Hmmm, are you sure this wasn't just a model glitch of some sort?
Yes I am sure it wasn´t just a model glitch. Since it happened to many vehicles in the Alpha. This in combination with the multitude of different damage possibilities that vehicles could get that they cut, shows that they aimed for a more in depth damage model.
Anyhow, is it just me or did the game play a lot better back then, and it looked better, I don't know how to explain it exactly but I'd rather play the Alpha than the current version for some odd reason.
I agree, it looked and sounded way better, apart from the horrible green friendly hud.