| Tank, Cruiser, Mk IV (A13 Mk II) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Cruiser tank |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940–1941[1] |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1939–1941 |
| No. built | 955 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 14.75 long tons (15 t)[2] |
| Length | 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)[2] |
| Width | 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)[2] |
| Height | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)[2] |
| Crew | 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver) |
| Armour | 6–30 mm (0.24–1.18 in) |
Main armament | QF 2-pdr gun 87 rounds |
Secondary armament | 0.303 in Vickers machine gun 3,750 rounds |
| Engine | Nuffield Liberty V12 petrol 340 hp (250 kW) |
| Suspension | Christie |
Operational range | 90 mi (140 km) |
| Maximum speed | 30 mph (48 km/h) off-road: 14 mph (23 km/h) |
The Cruiser Tank Mk IV (A13 Mk II) was a British cruiser tank of the Second World War. It followed directly on from the Tank, Cruiser, Mk III (A13 Mk I). The first Mk IVs were Mk IIIs with extra armour fitted to the turret. Later Mk IVAs were built with the complete extra armour. The tank was used in France in 1940 and in the early part of the war in North Africa, before being withdrawn from service. A fast vehicle compared to other British tanks of the early part of the war, it was probably the best cruiser tank Britain had in 1940.[3] In total, 955 of these tanks were built.
- ^ Forty, George; Jack Livesy (2006). The World Encyclopedia of Tanks & Armoured Fighting Vehicles. Lorenz Books. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7548-1741-3.
- ^ a b c d White, BT British Tanks 1915–1945 Ian Allan p. 46
- ^ The Tank Museum (13 February 2015). "David Fletcher's Tank Chats #1: The A13 Cruiser". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2020 – via YouTube.