Galleria fotografica di un Serbatoio di San Valentino, The Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine era un carro armato di fanteria prodotto nel Regno Unito durante la seconda guerra mondiale. Più di 8.000 del tipo furono prodotti in undici marchi, più varie varianti specializzate, che rappresentano circa un quarto della produzione di carri armati britannici in tempo di guerra. Le numerose varianti includevano costruzioni rivettate e saldate, centrali a benzina e diesel e un progressivo aumento degli armamenti. Fu fornito in gran numero all'URSS e costruito su licenza in Canada. Sviluppato da Vickers, si è dimostrato sia forte che affidabile.
Le Valentinowas unique because it wasn’t requested by the British War Office; it was a private design byVickers-Armstrongs. Submitted on Valentine’s Day 1938 (hence the name), it was a hybrid that used the reliable suspension and transmission of a “Cruiser” tank but was wrapped in the thick armor of an “Infantry” tank. While it was cramped and slow, its mechanical reliability was legendary—at a time when other British tanks were breaking down in the desert, the Valentine just kept going. It eventually became the most-produced British tank of WWII, with over 8,000 built across 11 major variants.
Attribute
Technical Specification (Late-War Mk XI)
Ruolo
Carro armato di fanteria
Equipaggio
3 (Comandante, Artigliere, Autista)
Motore
GMC 6004 diesel (165 hp)
Velocità massima
24 km/h (15 mph) on road
Armamento principale
75 mm OQF Mk V (45 rounds)
Armamento secondario
1 × 7.92 mm Besa machine gun
Armatura
60 mm to 65 mm (Maximum on front)
Raggio d'azione
140 km (90 miles)
Design Engineering: Small, Strong, and Simple
The “Slow Motion” Suspension:The Valentine used a modified Horstmann suspension with two large assemblies per side. While it wasn’t built for speed, it provided a very stable ride and was incredibly easy to maintain in the muddy or sandy conditions of North Africa and the Eastern Front.
The Turret Squeeze:The biggest design flaw was the tiny turret ring. Originally a 2-man turret (Mk I/II), it was expanded to a 3-man turret (Mk III) to give the commander a loader, but when the larger 6-pounder and 75mm guns were added later, it had to revert back to a 2-man crew because the guns took up so much space.
Low Silhouette:The Valentine was exceptionally low to the ground (only 2.27 meters high). This made it a difficult target to hit and allowed it to hide behind small folds in the terrain that taller tanks like the Sherman or Matilda II couldn’t use.
Diesel Pioneer:Most Valentines used AEC or GMC diesel engines. Not only were these less likely to explode when hit compared to petrol engines, but they also provided the torque needed to move 17 tonnes of steel at a steady, reliable pace.
Operational History: From El Alamein to Berlin
The “Underrated” Lend-Lease:Nearly half of all Valentines produced (over 3,700) were sent to theUnione Sovietica. While the Soviets hated the tiny 2-pounder gun, theylovedthe tank’s reliability and low profile, using them as reconnaissance and support vehicles all the way into the streets of Berlin in 1945.
Desert Endurance:In the North African Campaign, Valentines once drove 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from El Alamein to Tunisia under their own power—a feat of mechanical endurance that few other tanks of the era could match.
The “Archer” Tank Destroyer:Because the 17-pounder gun was too big to fit in a turret, engineers mounted it on a Valentine chassisfacing backwards. This created the Archer, a quirky but effective “shoot-and-scoot” weapon that could fire and then immediately drive away forward (technically backward) into cover.
Pacific Jungle Fighter:The New Zealand Army used Valentines in the Pacific. Its small size and weight allowed it to be transported to islands where heavier tanks simply couldn’t land, proving effective against the light defenses of the Japanese.
