- Yes
- No
Hello, I’m suggesting the final primary variant(as they are still the specialized modified ones) of the Churchill infantry tank in Canadian service.
History:
The first Canadian Army Tank Brigade was the primary user of the Churchill by the Canadian Army Overseas, having been equipped with all marks (as they became available) up to this point. Despite this by August of 1942, during a time when plans for Canadian tank production were under discussion, the Churchill tank, despite its protection wasn’t considered a success. This was in part due to, as Lieutenant-General A.G.L. McNaughton pointed out, due to defects in the original design the tanks were impossible to maintain, leading to personnel losing faith in the tank, he would be most anxious to have the tanks replaced as soon as possible with either the incoming Ram IIs or more preferred Churchill Mk IV.
The No. 1 Sub Depot of No. 1 Canadian Base Ordnance Depot, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, would start receiving Churchill Mk IV in December of 1942, these would replace Churchill Mk I, II and III tanks, of the 1st Canada Army Tank Brigade. By the 5th of January 1943, the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade would hold 200 Churchill tanks with 57 being of the Churchill Mk IV. These would be divided up like so, with the Ontario Regiment holding 50, the Calgary Regiment with 7 and the Three Rivers Regiment having 8 by the month’s end.
Well at the beginning of March in 1943, it was intended that the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade keep its Churchill Mk IIIR, IV and IR tanks, but this wouldn’t happen. As by the 19th of March 1943, it was decided to have the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade with Ram II tanks, these would replace the Churchills on a one-for-one basis. The Churchill Mk IV(along with the other marks) tanks would begin being handed on on the 22ed of March 1943, with the Calgary Regiment handing in 1 MK IV, this would be followed up by the Ontario Regiment handing in 35 Mk IVs on the 26th of March 1943. On the 29th of March 1943, the Three Rivers Regiment would hand in their 18 Mk IV tank and the Calgary Regiment their last 6 Mk IVs, the Ontario Regiment would give away their last Mk IVs on the 11th od May 1943.
Specs:
Weight: 39.1 t (38.5 long tons) (Mark I), 40.7 t (40.1 long tons) (Mark VII)
Length: 24 ft 5 in (7.44 m)
Width: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader/radio operator, driver, co-driver/hull gunner)
Main Armament: QF 6 pounder
Secondary Armament: Two 7.92mm Besa machine guns
Engine: Bedford 12-cylinder, 4 stroke, water-cooled, horizontally opposed, L-head petrol engine, 350 hp (261 kW) at 2,200 rpm
Operational Range: 56 miles (90 km)
Speed: 15 mph (24 km/h)
Armour: 102 mm hull front, 76 mm hull side, 51 mm hull rear, 89 mm turret front, 76 mm turret side and rear.