Cruiser Mk I

Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9)
Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9)
TypeCruiser tank
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In service1938–1941
Used byBritish Army
WarsSecond World War
Production history
DesignerSir John Carden
Designed1934–1936
ManufacturerVickers
Produced1936–1941
No. built125
Specifications
Mass12.8 long tons (13.0 t) battle weight[1]
Length19 ft (5.8 m)
Width8 ft 4 in (2.5 m)
Height8 ft 8 in (2.65 m)
Crew6 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, 2x MG gunners)

Armour6 - 14 mm
Main
armament
QF 2-pdr
100 rounds
Secondary
armament
3 x 0.303 Vickers machine gun
3,000 rounds
EngineAEC 179 6-cylinder petrol[2]
150 hp (110 kW)
Suspensionsprung triple wheel bogie
Operational
range
150 miles (240 km)
Maximum speed 25 mph (40 km/h)

The Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9) was a British cruiser tank of the interwar period. It was the first cruiser tank: a fast tank designed to bypass the main enemy lines and engage the enemy's lines of communication, as well as enemy tanks. The Cruiser Mk II was a more heavily armoured adaptation of the Mark I, developed at much the same time.

  1. ^ Chamberlain & Ellis, p30
  2. ^ "World War II Tanks - United Kingdom's Engines". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2007.