The recoil system on tanks and any big (modern) cannon mounted on a vehicle like a ship, is usually provided by a system of hydraulic cylinders. As it fires, the recoil pulls or pushes an oil filled cylinder, which forces the oil out, and into the air filled cylinder. The air compresses and acts like a big spring, absorbing some energy.
I don't know how they did it in the film, but assuming a real tank was used, I guess it may be possible to modify and hence manipulate those cylinders with an external source of compressed air.
Its a great film. Hard to believe it was all shot in this country. I heard that they spent ages smashing up the old gas works prior to filming. Kubrick even had palm trees placed around. The first half of the film was filmed at a real barracks somewhere here.
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