NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Matilda tank

The Tank, Infantry, Mk II, Matilda II (A12) (sometimes referred to as Senior Matilda) was a British tank of World War II. In a somewhat unorthodox move, it shared the same name as the Tank, Infantry, Mk I (A11). The name Matilda itself comes from a cartoon duck^{[citation needed]}. Matilda is also an old Teutonic female name meaning ‘mighty battle maid’. Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the diesel engine. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... General characteristics Length 4. ... The term Germanic peoples may refer to: the Germanic tribes that in the first millennium were seen as a barbarian threat by the Roman Empire and its successors; the Germanic Christianity that in the second millennium came to dominate much of Northern Europe, politically organized in the Holy Roman Empire...

When the A11 was removed from service the A12's name of Matilda II was dropped, and it was then known as just the Matilda.

Development history

The Tank, Infantry, Mk II was designed at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, and built by Vulcan Foundry, as an improvement on the Mk I which was a two man tank with only machine guns for armament. The Senior Matilda weighed 27 metric tons, more than twice as much as its predecessor, and was armed with a QF 2-pounder tank gun in a three-man turret. Like other infantry tanks it was heavily armoured; the armour thickness at the front reached 7.8 cm, much more than most contemporaries. The weight of the armour, together with the relatively weak twin-engine power unit (adapted from a bus) and troublesome suspension severely limited the speed of the vehicle. For example, in the deserts of North Africa the Matilda could average only about 9.5 km/h. This was not thought to be a problem because the Matilda was specifically designed in accordance with the British doctrine of infantry tanks, that is, slow-moving, heavily-armoured vehicles designed to provide support to infantry. Under this thinking, a speed equal to the walking speed of a man was considered sufficient. Only combat would prove that the doctrine was flawed. The heavy armour of the Matilda's cast turret became legendary; for a time in 1940-41 the Matilda earned the nickname "Queen of the Desert". The Royal Arsenal, originally known as the Woolwich Arsenal, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research. ... Woolwich is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river. ... Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. ... A tonne (also called metric ton) is a non-SI unit of mass, accepted for use with SI, defined as: 1 tonne = 103 kg (= 106 g). ... The QF 2-pounder gun was a British anti-tank gun. ... A M1 Abrams firing. ... Corbelled corner turrets at Newark Castle, Port Glasgow. ... The infantry tank was a concept developed by the British in the years leading up to World War II. They were generally more heavily armoured compared to the lighter cruiser tanks, which would allow them to operate in close concert with infantry to help them break through heavily defended areas... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ... This article is about arid terrain. ... Northern Africa (UN subregion) geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, generally divided by the formidable barrier of the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ...

Production history

The first Matilda was produced in 1937 but only two were in service when war broke out in September 1939. Some 2,987 tanks were produced by John Fowler & Co., Ruston & Hornsby, and later London, Midland and Scottish Railway, Harland and Wolff, and the North British Locomotive Company. Production was stopped in August 1943. Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... A John Fowler & Co. ... Ruston is the former name of an engine builder in Lincoln, England, UK. It is responsible for Rusty in the Thomas the tank engine series. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... Samson and Goliath gantry cranes. ... The North British Locomotive Company (NBL) was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow companies; Sharp Stewart, Neilson Reid and DÃ¼bs and Company creating the largest locomotive building company in Europe. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

Variants

Australian variants: Image File history File links Matilda-Scorpion. ... Image File history File links Matilda-Scorpion. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Matilda_Frog(AWM_111056). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Matilda_Frog(AWM_111056). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Matilda_Hedgehog(AWM_133687). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Matilda_Hedgehog(AWM_133687). ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... BESA machine gun Type medium machine gun Nationality UK (Czech) Era World War 2 History Date of design 1936 Production period 1939-1945 (?) Service duration 1939-1945 Operators UK War service World War 2 Specifications Type Caliber 7. ... An engine is something that produces an effect from a given input. ... 19th century 12 pounder (5 kg) mountain howitzer displayed by the National Park Service at Fort Laramie in Wyoming, USA A howitzer is a type of artillery piece that is characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small explosive charges to propel projectiles at trajectories with... Spur gears found on a piece of farm equipment A gear wheel is a wheel with teeth around its circumference, the purpose of the teeth being to mesh with similar teeth on another mechanical device -- possibly another gear wheel -- so that force can be transmitted between the two devices in... A flail tank utilizes a protruding beam with chains and weights attached to find and detonate mines ahead of the tank. ... Canal Defence Light (CDL) was a British secret weapon of the Second World War. ...

Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon An anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, the Hedgehog was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. ... US soldier loading a M224 60-mm mortar. ... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ...

Combat History

The Matilda was first used in combat by the 4th and 7th Royal Tank Regiments in France in 1940. Due to the thickness of its armour, it was largely immune to the guns of the German tanks and anti-tank guns in France. In some desperation, the famous 88 mm anti-aircraft guns were pressed into the anti-tank role as the only effective counter. Image File history File links Matilda_Compass. ... Image File history File links Matilda_Compass. ... Combatants Western Desert Force Italian Tenth Army Commanders Richard OConnor Rodolfo Graziani Pietro Maletti â€ Strength 50,000 soldiers 120 guns 275 tanks 100,000 soldiers 1,600 guns 600 light tanks Casualties 494 dead 1,225 wounded 3,000 dead 115,000 captured 400 tanks 1,292 guns Operation... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... German 88 mm guns were used in anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles. ...

In the early days of the war in North Africa, the Matilda again proved highly effective against Italian and German tanks, although vulnerable again to the larger calibre anti-tank guns. Its 2-pounder gun was comparable to other tank guns in the 37 to 45 mm range. However, in the rapid manoeuvre warfare practiced by the Afrika Korps the tank's low speed and unreliable steering mechanism became major problems. Another problem was the lack of high-explosive capability (the appropriate shell existed but was not issued). The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa. ... The seal of Afrikakorps The German Afrika Korps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK ) was the corps-level headquarters controlling the German Panzer divisions in Libya and Egypt during the North African Campaign of World War II. Since there was little turnover in the units attached to the corps, the term is...

As the German army received new tanks with more powerful guns, the Matilda proved less and less effective. Due to the small size of its turret ring, it could not be up-gunned sufficiently. The tank was also somewhat expensive to produce. Vickers proposed an alternative, the Valentine tank, which had the same gun, a similar level of armour protection, but on a faster and cheaper chassis. With the arrival of the Valentine, American Lee/Grant and Sherman tanks, the Matilda was phased out by the British Army. By the time of the battle of El Alamein few Matildas were still in service. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 865 KB) Summary Photo taken and supplied by Brian Voon Yee Yap. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 865 KB) Summary Photo taken and supplied by Brian Voon Yee Yap. ... The most numerous British manufactured tank of World War II, the Infantry Tank III Valentine was known mainly for its inexpensive cost and high reliability. ... The M3 Medium Tank was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called Lee and its modified version, with a new turret, was called Grant. As a rush job intended to be brought from design to production in a short period, the M3 was... WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium... El Alamein is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast. ...

Over 1,000 Matildas were sent to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Matildas saw action as early as the Battle of Moscow and became fairly common during 1942, especially on the southern fronts closest to the Persian supply route. Unsurprisingly, the tank was found to be too slow and unreliable. Crews often complained that snow and dirt were accumulating behind the "skirt" panels, clogging the suspension. The slow speed and heavy armour made them comparable to the Red Army's Kliment Voroshilov heavy tanks, but the Matilda had nowhere near the firepower of the KV. Most Soviet Matildas were expended during 1942, but a few served on as late as 1944. Combatants Nazi Germany Soviet Union Commanders Fedor von Bock, Heinz Guderian Georgy Zhukov, Aleksandr Vasilevsky Strength As of October 1: 1,000,000+ men, 1,700 tanks, 14,000 guns, 950 planes[1] As of October 1: 1,250,000 men, 1,000 tanks, 7,600 guns, 677 planes[2... The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks were a series of Soviet heavy tanks, named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov. ...

In the Pacific, however, Japanese forces were lacking in heavy anti-tank guns and the Matilda remained in service with several Australian regiments in the Australian 4th Armoured Brigade, in the South West Pacific Area. They first saw active service in the Huon Peninsula campaign in October 1943. Matilda II tanks remained in action until the last day of the war in the Wewak, Bougainville and Borneo campaigns, which made the Matilda the only British tank to remain in service throughout the entire war. 4th Armoured Brigade Matilda II and M3 Grant tanks firing small calibre weapons during a demonstration (AWM 063203). ... South West Pacific Area (SWPA) was the name given to one of the four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatre of World War II, during 1942-45. ... Huon Peninsula seen from space (false color) Huon Peninsula is a large peninsula in Morobe Province, eastern Papua New Guinea, at . ... The Borneo campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between May 1 and July 21, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. ...

See also

General characteristics Length 4. ... These are lists of UK tanks to enable cross-referencing between the design names and the service names. ...

Reference

External links

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Infantry tanks | World War II British tanks Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as The Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom, except for Mozambique and the United Kingdom itself. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Vickers 6-Ton Tank or Vickers Mark E was a British light tank designed as a private project at Vickers. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Tank, Light, Mk VI was a British light tank built by Vickers and used by the British Army during World War II. // The Vickers design was ready for production when the United Kingdom began its large rearmament program. ... The Mk VII Tetrarch light tank was a British design of tank produced during the Second World War initially for reconnaisance purposes but used by airborne forces. ... The cruiser tank (also called cavalry tank or fast tank) was a British tank design concept of the inter-war period. ... General characteristics Length 5. ... General characteristics Length 5. ... General characteristics Length 6 m Width 2. ... General characteristics Length 6 m Width 2. ... The Tank, Cruiser, Mk V, Covenanter (A13 Mk III) was a British Cruiser tank of the Second World War named for the Covenanters, a Scottish religious faction in the British Isles at the time of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. ... One of the primary cruiser tanks of the United Kingdom during World War II, the Cruiser Tank VI Crusader was perhaps the most important British tank of the North African Campaign. ... General characteristics Length 6. ... A27M Cruiser Tank VIII Cromwell was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II. It was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed, and reasonable armor. ... The A27M Cruiser Tank VIII Cromwell, named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II. It was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed, and... The Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30) was an attempt to mount the 17 Pounder gun on the Cromwell tank chassis to give a tank with more anti-tank firepower to add to the Cruiser tank units. ... The Cruiser Comet was a British tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It is often considered the best overall British tank of the war. ... The Sherman Firefly (M4A4 VC Firefly) was a British variation of the M4 Sherman tank, fitted with the more powerful 17 pounder main gun. ... The Ram was a Cruiser tank designed and built by Canada in the Second World War, based on the U.S. M3 Medium tank. ... The Sentinel tank was designed in Australia in World War II in response to a possible Japanese invasion. ... The infantry tank was a concept developed by the British in the years leading up to World War II. They were generally more heavily armoured compared to the lighter cruiser tanks, which would allow them to operate in close concert with infantry to help them break through heavily defended areas... General characteristics Length 4. ... The most numerous British manufactured tank of World War II, the Infantry Tank III Valentine was known mainly for its inexpensive cost and high reliability. ... The Infantry Tank IV Churchill was a heavy British infantry tank of the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. ... A U.S. M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer Self-propelled artillery (also called mobile artillery or locomotive artillery) vehicles are a way of giving mobility to artillery. ... The Bishop was a British self-propelled artillery vehicle based on the Valentine II chassis. ... General characteristics Length 20 ft 1 in/ 6. ... The AEC Mk I Gun Carrier, dubbed Deacon, was a British self-propelled artillery vehicle employed in the North African Campaign of the Second World War. ... The SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer was a British anti-tank vehicle (tank destroyer) used during World War II based on the Valentine chassis. ... Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. ... The Universal Carrier, usually known as a Bren Gun Carrier (even when it was not carrying a Bren), was a small, tracked British-designed military vehicle, used widely by Allied forces during World War II. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or as... General characteristics Length 4. ... Kangaroo personnel carrier A Kangaroo was a World War II British or Commonwealth armoured personnel carrier, created by conversion of a tank chassis. ... A Terrapin can be seen on the left during the Battle of the Scheldt in the Netherlands, 1944. ... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ... The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as Dingo, was a British light fast 4WD reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War. ... The Dingo Scout Car was a light armoured car built in Australia during Second World War. ... Humber Scout Car was a British light armoured car used in the World War II. // History Although at the outbreak of the World War II the British Army already had the excellent Daimler Dingo, the need for scout cars could not be met by Daimler alone, so other companies were... The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as Dingo, was a British light fast 4WD reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War. ... Scout Car S1 (American), was an armoured car produced in Australia for the US Army during the Second World War. ... Humber Light Reconnaissance Car, also known as Ironside, was a British armoured car produced during the World War II. History Produced by Rootes groop, the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car was an armored car based on the Humber Super Snipe luxury car chassis with some minor changes such as War Department... Morris Light Reconnaissance Car was a British armoured car produced during the World War II. History Morris LRC was an armoured car built by Morris Motor Company. ... The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car was an armoured car produced by Canada during the Second World War. ... General characteristics Length: 5. ... The Coventry armoured car was a British four wheel drive (4X4) armoured fighting vehicle developed at the end of World War II as a potential replacement for the lighter Humber and Daimler series of armoured cars. ... General characteristics Length 4 m Width 2. ... The Fox Armoured Car was a wheeled armoured fighting vehicle produced by Canada in the Second World War. ... The Guy Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced in limited numbers during World War II. The car saw limited action during the Battle of France. ... General characteristics Length: 4. ... Lanchester Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced in limited numbers in late 1920s and early 1930s. ... South African Reconnaissance Car, better known under its British designation Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car, was an armored vehicle produced in South Africa for the British Army during the World War II. // History In 1938 South African government initiated development of an armored car. ... Morris CS9, was a British armoured car used by the British Army in the World War II. History The vehicle was based on Morris 4x2 15-cwt truck chassis. ... Car, Armoured, Heavy (Aust), also known as Rhino, was an armoured car designed in Australia during the Second World War. ... The Rolls-Royce armoured car was an armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II. It was a simple vehicle built on a Rolls Royce car chassis. ... The Light Armoured Car (Aust), also known as Rover, was an armoured car produced in Australia during the Second World War. ... Standard Car 4x2, or Car Armoured Light Standard, better known as the Beaverette, was a British armoured car produced during the World War II. History The first version of the vehicle was built in 1940 by Standard Motor Company at the instigation of Lord Beaverbrook, then Minister of Aircraft Production... Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern (ACV-IP), known also as Indian Pattern Carrier or under other similar names, was an armoured car produced in India during the World War II. History At the outbreak of the World War II the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the... Bedford OXA was a British improvised armoured vehicle built during the World War II by mounting armoured body on a Bedford OXD 1. ... The C15TA Armoured Truck was an armoured vehicle produced by Canada during the Second World War. ... AEC Armoured Command Vehicle was a series of command vehicles built by the British Associated Equipment Company during the Second World War. ... The Guy Lizard Armoured Command Vehicle was a British command vehicle built during World War II. 21 units were built, some were used in 1940 by the British Expeditionary Force in France. ... General characteristics Length 26 ft 4, m Width 9 ft 6, m Height ft 9, m Weight t Suspension Chrste Speed 32 mph, 52 km/h road 15 mph, 24 km/h off-road Range 120 m, 260 km Primary armament QF17 pdr Secondary armament 0. ... General characteristics Length 7. ... The Centurion was the primary British Main Battle Tank of the immediate post-war era, and considered by many to be one of the best British tank designs of all time. ... The Excelsior was an experimental tank based on the Cromwell (A27) developed in the Second World War when there were concerns as to performance of the Churchill tank. ... General characteristics Length 10. ... The TOG 2 was a prototype British heavy tank design produced in the early part of the Second World War in case the battlefields of Northern France turned into the mass of trenches and craters that had happened during the First World War. ... The A39 Tortoise heavy assault tank was a British heavy tank design developed in World War II but never put into production. ... The A38 Valiant was a British tank design of the Second World War, based upon the Valentine tank but only reached the prototype stage. ... The Light Tank Mark VIII was developed by Vickers for airborne forces of the British Army during World War Two. ... The Alecto was an experimental self propelled gun developed by the British in World War 2 but terminated with the end of the war in Europe. ... This article lists British AFV production during World War II. // Infantry Tank Mk I Matilda (A11) Total production 1937-40: 140. ...

Contents

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