Light Tanks Mk III

United Kingdom's Light Tank Mk III

United Kingdom's Light Tank Mk III
Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

September 1935 Mohmand Operations:
United Kingdom's Light Tank Mk III
Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

At Mersa Matruh, Egypt
United Kingdom's Light Tank Mk III
Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

Production started in 1934.

The turret narrower and shorter. Over the engine was a grille.

Most vehicles used for training until 1942. Mk IIIs used by a South African battalion in the Abyssinian campaign (1941).

The 6th Battalion of the RTC received 36 while in Egypt.5

  Light Tank Mk III
Crew Commander, driver.2
22,3,4,5
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 10,080 lb2
4.5 tons3,4,5
Length w/gun 11' 10"5, 12'2,4
Length w/o gun  
Height 6' 11"2,4, 7'5
Width 6' 1"5, 6' 3.5"2,4
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance  
Ground contact length  
Ground pressure  
Turret ring diameter  
Armament (mm)  
Main .303 or .50 MG3
Vickers .50 MG2
Vickers .303 MG4,5 OR
.5 MG4
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main 4,0005
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) 42, 122,3
4 - 105, 4 - 124
Hull Front, Upper  
Hull Front, Lower  
Hull Sides, Upper  
Hull Sides, Lower  
Hull Rear  
Hull Top  
Hull Bottom  
Turret Front  
Turret Sides  
Turret Rear  
Turret Top  
Engine (Make / Model) Rolls-Royce2,4,5
Bore / stroke  
Cooling  
Cylinders 65
Capacity  
Net HP 665
Power to weight ratio 14.6 hp/ton5
Compression ratio  
Transmission (Type)  
Steering  
Steering ratio  
Starter  
Eletrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel (Type)  
Octane  
Capacity  
Road consumption  
Cross country consumption  
Performance  
Traverse 360°2
Max speed 30 mph2,3,4,5
Cross country speed 20 mph2
Road radius 130 miles2, 150 miles5
Cross country radius  
Turning radius  
Elevation limits -11° to +37°2
Fording depth 2' 3"2
Trench crossing  
Vertical obstacle  
Climbing ability  
Suspension (Type) Horstmann coil spring.2
Horstmann with opposed inclined springs.5
Wheels each side  
Return rollers each side  
Tracks (Type)  
Length  
Width 9.5"2
Diameter  
Number of links  
Pitch  
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 5' 2.5"2
Production  

Sources:

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. World War Two Tanks, George Forty, 1995
  4. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
  5. AFV 5: Light Tanks Marks I-VI, Major-General N. W. Duncan
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