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55-584: The Tank, Light, Mk VI was a British light tank , produced by Vickers-Armstrongs in the late 1930s, which saw service during the Second World War . The Tank, Light, Mk VI was the sixth in the line of light tanks built by Vickers-Armstrongs for the British Army during the interwar period . The company had achieved a degree of standardization with their previous five models, and the Mark VI

110-573: A driver, gunner and commander, who also doubled as the radio operator, between 4 mm (0.16 in) and 14 mm (0.55 in) of armour, which could resist rifle and machine gun bullets, and its armament consisted of one water-cooled .303 inch (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one .50 inch (12.7 mm) Vickers machine gun . Production of the Mk VI began in 1936 and ended in 1940 with 1,682 Mark VI tanks having been built. Many of those produced were actually variants designed to solve problems found with

165-519: A large number were Mk VIB and Mk VICs. The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, which formed part of the division's 3rd Armoured Brigade, possessed by this time 21 Mark VI light tanks. The British Army lost 331 Mark VI light tanks in the Battle of France of 1940. Several of these vehicles were captured by the Wehrmacht , redesignated as Leichter Panzerkampfwagen Mk. IV 734(e) and used for training purposes until

220-477: A large vehicle to carry it. Gun weight is typically the product of caliber and muzzle velocity . Large caliber guns on light tanks often sacrifice muzzle velocity in interest of saving weight. These guns are effective against close-quarter targets but lack the power and/or accuracy to effectively engage heavier vehicles at a distance. Some light tanks such as the PT-76 are amphibious , typically being propelled in

275-541: A light tank themselves but a developed version of the Carden Loyd tankette as the starting point for a series of British light tanks intended for use in imperial policing and expeditionary warfare. As the only tank fit for immediate manufacture, it was a key element in the expansion of the British Army in the period leading up to the outbreak of war. In general, French tanks of the 1930s were well-armored, innovative vehicles that owed little to foreign designs. However,

330-542: A maximum effective range of about 700 meters. However, this conflict would be instrumental in developing the famous T-34 medium tank. Germany's armored Panzer force was not especially impressive at the start of the war. In the invasions of Poland and France , the German forces were mostly made up of the Panzer I and Panzer II light tanks. The Panzer I was little more than a training vehicle armed only with machine guns;

385-776: A medium tank for the Army had hit severe problems after the cancellation of the proposed "Sixteen Tonner" medium tank in 1932 due to the costs involved, and cheaper models only existed as prototypes with a number of mechanical problems. As a result of this, when the Second World War began in September 1939, the vast majority of the tanks available to the British Army were Mk VIs; there were 1,002 Mk VI light tanks, 79 Mk I (A9) and Mk II (A10) cruiser tanks and 67 Matilda Mk I infantry tanks. Of these tanks, only 196 light tanks and 50 infantry tanks were in use by operational units of

440-516: A pure light tank. In World War I , industrial initiative also led to swift advances. The car industry, already used to vehicle mass production and having much more experience in vehicle layout, designed the first practical light tanks in 1916, a class largely neglected by the British. Renault 's small tank design, the FT , was the first tank to incorporate a top-mounted turret with a full rotation. The FT

495-533: A retreat until cruiser tanks arrived. The 2nd RTR continued to battle the Italians with light tanks as late as 6 February 1941. Being widely used by the British Army, the tank participated in several other important battles. The Mk VIB made up a significant amount of the tanks sent over to the Battle of Greece in 1941, mostly with the 4th Hussars . Ten Mk VIB tanks fought with the 3rd The King's Own Hussars during

550-576: Is a specialized light tank –amphibious with sufficient firepower to engage other reconnaissance vehicles, but very lightly armored. The US fielded small numbers of the M41 Walker Bulldog with a high velocity 76mm gun, and better armor, but it suffered from range limits, and its weight was too heavy for most air transport of the day. The US M551 Sheridan had similar strengths and weaknesses, but could also be airdropped, either by parachute or LAPES . The French had their AMX-13 light tank, which

605-668: The Battle of Crete . The same armoured unit had previously embarked three MK VIB tanks for the Norwegian Campaign , but they were lost in transit to a German aircraft attack. The tanks also saw limited service against the Japanese in Malaya and Dutch East Indies . Background: British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II , Tanks in the British Army Light tank The fast light tank

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660-531: The Vickers Wellington medium bomber aircraft. The armour was light, with a maximum thickness of 14 mm (0.55 in). Many armour faces were vertical, and there were numerous shot traps , but it could achieve 25 mph (40 km/h) and carried the new high velocity QF 2-pounder (40 mm) gun , which had replaced the QF 3-pounder by the time manufacture started in 1937. The driver's compartment and

715-586: The British firm of Vickers-Armstrong started promoting another design by John Carden and Vivien Loyd as the " six-ton tank ". Although rejected by the British Army, it was bought by a large number of nations in small numbers. It formed the basis of the Soviet T-26 (around 10,000 built) and the Polish 7TP tank and influenced the Italian Fiat M11/39 . The British Army did not use the design as

770-511: The CO – and 13 wounded. The 7th Armoured Division had 100 tanks left on 3 January 1941; this increased to 120 tanks on 21 January, at which time they were used in flanking far into the rear and gathering up scattered Italian troops, sometimes joining or leaving the main attacks to the cruiser and Matilda II tanks. During an engagement at Mechili on 24 January, six Mk VIs were destroyed by newly arrived superior Italian Fiat M13/40s for no loss, forcing

825-606: The Cold War era was the Swedish Ikv 91 (classified as an assault gun by Sweden). It had a low-pressure 90mm gun, strong armor against 20mm grenades, and it was fully amphibious. Light tanks, such as the PT-76 , continue to play a small role in tank warfare , although many are losing favor to cheaper, faster, and lighter armored cars . The light tank still fills an important niche in many armies, especially for nations with airborne divisions, Marine Infantry, or those without

880-691: The M2 with better armor. The new medium tank just entering production in 1940 was the M2A1. This was a poor design with thin armor and a high silhouette. The M3 Stuart saw use in the North African Campaign but was relegated to reconnaissance as soon as US-built medium tanks became available. Further light tank development in the war led to the improved M5 Stuart and then included the M24 Chaffee . Light tanks were issued to tank battalions (one of

935-599: The Mark VI was used by the British Army to perform imperial policing duties in British India and other colonies in the British Empire , a role for which it and the other Vickers-Armstrongs light tanks were found to be well suited. When the British government began its rearmament process in 1937, the Mk VI was the only tank with which the War Office was ready to proceed with manufacturing; the development of

990-443: The Mk VI chassis . The Tank, Light, AA Mk I was built in the aftermath of the Battle of France and was intended to act as a counter-measure against attacks by German aircraft. It featured a power-operated turret fitted with four 7.92 mm Besa machine guns; a Mk II was produced which was mechanically similar but had improvements, such as better quality sights for the machine guns and a larger turret for easier access. A variant on

1045-613: The Mk VIB was produced for service with the British Indian Army , in which the commander's cupola was removed and replaced with a hatch in the turret roof. When the Mk VI was first produced in 1936, the Imperial General Staff considered the tank to be superior to any light tank produced by other nations, and well suited to the dual roles of reconnaissance and colonial warfare. Like many of its predecessors,

1100-509: The Panzer II with a 20 mm cannon. The Panzer division also included some Czech designed light tanks—the Panzer 35(t) and the Panzer 38(t) . American light tank development started with the M2 light tank series. These light tanks were mechanically very reliable, with good mobility. However, they had a high silhouette, and only a few saw combat. The M3 Stuart series was an improvement of

1155-518: The armor in contemporary light tanks is modular, sometimes up to three configurations. The flat hull necessary for amphibious light tanks to plane across the surface of the water is not nearly as blast-resistant as the V-shaped hull. It has been suggested that underbelly armor appliqué could be applied after the light tanks come ashore and before they encounter explosive devices. A gun capable of defeating modern tanks at reasonable ranges requires

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1210-691: The army. When the Battle of France began in May 1940, the majority of the tanks possessed by the British Expeditionary Force were Mark VI variants; the seven Royal Armoured Corps divisional cavalry regiments, the principal armoured formations of the BEF, were each equipped with 28 Mk VIs. The 1st Armoured Division , elements of which landed in France in April, was equipped with 257 tanks, of which

1265-429: The cost, British replacement designs for Medium Mark II tanks then in service had been cancelled with only three Medium Mark III built. In 1934, Sir John Carden of Vickers-Armstrong was asked to provide a "reasonably cheap tank" as a replacement for some of the medium models then in use. This design was known by General Staff specification A9. The pilot model of his medium tank design was finished in 1936 and given

1320-528: The designation A9E1. It incorporated the best features of the cancelled Medium Mk III design, but lighter so that it could be powered by a commercial petrol engine. However, this was still in the time of the Great Depression and the tank had a number of cost-cutting measures applied. It was the first British tank to have a centrally located turret and to have powered traverse. The system was by Nash & Thompson and similar to that being introduced on

1375-654: The early Italian tanks encountered during the North African campaign and could hold its own against Rommel 's early Panzer IIs and IIIs. It could also breach the 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) of protective steel on later opponents, such as the Panzer III Ausf D and the Panzer IV Ausf D. It was effective until the Germans introduced the more thickly armoured Panzer IV Ausf E to the desert in

1430-496: The faceted type. The Mk VIC, which was the last in the MK VI series, had the commander's cupola removed and had wider bogies and three carburettors to improve engine performance; it was also more powerfully armed than the other models, replacing the .303 and .50 Vickers machine guns with co-axial 15 mm (0.59 in) and 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Besa machine guns . A small number of specialized variations were also built based on

1485-539: The fact that light tank platoons were not expected to function as a reconnaissance unit, they could be used for reconnaissance purposes. In this role, they were expected to remain behind the main reconnaissance force as the support element and augment the firepower whenever enemy contact was made. The British withdrew their light tank designs from their armored divisions early in the war, but used some later designs for minor amphibious operations and airborne operations. In general they used armored cars for reconnaissance and

1540-480: The fall of 1942. During 1941 several of these captured vehicles were converted to create self-propelled artillery and supporting vehicles for the 227th infantry division, the first self-propelled artillery in the Wehrmacht . They carried a 105 or 150 mm field howitzer and were designated G.Pz. Mk. VI (e) . In September 1941 the division deployed to Army Group North in Russia where they provided valuable service during

1595-464: The few better examples, but the US Army acquired only three Christies and did not pursue the idea any further. Budget limitations and the low priority given to the army meant that there were few resources for building tanks. The US Army instead developed and tested tank components such as suspensions, tracks, and transmissions. This paid off when production had to be initiated on the outbreak of war. At

1650-449: The few tank variants to survive the development of the main battle tank —in which technological advancements have rendered all previous weight variants obsolete—and has seen use in a variety of roles including the support of light airborne or amphibious forces and reconnaissance. Modified IFVs are assuming these roles in many militaries due to their immediate availability, and as a cheaper versatile alternative to developing and fielding

1705-432: The fighting compartments were not separated. As well as the turret armament, which consisted of an Ordnance QF 2 pounder gun and a coaxial Vickers machine gun , there were two small turrets either side of the driver's compartment, each with a Vickers machine-gun. Both of these smaller turrets were permanently manned, which gave the tank a total crew of six (commander, gunner, loader, driver and two machine-gunners). The A9E1

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1760-778: The four companies was a light tank company), light tank battalions and cavalry reconnaissance squadrons. The original role of the light tank in these formations was similar to medium tanks and they were expected to engage enemy armor with AP rounds and enemy positions with HE rounds. As a result, tank gunnery training for light and medium tankers was common. US Army Field Manuals written before 1944 clearly show that light tanks were to be part of an armored assault on enemy positions, and examples of fire on enemy armor were in these manuals. When pursuing an enemy, Light Tank Battalions were expected to move parallel with enemy columns and, together with accompanying infantry and engineer units, seize "critical terrain that will block hostile retreat". Despite

1815-481: The hatch. Some light tanks, such as the M551 Sheridan , ZTQ-15 and 2S25 Sprut-SD armored reconnaissance vehicle, could be rigged for low- velocity airdrops from transport aircraft . With this method the tank is pulled out of the aircraft by brake chutes and skids to a stop. The crew does not ride in the tank during extraction, but parachutes from another plane. Upon landing, they go to their tank, release

1870-690: The interwar period. It was the first cruiser tank : a fast tank designed to bypass the main enemy lines and engage the enemy's lines of communication, as well as enemy tanks. The Cruiser Mk II was a more heavily armoured adaptation of the Mark I, developed at much the same time. In 1936, the British War Office designated two different kinds of tanks for future development: heavily armoured infantry tanks to be used in close co-operation with infantry during attacks, and fast mobile cruiser tanks designed to make forays deep into enemy territory. Due to

1925-546: The last of the light tank designs, the light tank Mk VIII "Harry Hopkins", was produced only in small numbers. The Japanese made extensive use of light tanks that were much better suited to jungle warfare than larger designs, such as the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. Light tanks continued to be built, but for very limited roles such as amphibious reconnaissance, support of airborne units , and in rapid-intervention forces that were not expected to face enemy tanks. The Soviet PT-76

1980-524: The light tanks lacked firepower and almost all French tanks were handicapped by their one-man turrets, even the larger tanks such as the Char B1 , which overworked the commander who, besides directing the vehicle, or even a troop, had to load and aim the turret gun. The lack of radios with the light tanks was not seen as a major drawback, since French doctrine called for slow-paced, deliberate maneuvers in close conformance to plans. The role of small unit leaders

2035-563: The lines, and drive it away. Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , Tanks in World War I Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , interwar period Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , Tanks in the Cold War Background: History of the tank , Tank classification Cruiser Mk I The Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9) was a British cruiser tank of

2090-467: The most advanced in the 1930s, extremely fast and mounting high velocity 45 mm cannons. Their only drawback were their petrol engines which caught fire often and easily during the Nomonhan fighting, which lasted from about May through September 1939. The Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tank was equipped with a diesel engine , and although mounting a 37 mm cannon, it was a low velocity gun with

2145-462: The original design. The Mk VIA had a return roller removed from the top of the leading bogey and attached to the hull sides instead, and also possessed a faceted cupola. The Mk VIB was mechanically identical to the Mk VIA but with a few minor differences to make production simpler, including a one-piece armoured louvre over the radiator instead of a two-piece louvre, and a plain circular cupola instead of

2200-836: The preferred choice for infantry support in Equatorial nations. Post–Cold War light tanks include the Stingray , ZTQ-15 , M8 Armored Gun System and Kaplan MT / Harimau . Light tanks based on infantry fighting vehicles chassis include the CV90 105T, 2S25 Sprut-SD , Tanque Argentino Mediano , ASCOD LT 105 , and Sabrah . The modern light tank supplements the main battle tank in expeditionary roles and situations where all major threats have been neutralized and excessive weight in armor and armament would only hinder mobility and cost more money to operate. They have also been used for reconnaissance and, in some cases, infantry support. Typically,

2255-475: The resources and funding for main battle tanks . They have important advantages over heavier tanks in Southeast Asia and other nations in the Equatorial region. Their compact dimensions and short-to-nonexistent barrel overhang lets them maneuver through thick rain forests, and their weight reduces the risk of getting stuck in mud, and simplifies recovery of stuck or damaged tanks. This makes the light tank

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2310-510: The spring of 1941. However, its minimal armour made the A9 very vulnerable to most Axis anti-tank weapons. Also problematic was the lack of high explosive shells for the 2-pounder gun, and even worse the lack of armour-piercing shells for the 94 mm gun on the close support version. Another issue was that the areas around the front machine gun turrets created a frontal surface that was more vulnerable to enemy fire than it would have been had it been

2365-558: The start of World War II, the majority of all of the great powers' tank forces consisted of light designs. The most common were the British Light Tank Mk VI , French Renault R35 , German Panzer I , Italian L3/35 (classified as a light tank by the Royal Italian Army , a tankette by others), Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tank , Soviet T-26 , and American M2 light tank . The Soviet BT tanks were

2420-402: The war, over 3,700 (mostly in 1918), and was more numerous than all British and German tanks combined. The Carden Loyd tankette and its derivatives were adopted by several nations as small tracked vehicles carrying a machine gun for armament. At a time of limited military budgets, tankettes were relatively cheap and functioned as reconnaissance vehicles and mobile machine gun posts. In 1928,

2475-417: The water by hydrojets or by their tracks. Most amphibious light tanks weigh little and often utilize aluminum armor. Some light tanks require no modifications for river crossings. Crews simply raise the easily accessible cloth sides around the hull, cover the hatches, turn on the bilge pump and shift the transmission to water operations. Often, a fold down trim vane is erected to stop water from flooding into

2530-569: The winter 1941–42 battles. The Mk VIB was also used in the North African campaign against the Italians late in 1940 with the 7th Armoured Division. At this time, the British had 200 light tanks (presumably Mk VIBs) along with 75 cruiser tanks (A9, A10, A13 ) and 45 Matilda IIs . An attack by the 3rd Hussars at Buq Buq on 12 December 1940 resulted in its tanks getting bogged down in salt pans and severely mauled. In ten minutes, 13 tanks were destroyed, ten officers and men killed – including

2585-585: Was 150 miles (240 km). The ammunition load was 100 rounds for the main gun and 3,000 rounds for the three machine guns. The Mark I cruiser began to be delivered in January 1939. 36 tanks were delivered before the start of the war, 40 in September–December 1939 and 49 in 1940. The Cruiser was an effective tank in the French, Greek and early North African campaigns . The 2-pounder gun was lethal against

2640-569: Was a major feature of the pre– World War II army buildup, where it was expected they would be used to exploit breakthroughs in enemy lines created by slower, heavier tanks, with the goal of disrupting communications and supply lines. Numerous small tank designs and " tankettes " were developed during this period and known under a variety of names, including the " combat car ". Early light tank designs were generally better armed and armored than armored cars , but used tracks in order to provide better cross-country mobility. The light tank has been one of

2695-467: Was added to the model to increase its maximum speed to 35 miles per hour (56 km/h). It had the Horstmann coil-spring suspension system, which was found to be durable and reliable, although the fact that the tank was short in relation to its width and that it pitched violently on rough ground made accurate gunnery whilst moving exceptionally difficult. The Mk VI possessed a crew of three consisting of

2750-527: Was designed for its capability to be quickly air-dropped for use with paratroopers and also able to support lightly armed infantry and perform force-reconnaissance effectively. The British FV101 Scorpion , the fire support variant of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) series of vehicles that replaced armored cars in British service, has been described as a light tank and was sold to many smaller nations. Another light tank in

2805-454: Was identical in all but a few respects. The turret, which had been expanded in the Mk V to allow a three-man crew to operate the tank, was further expanded to give room in its rear for a wireless set. The weight of the tank was increased to 10,800 pounds (4,900 kg), which although heavier than previous models actually improved its handling characteristics, and an 88 horsepower (66 kW) engine

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2860-424: Was in many respects the first truly modern tank having a layout that has been followed by almost all designs ever since: driver at the front; main armament in a fully rotating turret on top; engine at the rear. Previous models had been "box tanks", with a single crowded space combining the role of engine room, fighting compartment, ammunition stock and driver's cabin. The FT had the largest production run of any tank of

2915-439: Was replaced by a 9.64 litre AEC bus engine. The later Valentine infantry tank essentially used the same lower hull and suspension, though with considerably more armour. The A9 weighed 12 long tons (12 t), was 19 feet (5.8 m) long, 8.7 feet (2.65 m) high, 8.2 feet (2.5 m) wide and had a top speed of 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) on road and 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) off. Its maximum road range

2970-498: Was tested against other designs and, although lacking in some areas, it was accepted in 1937 as an interim design until a Christie suspension cruiser tank could be delivered. An order was placed for 125. Seventy-five were built by Harland and Wolff , and the other 50 were built by Vickers . Initially, a Rolls-Royce car engine (the 7.67 litre of the Phantom II ) was used for the pilot model, but this proved to be underpowered and

3025-457: Was to execute plans, not to take the initiative in combat. In 1939, a belated effort was made to improve flexibility and increase the number of radios. Throughout the interwar period the US produced only a few hundred tanks. From the end of World War I to 1935, only 15 tanks were produced. Most were derivatives or foreign designs or very poor quality private designs. The Christie designs were among

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