Krokodýl Churchill

Krokodýl Churchill

ZeměUk
RoliPěchotní tank/Plamenný tank
V provozu1944-1945
PostavenNeznámé

Galerie Fotografie Krokodýla Churchill, The Krokodýl byl Churchill VII, který byl přestavěn nahrazením kulometu trupu plamenometem. Palivo bylo v obrněném kolovém přívěsu taženém za ním. Mohl vypálit několik 1 sekundových dávek přes 150 yardů. Krokodýl byl jedním z "Hobart's Funnies" – dalšího vozidla používaného 79. obrněnou divizí.

Churchill Crocodile
FotografUnknow
LokalizaceNeznámé
Fotografie30
Čekání, Hledání Churchill Krokodýl fotografie pro vás...
Churchill Crocodile Walk Around
FotografDaryl Nightingale
LokalizaceNeznámé
Fotografie50

Viz také:

Druhá světová válka: Definitivní vizuální historie od Blitzkriegu po atomovou bombu (DK Definitive Visual Histories) - Amazon Druhá světová válka Mapa podle mapy (DK History Map by Map) - Amazon

The **Churchill Crocodile** was a British flamethrower tank developed during World War II, based on the reliable **Churchill Mark VII Infantry Tank**. It was one of the specialized assault vehicles, collectively known as “Hobart’s Funnies,” created for the D-Day landings and subsequent operations to breach enemy fortifications.


Design and Flamethrower System

  • Base Vehicle: The conversion kit was primarily fitted to the Churchill Mark VII, a tank known for its heavy armor and good cross-country mobility, albeit slow speed. This heavy armor allowed the Crocodile to withstand the intense fire it often drew as a primary assault weapon.
  • Flamethrower Location: The fixed flamethrower projector was installed in the hull, replacing the bow-mounted Besa machine gun.
  • Armament Retained: Crucially, the Crocodile retained its main turret armament—the **75 mm QF gun** and a coaxial machine gun—allowing it to engage enemy armor and provide conventional fire support, a key advantage over many other flame-tanks.
  • The Trailer: The unique feature of the Crocodile was its **armored, two-wheeled trailer** towed behind the tank.
    • Kapacita: This trailer carried about **400 gallons (1,800 liters)** of flame fuel (a thickened incendiary mixture) and a supply of pressurized nitrogen gas (the propellant).
    • Range/Bursts: This capacity was enough for approximately **80 one-second bursts** of flame, with an effective range of up to **120–150 yards (110–140 meters)**.
    • Safety/Tactics: The trailer was connected to the tank via a flexible, armored pipe and, most importantly, could be **jettisoned** from inside the tank in an emergency (like being hit or running out of fuel), allowing the tank to continue fighting as a standard gun tank. In action, the crew would keep the tank positioned to shield the vulnerable trailer from enemy fire.

Combat Role and Psychological Effect

  • Primary Role: The Churchill Crocodile was designed for close-range assault on fortified positions like bunkers, pillboxes, and strongpoints that standard artillery struggled to neutralize.
  • Psychological Weapon: Its terrifying capability—shooting a jet of intense flame over a long distance—had an immense **psychological effect**. German troops were often so demoralized by its presence that they would surrender immediately upon seeing the flamethrower fire a warning shot, saving the Allies from bloody fighting.
  • Nasazení: The Crocodiles were assigned to specialist armored units, most famously the **79th Armoured Division**, and were used successfully throughout the Normandy campaign, the push through Western Europe, and later in Italy and even the Korean War.

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