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A Tricky one...inter-war years british afv??

Discussion in 'Pre-World War 2 Armour' started by halifaxv, Aug 26, 2004.

  1. halifaxv

    halifaxv New Member

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    Hi, new member here!
    My first post is a question that I'll be surprised if anyone can answer, but here goes
    My father recalls a (presumably British) tank that was dumped on the North Yorkshire Moors during the war, and seemed to have been used as target practice by troops training up there. I have one piece of armour plating which I found up there many years ago, it is about a meter long, 10 inches deep and maybe 1 inch thick. I also found a piece of solid rubber, nothing else left. Around it were various remains from 2 inch mortar shells, and the odd off .303 nib. From his recollections, it must have been a quite a small tank and had a "short, stubby gun barrel" Any ideas..does anyone know a good resource for pics of 1930s tanks (It doesn't sound like a frontline wartime tank, apart from maybe an early Matilda?) I know it's a really vague post but I've been wondering for years what it was!

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  2. Paul Stebbings

    Paul Stebbings New Member

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    First of all do you have a photo of the piece of armour plate? One inch of armour was thick for the 1930s so it could not be a light tank or most pre-war tanks. If it was a range target the main armament was probably removed so your father probably saw the armoured Vickers MG housing. Could be either A-9 or A-10 with a 3.7" CS How.
     
  3. Ricky

    Ricky Well-Known Member

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    Try browsing through this site:

    http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/

    Under 'Great Britain' and see if anything seems to fit.
    It is a very good site, and I notice that our very own Gerry Chester had input there..
     
  4. halifaxv

    halifaxv New Member

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    Thanks for the reply
    Thinking about it, it may be less than an inch thick, I haven't actually seen it for years, its lurking in his garage somewhere. I'll dig it out and get some photos and precise measurements!

    Cheers

    Bob
     
  5. Paul Stebbings

    Paul Stebbings New Member

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    http://www.wwiivehicles.com/html/united ... tilda.html

    From this the Matilda1 had thick plate all over so unless it was the belly plate it probably wasn't this. Did you have a ARV to get the plate home, it must have been heavy?

    If it is only c.12-14mm its looking more like a Light Tank MKI-VI.
     
  6. Capt.mainwaring

    Capt.mainwaring New Member

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    Post subject

    When I was stationed at Catterick with the 57th (Heavy)Training Regiment,
    RAC. We used to go to a tank firing range at Fylingdale? I believe,
    stacks of old tanks there, do you think that's the place?
    And Welcome!
     
  7. halifaxv

    halifaxv New Member

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    Re. Fylingdales

    No, sorry, I should have been a bit more precise about the location. The tank was located on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, a few miles north of Kirbymoorside. (Not far from the few scattered remains of a Handley Page Halifax!)
     

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