Cruiser Mk IV file photo [16374]

Cruiser Mk IV

CountryUnited Kingdom
Primary RoleCruiser Tank

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe Tank, Cruiser, Mk IV (A13 Mk II) tanks began as Mk III cruiser tanks fitted with extra pieces of armor on the turrets, but they soon had their own complete armor rework. As Mk IV cruiser tanks became the standard cruiser tanks in the British Army in 1940, some Mk III predecessors were converted to Mk IV standards. A number of them saw action with the 1st Armoured Division of the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940, but they did not perform well in this short campaign, and most of them would be either destroyed in action or left behind in France. Starting in Oct 1940, they were shipped to North Africa, where they would see action in the early stages of the Desert War; they were described as reliable, but the Mk IV cruiser tanks had difficulties dealing with newer models of German tanks. They would be retired by late 1941.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Nov 2012

SPECIFICATIONS

A13 Mk II
MachineryOne Nuffield Liberty V-12 gasoline engine rated at 340hp
SuspensionChristie suspension
Armament1x40mm QF 2pdr gun (87 rounds), 1x7.7mm Vickers machine gun
Armor6-30mm
Crew4
Length6.02 m
Width2.54 m
Height2.59 m
Weight16.0 t
Speed23 km/h off-road; 48 km/h on-road
Range145 km

Photographs

British Cruiser Mk IV tank with turret facing the rear, France, late May 1940British Cruiser Mk IV tank at Huppy, France, 26-29 May 1940British Cruiser Mk IV tank crew repairing tank track, Blangy-sur-Ternoise, France, 26-29 May 1940Destroyed British Cruiser Mk IV tank near Huppy and Saint-Maxent, France, on or shortly after 27 May 1940
See all 21 photographs of Cruiser Mk IV Cruiser Tank



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Cruiser Mk IV Cruiser Tank Photo Gallery
British Cruiser Mk IV tank with turret facing the rear, France, late May 1940
See all 21 photographs of Cruiser Mk IV Cruiser Tank


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