These are early and mid/reworked Churchill’s with 6-Pdr Mk. III
Here’s mid and late Churchill’s with 6-Pdr Mk. V
Here’s Cromwell with both versions of 6-Pdr
There’s about 6 different types of 6-Pdr Mk. V counter weights.
These are early and mid/reworked Churchill’s with 6-Pdr Mk. III
Here’s mid and late Churchill’s with 6-Pdr Mk. V
Here’s Cromwell with both versions of 6-Pdr
There’s about 6 different types of 6-Pdr Mk. V counter weights.
Plus for some reason the 6 pounder APDS has been in the files since like February of this year
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warthunder/comments/11dhl2w/datamine_dev_server_223144_224020_part_5/
Another one I would like to see is the Churchill IX, basically the IV but with VII armor
I will again speak without my references, but if i recall correctly david fletcher (who wrote the book on the things) has doubts that they ever existed. At a minimum none have been photographed to my knowledge
Dont give me hope.
Some were definitively built. Purely a prototype basis with no weapons. I’ve seen archive photos shared by Ed Francis.
They were never fielded though.
As I understand it, Churchill IX was just another way to refer to the Churchill IV with an L/50 6pdr and applique armor.
That really isnt the case. The intent of the churchill IX, X, and XI was to rework churchill III, IV, and V (6 pounder armed tanks to IX, 75mm to X, and Churchill V to XI) to have the same armor as the Churchill VII. This required replacing the suspension ( to take the weight) and transmisson (to haul the weight) with those on the churchill VII. The turrets would be replaced with churchill VII turrets, and the hull armor thickened. This was to start at the end of 1944
I have no idea how they intended to increase the hull armor, as the reason the churchill VII was able to increase its armor was because they had removed the riveted onto frame construction and were able to put those weight savings into the armor. Unless they tore down the reworked churchills and replaced all of their plates I dont see how they could just add on armor without becoming grossly overweight. Further, parts of the churchill III-V front armor is actually thicker than the churchill VII (overlap of 2 3.5 inch plates) so that would be wierd to work around. I think I’ve read that they would just tear out the entire front plate and weld in one from a churchill VII.
At any rate, this is a far deeper modernization than just adding 20mm plates to the side of a Churchill IV, a addition that far predates the start of the IX-XI rework program.
Like this?
(This was on the old churchill mk3 late suggestion)
I think thats accurate, yeah.
With the added note that the churchill IV through VI LT would probably not have applique armore added. For whatever reason they did not make cast applique armor for those tanks, so only the flat faced churchill III would get applique armor on the turret.