A British Tank

[RTHolmes]

do it as the version with the QF 6-pounder and we can use the same gun on the M3 and Mossie too ...

[waystin2]

+1 to British Tanks!

[Scotty55OEFVet]

Long over due for some British armour.

Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M)
 
Type-Cruiser tank
Place of origin-United Kingdom
Service history-In service 1944 - present
Wars-World War II, 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Korean War
Production history:
Designer Leyland, then Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from 1942[1]
Manufacturer-Nuffield Organisation
Number built-4,016
Specifications:
Weight 27.6 long tons (28 tonnes)
Length 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m)
Width 9 ft 6˝ in (2.908 m)
Height 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
Crew 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, front gunner)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Armour-3 inches (76 mm)
Primary armament-OQF 75 mm
Secondary
armament 2 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun
Engine Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 petrol 600 horsepower (450 kW)
Power/weight-21.4 hp/tonne
Transmission-Z.5 gearbox (five forward and one reverse gear) driving rear sprockets
Suspension-Improved Christie
Ground clearance-16 inches
Fuel capacity-110 gallons + optional 30 gallon auxiliary
Operational range 170 miles (270 km) on roads, 80 miles cross country[2]
Speed-40 miles per hour (64 km/h)

[Scotty55OEFVet]

I say the Crusader II and Crusader III and even the Crusader IV over the MK I

 

Still waiting for the Hellcat Post BAR!

[iron650]

Looked up the Cromwell saw service in small numbers on D-day. It was chiefly used for training.

[Tyrannis]

what about the churchill?

[iron650]

Moves at 15mph and was used in the Second Battle at El Alamein as support it even got a Tiger I. Operated in Italy closely supporting troops. Saw fighting in the Low Countries. 

[SmokinLoon]

The Churchill would be slower than a 7 year itch.  The Firefly moves at 20mph and that feels like you crawling compared to the other tanks.  The 15mph Churchill would be cannon fodder for enemy tanks because A> it can not escape, and B> it would either sport a 57mm/6 pdr or a US 75mm main gun.  Not cool either way vs other tanks.

[LThunderpocket]

for what?killin jeeps.40mm is hardly better then m8

[AWwrgwy]

The Churchill would be slower than a 7 year itch.  The Firefly moves at 20mph and that feels like you crawling compared to the other tanks.  The 15mph Churchill would be cannon fodder for enemy tanks because A> it can not escape, and B> it would either sport a 57mm/6 pdr or a US 75mm main gun.  Not cool either way vs other tanks.

I thought I read somewhere that it was much heavier armored than its contemporaries.

IE: A really slow Tiger with a weak gun. The same 75mm used in the M-4.


wrongway

[BaldEagl]

Here's production numbers (over 1000 produced) on British tanks and years produced:

Comet I (A34)   Great Britan   1944-1945   1186
Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M)   Great Britan   1943-1944   3066
Churchill Mk II      Great Britan   1941-1945   1127
Churchill Mk IV      Great Britan   1941-1945   1622
Churchill Mk VII     Great Britan   1941-1945   1600
Churchill Mk VIII    Great Britan   1941-1945   1600
Mk VI Crusader (A15)   Great Britan   1940-1943   5300
Valentine   Great Britan   1939-1945   8275
Matilda II (A12)   Great Britan   1937-1943   2987
Mk V, Covenanter (A13 Mk III)   Great Britan      1700

As a comparison here's top ten overall production during WWII (excluding Japan):

T-34   USSR   1940-1944   34780
M4 Sherman   USA   1942-1945   33403
T-34-85   USSR   1944-1945   22559
M3A3 Stuart   USA   1941-1942   13859
SU-76   USSR   1942-1945   12671
M4 (76) Sherman   USA   1944-1945   10883
M5   USA   1941-1943   8851
StuG III F-G   Germany   1942-1945   8593
Valentine   Great Britan   1939-1945   8275
T-70   USSR   1942-1943   8226

[iron650]

BaldEagl thanks for the charts. But didn't when the Americans (and during Lend-Lease) came into the war Britain used mostly American weapons and tanks?

[BaldEagl]

BaldEagl thanks for the charts. But didn't when the Americans (and during Lend-Lease) came into the war Britain used mostly American weapons and tanks?

Not really.  The Brits were pretty self sufficient.  The most noatable exceptions were the Firefly (Modified M4) and the Honey (M3).  IIRC a lot of the British Funnies were also based on the M4 chassis but not all of them.  Regardless the Funnies were low production specialty vehicles (flamethrowers, minesweepers, etc.).

Most of the British armor was deployed in Africa fighting Rommell.  Again, not all.

[iron650]

The 15mph Churchill would be cannon fodder

Take an M8 into a battle and you'll know what cannon fodder is. The Churchill and Crusader can end up like the M8 (improperly used) or it might be devastating if used right.

[E25280]

Armament of the Mk I: QF 2 pdr (40 mm) 110 rounds
<snip>
It provide more firepower than the M8.

From the charts I've seen the 37mm M6 mounted on the M8 equalled or surpassed the 2 lbr's penetration.  "Firepower" would be about equal.