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'hs tnsle bafflemuzzre b'are

li:*::.*ri"'i",r"l;11,"'{l;i:i';'';i;'iJ":I1"":1,:rilrlr'ii:'."Jffiilt',:;COVEF TLLUSTFATION drawn bv Georse gEdlord

*?1$:,*Tl 3#.i:,.iT'JTJ;:ll'"":i:"1;:fi",l'??:ils{:f,T!3il!:fq!$j#:"'.ills;;;;;;i':.;J-'.",. r'oop: ar the rront &ded anv

-moutrdse rh€v r€rt wB nee$c'v ro

gri;'"* i::x:ll* fi :l[ii]fi ".":i:#f Lff ".:1"i:ilii:iill;?;:";:;-g iaroto, ' r t ronv

ueHlcLE PFINTs-soir6compi ler : Hi lary Louis oovl€

Panz.rkampf@gen V 'Paniher' AusJ O uid Ausl.A.

D.di.ss and Histori.al ressarch bv Hilarv Louis ooY16

BELLoNA PRlNTSwhich should be srudied in @niunction with thltSeriesi

SH:1*.?ffflf:J".ifJr^';,{:Xlj:;;H";;i15#ries 14- Po*chervpe 10o (vK 3001)'

ii'Ih"l I'i:"lllX;".:::;;?L"llri';'"1'"";i lll,ffLT"*"ili;::T:::1{i'J.1": :ni"'T""'ol,ls. a " 30.-" '", "nrch wo'd rep'dd

'ihe P7K-prw

ll;lll"T"i3lll3il,ll3i:"^T".1,i""1'"*j::* jff""i? $3'-#::':iIl-';""iul'i;:fl*,. '^. 'zKp'w 'v had e'oven "f,,

,o be a'.":;i"lr-xl*{*:rur:::"*l"xxilil,?l'i'i;'illilldii."iJT:J"J":i.,l"iJ:'*'*"-

3r,ii; i:I yfl ".fl ,";1"":'il"i:"r"Tl""li"l ljft:l;i;:*:*l j:::i""lTl ?: il:ilil l:'*

lll'i"r,i ri'l i''i i'r, irr." -o

r .;ch ch'' B Gnrs Henrher dnd Pohche wre ds'ed ro u'de- take r hP

a""iii.i."i,.i ir'1, a*1s".*hich @uld be bded on their vK 3ool designs Thus th€ 'Tiser' was

2

,

Althouqh the Soviet T 34 tank had been encounrered as €arty.s rhe 3rd Juty 1941 by unit! of thetSrh Pan2er Division,thetactic.l use of ihes€ ranks w.s very poorand cermao uniG ee capabte ofdefeaiinqthem by out manoeuw and @-opeEtion b€r@en different Servire sfms. On the 6thOcrober 1941 the 4rh Panzer Ojvilion .dvancing on Mzensk in the area ot Armv Group Centre msbadly hauled by T 341 an m*ed tormation. The vaatslperioritv otthisSovieni tank was.octear.Gud€rian, who 6 in command of the 2nd Panzer Army in which tne 4th Pa.zer Oivhion fougnt,wolea repod on the T 34 and demanded rhata rep.6ent6tive Panz.r Cohmission b€ immediaretyrorned and *nlro.rudy tht fraghto.ing de@lopdenr. This Commi$ion rraw ed iothe Rossianfronl late in Nowmber and re&hed Guderian! Army on rhe 2orh Noember 1941. On the 25ih ofNowmber MAN and Daimler Bmz wereordered to undenake rhefieation of a ns 30ronne i.nkcapable of defeatins the T 34.On 23rdJanuary 1942 detailed sp€cifierions lor the new lank,ba*d on rhe findinqs ol the Com-mission rh6tstudied the T34 were qiven to Hitterand the twocompani6_ Tie main chaiacreBwereto be: weight: 35 tonnes

Sp.ed: 60 Kd/hr (37 mohlArmamenl: 75 mm sun rnd coaxial [,tc in rurdHuttbrmoor: Front 60mm, Side 4ohm, Re6r 35mmTutret armour: Front 1Oomm, Side4omm, Rea.40mmGround prs$ue: 0.6s Ks/sq_cm. (9.2 psi)Fordingdspth:4metresEnsine: Maybach HL 210 V,l2 perrot, waterdoted d.wtoping 650 bhp €r >3000.om.

BELOW: A brand na Panthef Ausf D atihe Henschel W€rke, Ka!*t., Mitletfetd. tn the backOround is a €omplored Tiger A!sf. E tuaiting finrt painrins and in thefore-grcund isrhenoseofa P.nther cha$is etuming to rhs fsdory,6ftertesting, for the fitiing of a tuiid and painring.Henschol buik only 2@ Pa nther Ausf D trom M6rch to Nowmber 1943 when produdion 6.!edih fabu. ol the Tiger aurf B.

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ABOVE: Tl'e Panth.' AGf A_ The ?\6rAwas nol so much a difteront modet, butthe st6nd6.dproducnon modet. The a6t D was put inro produdion soquickty thar many datait.d designtoatureswore not ready in time. The two mosr noti@ble firting! otths aulf a indacot€ this:Fi6tly, the ne a.mour6d comma.de,/s cupotawith s€En perhcopesand stoped armour shich96w *ref protsdioh and tsibitity wh€n,ct6od dow.,. socohdty, rheba mounted MG in th€hlllwhicn wasdewtoped by DaimterBenz,,nd h6d it3@n inrqrat sight thus obviatingth€ needror one orihe perascopes formorty required, Fina y 6 linstsape,rurcin ihequn m.nd;, teft si;;,for the single tel*6p€ sight.

( IMPEFIAL WAF lVUSEUM PHOTOI

> Th€ 'Panther' prcjecr wd siven toppriority, so much so rhat Ins. Kniepk.mp, _ chi€r ensinar orW€ffenp.usf.mt 6 took chargE of the ctiasrh.t6ign wok at MAN.Kni€pkampf had be; chiafsine I936rdFm€'aed { unr,t 194S, he wdr p6rl,cutary knm. to, , n kd u.ing , ntertea@d r@dwnee6and rod'on bcr luspenrion rosem, s.crd wnicbs. ritr infrLence ir r,ea;t}, see n thcs-urpenron of th€ P.nther. The MAN engiheer jn charge of the .panther. design prcje.tqas Hetr

Rhe nmettat,Ao6ig, Ous€tdo.f meanwhite @mmenced work on thetuir€t and arm.ment, underrhe dr6d,on oi Ing. 7 nre, chief ot rL,e' deng-. rhe iuirer wds ba*d upon lhe /.5c; rurrer: i : f l : :@s'sTdro, . r l 'e lenfhervk4s0irT,spr) wcrrenp,u.rdmr 6 p,oqded ihe, . reno, ray.ouF End co ord'na@d rhs'Ponlhe.,oroied

In d€sisni.9 the cha$h, MAN worksd on rh€ a$lmprion that the o@ral weighr of ihe tankwootdnorqeed 35 bnnes th€ to6ion ba6weEdesisned so as to b€ tntercn.ngeabte fora|] stationsc.d we€ de, qmd fo' /O0 Kq.so.cn t1O0,OOO p.il ano w.re prov,d.d bv O,imdn J.d Neuhdu,lnuI irenoin&soxnsetrrdnuracur.d rh€ bog,e wheok wh,te rhe s^ocr dbsorben I ame Lomtsemrciqd.wuppedat, Rhur. The rdct wc! d6,qn6 bv R,cche, rldmburg.

Work p.ogre$ed r.pidtv at MAN. The fi6! soft n€et pitor modetws ready for tests in Sepiembe,1942, Th* te5ts werc @ried out ar Nurnb€rs by MAN, Sr,-,rv

"rt"*",t, ,r," ,""."a lir"i--

AaOVE, Rearview ol the Panrher Alsl A shown ownea{ Noie that the p6iolports and cad'

ridge €ase eject oD haich we'e elimin6red to nrensrhen rhe t schuerzen plaies were

hu;s oselv and very ofien wero lon or damdqed in lield @rditions The 6'ta ner on ihe lefl side

of the hull k used io catrY rhe cleaning rods The t.iple pipe exausr f trinq on the lefr side indi@ies

ihe atiempt to cure rhe owrhearlng p.oblems ofrhe moior insrallat on. lhe ouierrwo pipes drew

in cold an ove. the erausi pipe and kepr rhe heat oll ihe oil cooler and petro plmps this learure

was inirodued on the Ausf A.

( IMPEBIAL WAR MI-]SEUM PHOTO)

whic e was compLeted and was sh'pped b rhe A.dv ten qro!.d ai KummeEdorl The Fheirmeia

tuiiei was now Iiied with a 7-5cm L/?Ogun, as rhe L/60 qun ha.l fa ed ro reach orpedat ons when

r was rested ea. y on 1942 Fortunare V rhe requiremenrs Ior this weapon hJd been la'd down as

e.r y as 18th Julv 1941, lor ihe Tiqer projecr.

Once ihe r a s cdmmenced rt became clear rhat the VK 3002 was a readv over the 35 ro' e limt

Furthdr increases wore expected s nce Ln June 1942 H i er hJd asked thal lhe I asis plaie be ncreased

rron 6omm ro 8Omm. Obvioudv rhe M6vbach H L 2lO enq.e could 'o l prov'de i

Iorman.e. Llnlodlnaiely rhe eng .e available was a bored o

HL2lowhchhadacapaci tvor23.SS i t iesand was thercrorecal lod HL230 Th s ensino deveroped

Toobhp ai 3ooo rpm A redu@d speed or 45 Km hr had 16 be accepred, i' anv ewnr' rs ex $rrs

clltch and brakc sice.nq sysi'ms were tound ina.lequate on a vehlcle ol rh swe shi To over@me the

mrin neerins problems a new sea.box AK 7 2OO was deslgned wh ch a lowed dof ntre fi xed radius

rurns depenJ ng on rhe gear ensaoed and even d lowed a iuri when rhe 4h clewas siaiionary'

O n 23rd June r942, ir war aqreed drar 250 ol rhe ns ianks mu$ be manutacrured bv rhe fo lowifg

U"v g.**-, n Sepicmber 1942, no doLbi as a resuh oJ rhe 5 rualion ai the Fronr' ll I er demai{led

tn"i rr' s r's*e be re sa o ooo Bv thisiime MAN had a readv compktd rhe r preparsrions lor m*'

o 'odu, o ' I " - ror600-. ' .^a, Ao^{ oL t d o t 'c ' t )5o' i "" 'u . , or lq43Ot ' lo 'dqloD'r l ' B- r uLn -r i o 'eocr ' 'o d dd ed

Hens.he at Ka$,"i ard Maschinenlabr k Neid€Bachen rrinn'vr' (MNH) to prepere ro blild ih' trew

ia;ks rho. The ol f c ia l deesnat ion a oted wasPa'zerkanrrn{rsor V PadherAusr D lsclKiz171)

in O..Oo' lg+2, lA-" *"n the lisi produdion Pairlrer r;s rrr ab e MuehlenbaL Indusirie AG

tUrnCf **" -r."a

o p*p-e a de!sn lor mouniing rhe rPr' lr licm L/71 t't tank gun in the 'ha$

s

of irre Panrher, '

e.JagdPanrher'

**,jt-*#r#lui##**ufi *;,-fffi*ffi[1:::.r*$*ffi,",irri-.f*j";,'.":, "', rji;j;.:r;:r;iii ;h_*.

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[{'tit#,ff}j,"+,ilt#iEi*,i,f:*Jl;:"ji!1iXil:!1,'t"?t:}:il::":til"iiT;.;:::.ilffJiittij;LX5tiii.?',l?i,*Xlitl,>

llii?*';.h*ii:i#f trl,$ Jru{"r*:i*** fi*n:..",ffi til:;r: ;T::r."

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thai rhe r"(hn,@i wear 'e$ shoutd be ov{compaad rhd, ,he.rew5bp tL ! Ldrnpd in .he handt,nd.rrhis rs ddw.ced rrnl . Thepanth"Fse,vedirrhetVrhp"n/erA,T!u;d*Hoth,"- ; ; . ; : ; .wr,e ursd b' pcnue, c,e.adie, F,vsro. ,cosdeurssr..d.

wr,..*. "

,r," ae,h p;*ii.,p,.l ,i"iArmy. Aho in adion wnh p6L..aeB in rhe 4th panzerArmy **e tt "

SS p*_, C".p. *ircri"#p,rs*ot the Leibstandarte Adorr Hiner, Das Reidr and Totenkoptw"rr.. ss p"-* ot,i.ii.,. c"""ia.,ir,i.''problems absewnh mechani@tfaiturs andrhhwas further assrauted bythe t.ck ofsunabte r€.owryvohicles ep3bh or r6cuins these heavv tanks. As mahy as rhree or lh€ l gih zsK* ,"_it."i..; ;,-overy vehideswere needed to rel.iev€ a panthol Aft6rthe co 6p6eof this ilt-iatod offensiw rhecerma. Armv was forced to eiwsround 6nd many pantheB **" r..t r.,r," s**t,., it"v "i,lJ

_,b€ ieco@red in time_ The pantherwas round to be nora than a mdch rortheT34, br,ii";; -'

confidence wa!often shaken by rhe poor r€tiabilirv. and rhe problsms €usod bV the breakdowns.

t,9T.11. z':".'1" gl*

"Jr d rf,p erd of Jur/ 1e4r rh" p,lLhe.au:. a w.nr ,.ro produd,o.

"rua,n,eFbenz rr Bertin.Mari.nfetde. The au<t. A,n@mordr6 nory ot rhe oer.its rhdr had .o beren out or rhe earry production vehicresdue roihespe€d at*r,i"r, oi*r.p.""t** *,npio"j.-ine-.ommd.ds6 epor. w 'f

c.nou,ed pFris@p* md d stoeed su,lace lo,nc,ea* prcF;rion jnd rhp{oron d a propa ba ndnri^9 fo, .he huti MC, dpFtoppd bv Dc,m,ergeaz w.,e rhe mo{ _or,c

FnLcEs. In a rutrhe'd empr ro orercoae r\e .ir botr tai,u,6, 24 botR were us€d i.sreao ot rhe 16on thewheers of ihe Alst o, the reluh was6 more retiabte wheetbur probremswre noi cured siiirhe.rew'\ilenl bloC srer rmmed wnp€r\ {as or Tiser ar5r. B, w",e ,,rrpd ro rhe Au<,, C rdre r.cutcr gur !ighr wd. r"o.a(ed b! a:,ng.p ,pter@pp, ,educ,aq ihe oDen,nasro ore. T,neIv, ro improve.he { .u. L.d, { .eaqta, a.d ro e"." . r ,e rrr i " .s

"nd rhe she Ftec.ronhar!h on -he ru,F, werF dct . red. AtrhoJoh th.ausr. a wenr Inro producnon ia JJtv. i^e ALsr. D wds i.iI be,rg p,6u.ed bv Her.hq who;,d .",mmprere thsrrcontr.ct for Panth€F unritNovember 1943. Turersand the tuiret componemswe;;supprred by wrious @nerns and thiswolld aftount foi the €xkrence o, panther Aur. b hu/ts litledwith A$fA tuiists. Laler . pantheF were fnred with the new nvte 24 bok .oad *r,""r, Or n .r,"'.iaim

6 sluron w€s alknorpd oy d,rt nq hote\ to, cn dddjiondrbotl berwa.n ecch or rhe normal,D ryr ,ng a ror6r or r / . AsprodLLr oa mnnrued rhpoverheaingor r^e Voyech qL2JOp30e.gin€was gradually curod, but transmission f.it!16 rsmaireO a co*tam proOrem.

Oi rhe 30th Jlty 1943, a Japanese deteqation under Cotone tshide, visred tho Honschelwerke and were giwn demon$rrlions of the panthsr Ausl. D 6nd Tiger Ausf E. Fo|owingrhB vkit Japrn dec'ded ro purcha\e e6ch lant.6ro19 wnh a (onprere se(or o awrnF dnd der"' s of prcducrion rechn'qLes. Tre J"pa..se hopad b oL.'d ,lrcsnce by 1945. Negori.rions dragged on and w€re noi conctuded untit Novemlrer 1944when Dalmtor&n2 hand€d .ver a panrher to the Japanese ftde mission, but by the^ ther€Ms no means ofshippingsuch. h€6vy item ro Japen. MAN were lupposed r. provide the drawrngs,bur did not receiv. pavmeni so rhe drdinqs nerer tefr rheif fadory.

Ouring 1943, ths fini Vear ol Panlhe. p.odudion,laso panther ch.$is were builr. t768orrhe*cppedred.s bc(lehk!, lhe reqd'.r.0 82 we.e.onva{{ ro ra.r r.,,iewa_BerSppan,heh. byueragao. r lo olrc ' . r re@rd hasy{ been found dh'chwou,drhow rhe.be numb., ofAulr DPrntheru, but n is esrim.t.d thatthem wereabour 600. prodlcttonofrhepantherAusfAcontino.duntirit ms replaced by th€ Aus{ c in.artv 1944. On 27rh F€bruary 1944 Hnteretimin.iedPanzertanpfwag€n V lrom the otficial desion.tion whichwas now panzerkgmpfwagen panrher.ThedGwing ofthe P€ntherAulf O is ofrho rype used ai Kuu&Juty 1943. Nore dre earry rypeof wheels, rods on the fruds!.rds to indict€ thewidrh o, therank and br€ck€tsror the s;h;er2en

Th€ PantherA6f. A dEwing is o, a Befeh spanzor, Command tank. The ontydiiferen€s to the basicbatdetank w€re the addhionat radio..rialsand theadditionat6dio sets€tried within. The numbor ot 7.5h rounds dtri€d had to be redued trom 79 to 64. bui theMG 6mmunition was

'n.realed Jrom 42m rounds to rt€OO.ounds. the Bof.htspanz€r p.nther

whrch was ba$d nor onty on ihe P6ntherAusfA but slso on reworked panrher Ausf D. Thefumb* Sd Kfz 267 and Sd Kfz 268 was atofred dep€nding on rhe rypeof ractio oquipment€ried. AllPantherewee oquipped with the si6ndard iank r.dto FU S, which w6s.n Uhrashorl w*e

'eerer and r0 wdtr <.nder op.'aL ng on -he 2?2OO/3J3OO Kc.5 band and vsed lheurudr z mene rod ae' id. The sk Kf7 267.ko€4,od rhe FU I4hirh wa! a medrum ware

receirer with 6 30 w.tt lender operatins on the I t 3O/3OOO KcA band which used the hsrsiar aer ia l , The sk Kfz 268car ied naddkiontotheFU5andFUTwhichws6nuttrashortmw

'eeNo dt od 20 w.rr lende. op€,6!ng on lhe 4 2 t OO/4,r8OO (ck bc4d usinq elcFddrd

z mptie 'od

dFria, - rhis re.dio war rhp s,aaddrd q,oL.o ro r,, --.,..."r,_

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::",ilTi l'"f i',THlf;oji"" snd a barrmounted MGIAS r;tted

Tech.ical SpeciJi@rion forpanzerkamplwagen V,panter A!sr,D.

II

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AAOVE: On its inroduction in M.rch 1942 the ChurchillMk lll was the liEt tank to be arm€d whh

th€ 6 pdr anr i tank gun. In lh iscas.thegunwasa6pdrMkl l l L/43. A ns welded tu ' i6r was

d€sloped lor the bigaer gun 6nd orher noticable extsmalfealures wer. the improwd rid€ lnrakelouvresand compldoly @ver€d tEck@rl< The ChlrchilllMk lllwas in action alongrid€ ChurchillMK I in theabo*ive Dieppe €id on 19th Auqust 1942 where allbula fe tan|swe6 lost in the seab.fore a footinqwas gFined on the shorc' The Germans subsequentlv €.ried oui extonnve tenson rhe Mk lll'swhidrwere abandoned al Dieppe.

( IMPERIAL WAF MUSEUM PHOTO)

lnfantry Tank MK lV Churchill

D'sw,ngs dnd hElo'ical resedrch by Adhu'J. Goocr

BELLONA PFINTS which should bestudi6 in onjunction wilh thisseries:

Ser i6 19. Churchi l l Mk I and Mk l l . Ser i625'Churchi l lbr idqelaver '

Tha Chlrchill Mk lll was the fist tank to app4r, jn March 1942, wath the new 6_pdr a^tibnk gun'

l2

i1

I

l r was;n apr i l 1938 rhdr rhe D"elro ' or arr te-y sucd c .p,c f €{o. ro, he deran oI rhe oJnnr i - ra l I u:e. B, ,hp d, l iqa d"parnear 6r,h.> !m" ; , . ed rh" icf i ,

oo ro woh on o!hp, dT s rhd rhe DiFcro, o. Ani te. , toLrd serro p ' d ' ly t rcm rhe Gmdd' srcrL wo. l orooF$ed \ owt, and n ws .or L-r ' i Lh" s; fner;r r94clrarrnpgun Incry pdned sn' . rq. . idha'shoebu.rne-. . I4p,ror mooe)wp,eo,de,edbjy,heMinhlryorSupply (MOS)in Juty. This or. tef was tarer increasedto 50.

Arier batrre exp€rience in France rhe War Ofl ca {L!Ol specitied, in Nowmber 1940, thar rhere wasd, 'eouiFna,roraom'hqogunhF"r,p, .h"nr,p2pd.Thaw*padu,mrhd";pdr.q;nd;.

Ine ehurch I A c 'u, .d r"nr dp\ iq ,ed \o i dt , ro v . ,o p rh- 6 pdr.gun wos dtreddl L-dp,6ns,d

At the rlme, ir was expeded thsr product on of rrnks and g!ns woutd @-incide al the end of 1941and s..e rh. quns co!Ld not be ava|abte sooner, rhe.e was no point in modifvingihe Crusader,

In December 1940, 500 quns were o.de.ed blr ii was.ot n6de cte€r as to whether these were to beT.defo' iF ido,rdkmo-n,ra DfFerb@- , , !ae.eqr i , .d.or16n!, f roJnrns,atrhoJgh. Gnl sLa coLrd be Lfd I I lon<equene rhe MOs

B€LOW: AChurchttMktt tdunnqrainnginsourhW.tasatrhe€ndoftS42. SomeChurchi t lMk ll l and ea fl * Jllks wtro de ti@red to R u$ia n Ausust 1942 u.der tend tease agreemenb. Meanwhile 3 Chu.chill Mk lll weie sent to Nonh Africa where rhey we,o aftached rd rhe 1st ArmouredOivis on- Ahhoush nor used forcombar onewas knocked oLt by a German Lacm sun.

I IMPERIAL WAF MUSEUM PHOTOJ

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CHURCHILT- ]YPICAI. SUgPENSION UNIT

Technical specification for ch!rchill Mk llr, lV, V

CHURCHIII. MK ESCAI E l : 4a I . , ,o 1 toor rorMnbyar lnu, J.Cm.h

CHURCHII.I. MK Y l7

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ASOVE: The Mk lV Churchillrelurired to a Casrr!rei,whlch was k'own as the'eanv tvperutrel

The 6 pd' qun wds '6 ia 'n@

bui a 1r l \ v l ,5ow4 u'm. lhDronoP'gurandtLr"coJrt 'moshral,n..,jr.r""n"* n " *'" ui- apprra ce Thp C tL'laill i/r lV wcs 'i $ u"ed in dc

'on in Tu nid

where thelr;xcellent cro$ 6!nirv perrorman@was mostwelcome The 6 pdrwasround verv

oood caarns Ce man "'mo-' ol hdr poaod howeve' he l"r\ o' h'gh e'Dlonve uoab riLdedlccd

:; ;* i ; " , , , . .* , - . " . "" .

ro ovp'co4. rh \ ,Fe r ' , a 'aoL "d Div von wo' t .hops ' r r ,n i '

@nwrted 120 Churchill Mk lvt bv mo!nring lhe @mplete M 3 75 mm Gun 'nd

mounting from .*t""r"J Srt*.-r. The resuhing v€hicle was kndn as the Churchrll NA 75 and serw'l succesfullv

( IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM PHOTO'

In January 1941 thed6ign was finalised for production and rhe following month 7o0ow'rcordered'

i""..J i" l,r"v. ra,o6o -d

as6in increased in De@mber to 2a,TSo Produdion was plan ned lo I

2oOO. mo.1h,;dasain itwbs nol made clear as to the €tio ollield' or 'tan k' mo uniinss rhal war

*qrlr*,.. ite iUOS- toor i"ltiative and odered 40% and 60% respectivelv, as rhe latter were inter

Meanwhile in Jan@ry {1941), ir wasdecid€d 1o build th€ Cromwellon rhe 6_pdt basis'nd in March

".i"i-,p.i d" oi'. c-,;der wasod€red rn March discussions commenced with vau*arrsror

the fhin;of the 6pd.. sun in the churchillforwhich it was originallv desisn€d This reessrtated a

€d6ion;d iurel which wd worked outat Egham but prowd 1o bo imprad cal so VauxhallenqrneeB

had 1o re-desiqn ir themselves. which th€v did.

Afterlirihg rrialsofwelded, esrand bohed tureis th€ welded veFion was chosen and orde6 lor these

ir*,r.*"pr"-a .i,r. e"O-ck &Wil@x in August 1941 Ode6 forlhe whicles was given in Odober

1941. How;rer, after lhe mechani€l problems wilh the Church'll, the 6'pdr' Crusader proiecr was arso

In the meanlime produdion o{ dpdr' gu.s had @mme'ced in August and bv the end of the vear 300

tank auN w*e ;eliver.d- Butth6rcwe@nobnksio bke them. Fietd mouniings were readY so th6e

-i'"-liiJ ""a ,"." **.,he [riddle East Bv February 1942 prodrction was runnins ar about 3oo

6 month and had increased to 1,400 a monlh bv June Bv December the planned 2000 a monrh rate

l8

Mea.whi e. in February 1942 the li^r Churchi Mk. j mountinq a Gpdr. gun pased hs i6sts and pro-duc!on commen@d a.hieving a rate of 40a week by Jutv 1942.

Sevo6l of the earlier Mk. I and tt vehtctes were brousht up ro ihe Mk. t nandard wirh lhe moonlinoor rhe npw qun dnd rLler,n add'r 'on ro orhe'

'mprovenonr! rhar had b*n mdde 6J.h a! rhe rrkrno; l

gLa'ds dro mdny -.Lhaa'cd. 'erireheaF.

T|-e Mr tv church. aoDe;,edin rhe Sudner of 1942 whh a new c.n r!'et mounrinq the Gpdr. Some or rhe earty modets h;; the6pd..MkVsunahhoughrhamajor i tyhadtheMk.t t tgun.TheMk.Vsunhadadighdytons€rbar€land wls noticably slimmer thaf rhe Mk. It. h atlo fearu.ed a targe mlzz e counremer sht whichemphasised itssli6appea6.e. Two veniors ofrhiscan ruretwm pr;d!ed_ an,eartv wrstn h:dthe extract tan mwr pra@d ai rhe side ot lhe rufer roofwhie rhe,tale veision h.d the cowtsituated

e. Boih ihes rypes were used on rhe Mk. tV. The Mk. V Churchi w.sp.oduced mounling a 95mm howilzer in ptace of ihe dpdr.lor clGe{upport work. This howdzerwasmounted in the' late 6n iu i ret on v.

Alr Mk. l l l , lV and V Churchi l ls hou. led a co.axiat Besd 7.92mm MG in ihe turet and a s imitar dachine.

Churchi l lMk. l l l 'swere f i6r lsed in acron n ihe raid dn D eppe on 19rh Aogusr 1942 whh th€ 14thc.6adian Army Tank Regime.i (cats€ry Besr). Ihiee ch!rch Mk. lt3 wer€ resred n th€ MiddteEast ar El Alame n though they wore primaf ly used Ior running and matnrenan@ ri.ts,one w6sknocked our by 66 8.8cm $n. Ahere @re atached io th. 1sr Armoured Divisio. . Churchi|| Mk. t,S@re aier used rn Tu.isia ard fitst saw act on wirh 51sr RoyatTank Relimenl {25ih Tank BrisadelJromFebruary 1943 unrirrhe end ot that mmpa'gn,producr o^ ofrhe chur.hit w.s 6rred oul by; groupof eleven fl.ms ol wh ch Vauxh6 Mo1orc @re rhe p.oduct on!,parenc,and the quanlniite! of i,lk.111,lV dnd V veh cl6 buih by the groopci firms 6re tisred on Mtr 20

BELOW: The ChurchillMk V repaced the Mk t, with its 3 inch Howitzer, in rhe ctose supportrole. A 95 mh Hsitzer Mk twas used and iseasity identif ed bv short heavy ba_etaidj;.qeounterweighl. The Mk V was produced at the same time as the Mk tV and repres€nted lO% o,

{ IMPEFIALWAF MUSEUM PHOTO)

i '1'ri

Birmingham Railw.y Catritge & Wagon Co.

Giouesler Railway Catrage & wagon co

MetropoLilan-C6mmell Cariase & Wagon Co

3l

29

aa

136

98

61

675

BELOW An ear ly church l l Mk.t l l which ni l r retained ihe s ide inrake louvres ol rhe chur.hi lMk I and Mk l l . A Mk l l l r i i ted wi th the 6 pdr Mk V L/50 rormal ly seen on ihe Mk lV s onOisplay at the Armor Provins GroLnd, Aberdeen, Maryland,U.S.A.

213

2@

194

303 241

243

1622 241

. r:'"

Published by Model & Allied Publications Limited , 13_35 Bridge Soeet,Hemel Hempstead, Herts. Copyrisht 1971 Model& Allied Publications

Limited, and AutholsPrinted bv Bracknell Press Limited, Btacknell, Betks

I t r / r ,