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Britain's Cruiser Mk V Covenanter, A13 Mk III
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter in Norfolk in the summer of 1941: |
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter: |
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter training in 1941. |
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter: |
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter: Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum |
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter, with an anti-mine roller attachment: |
Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter, Bridgelayer: Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum |
Design
Inspired by Russian T-28. Was produced by the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway Company.7
Was declared obsolete in 1943 and orders were issued that all surviving tanks were to be scrapped.
Had an improved steering system. The driver's position was moved to the right side and the radiators for the engine were located in the front on the left side.1,7 A flatter engine was installed to lower it's height, but this caused it's cooling system to not work.7 These problems weren't discovered until it was already been in production.
The turret floor was smaller than the turret ring and this caused the gunner to sit in an uncomfortable position and the commander risked getting his legs trapped when the turret was rotated.
Production
They were delivered in the Summer of 1940.6 Production ended in January 1943.6
- Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III: 1,3005, 1,3656, 1,7711, over 1,7008
- Production: 1939 - 1943
- Manufacturer: London, Midland, and Scottish Railway Company7
Variants
- Cruiser Mk V Covenanter Mk. I: Original production model.
- Cruiser Mk V Covenanter Mk. II: Had a multi-tube oil cooler mounted on the radiator.
- Cruiser Mk V Covenanter Mk. III: Had oil coolers installed on each side of the engine. The clutch linkage was also modified. There was a change in the pattern of radiator cooling louvers. Pot shaped air cleaners were located inboard at the rear. The exhaust silencers were situated on the ends of the track guards.
- Cruiser Mk V Covenanter Mk. IV: Similar to the Mk. II but with the clutch modifications of the Mk. III.
- Covenanter CS: Close support with a 76.2 mm / 3" howitzer.7
- Covenanter OP: Had extra radio and was used as an observation post.7 The main armament was replaced by a dummy gun.7
- Bridgelayer8: Had a bridge 34' long7 and 9' 6" wide and could cover a gap 30' wide.8 Also given to New Zealand forces. Used by the Australians on Bougainville Island.6,8
- Anti-Mine Roller Attachment8: The anti-mine roller attachment used pressure to set of the mines while being pushed in front of the tank.7 A few trials were conducted.
Usage
Were issued to the regiments of the 1st Polish Armored Division.6 When the 1st was transferred to Egypt the tanks were transferred to the 9th Armored Division.6
Never used operationally. Used for training until 1943 in England and the Middle East.1,8
Probably the only Covenanter lost to enemy action was one that was attached to the Armored Train "H," based in Canterbury. It was destroyed in an air raid on May 31, 1942, by the Germans.
| Cruiser Mk V, A13 Mk III, Covenanter | Cruiser Mk V CS | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, gunner, loader, driver.2 41,2,3,6,7 |
|
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 40,320 lb2 16.2 tons4, 18 tons1,3,6,7,8 18,289 kg7, 18,300 kg1 |
|
| Length w/gun | 19'1,3,6,7, 19' 3/8"2 5.76 m4, 5.8 m1,7 |
|
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 7' 3.75"2, 7' 4"1,3,6,7 2.22 m4, 2.23 m1, 2.24 m7 |
|
| Width | 8' 6.75"2, 8' 7"1,3,6,7 2.59 m4, 2.61 m1, 2.62 m7 |
|
| Width over tracks | ||
| Ground clearance | ||
| Ground contact length | ||
| Ground pressure | ||
| Turret ring diameter | ||
| Armament | ||
| Main | 2 pdr OQF2,7 2 pdr (40 mm)1 2 pdr3,4,6 |
3" howitzer2,3,4,6 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | Besa MG2 MG3 |
|
| MG - coaxial | 7.92 mm Besa MG1,4,7 Besa MG6 |
|
| Side arms | ||
| Quantity | ||
| Main | ||
| Secondary | ||
| MG | ||
| Side arms | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 7 - 401,3 72, 402,4,6,7 |
|
| Hull Front, Upper | 40 | |
| Hull Front, Lower | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | ||
| Hull Rear | ||
| Hull Top | ||
| Hull Bottom | 7 | |
| Turret Front | ||
| Turret Sides | ||
| Turret Rear | ||
| Turret Top | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | Meadows Flat-12 D.A.V.1,2 Meadows Flat-123,5,6 Meadows DAV17 Meadows8 |
|
| Bore / stroke | ||
| Cooling | ||
| Cylinders | 127, flat 128 | |
| Net HP | 2808, 3004,6,7 | |
| Power to weight ratio | ||
| Compression ratio | ||
| Transmission (Type) | Wilson compound epicycle gearbox | |
| Steering | ||
| Steering ratio | ||
| Starter | ||
| Electrical system | ||
| Ignition | ||
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline7 | |
| Octane | ||
| Capacity | ||
| Road consumption | ||
| Cross country consumption | ||
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | 360°2 | |
| Max speed | 30 mph6, 31 mph2,3,7,8, 31.05 mph1 50 kph1,7, 52 kph4 |
|
| Cross country speed | 25 mph2 | |
| Road radius | 99.36 miles1, 100 miles2,7 160 km1, 161 km7 |
|
| Cross country radius | ||
| Turning radius | ||
| Elevation limits | -15° to +20°2 | |
| Fording depth | 3' 2"2 | |
| Trench crossing | 7'2 | |
| Vertical obstacle | 2' 6"2 | |
| Climbing ability | ||
| Suspension (Type) | Christie2 | |
| Wheels each side | ||
| Return rollers each side | ||
| Tracks (Type) | ||
| Length | ||
| Width | 10.75"2 | |
| Diameter | ||
| Number of links | ||
| Pitch | ||
| Tire tread | ||
| Track centers/tread | 7' 6 7/8"2 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- Allied Armour of World War Two, Ian V. Hogg, 2000
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
- World War Two Tanks, George Forty, 1995
