 |
| Tank, Cruiser, Mk VII Cavalier (A24) | |
|---|---|
| Type | Cruiser tank |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942–1945 |
| Used by | United Kingdom, Free France |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Nuffield Mechanization & Aero Limited |
| Designed | 1941 |
| Manufacturer | Nuffield Mechanization & Aero Limited |
| Produced | 1942 |
| No. built | 500 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 27 long tons (27 tonnes) |
| Length | 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
| Height | 8 ft (2.44 m) |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver) |
| Armour | 20–76 mm (0.79–2.99 in) |
Main armament | QF 6 pounder, 64 rounds |
Secondary armament | 2 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun, 4,950 rounds |
| Engine | Nuffield Liberty petrol 410 horsepower (310 kW) |
| Power/weight | 14.9 hp (11.2 kW) / tonne |
| Suspension | Improved Christie |
Operational range | 165 miles (266 km) |
| Maximum speed | 24 mph (39 km/h) off-road 14 mph (23 km/h) |
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VII Cavalier (A24) was an interim design of British cruiser tank during the Second World War.
It was derived as a follow on from the Nuffield's A15 Crusader tank as it was expected to enter production in 1942. A parallel effort under Leyland Motors and Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company to the same specification resulted in the A27 Cromwell and Centaur tanks which was accepted for service in preference to the Cavalier.