British tanks

Introductio

Today's presentation isndedicated to the fascinating history of British tank building. For over a hundred years, the United Kingdom has played a key role in the development and innovation of tank construction, leaving its mark on military technology and in the history of military art. Let's dive into the world of technological advances, military strategies and inspiring

stories related to British tanks together!

Main PointsCruiser tank "Comet"

Main battle tank "Centurion"Main battle tank "Chieftain"Main battle tank "Challenger"Challenger 2 Main battle Tank

Pre-history

The idea to create a protected and mobile weapon with great firepower to break through fortified enemy defense lines appeared quite a long time ago. Back in the XV century, the great Italian Leonardo da Vinci wanted to build a similar machine from which he could fire at the enemy without harming himself. Of course, such a plan was impossible to implement in the XV century, but it is Leonardo's creation that is considered the prototype of all modern tanks.

Famous Personalities

Heavy tank

EverythingMkwasIchanged by the First World War, which required a radical revision of the military doctrine of Great Britain and other countries. Colonel Ernest Swinton, who was sent to the western front to compile reports on the course of hostilities, was personally convinced of the futility of the offensive actions

Heavy tanks

Mk II-V

The battle on the Somme River marked the appearance of a formidable weapon — the tank. And although the Mk I, which participated in this battle, was still imperfect, the results left no doubt about the prospects for the development of a new type of weapons.

The name "tank" appeared due to the caution of the British counterespionage. For the purposes of conspiracy, the vehicles were transported under the guise of "self-propelled water tanks for Petrograd", and this version should have looked quite plausible, since the Mk I, prepared for transportation and devoid of weapons, resembled large tanks.

Medium tank Mk A "Wyppet"

The successes achieved on the battlefields by the light French Reno FT-17 tank convinced the British command that, in parallel with the development of heavy tanks, it was necessary to create faster and more maneuverable vehicles that, with the support of cavalry, could carry out tactical tasks behind enemy lines. The breakthrough of the front line was to be provided by heavy tanks.

Infantry tank

The"Matilda"British str tegy of tank w rfare involved the use of two types of tanks with different characteristics: cruising (or, as it was called in the UK, cavalry) and infantry. The former were supposed to be used for surprise attacks, flanking the enemy with subsequent encirclement, and chasing the retreating enemy. Accordingly, the main requirement for such tanks was high speed to the detriment of armor and armament. The latter were intended for direct infantry support during the assault on fortified enemy positions, suppression of firing points, and infantry cover during a counterattack.

Infantry tank "Valentine"

The first production Valentine was ready in May 1940. The new tank was built according to the classical layout scheme. The crew consisted of three people — the commander, the driver and the gunner. Several innovative solutions were used in the design of the tank. For example, the frame was not used during assembly, but the body parts were connected directly to each other. Of course, this required high-precision machining of parts, but also saved the structure from extra weight and volume of the frame, which required additional materials and labor costs to produce.