Vickers Mk VI (Light Tank Mk VI)

History of the Vickers Mk VI (Light Tank Mk VI)

The British Army used a range of light tank designs on the eve of World War II (1939-1945). The lineage begins with Mk I and continues through the Mk II, III and IV markers that appeared in the early to mid-1930s.

The Mk V introduced a crew of three thanks to the new turret, a work that paved the way for the Mk VI, which saw significant combat action in World War II.

When the war officially broke out in September 1939, the Mk VI became one of the main British ground combat systems due to the rather limited stock of tanks. It has been circulated for local armies and used abroad to protect British colonial possessions in more turbulent regions.

About 1,000 Mk VI vehicles were in service when the Germans invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Their first contributions came from infantry support platforms and armored reconnaissance vehicles until the defeat of the French campaign and the Allied forces being driven from the European continent.

The Mk VI utilizes in its basic form many of the more powerful qualities that gave the earlier British light tank line a successful field-specific role. It is a 5 ton (short) vehicle and measures 13 feet long, 6.9 feet wide and 7.2 feet high. Handling is rated fairly well, although the vehicle tends to lean heavily when driving or trying to traverse rough terrain. The three-man crew consisted of the driver (front left, engine on the right), gunner and commander in a two-man turret.

The turret houses the standard armament of 1 x .303 medium Vickers machine gun (water-cooled) and 1 x .50 heavy Vickers machine gun, and also provides enough interior space for the radio (usually managed by the commander). Various fairings with armor protection ranging from 4mm to 14mm provide adequate protection against small arms fire. The running gear consists of four wheels arranged via two separate spring bogies, with the drive sprocket at the front and the chain idler at the rear. Power comes from a 6-cylinder Meadows gasoline engine producing 88 horsepower, mated to a Wilson selector drivetrain.

The hull is suspended on a Horstmann tilt-spring system with 10 inches of ground clearance. The range is 130 miles and the top speed is 35 mph.

Despite major setbacks in the early campaign, the Mk VI's design lasted until mid-war simply because of its usability and usefulness. It continued to serve during the North African campaign with mixed results. The Mk VI found a position on these desert battlefields, enclosing the remnants of besieged or flanked forces while allowing direct contact with heavier mid-range armor systems. This type was the main weapon of the British army until the Battle of Crete, before it was finally abandoned in 1942. He also served with Commonwealth forces in Australia, Canada, India and New Zealand before ending.

Some wartime remnants were also observed in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War involving Egyptian troops. The Netherlands becomes another operator of the Mk VI series.

Vickers-Armstrong produced a total of 1,682 Mk VIs between 1936 and 1940. The original production brand was the Mk VI, although other variants subsequently attempted to correct some of the flaws in the original design remedies. For example, on the Mk VIA, the chain return rollers were repositioned and the Commander's cupola gained a more faceted design shape. The Mk VIB is a production-friendly variant that includes changes such as the one-piece radiator shroud of the original two-piece design.

The Mk VIC lost the turret cupola and was armed with a 1 x 7.92mm BESA medium machine gun and a 15mm BEDA heavy machine gun, while adding three carburetors to the engine. The chassis is also installed in self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAG) as a light tank AA Mk I. This model features an all-new turret with motorized lateral capability and elevation range, while providing space for 4 x 7.92mm machine guns side by side.

The Mk I table is enhanced in time with the Mk II product.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Not available.

Changes