Main Menu
Britain's Light Tank Mk VIII3, A253, Harry Hopkins3
Light Tank Mk VIII, A25, Harry Hopkins: Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum |
Design
The Light Tank Mk VIII was designed in 1941 by Vickers Armstrongs to replace the Tetrarch. Metropolitan-Camel Carriage Wagon Co. Ltd. built the Mk VIII. Was named after the confidential advisor to US President Roosevelt6.1,3
Used same track flexing for steering as Tetrarch1, however had hydraulic assisted controls6 for the driver.3
Production
- Light Tank Mk VIII, A25, Harry Hopkins: 923, 991
- Production: ? - 19443, 19441
- Manufacturer: Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage Wagon Company Ltd.3
Variants
- Light Tank Mk VIII, A25, Harry Hopkins:
- Alecto SP3: Had 95 mm howitzer or 6 pdr gun installed.3
- Alecto I: 95 mm howitzer.6
- Alecto II: 6 pdr.6
- Alecto III: 25 pdr.6 Not built.6
- Alecto IV: 32 pdr.6 Not built.6
- Alecto Dozer3:
- C263: Armored personnel carrier, but was dropped when end of war came.3
Usage
Never entered service as Tetrarchs and Locusts met needs.3
| Light Tank Mark VIII Harry Hopkins A25 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, gunner, driver.2 31,2,4,6 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 19,040 lb2 7.7 tons5, 8.5 tons1,3,4,6 8,635 kg1, 8,636 kg6 |
| Length w/gun | 14'2,6, 14' 3"1,4 4.27 m6, 4.34 m1,5 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 6' 11"1,2,4,6 2.11 m1,5,6 |
| Width | 8' 10"1, 8' 10.5"2,4,6 2.65 m1, 2.71 m6, 2.74 m5 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 2 pdr (40 mm)1,5 2 pdr OQF2,6 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 7.92 mm Besa MG1,2,5,6 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 502 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 2,0252 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 6 - 381,4 62, 382,5,6 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 38 |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | 6 |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Meadows Fiat1 Meadows2,4,6 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | 122,6 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 1482,5,6, 1494 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | |
| Steering | |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline6 |
| Octane | |
| Capacity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°2 |
| Max speed | 30 mph1,2,4,6 48 kph1,6, 50 kph5 |
| Cross country speed | 20 mph2 |
| Road radius | 125 miles2,6, 140 miles1 201 km6, 225 km1 |
| Cross country radius | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | 3'2 |
| Trench crossing | 5'2 |
| Vertical obstacle | 2'2 |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | Steerable road wheels.2 |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | 10.5"2 |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 7'2 |
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
- World War Two Tanks, George Forty, 1995
- 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
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
