eddy8men Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 hi fella's i came across this pic while searching for cromwell info, it's such a strange looking tank i thought i'd put it on the forum. it looks daft but when you think about it it would probably have been a good way to utilise the well armoured but under gunned matilda's. anyone got any ideas of it's origin. click this link http://commi.narod.ru/abt/b/a12_12.jpg eddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Hi Eddy nothing unique sadly -it was a British attempt to get a 75mm gun into a matilda- was overloaded but really just too late. Had they been more sensible -(the old boy network probably was a great problem in British tank development in WW2- probably still has an effect even today) mounting a Mk4 turret from a Churchill would have been better- the Matilda could have taken it without too much difficulty as the turret ring diameter was so close fitting surplus Churchill 2 2pdr turrets was considered, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 another opportunity missed by the powers that be but they did come up with some real war winning tanks but only after the war had already ended ! eddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 You're aware of the old building rule -measure twice - cut once- well that could be applied to British tank production -keep trying and eventually you'll get it right. There were good designers who were ham strung by their superiors -for example the A30 Challenger -which is little more than a Cromwell with a turret supporting lump plonked on top -was the responsiblity of a bloke called Rothbottom from Rolls Royce -it is faily obvious from his autobiography that what qualified him to lead the development was his education at a private school rather than any engineering ability or training- but never mind. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Hi Eddy nothing unique sadly -it was a British attempt to get a 75mm gun into a matilda- was overloaded but really just too late. Steve Though that is a 6pdr but that's just a point of interest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Adrian Barrell Though that is a 6pdr but that's just a point of interest! B**ger -is it like a game of baseball -3 strikes and I'm out - you're right again- no excuse:blush: Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 B**ger -is it like a game of baseball -3 strikes and I'm out - you're right again- no excuse:blush: Steve No, you're excused, must just be having a bad day! :-) Oh and the chap at Rolls Royce was Robotham...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteor mark 4B Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I read somewhere, in a book about early tank production called "Rude Mechanicals" I think, that a particular tank on trial had poor armour, poor armament, and poor performance. 250 were ordered............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Oh and the chap at Rolls Royce was Robotham...... Now there is a name that brings back memories, Mr. Robotham was one of the customers of the company I worked for in the Sixties. He had a farm nearby and I recollect going out there, to attend to a combine with a broken crankshaft. In one of the sheds were a number of very large Rolls Royce engines, at that time, I did not know his background, but only wish I knew then. He was actually Chief Engineer at RR Derby before the war and was instrumental in adapting / converting the Merlin for tank use, as well as being involved in design work of the Cromwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antar Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Now there is a name that brings back memories, Mr. Robotham was one of the customers of the company I worked for in the Sixties. He had a farm nearby and I recollect going out there, to attend to a combine with a broken crankshaft. In one of the sheds were a number of very large Rolls Royce engines, at that time, I did not know his background, but only wish I knew then. He was actually Chief Engineer at RR Derby before the war and was instrumental in adapting / converting the Merlin for tank use, as well as being involved in design work of the Cromwell. And Ithink he was involved somewhere in the history of the RR "B" series engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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