Basic information
| Manufacturer | Bronco |
| Product code | BROCB35150 |
| Weight: | 0.45 kg |
| Ean: | 6970162330410 |
| Scale | 1:35 |
| Added to catalog on: | 6.29.2017 |
| Tags: | Cruiser-Tank-A10 |
Cruiser Tank
To meet therequirement of modern tank concepts, in 1936, the British War Office designated two different categories of tanksfor future development. The first category is a fast mobile cruiser tankdesigned not only to perform reconnaissance and patrol tasks, but also capableof making forays deep into enemy territory. The second Category is an armoured infantrytanks designed tobe used in close co-operation with infantry during attacks.
Tank, Cruiser, Mk. II (A10)
Tank Cruiser MK. I, code A9 was the first ever built cruiser tank in theUnited Kingdom.
But while the A9 was still a prototype type in 1934, theBritish War Office had requested the production firm, the Vickers Armstrong Limited, to develop a more heavily armoured vehicle for better infantry supportrole.
On September 1937, a soft steel prototype Tank Cruiser MK. II, code A10 was produced.
The armour thickness has been increased from 35/64 inch (14mm) inthe A9 to 15/16 inch (24mm).
To reduce weight, the two front single man machineguns turrets were removed.
The increase in protection was achieved by boltingextra armour plate to the exterior of the hull and turret.
This is the firstpractice of the application of additional steel plate design ever in BritishTank.
Tank CruiserMK. II according to their own weaponry can be sub-divided into three variants.
- Tank CruiserMK. II (A10 MK. I)
Equipped with a QF 2-pounder cannon and two0.33-inch Vickers water-cooled machine guns.
- Tank CruiserMK. IIA (A10 MK. IA)
Equipped with a QF 2-pounder cannon and two BESAair-cooled machine gun.
- Tank CruiserMK. IIA CS (A10 MK. IA CS)
The CS (Close Support) version had a 3.7 inches (94 mm) howitzer in the turret assigned for infantry supportrole.
Theproduction run A10 tank has turret, engine and suspension identical to A9, butthe thickness of bolt plates has been increased to 1 and 3/16 inch (30 mm) andweighs has been increased to 14.3 tons.
The maximum speed on road however dropsto 16 mph, while off road only 8mph.
As a result, the A10 tank is too slow toperform the cruiser tank duty such as forays deep into enemy territory.
Thisshortcoming self-explain although the A10 tank saw combat in most of the earlybattles, such as France, North Africa and Greece, the final production numberwas only 175 and phased out very quickly when new type of cruiser tank enterinto service.
Cruiser Tank A10 (also known as: The Cruiser Tank Mark II) was a British high speed / pursuit tank from the interwar period and World War II. The first prototypes of the vehicle were made in 1936, and serial production continued in the years 1938-1940, ending with the production of about 200 examples. The wagon length was about 5.6 m, with a width of about 2.5 m and a height of about 2.65 meters. The tank was powered by an engine AEC A179 with 150 hp . The basic armament of the vehicle consisted of a single 40 mm 2-pounder cannon and 2 Vickers and BESA 7.7 and 7.92 mm machine guns.
The Cruiser Tank A10 was developed as a highly modernized version of the A9 car. Compared to its predecessor, it was distinguished mainly by the dismantling of the turrets at the front of the car, which housed machine guns, and by strengthening the armor, especially in the front part of the turret and the hull. At the same time, however, the same drive unit was retained, which with the increased weight of the car meant that its performance decreased compared to the A9 model. The Cruiser Tank A10, like its predecessor, was not a particularly successful tank, but it was characterized by high mechanical efficiency, it was reliable (also in desert conditions), and its main armament allowed it to destroy virtually any German or Italian tank at the beginning of World War II. The vehicle underwent its baptism of fire during the fighting in France in 1940, and was later used during the fighting in Greece in 1941 and during the initial period of the campaign in North Africa (1940-1943).
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