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| Tank, Heavy Assault, A33 (Excelsior) |
| Type |
heavy tank |
| Place of origin |
United Kingdom |
| Specifications |
| Length |
22 ft 8 in / |
| Width |
11 ft 2 in / |
| Height |
7 ft 11 in / |
| Crew |
5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver) |
|
| Armor |
114 |
Primary
armament |
Ordnance QF 75 mm
64 rounds |
Secondary
armament |
2 x 7.92 mm Besa MG |
| Engine |
Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 petrol
600 hp (447 kW) |
| Suspension |
Improved Christie |
| Speed |
24 mph, (off-road 12 mph) |
The Tank, Heavy Assault, A33 (Excelsior) was a British experimental tank based on the Cromwell (A27) developed in the Second World War when there were concerns as to performance of the Churchill tank.
[edit] Development
After the Dieppe raid in August 1942, there was concern that the Churchill was not as good as expected and a tank to combine the infantry and cruiser tank roles was planned.
English Electric built two prototypes on a Cromwell tank hull the first with the suspension of the US M6 Heavy Tank and the second with a widened Cromwell track. The design included extra armour and an Ordnance QF 75 mm gun. With the problems of the early Churchill models worked out, the project was dropped.
The second pilot vehicle can be seen at Bovington Tank Museum.
[edit] See also
|
Scout Cars and Armoured cars |
|
| Scout Cars |
|
|
| Light Reconnaissance Cars |
|
|
| Armoured Cars |
|
|
| Armoured Trucks |
|
|
| Armoured Command Vehicles |
|
|
