Design/Production
The British and Americans worked together on this design to produce a tank that would be used by both countries.1 The head of the Ordnance Department went to Britain in September 1941 to discuss designing a better armed and armored vehicle than the Churchill.1
In December 1941 studies were conducted to put a 6 pdr or a 75 mm gun in a vehicle that would share many of the parts of a M4 Medium.1 Features of the M6 Heavy were also included.1
The British ordered 8,500 in March 1942, but the pilot model took until 1944 to be completed.1 By that time the Churchill was a successful infantry support tank and the project was dropped.1
Description
Usage
| Crew | Commander, driver, co-driver, gunner, loader.2 51,2,3 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 84,000 lb2, 93,930 lb3 41 tons1 41,732 kg1 |
| Length w/gun | 20' 4"1,2, 20' 9 7/8"3 6.19 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 8' 1 5/16"3, 9' 1"1,2 2.99 m1 |
| Width | 10' 3"1,2,3 3.17 m1 |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 75 mm3 75 mm M31,2 6 pdr (57 mm)1 76 mm1 105 mm1 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 3: MG3 7.62 mm (.30 cal) MG1 OR 2: 7.62 mm (.30 cal) MG1, 12.7 mm (.50 cal) MG1 2: .30 cal Browning MG.2 .50 cal Browning MG, AA.2 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 75 mm: 502 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | .30: 9,0002 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 192, 1021, 1332 2" - 3"3 |
| 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) | Ford GAZ1,2 |
| Transmission | |
| Capacity | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | |
| Max Speed | 18 mph1, 22 mph2, 24 mph3 28 kph1 |
| Cross Country | |
| Road radius | 100 miles1,2 161 km1 |
| Turning Radius | |
| Elevation Limits | |
| Fording depth | 3'2 |
| Trench crossing | 9'2 |
| Vertical Obstacle | 2' 1"2 |
| Suspension (Type) | HVSS2 |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Track length | |
| Tires | |
| Track width | 25.75"2 |
| Track centers/tread | 7' 9"2 |
| 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
- 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
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