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Britain's Light Tank Mk VI, Mk VIA, Mk VIB, Mk VIC
| Light Tank Mk VI: |
Light Tank Mk VI in 1942 in the Western Desert: |
Light Tank Mk VIA: |
Light Tank Mk VI AA Mk II: Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum |
Design
The engine was on the right side of the hull, with the transmission going forward to the front drive sprockets.8
The driver sat on the left.8
There were two 2-wheeled bogies on each side that were sprung on angled coil springs.8 The rear most road wheel also was used as the idler wheel.8
Armor
The armor on the Light Tank Mk VI was very thin and made it very vulnerable to enemy fire.4
Production
Production ended in 1940.1
- Light Tank Mk VI: 1,320 (?)
- Production: 1936 - 1942
Variants
- Light Tank Mk VI: The engine was in the front beside the driver. Had a Number 7 radio set installed. The cupola had a hexagonal shape.
- Light Tank Mk VIA: Moved the return roller.
- Light Tank Mk VIB: The cupola had a cylindrical shape. Had a mounting for a Bren AA gun on the turret. Was the most numerous and widely used.8 Had a single piece louvre over the radiator.1 The cupola was plainer to simplify production.1 Had a 5-speed gearbox, and was steered through clutches and annular spur reduction on the final drive.1
- Light Tank Mk VIB India Pattern: Single periscope for the commander, located in the turret hatch.5
- Light Tank Mk VIC: The cupola was removed and replaced by 2 domed hatches. The engine cover only had one inlet louvers and many had a deflector plate in from of the driver's vision block to reduce bullet splash.
Entered service in 1936.1 - Vickers Light Tank Mk VI AA Mk II:
Usage
By September 1939 there were approximately 1,000 in service.8
Defense of France
When the 1st Armored Division was sent to France in May 1940, about 1/2 of its tanks were Mk VIs.8
Around 550 Light Tank Mk VIAs were sent to France, and only six made it out before France surrendered.4
Approximately 200 Light Tank Mk VIBs were with the British Expeditionary Forces.11
Mediterranean Theater
Considered mechanically reliable so was popular in North Africa.1
The Light Tank Mk VI provided the bulk of British tank strength in France and Western Desert1 in 1940. Used in first line units until 1942.4
Used in France1,4, Greece1,4, Crete1,4, Malta1,4, Persia, and with the South Africans in Abyssinian, and Australians in Syria ( July 1941)1,4. On Malta it was used to tow wrecked aircraft off the runways.1,4
Some in Egypt were converted to artillery observation posts. At the first siege of Tobruk the 1st Royal Tank Regiment used 16 of the Light Tank Mk VIs to deceive the Germans into thinking there were more tanks in the garrison.4
Australia Usage
Australia purchased some Light Mk VIs in 1939, and were used for training.5 Australian forces took over some from the British Army in the Western Desert in 1940.5
Canadian Usage
Canada obtained Light Mk VIs from Britain in 1939 and used for training.5
| Light Mk VI | Light Mk VI A | Light Mk VIB11 | Light Mk VIC11 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, gunner, driver.3 31,3,4,5,6,8,10 |
34,8,9,10 | 31,4,5,8,10,11 | 32,4,5,8,10,11 |
| Radio | Wireless Set No. 911 | Wireless Set No. 911 | ||
| Physical Characteristics | ||||
| Weight | 10,752 lb6, 11,740 lb3, 11,648 lb 4.8 tons1,5,10, 5 tons4 4,875 kg1, 4,877 kg6 |
4.8 tons10, 5 tons4, 5.8 tons9 | 5 tons1,4,11, 5.2 tons5,8,10 5,080 kg1 |
5 tons4,11, 5.2 tons5,10, 5.25 tons2 |
| Length w/gun | 12' 11.5"3,4, 13'6, 13' 2"1,5,10 3.96 m6, 4.01 m1 |
12.2'9, 13' 2"10 | 13' 2"1,5,8,10,11 |
13' 2"5,10,11 3.94 m2, 4.01 m11 |
| Length w/o gun | ||||
| Height | 7' 3.5"3,4, 7' 5"1,5,10, 7' 6"6 2.235 m6, 2.26 m1 |
7.3'9, 7' 5"10 | 7' 5"1,5,8,10,11 2.26 m1,11 |
6' 11"11, 7'3, 7' 5"5,10 2.13 m2,11 |
| Width | 6' 9"3,4, 6' 10"1,5,6,10 2.08 m1,6 |
6.7'9, 6' 10"10 | 6' 10"1,5,8,10,11 2.08 m1,11 |
6' 10"5,10,11 2.06 m2, 2.08 m11 |
| Ground clearance | 10.5" | 1' 2.2"9 | 0.27 m2 | |
| Ground contact length | 7'9 | |||
| Ground pressure | 7.54 psi | 6.9 psi 9 | 0.53 (kg/cm2)2 | |
| Turret ring diameter | ||||
| Armament | ||||
| Main | .50 cal (12.7 mm) Vickers MG1,3 .50 cal MG4 .5" MG8 .50 Vickers MG5,10 12.7 mm (.50") MG6 |
.50 cal MG4 .5" MG8 .50 cal Vickers MG10 2: .303 Vickers MGs9 |
.50 cal (12.7 mm) MG or 15 mm MG1 .50 cal MG4 .5" MG8 .5 Vickers MG5,10 1: 12.7 mm Vickers MG11 |
1: Besa 15 mm MG3,8,10,11 15 mm2,6 .50 cal MG4 15 mm Besa MG5 |
| Secondary | .303 (7.7 mm) Vickers MG1,3 .303 MG4 .303 Vickers MG5,10 .303" MG8 7.7 mm (0.303") MG6 |
.303" MG8 .303 MG4 .303 Vickers MG10 |
.303 cal (7.7 mm) Vickers1 or 7.92 mm MG Besa1 .303 MG4 .303" MG8 .303 Vickers MG5,10 |
MG2 Besa 7.92 mm MG3,6,8,10 .303 MG4 .303 Besa MG5 |
| OR | 7.92 mm MG4 | 7.92 mm MG4 | 7.92 mm MG4 | 7.92 mm MG4 |
| MG - coaxial | 1: 7.62 mm Vickers MG11 | 1: 7.92 Besa MG11 | ||
| Side arms | ||||
| Quantity | ||||
| Main | 40010 | 40010 | 40010 | 1752, 40010 |
| Secondary | 2,50010 | 2,50010 | 2,50010 | 2,50010, 2,7002 |
| MG | ||||
| Side arms | ||||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 43, 143, 158 4-14 or 15.4 4 - 155,10 10 - 156 |
158 4-14 or 15.4, 4 - 1510 Front: 0.47"9 Side: 0.47"9 Turret Front: 0.59"9 Turret Side: 0.59"9 |
158 4-14 or 15.4 4 - 155,10 |
158 4-14 or 15.4 4 - 155 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 11-14 | 16 | 11-142 | |
| Hull Front, Lower | 11-14 | |||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 11-13 | 11-132 | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | 11-13 | |||
| Hull Rear | 4-6 | 4-62 | ||
| Hull Top | 4 | 42 | ||
| Hull Bottom | 3 | 32 | ||
| Turret Front | 14 | 142 | ||
| Turret Sides | 11-14 | 11-142 | ||
| Turret Rear | 11 | 112 | ||
| Turret Top | 3.5 | 3.52 | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | Meadows1,3,8,10, Meadows ESTL5,6 | Meadows8,9,10 | Meadows1,8,10,11, Meadows ESTB/A OR ESTB/B 5 | Meadows2,8,10,11 |
| Cooling | Water9 | |||
| Cylinders | 68,10 | 68,9,10 | 68,10,11 | 68,10,11 |
| Net HP | 888, 88@2,800 rpm10 | 888, 88@2,800 rpm9,10 | 888,11, 88@2,800 rpm10 | 888,11, 88@2,800 rpm10 |
| Transmission | 5 forward, 1 reverse, Wilson pre-selector gearbox Horstmann inclined springs, parallel in bogies.10 |
5 forward9, 1 reverse9 | 5 forward2, 1 reverse2 | |
| Steering | Clutch Brake9 | |||
| Starter | Electric9 | |||
| Ignition | Magneto9 | |||
| Fuel type | Gasoline9 | Gasoline11 | Gasoline11 | |
| Octane | ||||
| Capacity | 74 gallons | 29 gallons9 | 159 liters2 | |
| Fuel Consumption - Road | 5.4 mpg9 | |||
| Fuel Consumption - Cross Country | 3 mpg9 | |||
| Power to weight ratio | 18.3 hp/ton10 | 18.3 hp/ton10 | 16.9 hp/ton10 | 16.9 hp/ton10 |
| Performance | ||||
| Traverse | 360°3 | 360° | 360° | |
| Max Speed | 32 mph6, 35 mph1,3,4,5,8,10 51.5 kph6, 56 kph1 |
31 mph9, 35 mph4,8,10 | 34.78 mph1,11, 35 mph4,8,10 56 kph11 |
35 mph4,8,10,11 50.9 kph2, 56 kph11 |
| Cross Country | 25 mph3 | 25 mph | ||
| Road radius | 125 miles1,10, 130 miles3, 215 miles6 200 km1, 201 km6 |
125 miles10, 155 miles9 | 124.2 miles1,11, 125 miles10 200 km1,11 |
125 miles10 280 km2 |
| Cross Country radius | 87 miles9 | |||
| Turning Radius | 21' | 6.4 m2 | ||
| Elevation Limits | -10° to + 37°3 | |||
| Fording depth | 2'3 | 0.6 m2 | ||
| Trench crossing | ||||
| Vertical Obstacle | ||||
| Suspension (Type) | Horstmann coil-spring.3 | Horstmann5, 2 sets of 2 wheel bogis with springs9 | Coil Spring2 | |
| Wheels each side | 4 | 42 | ||
| Return rollers each side | 1 | 19 | ||
| Tracks (Type) | Dry pin9 | |||
| Length | ||||
| Width | 9.5"3 | 10"9 | ||
| Number of links | 1589 | |||
| Pitch | 1.9"9 | |||
| Tire Tread | ||||
| Track centers/tread | 5' 8.5"3 | 5.7'9 | 241 mm2 |
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 1933-1942, 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
- World War Two Tanks, George Forty, 1995
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- -
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- AFV 5: Light Tanks Marks I-VI, Major-General N. W. Duncan
- Western Allied Tanks 1939-45, David Porter, 2009
