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Britain's Infantry Mk IV Churchill AVRE:
Aberdeen Tank Museum
Churchill AVRE towing a trailer, and a Churchill fascine carrier behind. The man on top of the fascine is passing directions to the commander who in turns passes it on to the driver.
Churchill AVRE in La Breche, Normandy on June 6, 1944. Just off of Sword Beach with the 3rd Division.
Churchill AVRE with "Goat" collapsible framework. This was used to place a demolition charge, and then the tank would back away.
Churchill AVRE with Bobbin Carpet Laying device.
Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum
Armored Vehicle Royal Engineers.12 A Petard 29cm caliber mortar was fitted to turret. Fired 40lb bomb 80 meters.1 180 available by D-Day. 1st Assault Brigade of 79th Armored Division.7 574 more were converted. Some were equipped to care fascines and CIRD for mine-clearing.
Had large rear hatch so that engineers could easily exit the vehicle during battle.11
Also used by the 25th Armored Assault Brigade in Italy.7
| Churchill AVRE | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 511, 65 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 38 tons5, 40 tons11 |
| Length w/gun | 24' 7"11, 25' 2"5 7.67 m5 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 8' 7"11, 9' 2"5 2.79 m5 |
| Width | 9' 4"11, 10' 8"5 3.25 m5 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | 20"11 |
| Ground contact length | 168"11 |
| Ground pressure | 14 psi11 |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | Petard mortar5 290 mm Spigot mortar12 6.5" MkI demolition gun11 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 7.92 mm (.312") Besa MG5 7.9 Besa MG, bow11 |
| Side arms | 2" smoke mortar11 |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 3111 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 45011 |
| Side arms | 2011 |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | |
| Hull Front, Upper | 6"@0°11 |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 3.75"@0°11 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | 2"@0°11 |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | |
| Turret Front | 6"@0°11 |
| Turret Sides | 3.5"@0°11 |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Bedford Twin-Six5 Bedford7 Bedford, horizontal opposed11 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | Water11 |
| Cylinders | 2x67, 1211 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 3505,7,11 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | Constant mesh11 4 forward, 1 reverse11 |
| Steering | Epicyclic11 |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical System | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline5,11 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | 150 gallons11 |
| Fuel consumption road | 1/3 mpg11 |
| Fuel consumption cross country | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°11 Power and manual11 |
| Max speed | 12.7 mph11, 15 mph7, 15.5 mph5 24.9 kph5 |
| Cross country speed | |
| Road radius | 50 miles11, 120 miles5 193 km5 |
| Cross country radius | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | -8° to +15°11 |
| Fording depth | 3' 4"11 |
| Trench crossing | 10'11 |
| Vertical obstacle | 2' 6"11 |
| Climbing ability | 30° slope11 |
| Suspension (Type) | Vertical coil springs11 |
| Wheels each side | 22 independent bogies11 |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | Cast steel, dry pin11 |
| Length | |
| Width | 22"11 |
| Number of links | 7211 |
| Pitch | 7.9"11 |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 87.5"11 |
| Production |
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
- Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
- 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
- Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
- AFV 1: Churchill, B.I.T. Mk IV, B.T. White
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
