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British Cruiser Tank A9 & A10. PhotoHistory #5


Shar2

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British Cruiser Tank A9 & A10

Armor PhotoHistory #5

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A9 - The pilot model was ready in 1936, under the designation of A9E1. The A9 was a mix of commercial parts (like the AEC bus engine for the production series) and some already used on the Light Mk.III, as well as some innovations.

 

It was the first to use a fully hydraulically-powered traverse turret, (a Nash & Thompson system already in use on the Wellington bomber). The turret was center-mounted. It also had a system of two bogies with three road wheels of unequal size, to help reduce the number of parts while saving on maintenance costs on the long run. However, this would prove a poor design choice. The hull was made of bolted plates, because it was easier to engineer flat ones. The armour was limited to 14 mm (0.55 in) only, in order to keep the power-to-weight ratio high enough for a good cruising speed. The steering brakes were mounted outside of the rear sprockets to help cooling. There was also an auxiliary engine used to charge the batteries and drive a ventilator, cooling the fighting compartment.

 

A10 - Although fast (24.9 mph/40 km/h), the first Cruiser lacked protection, with just 14 mm (0.55 in) on the turret mantlet and nose glacis. The triple turret system made it complicated to build, and this feature, once in favour in the interwar, was seen as obsolete by 1940. The A10 was studied by John Carden in 1934, following a specification for a 1 inch (25.4 mm) armoured tank, while its speed could be slightly lower.

The A9 plans were subsequently modified into the A10. Both were strikingly similar, but the two frontal turrets were eliminated and replaced by a lighter armoured box, armed with a single .303 (7.62 mm) machine gun.

 

The biggest change was the armour, raised up to 30 mm (1.18 in) on the nose and mantlet, and 14 mm (0.55 in) elsewhere, while the bottom, rear plate and rooftop were just 6 mm (0.24 in) thick. The engine was unchanged (AEC Type A179 6-cylinder petrol, 150 hp), resulting in an added weight of 2.3 tons, and a top speed reduced in effect to just 26 km/h (16.1 mph), compared to the 40 km/h (25 mph) of the Mk.I, barely more than infantry pace on rough terrain.

A total of 175 were delivered, from July to December 1939, by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Metropolitan-Cammell and Vickers, entering service early in 1940.

 

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This softcover book contains eighty eight pages of information, photographs, diagrams and colour profiles. The first 25 pages cover the history of the design and development that went into these tanks, including some fabulous period photographs of the vehicles.  The photo album section, fills the centre 39 pages have photos that cover every theatre that these tanks were used in, including Europe, North Africa, and` Greece and also on exercises and training within the UK. The descriptive text that accompanies each set of photographs includes, where possible, the vehicles serial number, unit, information on the gun mounting and even the vehicles name.  Some of the more interesting photographs are those of the tanks being transported, whether under their own steam, by rail or Scammell TRMU30 with its TRCU30 trailer

 

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The final 30 pages contain six pages of line side views, all in 1:35 scale show each variant including very useful information on distinguishing the differences not only of the profile. There then follows eight pages of equipment drawings, including items such as the lower hull to equipment fittings and even the driver’s seat.  Finally, there are ten pages of two and three view colour plates which show clearly the colour schemes used, the various regiments and unit markings and their positioning. These plates are also annotated, describing where and when the particular tank was used and their final fate.

 

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Conclusion

This is another fabulous book in the series, which is not only very interesting for a historians point of view, but for those modellers who are interested in these vehicles.  It would make a great resource and companion piece to the modeller when building one of the 1:72 Plastic Soldier or Early War Miniatures kits that are available.

 

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Review sample courtesy of
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I'll second Shar's review - this is a very good book and will come in handy when the upcoming 1/35 Bronco and Gecko Model kits appear!

 

Mike.

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