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6 6 5 5 1 1 Home Page Home Page Cruiser Tank ‘Challenger’ (A30) In 1941 a specification was issued by the War Office for a tank that could take on the latest German heavy tanks, and would be armed with the new 17 pounder anti-tank gun which was in the final stages of development. The A27 Cromwell was chosen to mount the gun, although a larger chassis would be required to accommodate the weight of the gun and a larger turret. This was achieved by lengthening the chassis and adding another road wheel so the turret ring section could be widened. The first test vehicles were ready for trials in the spring of 1942 but proved unsuccessful. The weight of the turret was not balanced S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 31.5 tons Dimensions: Length 26 ft 9 ins, Width 9 ft 6½ ins, Height 9 ft 1 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 600 hp Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 17 pounder gun, 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum 102 mm Crew: 5 by the suspension, while the turret was so slow to traverse that a new system had to be designed. Despite its many problems the A30 Challenger, as it was named, was placed in production on the strength of its gun, but it was not until the spring of 1944 that the first examples were issued, by which time the more capable Sherman Firefly, armed with a slightly modified 17 pdr gun gun was available, and in the end only 200 were built. Only a few were to see service from late 1944 when they were issued to armoured units to provide fire support, but as soon as the war was over they were withdrawn from service. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 200 Contents Contents 4 4 3 3 2 2
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6 6 5 5 1 1 Home Page Home Page Cruiser Tank Mk VIII 'Cromwell' (A27M) A further submission as a replacement for A15 Crusader tank was designated the A27 and had come from the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, and was also based on the Crusader and of similar design to the A24. The A27 had a low rectangular hull with a stepped front for a hull machine gun, while the sides were vertical with no sloped armour. The turret was also slab sided, having a welded substructure with the armour bolted on from inside. The main difference between the A24 ans A27 was the use of the Rolls-Royce Meteor engine which was a development of the Merlin areo S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 27.5 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 10 ins, Width 9 ft, Height 9 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 600 hp Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 164 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun, 2 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 76 mm Crew: 5 engine. The prototype A27 totally eclipsed the performance of the A24 which resulted in the tank being immediately placed in production in mid 1943. When the 7th Armoured Division returned to the UK in preparation for D-Day they re-equipped with the type, the crews receiving them with mixed feelings. In the immediate fighting after D-Day, Cromwells suffered badly in the Normandy Bocage where its speed could not be used to advantage. The Cromwell was the equal to the Panzer III or IV, but no match for the Tiger or Panther heavy tank, but after the breakout in August the Cromwell came into its own. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 4,000+ T A N K T A N K Cruiser Tank Mk VII ‘Cavalier’ (A24) In mid-1940 a specification was issued for a new cruiser tank which would replace the A15 Crusader in the British army. They were to be armed with the new 6 pounder gun, have up to 75 mm of frontal armour, a 60 inch turret ring, a speed of at least 24 mph, and weigh no more than 24 tons. Nuffield put forward a design that was based on the A15 Crusader tank modified to carry the 6 pounder gun and powered by an up-rated Liberty engine. Five road wheels were fitted each side with the Christie suspension mounted between inner and outer panels, while the turret was of a very angular nature that was constructed S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 27 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 10 ins, Width 9 ft 6 ins, Height 8 ft Powerplant: 1 x Nuffield 350 hp Liberty petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 24 mph, Range 164 miles Armament: 1 x 6 pounder gun, 4 x 7.92 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 76 mm Crew: 5 from vertical flat panels. Given the designation A24 and named Cavalier, 500 were ordered straight off the drawing board, but trials with the prototypes were a disaster. The main problem was that the Liberty engine was not powerful enough for the weight of the tank, causing excessive strain on the engine which gave it an even shorter lifespan and made the tank even less reliable than the A15 Crusader. The Cavalier was used for training in the UK, and later around 200 were converted for use as Observation Posts and a few others as Armoured Recovery Vehicles, both seeing action in North West Europe in 1944-45. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 500 T A N K Cruiser Tank Mk VIII 'Centaur' (A27L) With the success of the Meteor powered A27, the tank was placed into production, but belief that there would be an initial shortage of the Meteor engine, led to Leyland producing the same tank powered by the uprated Liberty engine. As a consequence the Meteor powered tanks were known as the A27(M) Cromwell, and Liberty engined vehicles the A27(L) Centaur. The first Centaur was competed in July 1942, but the problems of the Liberty engine reared up once again. This was proved in 1943 when a couple of long distance runs were undertaken to test reliability. Despite this production of the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 27.5 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 10 ins, Width 9 ft, Height 9 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x Nuffield 395 hp Liberty petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 26 mph, Range 164 miles Armament: 1 x 95 mm howitzer, 2 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 76 mm Crew: 5 Centaur went ahead, with an estimated 1,000 being built, although many Centaurs were later re-engined with the Meteor, and as such became Cromwells. The Centaur however did go to war after about eighty were modified and armed with a short barrelled 95 mm howitzer. Designated the Centaur IV close support tank, these were first used on D-Day by the Royal Marines to provide fire support for the Commandos. The unit remained in combat until late June when they were withdrawn. Other specialised conversions included an armoured bulldozer, an armoured recovery vehicle and an observation post. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1,000 T A N K T.O.G. II Heavy Infantry Tank In the early summer of 1939, the prospect of war grew ever nearer. Most people believed it would be similar to the First World War, with trench warfare becoming a certainty, so to investigate a new design for a heavy infantry tank with trench warfare in mind, the ‘Special Vehicle Development Committee’ was formed. This was headed by Sir Albert Stern, and included Walter Wilson, William Tritton, Harry Ricardo, Eustace Tennyson D'eyncourt and Ernest Swinton, all of whom had played major parts in tank development during World War One, and were soon nickname ‘The Old Gang’, the initials T.O.G. being applied S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 80 tons Dimensions: Length 33 ft 3 ins, Width 10 ft 3 ins, Height 10 ft Powerplant: 1 x Paxman-Ricardo 600 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 8½ mph, Range 70 miles Armament: 1 x 17 pounder gun, 3 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 76 mm Crew: 8 to their designs. During trials with the prototype unresolvable problems were encountered which resulted in a revised design which emerged as T.O.G. II, which was similar in appearance to the T.O.G. 1 and kept many of its features. A prototype was ready for trials in May 1943, by which time the weight of the tank had risen to 80 tons. The trials were disappointing, the tank being difficult to control, and combined with the eventual success of the A22 Churchill, the idea of this monster waned. Work still proceeded at a reduced level, but as a project was outdated and a total waste of time, money and effort. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 T A N K T A N K M4 Sherman Medium Tank While the M3 was being rushed into production, a new design for a medium tank with a turret mounted 75 mm gun was drawn up and approved in April 1941. To save time this would use the hull and suspension of the M3, but the upper hull was revised to accommodate the gun turret. The prototype was rolled out in September 1941 and proved to be a good design, the cast upper hull not only provided better protection but would speed up production. The 75 mm gun was capable of defeating any armoured vehicle then in use by the Axis forces. The new tank was rushed into production as the M4 medium S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 32.3 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 8 ins, Width 8 ft 9½ ins, Height 11 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Ford 450 hp V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 29mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun, 2 x 0.3 inch, 1 x 0.5 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 62 mm Crew: 5 tank, and proved to be a good fighting platform. The British took possession of a large number of M4’s as part of the Lend-Lease programme, naming them the Sherman tank after the American Civil War general. They were first used in action by the British in October 1942 at the Second Battle of El Alamein, while the first U.S. Army Shermans were used the following month after the ‘Torch’ landings in North Africa. M4s soon began to replace the older M3, and was superior to most of the German tanks it faced in North Africa, and remained the equivalent of the Panzer IV throughout the World War Two. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 40,000+ M4 Sherman ‘Firefly’ In Normandy after the D-Day landings the Sherman began to receive a bad name, being nicknamed ‘Ronsons’ by the British (the Ronson lighter had the slogan ‘Lights first time, every time’) as they had an unpleasant habit of easily catching fire when hit. Many field improvisations were made to improve their armour, and different Mks were put into production to try and address the problem. The best Sherman tank of the war was the Firefly, which was a British adaptation that replaced the main gun with a 17 pounder anti-tank gun. This made it a potent tank killer, but unfortunately there were never enough of them in service. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 32.3 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 8 ins, Width 8 ft 9½ ins, Height 11 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Ford 450 hp V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 29mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 76 mm gun, 2 x 0.3 inch, 1 x 0.5 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 62 mm Crew: 5 The definitive Sherman M4E8 began to enter service in early 1945 and was armed with a high velocity 76 mm gun and a new horizontal volute suspension system (HVSS). The Sherman was never the best tank of the war, but it was a war winner, and like the Russian T34, so many were produced that sheer numbers would defeat a determined enemy. After World War Two many of the later Shermans were retained by the U.S. Army until the early 1950s, while others were exported to friendly countries where many remained on strength into the 1970s, especially by the Israelis who upgraded their vehicles several times. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 2,000+ T A N K M4E8 Sherman Medium Tank In Normandy after the D-Day landings the Sherman began to receive a bad name, being nicknamed ‘Ronsons’ by the British (the Ronson lighter had the slogan ‘Lights first time, every time’) as they had an unpleasant habit of easily catching fire when hit. Many field improvisations were made to improve their armour, and different Mks were put into production to try and address the problem. The best Sherman tank of the war was the Firefly, which was a British adaptation that replaced the main gun with a 17 pounder anti-tank gun. This made it a potent tank killer, but unfortunately there were never enough of them in service. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 33 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 7 ins, Width 9 ft 6 ins, Height 9 ft Powerplant: 1 x Ford 500 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 29 mph, Range 109 miles Armament: 1 x 76 mm gun, 2 x 0.3 inch, 1 x 0.5 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 88 mm Crew: 5 The definitive Sherman M4E8 began to enter service in early 1945 and was armed with a high velocity 76 mm gun and a new horizontal volute suspension system (HVSS). The Sherman was never the best tank of the war, but it was a war winner, and like the Russian T34, so many were produced that sheer numbers would defeat a determined enemy. After World War Two many of the later Shermans were retained by the U.S. Army until the early 1950s, while others were exported to friendly countries where many remained on strength into the 1970s, especially by the Israelis who upgraded their vehicles several times. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 4,542 T A N K Ram I Cruiser Tank Shortly after the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, the Canadian government realised that they could not rely on being supplied with all its equipment from the United Kingdom. The decision was taken to produce a tank in Canada for its own armoured divisions. They were interested in the production of the M3 Lee medium tank, but this was only an interim design, so they decided to develop a design of their own based on the M3 chassis. A new turret was designed that could take a 6 pounder gun, while the upper hull was modified to take the turret the lower hull of the M3 was retained complete with S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 29 tons Dimensions: Length 9 ft, Width 9 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 9 ins Powerplant: 1 x Continental 400 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 25 mph, Range 145 miles Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun, 3 x 7.92 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 87 mm Crew: 5 running gear. The Canadians ran into many challenges, having never produced a tank before, but a prototype was ready in June 1941, with production beginning in November. The Ram I was armed with a 2 pounder gun, and had side doors in the hull and an auxiliary machine gun turret at the front, both of which were deleted shortly after the introduction of the Ram II which was armed with the 6 pounder gun. Production ceased in July 1943 in favour of the Grizzly I, by which time over 2,000 vehicles had been built. The Ram was never used in combat, instead being deployed in the U.K. as training vehicles. Country of Origin: Canada Number Built: 2,000+ T A N K Ram II Cruiser Tank Shortly after the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, the Canadian government realised that they could not rely on being supplied with all its equipment from the United Kingdom. The decision was taken to produce a tank in Canada for its own armoured divisions. They were interested in the production of the M3 Lee medium tank, but this was only an interim design, so they decided to develop a design of their own based on the M3 chassis. A new turret was designed that could take a 6 pounder gun, while the upper hull was modified to take the turret the lower hull of the M3 was retained complete with S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 29 tons Dimensions: Length 9 ft, Width 9 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 9 ins Powerplant: 1 x Continental 400 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 25 mph, Range 145 miles Armament: 1 x 6 pounder gun, 3 x 7.92 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 87 mm Crew: 5 running gear. The Canadians ran into many challenges, having never produced a tank before, but a prototype was ready in June 1941, with production beginning in November. The Ram I was armed with a 2 pounder gun, and had side doors in the hull and an auxiliary machine gun turret at the front, both of which were deleted shortly after the introduction of the Ram II which was armed with the 6 pounder gun. Production ceased in July 1943 in favour of the Grizzly I, by which time over 2,000 vehicles had been built. The Ram was never used in combat, instead being deployed in the U.K. as training vehicles. Country of Origin: Canada Number Built: 2,000+ T A N K ‘Grizzly’ I Medium Tank he Grizzly was produced in Canada and based on the M4A1 Sherman medium tank. The design was modified to meet Canadian requirements, which included the use of the Canadian Dry Pin (C.D.P.) tracks which were lighter and simpler than the standard U.S. tracks and did not require rubber. Production began in August 1943, but was halted after 188 had been built when it became clear that U.S. production of the M4 was sufficient to supply the needs of the Allied forces. Instead production was switched to the Sexton self-propelled gun Mk II. The Sexton Mk II used the Grizzly chassis, with the upper hull S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 30 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 8 ins, Width 8 ft 9½ ins, Height 11 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Continental 400 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 24 mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun, 2 x 0.3 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 75 mm Crew: 5 modified to carry the British 25 pounder gun which was in common use with Commonwealth forces. A small batch of Grizzly medium tanks were armed with a 17 pounder anti-tank gun but were only used for training. A small number were produced as an anti-aircraft platform. Known as the Skink, they were armed with four 20 mm cannons in an armoured turret, but by the time they were trialled the Allies had complete mastery of the air and they were no longer needed. It is believed a few were used in France before the end of the war where they had a devastating effect on ground targets. Country of Origin: Canada Number Built: 188 T A N K ‘Harry Hopkins’ Light Tank (A25) Further development of the Tetrarch led to the final light tank design from Vickers, the A25 Light Tank Mk VIII, which was named ‘Harry Hopkins’ after President Roosevelt's chief advisor who was visiting the country at the time, the only tank to be named after a civilian. The A25 was similar in appearance to the Tetrarch but had several major improvements, which included a better turret design and an increase in armour protection. The tank was accepted for production in late 1941 with an initial order for 1,000, this later being increased to over 2,400, but by then tank development had raced ahead and the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 8.5 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 3 ins, Width 8 ft 10 ins, Height 6 ft 11 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 148 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 140 miles Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun, 1 x 7.92 mm machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 38 mm Crew: 3 British army had decided there was no further need for a light tank on the battlefield. The order was cancelled after 99 had been completed, with most being placed in storage while various ideas for their use were put forward. It was decided to hand them over to the Royal Air Force who used them for airfield defence. After World War Two they were briefly used for training, but in 1949 they were declared obsolete and surplus to requirements and scrapped. The A25 did form the basis for Alecto, an air portable self-propelled 95 mm howitzer for the airborne forces but was never put into production. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 99 T A N K AC1 ‘Sentinal’ Cruiser Tank In mid 1940 it was clear in Australia that it could not depend on its traditional source of military equipment from the U.K., and with the increasing likelihood of war in the Pacific they decided they needed to produce an indigenous design for a tank. The first outline drafts were produced in late 1940, and to save time used several components from the American M3 Lee medium tank and a British style low profile turret and hull. The radial Pratt & Whitney Wasp and the Guiberson diesel engines, which were both used in the M3 Grant medium tank, were not available in Australia, instead three standard Cadillac V8 S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 28 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 9 ins, Width 9 ft 1 ins, Height 8 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 3 x Cadillac 117 hp petrol engines Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 198 miles Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun, 2 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 65 mm Crew: 5 engines rated at 117 hp each were arranged in a cloverleaf formation that were connected to a crankshaft. Development however took time, the prototype only being ready for trials in August 1942. These were followed by an order for 65 vehicle, with the first being delivered in November 1942. Given the title AC1 (Australian Cruiser No 1) the desidn had potential for development which resulted in the AC1A which was armed with the harder hitting 6 pounder (57 mm) anti-tank gun. By then American production was meeting the needs of arming the allied nations and production of the AC1 ceased. Country of Origin: Australia Number Built: 68 T A N K T A N K AC3 ‘Thunderbolt’ Cruiser Tank Even before the AC1 Sentinel began rolling off the assembly line in August 1942 it was known that the 2 pounder gun was becoming ineffective as armour increased in thickness on new and improved enemy tanks. To address this situation a 25 pounder (3.45 inch) gun was fitted to a turret on the second AC1 prototype and successfully test fired in June 1942. It was decided to use the 25 pounder as a tank gun which was redesigned for this purpose. Given the name Thunderbolt, the AC3 mounted the 25 pounder in a larger turret that was fully traversable turret, and although it was cramped for the turret S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 29 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 9 ins, Width 9 ft 1 ins, Height 8 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 3 x Cadillac 117 hp petrol engines Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 200 miles Armament: 1 x 25 pounder gun, 1 x 0.303 inch machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 65 mm Crew: 4 crew it gave the AC3 both an armour piercing capability and an effective high explosive round, which was sadly lacking with the 2 pounder which only fired solid shot. The new turret was also large enough to mount a 17 pounder anti-tank gun when they became available, this version becoming the AC4, but in June 1943 the programme was cancelled when large numbers of American tanks became available to the allied forces. Both the AC3 and AC4 were only produced as prototypes, while the AC1 was used for training until the end of the war in 1945, at which point the Australians kept three and dispose of the remainder. Country of Origin: Australia Number Built: 3 T A N K Carro Armato P26/40 Heavy Tank The design of the P26 was for a heavy tank fo the Italian army with good armour protection and a 75 mm gun. Development work proceeded quickly except for the engine; the Italian military wanting a diesel engine, while the builders favoured a petrol engine. However, in Italy at the time there were no engines available capable of developing the 300 hp required, while the Italian tank industry did not easily turn to the use of aero engines as U.S. and British tank manufacturers had done. The design of a new engine was slow, with the prototype tank only being ready in 1942. Only 21 P40s had been finished by S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 26 tons Dimensions: Length 19 ft, Width 9 ft 2 ins, Height 8 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x SPA 330 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 25 mph, Range 170 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun + 2 x 8 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 60 mm Crew: 4 the time Italy signed an armistice. The Germans ordered took control of most of Italy and ordered production to continue and took control of all completed tanks. The small number were issued to the 10th Police Panzer Company which served in Russia before being redeployed to northern Italy in late 1944. Formed in summer of 1944 the 24th Waffen Mountain Division also used the type in Italy. In total around 100 were used by German units, of which about 40 were without engines and used as static emplacements along defensive positions such as the Gustav and Gothic Lines. Country of Origin: Italy Number Built: 103 T A N K Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf C The limitations of the Panzer I Ausf A and B, with their thin armour and machine gun armament, led to design work on a replacement in 1939. This resulted in the Panzer I Ausf C, and had little in common with the Ausf A and B except in name. The Ausf C was designed as a light reconnaissance tank, and had a completely new chassis and turret, and a torsion bar suspension system and inter-leaved road wheels. Armour was increased to a maximum 30 mm, and the original armament consisted of two 7.92 mm machine guns, one being a Mauser EW141 semi-autocannon firing 7.92 mm anti-tank rounds. The S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 8 tons Dimensions: Length 16 ft 10 ins, Width; 6 ft 6 ins, Height; 6 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x 105 hp Maybach petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 49 mph, Range 186 miles Armament: 1 x EW141, 1 x 7.92 mmMG34 machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 30 mm Crew: 2 Ausf C weighed an extra 2 tons compared to the Ausf B and were powered by a more powerful 150 hp Maybach engine. Production of the Ausf C began in early 1942, and despite the obvious improvements and creditable top speed of 49 mph, it was outclassed by the latest Allied tanks. In the end only 40 were produced, two being deployed with the 1st Tank Division on the Russian front for trials, while the other 38 vehicles were deployed with the 58th Reserve Tank Corps in the summer of 1944 where they were used during the Normandy Campaign, most being destroyed during the fighting there. Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 40 T A N K Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf F Developed alongside the Ausf C, the Ausf F was intended as an infantry support tank and were heavily protected for the time, the frontal armour being 80 mm and the sides 50 mm thick. As with the Ausf C a torsion bar suspension system with interleaved road wheels was incorporated, but the tracks were noticeably wider. The turret was fitted centrally on a taller hull, but the armament remained the same as the Ausf A and B of two 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns. The same Maybach 150 hp engine as the Ausf C powered the vehicle which gave the 21 ton tank a top speed of 15 mph. Production was undertaken by S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 21 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 4 ins, Width 8 ft 8 ins, Height 6 ft 9 ins Powerplant: 1 x Maybech 150 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 15 mph, Range 93 miles Armament: 2 x 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 80 mm Crew: 2 Krauss-Maffei from the middle of 1940, but only 30 were built before it was decided that they were of limited military value on the battlefield, and as a result further orders for the tank were cancelled. Of the 30 built, five were earmarked for the proposed invasion of Malta, and at least eight served with the 1st Panzer Division on the Eastern Front where they saw combat at the Battle of Kursk in 1943, where most were lost. A few others were sent to the Balkans and used against the partisans, the remaining tanks being supplied to army schools where they were used for training and evaluation purposes. Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 30 T A N K M3 Lee Medium Tank When the Germans invaded France in May 1940, the U.S. military closely followed the consequent tank actions, and from their observations came to the conclusion that the next generation of medium tanks had to have at least a 75 mm gun as the main weapon. At the time they were developing the M2 medium tank which was only armed with a 37 mm gun, but the American answer was swift and expedient. The turret of the M2 was not large enough to take the 75 mm gun, so instead the weapon was fitted in a sponson situated in the front of the hull to the right of the driver, the tank still retaining the 37 mm gun S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 27.2 tons Dimensions: Length 18 ft 6 ins, Width 8 ft 11 ins, Height 10 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Continental 340 hp radial petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 26 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm , 1 x 37 mm gun, 2 x 0.30 in machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 51 mm Crew: 7 turret as well. The new layout became the M3 Medium Tank, which was rushed into production as an interim design while design work progressed on its eventual successor, the M4 Sherman. The British received over 2,800 M3s with a modified turret design under Lend-Lease. With the British these were called the M3 Grant, the original design becoming the M3 Lee, the type first being used in action during May 1942. With American forces the M3 was first used in action during the landings of French North Africa in November 1942, but were soon replaced when the M4 Sherman became available. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 4,250 Cruiser Tank Mk VI ‘Crusader Mk I’ The A15 Crusader evolved from a 1938 specification for a successor to the A13 Cruiser Tank which was just entering production. The favoured design was from Nuffield, and was in essence an enlarged version of the A13 Mk III ‘Covenanter’ powered by a Liberty engine. The Crusader was a little longer than the Covenanter and had a fifth set of wheels to carry the load, which would allow the tank greater potential in being up-gunned and up-armoured. The turret was of a similar design to the Covenanter, but the main armament remained the 2 pounder anti-tank gun, which was the only anti-tank gun S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 19 tons Dimensions: Length 19 ft 7 ins, Width 9 ft 1 ins, Height 7 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x Nuffield 340 hp V12 Liberty engine Performance: Maximum speed 27 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun, 2 x 7.62 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 40 mm Crew: 5 available in quantity at the time. The prototype was ready for trials in March 1940, but after the fall of France the type was rushed into production to replace lost equipment. The first machines were sent to North Africa where they were used for the first time during Operation Battleaxe in June 1941, and by November they equipped the 22nd and most of 7th Armoured Brigade for Operation Crusader. During the fighting many tanks were lost to mechanical breakdowns, the main reasons being the failure of the radiator fan drive and the seals on the water pump, both being easily damaged in desert conditions. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 5,300 of all Mks T A N K Cruiser Tank Mk VI ‘Crusader Mk II’ The Crusader Mk II appeared in late 1941 and was fitted with improved armour after the initial battle experiences in the desert. Both the Mk I and Mk II were designed with an auxiliary machine gun turret situated next to the driver and manned by a gunner, although these were often removed by their crews who were unimpressed with them, relying instead on the co-axial machine gun in the turret for close defence. Early in 1941 the new 6 pounder anti-tank gun became available and was soon adapted for use in a tank, the new gun being a good step forward in hitting power and had the ability to fire HE rounds.. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 19.5 tons Dimensions: Length 19 ft 7 ins, Width 9 ft 1 ins, Height 7 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x Nuffield 340 hp V12 Liberty engine Performance: Maximum speed 27 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun, 1 x 7.62 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 49 mm Crew: 4 The turret was redesigned to take the new gun, while at the same time the mechanical issues resolved. One problem with the bigger gun was the lack of space inside the turret, there being only room for two men, and as a result the loader was eliminated and the commander had to perform this task along with his other duties. The first Crusader IIIs were delivered in May 1942, with around 100 being available to take part in the battle of El Alamein in October. By mid 1943 the Crusader was becoming obsolescent and production ceased, and the type had been withdrawn from front line service by early 1944. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 5,300 of all Mks T A N K T A N K Cruiser Tank Mk VI ‘Crusader Mk III’ The Crusader Mk II appeared in late 1941 and was fitted with improved armour after the initial battle experiences in the desert. Both the Mk I and Mk II were designed with an auxiliary machine gun turret situated next to the driver and manned by a gunner, although these were often removed by their crews who were unimpressed with them, relying instead on the co-axial machine gun in the turret for close defence. Early in 1941 the new 6 pounder anti-tank gun became available and was soon adapted for use in a tank, the new gun being a good step forward in hitting power and had the ability to fire HE rounds.. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 20 tons Dimensions: Length 19 ft 7 ins, Width 9 ft 1 ins, Height 7 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x Nuffield 340 hp V12 Liberty engine Performance: Maximum speed 27 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: 1 x 6 pounder gun, 1 x 7.62 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 51 mm Crew: 4 The turret was redesigned to take the new gun, while at the same time the mechanical issues resolved. One problem with the bigger gun was the lack of space inside the turret, there being only room for two men, and as a result the loader was eliminated and the commander had to perform this task along with his other duties. The first Crusader IIIs were delivered in May 1942, with around 100 being available to take part in the battle of El Alamein in October. By mid 1943 the Crusader was becoming obsolescent and production ceased, and the type had been withdrawn from front line service by early 1944. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 5,300 of all Mks T A N K M3 Grant Medium Tank Almost as soon as production of the M3 had started, a British mission arrived on a purchasing trip to obtain tanks. Although the M3 had many flaws, in particular its high silhouette and riveted construction, they were high on the British shopping list. A few changes were required to suit their needs, the most obvious being a revised turret with a rear bustle for radio equipment, and the omission of the commanders cupola. This model was produced specifically for the British who named it Grant, while the unmodified M3 was named Lee. After the battles in North Africa during the second half of 1941, the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 27.2 tons Dimensions: Length 18 ft 6 ins, Width 8 ft 11 ins, Height 10 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Continental 340 hp radial petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 26 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm , 1 x 37 mm gun, 2 x 0.30 in machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 51 mm Crew: 6 British Eighth Army needed to be urgently reinforced. Among the tanks sent to North Africa was the M3 Grant, which were first used in action during the battle of Gazala where the Grant came as a nasty surprise to the Germans. Production ended in December 1942, and from mid-1943 they were gradually replaced by more capable types. Withdrawn British M3s were then sent to India, where around 1,700 were transferred to the 14th Army and used against the Japanese during the Burma campaign. With the British forces in the Far East they gave excellent service until the end of the war in August 1945. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 2,000+ T A N K M5 Light Tank The M5 light tank arose from a private proposal to install twin Cadillac car engines into an M3 which produced the M3E2 test vehicle in late 1941. After trials the idea was accepted for production, particularly with the shortage of radial engines which were urgently needed for the aircraft industry at the time. In February 1942 the modified tank became the M5 light tank, the most noticeable difference being the raised rear engine decking and the turret bustle which housed the radio and increased internal space in the turret itself. Production began in July 1942 and ran parallel with the M3 at the time. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 16.5 tons Dimensions: Length 15 ft 2 ins, Width 7 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 8 ins Powerplant: Twin Cadillac V8 petrol engine rated at 296 hp Performance: Maximum speed 26 mph, Range 130 miles Armament: 1 x 37 mm gun, 3 x 0.30 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 51 mm Crew: 6 The M5 became the main U.S. light tank and were first used in North Africa after the Torch landings in November 1942, being followed by the Italian campaign and the D-Day landings. Like the M3, by late 1944 their battle effectiveness in Europe was negligible, but those serving in the Pacific were used as a battle tank for much longer where it could fight on better or near equal terms against Japanese tanks such as the Type 95 Ha-go and Type 97 Chi-ha. The T8 Reconnaissance Vehicle was a variant of the M5 which had the turret removed and a 0.50 inch Browning heavy machine gun mounted on an open position. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 8,884 T A N K M3 Light Tank Following events in Europe during 1940, the US Army quickly realised that thicker armour would be required for its light tanks. This resulted in the M3 light tank which was similar in design to the M2A4, but with a stronger suspension system to carry the extra weight. By the end of 1940 the M3 light tank was in production, with the early tanks being of riveted construction, but later welding was introduced, along with many small design changes. The basic armament of the M3A1 was a 37 mm gun and five 7.62 mm machine guns, one co-axially fitted with the main gun, one on a pintail mount on the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 13 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 10¾ ins, Width 7 ft 4 ins, Height 7 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x Continental 250 hp radial petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 36 mph, Range 70 miles Armament: 1 x 37 mm gun, 5 x 7.62 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 43 mm Crew: 4 turret for AA defence, another in the hull front, and two fixed in the side sponsons which were operated by the driver, these later being omitted. In service the M3 proved to be a reliable vehicle and generally liked by its crews. Large numbers were supplied to the Allies under Lend-Lease, the largest recipient being the U.K., where they were known as the Stuart who widely used during the North African campaign. They first saw action with American forces in December 1941 when around 100 fought a rearguard action against invading Japanese forces during the retreat to Bataan in the Phillipines. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 5,811 T A N K
Panzerkamfwagen 38(t) TNH nA
The TNH nA or Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) neuer Art (new model) was offered to the German military as a light reconnaissance tank as a rival to the  Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf L Lynx and Panzerkampfwagen Ausf C. The design was based on the PzKpfw 38(t) and had the same basic hull and suspension, while the armour protection was increased by 5 - 10 mm compared to the PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf S. The latest techniques in welded armour were incorporated instead of the riveting on the standard tank ,while the road wheels were mounted closer together. The major change to the design was the use of a
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 14.8 tons Dimensions: Length 16 ft 5 ins, Width 8 ft 2 ins, Height 7 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Praga 240 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 38 mph, Range 124 miles  Armament: 1 x 3.7 cm gun, 1 x 7.92 mm machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 35 mm Crew: 4
240 hp Praga V8 engine which gave the tank a top speed of 38 mph compared to the 26 mph on the standard tank. They also had a redesigned turret which used better German visors, although they were still armed with the same 3.7 cm gun. It is believed that fifteen were produced in early 1942, and during trials the prototypes performed well, but the type was never put into production, although many of the features were used for later vehicles based on the Pz.38(t) chassis. The fate of the fifteen tanks is unknown and there is no record of them being used in combat during World War Two.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 15
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Aufklarer Auf Fahrgestell Panzerkamfwagen 38(t)
Originally the production of the Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf L Lynx light reconnaissance tank was to have been 1,000 units, but in early 1944 production was curtailed after only 100 had been produced. Plans were quickly prepared to provide an alternative fully tracked reconnaissance vehicle based on the Panzer 38(t) that had been returned for repair. The turret was removed and a new superstructure fitted to the chassis which was fitted with a standard open topped turret armed with a 2 cm cannon, a similar type as used for several types of wheeled and semi-tracked armoured vehicles. BMM were to have
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 9.75 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 9 ins, Width 7 ft, Height 7 ft 1 ins Powerplant: 1 x 1 x 125 hp Praga petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 26 mph, Range 130 miles  Armament: 1 x 2 cm cannon, 1 x 7.92 mm machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 50 mm Crew: 4
converted 118 tanks by April 1944, but due to delays only 70 were delivered which were issued to armoured reconnaissance units on both the Eastern and Western fronts, where they worked alongside Jagdpanzer 38(t) units. BMM had also proposed two designs based on the vehicle armed with a 7.5 cm gun. Two prototypes were produced in late 1944, the mounting for the 7.5 cm gun being achieved by extending the sides of the superstructure upwards. The new vehicles were tested, but by early 1945 the war in Europe was virtually over and they were never put into production.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 70
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T A N K ‘Tetrarch’ Light Tank (A17) The Tetrarch was a further development by Vickers of its range of light tanks and originally known as the Mk VII. It differed from its predecessors by abandoning the Horstmann suspension system and having four large road wheels on each side. A prototype was trialled in 1938, but was rejected by the army, although an order was placed for a limited run of 70 after a number of changes had been made, which included the replacement of the Besa 15 mm for a 2 pounder anti-tank gun. Given the name Tetrarch, production started in July 1940 when the British Army was in dire need to rearm, but by then the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 7.5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 6 ins, Width 7 ft 7 ins, Height 6 ft 11 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 165 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 40 mph, Range 140 miles Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun, 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 16 mm Crew: 2 usefulness of the light tank was realised, and in the end only between 100-170 were built which were placed in storage. The fortune of the tank changed after the formation of the British Airborne Force. They needed the ability to take their own heavy weapons into battle by glider, and once the heavy lift Hamilcar glider had been designed the Tetrarch was the natural light tank of choice. The Tetrarch was re-designated an airborne tank and were first used in combat during the D-Day landings on the 6th June 1944, and again in small numbers during the airborne assault of the Rhine crossing in March 1945. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 100+ T A N K