Valentine Tank | |
|---|---|
| 国家 | 英国 |
| 类型 | 步兵坦克 |
| 在服务中 | 1940–60 |
| 建立 | 8275 |
照片库的 情人节坦克，坦克，步兵，Mk III，瓦伦丁是第二次世界大战期间在英国生产的步兵坦克。超过8000种型号的产量为11马克，加上各种专用型号，约占战时英国坦克产量的四分之一。许多变种包括铆接和焊接结构、汽油和柴油发电厂以及逐步增加的军备。它大量供应给苏西里，并在加拿大获得许可证建造。它由维克斯开发，证明既坚固又可靠。
源： 维基百科上的情人节坦克
| Valentine Tank | |
|---|---|
| 摄影师 | 未知 |
| 本地化 | 未知 |
| 照片 | 72 |
| Valentine MK V Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| 摄影师 | 未知 |
| 本地化 | 未知 |
| 照片 | 49 |
| Infantry Tank III Valentine Mk. VI Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| 摄影师 | Andrey Loboda |
| 本地化 | 未知 |
| 照片 | 77 |
另请参阅：
| British Infantry Tank Mk. III Valentine V | |
|---|---|
| 摄影师 | 唐·阿伦 |
| 本地化 | 未知 |
| 照片 | 26 |
A Private Venture that Saved the Empire
这 情人 was unique because it wasn’t requested by the British War Office; it was a private design by 维克斯-阿姆斯特朗. 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) |
|---|---|
| 作用 | 步兵坦克 |
| 船员 | 3 （指挥官， 枪手， 司机） |
| 发动机 | GMC 6004 diesel (165 hp) |
| 最高速度 | 24 km/h (15 mph) on road |
| 主要武器装备 | 75 mm OQF Mk V (45 rounds) |
| 次要武器 | 1 × 7.92 mm Besa machine gun |
| 装甲 | 60 mm to 65 mm (Maximum on front) |
| 工作范围 | 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 the 苏联. While the Soviets hated the tiny 2-pounder gun, they loved the 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 chassis facing 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.
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