, which are visible in the left part of the picture
This German dummy representing a captured Т-34 was later captured by Americans
Another dummy Т-34 during the training of German flamethrower operators
This dummy, judging by its placement among houses, was used for military training for local people
For training in throwing grenades, a dummy has to be strong and permanent. This fake T-34 is made of сoncrete
The less time the Germans had, the less quality of fake tanks was. This crude fake tank was intended to get in the way of the advancing Americans near Metz, France
The Japanese, too, did not miss out on an opportunity to deceive their enemies. In the picture, the American marine is examining one of Japanese dummies in Okinawa
In most regions, wood was traditionally used to build dummies; but a shortage of wood forced the Japanese to look for other ways out. The picture shows a unique fake tank, which was cut in the sandstone cliff in Iwo Jima. The picture was taken after the Americans captured the island
This dummy represents even a simpler approach. It is just a pile of stones. June 1945, Okinawa
This reinforced concrete dummy in Penghu, Taiwan, survives until today. It is difficult to say whether it was used for training or was intended to deceive the enemy
In 1944, the Allies paid more time and resources into building dummies than in the previous years. This wooden frame of the Sherman was made by British engineers during the Anzio operation, in April 1944, Italy
In this picture, you can see the same fake Sherman, but now it is ready for use
The crew members of the actual Sherman are watching their colleague doing something with the fake track of his dummy. Who knows whether they might have been jealous or mocking
The British militaries with their inflatable dummy M4 Sherman, the south of England. Inflatable dummies were used during the operation Fortitude to create phantom field armies in Edinburgh and the south of England, which threatened Norway and Pas de Calais
The strategy of mass use of inflatable dummies for creating alternative targets misled the Germans and diverted their attention away from Normandy
One of the inflatable tank groups created by the allies before the crossing of the Rhine looked so realistic from the air. Attention to detail like track trails of non-existing tanks is noticeable
If you have a closer look at the work of American and British camouflage specialists, you will surely see that it is not perfect
However, if you reduce this image, the similarity with the real Sherman will become higher
It is a unique color photo of an inflatable fake Sherman
The purpose of this replica of the German Panther remains unknown, but it appears to be a property of some American training area
Postwar dummies became more accurate. In this photo, you can clearly recognize the British Centurion
It is really hard to distinguish between this fake M47 Patton and a real one
Modern dummy tanks look like a piece of art. Just have a look at this fake T-72
