Cruiser Mk VIII, A30, Challenger
Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum
The Cromwell didn't have adequate firepower, so the Challenger was developed to mount the 17 pdr.7
The Birmingham Carriage & Wagon Company develeped the Challenger.1 2006 were ordered during development.1
Used a Cromwell chassis.1 Hull was lengthened and another road wheel was added.1,7 The width of the hull was also increased.7 With its extra length it was difficult to steer.
An additional loader was added.1 To save weight the hull MG wasn't included.1
No wading equipment was made for it so couldn't be used at Normandy.1
12 for each of 3 armored regiments in NW Europe.7 The operated with the reconnaissance regiments.1 A troop consisted of three Cromwells and one Challenger.6
The Sherman Firefly took over it's roll in the armored regiments.
| Challenger | |
|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver, gunner, loaders (2).2 51,2,3,4,7 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 71,680 lb, 72,800 lb2,4 32,581 kg, 32,000 kg1, 33,022 lb4,7 28.35 tons5, 31.5 tons1, 32 tons3, 32.5 tons7 |
| Length w/gun | 26' 4"1,3, 26' 8.75"2,4,7 7.98 m5, 8 m, 8.147 m1,4, 8.15 m7 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 8' 9"1,3, 9' 1.25"2,4,7 2.64 m5, 2.66 m1, 2.77 m7, 2.775 m4 |
| Width | 9' 6.5"2,3,4,7, 9' 7"1 2.87 m5, 2.9 m1,4, 2.91 m7 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure (psi) | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 17 pdr (76 mm)1,3,4,5 17 pdr OQF2,7 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 7.62 mm (.30 cal) Browning MG1 .30 cal Browning MG, coaxial.2,5 7.62 mm MG, coaxial.4 MG3 7.62 mm/0.3" Browning MG, coaxial7 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 421,2 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 20 - 1021,3,4 102, 1012,7, 1025 turret: 635, turret side: 405 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 101 |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | 10 |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Rolls-Royce Meteor1,2,3,4,7 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | V-127 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 6005,7 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | |
| Steering | |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline7 |
| Octane | |
| Capacity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°2 |
| Max speed | 14.9 mph1, 32 mph2,3,4,7 24 kph1, 51.5 kph4, 52 kph7, 53 kph5 |
| Cross country speed | 15 mph2 |
| Road radius | 119.85 miles1, 120 miles2,4,7, 162.5 miles 193 km1,4,7, 260 km |
| Cross country radius | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | -10° to +20°2 |
| Fording depth | 4' 1.21 m 4' 6", 1.37 m prepared.2,4 |
| Trench crossing | 7' 6", 8' 6"2,4 2.28 m, 2.59 m4 |
| Vertical obstacle | 3'2,4 0.914 m4 |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | Improved Christie.2 |
| Wheels each side | 6 |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | 15.5"2 |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 8' 1.75"2 |
| Production | Dec 1943 - Sept 1944 : 36, 200, 260 |
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
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
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