The wagon Cruiser Mk V Covenanter (A13 Mk III) was a tank cruiser (cruiser) UK active during the Second World War. This wagon model was the first to have a name as well as an abbreviation. Covenanter - The name derives from that of a religious faction in Scotland at the time of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
History
In 1938, the Ministry of Defence took the design of a new tank to replace the Cruiser Mk IV. Already the following year, the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company (LMS) began the design of the hull. In contrast, the design of the tower was developed by the Nuffield, and the firm Henry Meadows was instead entrusted with the creation of the engine.
The disastrous losses of materials and means to Dunkirk and the lack of armored vehicles put the English Army in need to order 100 units on 17 April 1939, even before the prototype was tested, especially the product. With a considerable production effort, the first order was processed, and a succession of orders led to a final total production of about 1771 units of carriage Mk V.
The Nuffield, however, continued in parallel with the design and production of another tank, the Crusader, which had no better luck.
The commitment to create a chariot of low profile and height, thus able to escape the deadly Panzer German involved in the Cruiser Mk V, some cooling problems.
The engine was mounted horizontally, and the space in the engine compartment to accommodate the radiators was insufficient; consequently, these were moved to the front of the vehicle, creating problems of reliability due to a too short and superficial testing period.
As a result of these problems, the Covenanter could not be employed in the North African Campaign, an honor which instead had just wagons Crusader.
By the end of 1943, the Covenanter was considered obsolete and lightly reinforced, absolutely not able to deal with new German tanks. Many Covenanters were, therefore, scrapped or used for training purposes.
Operational History
Except for a few test vehicles, the Covenanter was never used outside the British Isles. The 1st Armored Division English was initially equipped with tanks Mk V, but when his first operational engagement took place in Egypt, the wagon suffered its limits in hot climates. Then, the MK V went to equip the 9th Armored Division on the continent.
A handful of these wagons, however, were sent to Africa for testing and evaluation tests, but it is not clear whether specimens of Covenanter were used in combat. They were likely lined up alongside the Kingforce together with the experimental Churchill Mk II.
Some Covenanter units were deployed with Polish incorporated in Great Britain; others (especially in the variant Bridgelayers) were used by the Allies in their advance into Belgium and Holland and the forces of Australia in the Pacific.
Tank Cruiser Variants
Covenanter Mk I Close Support – Armed with 3-inch mortars. Covenanter Mk II (Cruiser Mk V) – model with additional radiator.
Covenanter Mk II CS – Armed with mortar. Covenanter Mk III (Cruiser Mk V) – model with new oil radiators on both sides of the engine, the addition of air purifiers, and exhaust silencers.
Covenanter Mk III CS – Armed with mortar. Covenanter Mk IV – Mk II version with clutch development of Mk III.
Covenanter Mk IV CS – Armed with mortar. Covenanter hull fitted with a bridge of 10.3 meters m in length and 2.75 m in width, able to carry 24 tons. In 1944, the improvements had a load capacity of 30 tonnes.