- Yes
- No
Introduction:
Hi everyone, today i am going to suggest a low tier AA to bridge the gap between the 7.92 besa machine guns of the light tank AA and 50 cal’s of T17; the Light tank Mk VIB AA (15mm BESA). This was a one off SPAA prototype based on a Light Tank Mk VIB chassis, that was designed to protect british units from stuka attacks like those encountered during the initial german blitzkrieg tactics, and though it never entered service i feel it would make a fine addition to the game to help flesh out the rank one of the british SPAA line 
Vehicle history:
Work on developing an anti-aircraft tank began in 1940, in direct response to the German use of powerful close air support during the blitzkrieg of May 1940. As part of the testing two prototypes were produced on Light Tank Mk VIB chassis. one of the prototypes was armed with two 15mm Besa machine guns (with the ammo boxes jutting out to the side of the turret) due to space constraints. The second prototype mounted a Boulton & Paul quadruple Browning power-operated aircraft turret. These vehicles where used as proof of concept for what would go on to be the Light AA mark 1, and the 15mm besa machine gun prototype did not excede the test phase and remained a one off prototype.
Unfortunately there is not much more information avalible, as like several other British prototype SPAA they where used as test beds and proofs of concept, and did not see any actual action outside of testing.
Vehicle specification:
- Dimensions (L-w-h) 13ft 0in x 6ft 10in x 7ft 4in (4.10 x 2.15 x 2.80 m)
- Total weight, battle ready: 4.1 tonness (10.740 lbs)
- Crew : 3 (driver, commander, gunner)
- Propulsion: Meadows ESTE 6-cyl gasoline, 88 hp (65.64 kW)
- Speed (road): 32 mph (48 km/h)
- Maximum operational range: 125 miles (201 km)
- Armament: 2x 15mm Besa machine guns, muzzle velocity of 818.3 m/s (2,685 ft/s) at a rate of 450 rounds per minute
- Armor: From 4 to 12 mm (0.1 to 0.45 in)
Referances:
- Vickers Light Mk.V (1935)
- Tanks Equipment page
- David Fletcher (1989). Universal Tank: British Armour in the Second World War – Part 2. HMSO. ISBN 0-11-290534-X. p.20
- Allied Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War II
