A13 Mk I and Mk II

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A group of German soldiers inspect a British cruiser tank A13 Mk II 3

A group of German soldiers inspect a British cruiser tank A13 Mk II 3

A13 assembly line at LMS 1940

A13 assembly line at LMS 1940

British cruiser tank A13 Mk II „G”

A13 cruiser tank

A group of German soldiers inspect a British cruiser tank A13 Mk II 2

A13 cruiser tank

A13 Mk II 47

A13 cruiser tank

Tank A13 Mk II 22

A13 cruiser tank

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 13

A13 cruiser tank captured

A13 Cruiser Mk IV tank at Huppy France May 1940

A13 Cruiser tank Mk IV at Huppy France May 1940

A13 cruiser tank Mk IV in German service

A13 cruiser tank Mk IV in German service

A13 Cruiser tank Mk IVA – Egypt 1 November 1940

A13 Cruiser tank Mk IVA Egypt 1 November 1940

A13 Mk II 46

A13 cruiser tank photo

A13 Mk I 56A of British 1st Armoured Division – Dunkirk 1940

A13 Mk I 56A of British 1st Armoured Division

German A13 Mk I

A13 Mk I cruiser tank

A13 Mk II – tank cruiser Mk IV

A13 Mk II - Cruiser Tank Mk IV, France

A13 Mk II #142 – tank in german service

A13 Mk II 142 - tank in german service. Tank belonged to the Panzer-Abteilung (Fl) 100 (attached to 18. Panzer-Division (Wehrmacht))

A group of German soldiers inspect a British cruiser tank A13 Mk II

A13 Mk II cruiser tank

A13 Mk II 06

A13 Mk II cruiser tank

A13 Mk II 17

A13 Mk II cruiser tank

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 9

A13 MK ii cruiser tank

German A13 Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e)

A13 Mk II cruiser tank 15

British tank A13 Mk II 44

A13 Mk II cruiser tank 44

A13 tank cruiser mk IV and wehrmacht soldiers

A13 Mk II cruiser tank Mk IV and wehrmacht soldiers

A13 Mk II turret – North Africa

A13 Mk II cruiser tank turret - DAK

A13 Mk II tank destroyed

A13 Mk II tank destroyed

A13 Mk II tank France 1940

A13 Mk II tank France 1940

Abandoned tank A13 Mk IIa T15228 North Africa

A13 Mk IIa Tank T15228 Africa

A13 Mk IIA tanks on exercise in Cyprus 1942

A13 Mk IIA tanks on exercise in Cyprus 1942

A13 T15218 2

A13 T15218 1940 2

A13 T15218 3

A13 T15218 3

Cruiser Mk IV, A13 T15218

A13 T15218 during training 1940

A13 tank loaded on an American White 920 18 ton 6×4 tank transporter, 1942

A13 tank loaded on an American White 920 18 ton 6x4 tank transporter, 1942

A13 at assembly line

A13 tanks at assembly line

A13 tanks rail transport France 1940

A13 tanks rail transport France 1940

Abandoned A13 Mk I Fox – France 1940

Abandoned A13 France 1940

A13 Mk I from HQ of the Squadron B, 3rd RTR, 1st Armoured Division

Abandoned A13 Mk I from HQ of the Squadron B, 3rd RTR, 1st Armoured Division. Calais 1940

Abandoned A13 Mk II Cruiser Tank

Abandoned A13 Mk II Cruiser Tank

A13 France 1940 2

Abandoned A13 Mk II France 1940 2

Abandoned A13 Mk IIA T9163, Calais 1940

Abandoned A13 Mk IIA T9163, Calais 1940

Abandoned A13 Mk IIa Tank T9165

Abandoned A13 Mk IIa Tank T9165

Abandoned British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II Greece 1941

Abandoned British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II Greece 1941

Abandoned Cruiser Mk IV A13 Mk II 2

Abandoned Cruiser Mk IV A13 Mk II

Abandoned Cruiser tank Mk III A13 Mk I

Abandoned Cruiser tank Mk III A13 Mk I

British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II

British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II

British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II Africa

British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II Africa

Destroyed British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II in Tobruk

British Cruiser Tank A13 Mk II in Tobruk

Burned out A13 Mk I (Cruiser tank Mk III) France 1940

Burned out A13 Mk I (Cruiser tank Mk III) France 1940

Burning A13

Burning A13 North Africa

A13 Mk I T4405 1940

Captured A13 Mk I T4405 1940

Captured A13 of 2nd Armoured Division 1941

Captured A13 of 2nd Armoured Division, Africa 1941

Captured by Italian forces A13 near Tobruk

Captured by Italian forces tank A13 near Tobruk

Cruiser Mark IV british cruiser tank

Cruiser Mark IV british cruiser tank

Tank A13 Mk I – 1940 Dunkirk British 1st Armoured Division

Cruiser tank A13 Mk I of the British 1st Armoured Division, 1940 Dunkirk

German A13 Mk II 4

Cruiser tank A13 Mk II

Cruiser Tank Mark III – A13 Mk I

Cruiser Tank Mark III A13 Mk I

Cruiser Tank Mark IV – A13 Mk II Greece 1941

Cruiser Tank Mark IV A13 Greece 1941

Cruiser Tank Mark IV A13 Mk II – North Africa

Cruiser Tank Mark IV A13 Mk II - North Africa. Italian tanks in the background.

Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 – May 1940 Blangy France

Cruiser tank Mk IV - May 1940 Blangy France

Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 Mk II

Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 Mk II

Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 Mk II photo

Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 Mk II photo

Cruiser tank Mk IV on the back of a Scammell tank transporter Le Neubourg 9 June 1940

Cruiser tank Mk IV on the back of a Scammell tank transporter - Le Neubourg 9 June 1940

Destoyed A13 France 1940

Destoyed A13 Mk I (Cruiser Mk III) France 1940

Cruiser Mk IV, A13 Western Desert

Destoyed Cruiser Mk IV, A13 Mk II Western Desert

Destroyed A13 Mk II Tank North Africa

Destroyed A13 Tank North Africa

Factory fresh A13

Factory fresh A13

Factory fresh A13 tanks

Factory fresh A13 tanks

German A13 code 144

German A13 code 144

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) #141

German A13 Mk II #141. Tank belonged to the Panzer-Abteilung (Fl) 100 (attached to 18. Panzer-Division (Wehrmacht))

A13 Mk II with balkenkreuz

German A13 Mk II cruiser tank

German A13 Mk II – Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e) 4

German A13 Mk II cruiser tank - rear view

German A13 Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e) 2

German A13 Mk II cruiser tank 2

Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e) A13 11

German A13 Mk II cruiser tank photo

German tank A13 of Panzer Abteilung 100 (Flamm)

German A13 of Panzer Abteilung 100 (Flamm)

German Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e)

German A13 tank

Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e) A13 3

German Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e) A13

Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 Mk II 3

German soldier atop a Cruiser tank Mk IV A13 Mk II

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 10

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV)

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV)

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 02

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 11

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 11

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 12

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 12

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 12a

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) 12a

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) with crew

German tank A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV) with crew

German tanks A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV)

German tanks A13 Mk II (Cruiser Tank Mk IV)

knocked out A13 Cruiser tank Mk IV road between Huppy and St Maxent May 1940

knocked-out A13 Cruiser tank Mk IV road between Huppy and St Maxent May 1940

Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk IV 744(e) A13 Beute Panzer

Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk IV 744(e) A13 Beute Panzer

Tank A13 Mk II of 1st Armoured Division

Tank A13 Mk II of 1st Armoured Division, front view

Cruiser Mk III (A13 Mk I) , Cruiser Mk IV (A13 Mk II) british cruisers tanks of the Second World War. It was the first British cruiser tank to use the Christie suspension system which gave higher speeds and better cross-country performance, previous models of cruiser tanks having used triple wheeled bogie suspension. Tank was built by Nuffield Mechanisation & Aero and carried a turret similar to that of the A9 but with a commander’s cupola added. The Mark II was an up-armoured version of the Mark I with the extra armour bolted on. Extra steel plates gave added protection and eliminating shot traps. Hollow V-sided plates were added to the original turret. With Christie suspension and powered by a Nuffield Liberty V-12 engine (an American World War I aero type), tank reached the remarkable speed of 56.3km/h (35mph). This produced some mechanical problems, and so the speed was reduced to 48km/h (30mph). The engine could be started electrically or by compressed air. It was used by the 1st Armoured Division in France 1940 and in small numbers with the 7th Armoured Division in the Western Desert in 1940-41, but was too lightly armoured when compared to its German contemporaries. They were also used for training purposes by the Army in Britain. Main armament: 40 mm quick-firing semi-automatic 2-pdr; maximum rate of fire: 22 rds/min; maximum range on sight: 1,371 m; gun length: 2,083 mm. Production: 65 tanks (Cruiser Mk III), 655 tanks (Cruiser Mk IV).

Bibliography:

  • Panzer Tracts 19-2: Beute-Panzerkampfwagen: British, American, Russian and Italian Tanks Captured from 1940 to 1945 - Thomas L Jentz, Werner Regenberg
  • British and American Tanks of World War Two: The Complete Illustrated History of British, American and Commonwealth Tanks, 1939-45 – Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis
  • The Great Tank Scandal: British Armour in the Second World War Part 1 – David Fletcher
  • B. T. White - British Tank Markings and Names, Squadron Specials series No. 6021
  • British Tanks: The Second World War - Images of War, Pen and Sword Military 2012
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