Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2016) |
Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30)[1] | |
---|---|
Type | Cruiser tank |
Place of origin | United Kingdom |
Service history | |
Used by | United Kingdom Czechoslovak government-in-exile Polish Armed Forces in the West Ordnance QF 17 pounder (76.2 mm) 42 rounds |
Secondary armament | 0.30 Browning machine gun[4] |
Engine | Rolls-Royce Meteor V-12 petrol engine 600 hp (450 kW) |
Power/weight | 18.8 hp (14 kW) / tonne |
Suspension | Christie suspension 6 road wheels |
Operational range | 105 mi (169 km)[3] |
Maximum speed | 32 mph (51 km/h)[3] |
The Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30) was a British tank of
History
The driving force in the development of the Challenger was
The
The first prototype was ready in August 1942, only seven months after development had commenced, but proved to be very flawed. An improved second prototype was presented in January 1943 but was still considered unacceptable. A committee met to determine whether a requirement for a 17-pounder tank existed. The Challenger had been developed in anticipation of more heavily armoured Axis tanks, following the trend in Nazi German tank design. At roughly the same time the Tiger I entered service with the German army, placing an immediate need for a 17-pounder armed tank in response.[7] When the second prototype was tested at
British tank production was constrained by limited resources and insufficient numbers could be made. This was compensated by American production. In the lead up to
The tank was rendered obsolete when the Vickers HV 75 mm gun was developed to become the
Design
The turret mounted the Ordnance QF 17-pounder gun required in the Tank Board specification and the hull machine gun was removed to provide stowage space for the long 17-pounder cartridges. The War Office expected that this larger ammunition, together with its stowage forward, would require two loaders alongside the commander and gunner in the turret.[9] To fit the larger weapon and additional crewman in the turret, a much larger turret than that of the Cromwell was specified, developed separately, which had a significant effect on the design and was not resolved until later development of Avenger.
To carry the weight of the 17-pounder and ammunition, an extra wheel station and suspension arm was needed, lengthening the hull. This change in length, without a corresponding change in width across the tracks, reduced mobility compared to the Cromwell, although speed remained high at 25 mph. To limit the weight, the amount of armour was reduced but this could only be achieved on the turret, 63 mm (2.5 in) on the front (the mantlet was 102 mm of IT 90) and 40 mm (1.6 in) on the sides compared to 75 mm (3.0 in) and 60 mm (2.4 in) on the Cromwell. Applique armour, 25 mm thick, was later added to turret and hull front.[10] The turret did not use a conventional turret ring: to increase the aperture diameter by four inches, it rested on a ball mount on the hull floor. Therefore the base of the turret was unprotected, and it would cantilever if struck by enemy rounds. A jacking feature, with four internal semi-automatic jacks, was fitted to clear jams. The additional length allowed larger hatches to be fitted in the hull while still clearing the turret, providing easier access than Cromwell.
Upon Robotham's appointment as Chief Engineer to the Department of Tank Design, the lack of progress on an (A29) 17-pounder armed tank could not adequately be explained. Robotham's memoirs indicate a lack of awareness that any such requirement existed within the department and military users were still unsure whether the tank was required at the point when the rushed A30 design had been completed and prototype vehicles run.[11] The Challenger was then rushed into production alongside existing production runs of Cromwell, limiting the number of tanks that could be produced.
Performance
The 17-pounder gun mounted on the Challenger offered sufficient performance against the majority of German AFVs, including the
In combat, the Challenger fulfilled much the same role as the Sherman Firefly, providing overwatch for the other tanks in the troop, as its 17-pounder could penetrate almost all German AFVs frontally, unlike the 75 mm. It was deployed in a similar manner at a troop level, this was typically one 17-pounder armed tank (such as Challenger or Firefly) to three 75 mm armed tanks (Cromwells or Shermans); at times, the deployment of 17-pounder armed tanks was increased to two per troop.
The Challenger was based on the reliable Cromwell tank, which used the new Rolls-Royce Meteor engine, which was far more reliable and powerful than the ageing Liberty engine used in earlier British Cruiser designs like the Crusader tank. Its reliability was slightly below that of the Cromwell, as a problem was experienced with track throwing, caused by mud building up in the wheels but this was resolved in the field.[12] Supply and maintenance were vastly simplified through the use of common parts with the Cromwell.
In comparison with the Firefly, the tank lacked the sloping forward armour but presented a lower profile and avoided the Firefly's constraint on gun depression. The Challenger provided 10° of gun depression while Firefly was limited to 5°, which was a significant disadvantage in combat. It was preferred within Cromwell units as it shared similar mobility and manoeuvrability, whereas the Firefly was slower. Despite a lower design weight than the earlier A29 specification (32½ not 34 tons), the Challenger was heavy and required dockyard equipment to ship, making it impractical to use in amphibious assaults such as the D-day landings.[9]
Service
No provision was made for deep wading, before the design went into production; as a result, the A30 could not be landed in the initial phase of the Allied invasion of Normandy. Challenger crews had to wait until July 1944, when Mulberry harbours were operational and ports had been captured.
The Challenger and Firefly, equipped with 17-pounder, were added to tank squadrons to deal with opposing heavy tanks and many Challengers were issued to reconnaissance units using Cromwells. It was initially used by the Guards Armoured Division and the 11th Armoured Division, with about sixteen vehicles in each unit: one Challenger and three Cromwells in each troop.[13] The latter division phased the type out from February 1945 onwards, while it was being introduced to the Cromwell units of the 7th Armoured Division. The tank was unpopular at first, with crews complaining about the lack of armour, the high silhouette and the tracks being thrown.[14] The track problem was caused by the smaller idler wheels compared to the Cromwell; these were in August replaced by idlers with a standard diameter. Troops used to the low profile of the Crusader and Cromwell found the height a serious problem, although it was still shorter than the comparable Sherman Firefly.
Confidence in the vehicle grew and it became preferred over the Firefly, being lower, faster and more manoeuvrable but the early bad reputation persisted with others.
Variants
The A30 Avenger SP2 or SP 17pdr, A30 (Avenger) was a development of the Challenger to be used as a
The Avenger featured a permanent opening in the turret roof covered with an armoured cover supported a few inches above. This provided the commander and loader with full 360 degree visibility.[19]
By the time the pilot was complete, the British had lend-lease M10s for anti-tank work coming into service and the production of Avenger was de-prioritised in favour of Comet production [20]
As many as 500 vehicles appear to have been planned and 230 vehicles were ordered from BRC&W, but this dropped to 80 with the end of the war. It is not known how many were actually built; the SP2 nomenclature indicates its place in production with the Archer (SP1) and Alecto (SP3).[19]
The Avenger suffered in trials as the engine had to remain running to use the turret traverse motor, because the noise and exhaust could give the vehicle away. Winter trials in a prolonged stationary position also failed in comparison with Archer, when the Avenger's steering failed. Both vehicles had problems with camouflage. The vehicle was dropped from trials in 1950, along with removal of the 17pdr SP Achilles (re-gunned US M10 GMC- equipped with 17pdr).[19]
While the Avenger was only used for trials and was ultimately unsuccessful in comparison with the purpose built vehicles, it provides an example of what could have been possible for the Challenger had it not been forced to accommodate a second loader in a larger (four-man) turret in its design. It may have been corrected had effort not been moved to the Comet.[21]
Survivors
Two vehicles survive, one at the
Notes
- ISBN 978-0-7607-1022-7.
- ^ Fletcher (2006), p. 42.
- ^ a b c d e f White (1963), p. 54.
- ^ Fletcher (2006), p. 38.
- ^ Fletcher (1993).
- ^ http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_cruiser_tank_A29.html ; retrieved 18 June 2016
- ^ Robotham 1970, p. 159.
- ^ Fletcher (2006).
- ^ a b c d Robotham 1970, pp. 162–167.
- ^ Boyd 2008.
- ^ Robotham (1970), p. 165.
- ^ Track Throwing, 15.11.44; Rm/GB.5/SW.15.11.44
- ^ Crow 1972, p. 34.
- ^ Note from Service Engineer, 15.11.44; AA.2/JB.11.11.44
- ^ The Rolls-Royce Meteor - Cromwell and other applications; Historical Series No. 35 published by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust
- ^ Hayward The Other Challenger quoting Six Monthly RAC Progress Reports
- ^ Fletcher (2006), p. 47.
- ISBN 9788024740294.
- ^ a b c d Royall (2000).
- ^ Chamberlain & Ellis 1981, p. 48.
- ^ Robotham 1970, pp. 162, 191, 275.
- ^ Pierre-Olivier Buan (25 October 2011). "Surviving Cruiser Tanks" (PDF). Surviving Panzers website. p. 39. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
References
- Bingham, James (1971). AFV Profile No. 25 Cromwell and Comet. Profile Publishing.
- Boyd, David (31 December 2008). "The Challenger Tank (A.30)". wwiiequipment.com.
- Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris (1981) [1969], British and American Tanks of World War II (2nd US ed.), Arco Publishing, p. 204
- Evans; McWilliams; Whitworth; Birch (2004). The Rolls-Royce Meteor. ISBN 1-872922-24-4.
- Crow, Duncan (1972). British and Commonwealth Armoured Formations (1919–46). AFV/Weapons series. Windsor: Profile Publications Limited. ISBN 978-0-853-83081-8.
- ISBN 0-11-290534-X.
- Fletcher, David (2006). Cromwell Cruiser Tank 1942–1950. ISBN 1841768146.
- Hayward, M. "The Other Challenger". Shermanic Firefly. Archived from the original on 11 November 2001. Retrieved 24 May 2004.
- White, B. T. (1963). British Tanks 1915–1945. Ian Allan.
- Royall, Tim (2000). "Wheels & Tracks". No. 70. After the Battle.
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(help) - Robotham, W. A. (1970). Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn. Constable. ISBN 0-09-456690-9.