Vickers Medium mk. D

[WiseMinerva]

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An oddball one-off of the Vickers medium Mk. II the Mk. D is sole unit that was sold to the Irish Free State in 1929 (though it does share a similar appearance to the Mk. C that was sold to Japan) this tank served as Ireland’s first tank. Armed with a QF 6 pounder 8 cwt Hotchkiss and 4 Vickers 0.303 machine guns it was well armed and capable of being used in an anti infanty role. Powered by a 170 hp Sunbeam Amazon 6-cylinder gasoline engine this gave the Mk. D a respectable top speed of 32 km/h.

When the tank arrived in March 1929, responsibility for it fell to the first tank crew: Lt Sean Collins-Powell (later Lt Gen), Cpl J Wixted, Cpl T McKeon, Tpr W Hogan and Tpr P Carolan. Collins-Powell had been part of military mission to the US in 1926-27 and studied at the US Tank School in Maryland. In 1934-35 the Mk. D was joined by two Swedish L-60 light tanks that had been purchased, which only highlighted how outdated the cumbersome Mk. D was by this time.

The tank was used until 1940 when during training with the two Swedish tanks it became stuck on one of the engineering teams anti tank devices. While thrilled that the device worked the mk. D was too damaged to salvage and was subsequently scrapped. It’s 6-pounder gun was removed and turned into a gun emplacement near Gibbeth Rath as part of the defence of Curragh during the Emergency. In 1984 the gun was issued to the 1st Tank Squad on the 25th anniversary of the original units founding. Today the 6-pounder, the sole surviving piece of the Mk. D, is on display at Curragh Camp at the Combat Support College.

More photos

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Diagram of the 6-pounder from the official handbook

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Stats
Vickers Medium Mk.D
Dimensions: 5.33 x 2.5 x 2.4 meters (17.5 x 8.3 x 8 feet)
Total weight: 14 US Tons
Crew: 5
Propulsion: Sunbeam Amazon 6-cylinder gasoline engine, 170 hp
Speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
Armament: QF 6 pounder 8 cwt. 4 x 0.303 Vickers machine guns (7.7 mm)
Armour: 6.25 to 8 mm
Total production: 1

References

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http://cavalryclub.ie/CavClubNews1214.pdf

Tanks and The Curragh

Vickers Medium Mk.D - Tank Encyclopedia

https://www.dfmagazine.ie/dfmag_pdfs/1970_1979/Vol_36_1976/01_Jan/Vol_36_No_1_Jan_1976.pdf

History Ireland

http://www.defence.gov.au/UXO/_Master/docs/Types/Projectile6prNavalRev01.pdf

English, Adrian J. Irish Army Orders of Battle 1923-2004, pg. 105.

[Spr4yz]

I’ve only found one AP ammo type for the 6-pdr of this tank so far in British use, which is the Mk.V Steel Shell - an armor-piercing low explosive projectile.
Below are its stats.

Mk V Steel Shell (APLE), with Mark IV Hotchkiss base percussion fuze (No. 2 Mk IV).
Complete shell name (assembled): Steel Shell Mark XIII.
Hotchkiss base fuzes Mark III and Mark III* could also be used with the “Steel Shells” with black powder filler.
Projectile Mass: 2.722 kg
Explosive Type: Q.F. Shell Fine Grain Powder (F.G. Black Powder)
Explosive Weight: 113.4 grams, + 7 grams of Rifle Fine Grain (R.F.G. Black Powder) igniter.

Source: https://rnzaoc.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/treatise-on-ammunition-1915.pdf

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There are some American 6-pdr projectiles which could have been copies of later British ones but that’s too uncertain. Since the source I used is from 1915 there is bound to have been more developments since then for AP projectiles and such.

[JamesPond1200]

I was going to suggest this one, but I wasn’t sure about finding enough info. Great job on the research, and I would totally approve of this being a British premium/event vehicle! +1

[Jarms]

Personally I don’t think it’s viable enough to be put into the game. It’s practically a worse A1E1 Independent. If Gaijin ever do a Tier 0 with BR 0.0 - 0.7 I think it could fit.

[l2ulan]

Absolute crap, +1 for a Reserve Premium!