History, technical details and pictures

Mark IV Churchill history

When the British declared war in 1939 to Germany, they decided to strengthen their armored fleet, considered too old. But in 1940, while the English engineers were studying a new model, the French and British troops had left Dunkirk: most British tanks were in the hands of the Germans.

To deal with this situation, the start of an armament program has accelerated rapidly so that the first model could be available. But in the rush, all the early models of the new tank, called Cromwell, suffered from many defects.

The particular shape of the Mark IV tank (A22 and originally known as "Churchill"), was designed by engineers of the Vauxhall Motors company. This char has the same structure as the initial model, Mark I, designed for the First World War.

Many improvements are noticeable since the Mark I, in particular the replacement of the obsolete 40 mm gun with 57 and 75 mm guns and the improvement of the armor.

This structural basis was used for many other versions (flamethrowers, anti-personnel mines, bridges layer...) used by the British forces during the Normandy Landing and known as the "funnies".

Slightly armed compared to German tanks, it owes its major role in the British army to its thick armor. Its first combat situation took place on the beaches of Dieppe in August 1942.

Copies of the Mark IV tank were delivered to Russian forces on the eastern front.

Mark IV Churchill sheet

Country creator/user: Great Britain
Name: Mark IV Churchill (A22)

Rate of fire: 7,65 m
Width: 3,25 m
Height: 2,45 m
Weigth: 39 600 kg
Maximum speed: 27 km/h
Range: 144 km

Main gun: 75 mm (6 pounds) Mk III ROQF gun
Secondary armament: two 7,92 mm Besa machineguns and one 7,71 mm Bren machinegune

Engine: Bedford Twin-Six, 350 hp
Consumption: 334 L for 100 km

Crew: 5 (1 tank commander, 1 pilote, 1 co-pilote and gunner, 1 radio operator and loader)

Front shield: 152 mm
Back shield: 35 mm