[James A Pratt III]

I believe the main cause of tanks catching fire in WW II were from most to least:
1. ammo
2. gear stowed on the outside of a tank
3. oil or fuel stored on the outside of a tank
4. fuel

I don't have much info on hand on tanks under air attack from the tank men's point of view. I do have the following books:
"Brazen Chariots" Robert Crisp a fine book on what it is like in tank combat

"Mr Churchills Tank" David Fletcher A fine book on this tank.

In both books tanks are hard to sometimes kill. Despite what you see in movies ect.
Fletcher has one Churchill taking 38 50mm hits, 6 75mm hits and 8 British 6 pdr hits! the latter by accident. Another account has a Churchill taking a 88 mm round through the front and penatrating to the engine no crew casualties. Then there is a Churchill that was hit by 4-75mm rounds from a Panther all penatraed the armor but no casualties.

Air attacks rare on the Churchill. The book has one destroyed in Tunisa by a divebomber that hit the tank of 51 RTR with 2 bombs 1 on the nearside track and 1 that hit the engine starting a fuel fire. In Normandy 16 Jul 44 the 153 RAC was attacked by 12 FW-190s with MGs and bombs no casualties and they claim one aircraft shot down.
I have read somewhere that the Germans had to fire 11 rounds from an 88 mm to kill one tank.

I would also like to point out;
Germans in Russia all or most Russian tanks are refered to as T-34s
US 1944-45 all or most German tanks are called Tigers
Russians 1943-45 all or most German tanks are either Tigers or panthers, all or most sp guns ect are called ferdinands. Half tracks are also called tanks