20230422 (60)_Churchill_IIIstar
Rather later in the battle than intended, the planned British Army armour - Churchills of the RTR - arrive to contend with the Afrika Korps tanks including a Tiger in a dramatisation of Tiger 131's capture. This running Churchill IIIstar (a "funny" converted back to a gun tank with a welded turret and 75mm gun) owned by The Churchill Trust was for me the absolute star of The Tank Museum's Spring Tiger Day 2023: I'd seen Tiger 131 running last year but this was my first ever look at a working Churchill. This tank reflects pre-war Army doctrine that divided tanks into slow infantry "I" tanks intended to assist and move with dismounted infantry breaking into defended positions, while other, less armoured but faster cruiser tanks were held back to exploit a breakthrough. Increasing engine power as well as the resource-wasteful nature of this doctrine led to its abandonment as tanks both well-armoured and fast, with significant guns, were developed.
20230422 (60)_Churchill_IIIstar
Rather later in the battle than intended, the planned British Army armour - Churchills of the RTR - arrive to contend with the Afrika Korps tanks including a Tiger in a dramatisation of Tiger 131's capture. This running Churchill IIIstar (a "funny" converted back to a gun tank with a welded turret and 75mm gun) owned by The Churchill Trust was for me the absolute star of The Tank Museum's Spring Tiger Day 2023: I'd seen Tiger 131 running last year but this was my first ever look at a working Churchill. This tank reflects pre-war Army doctrine that divided tanks into slow infantry "I" tanks intended to assist and move with dismounted infantry breaking into defended positions, while other, less armoured but faster cruiser tanks were held back to exploit a breakthrough. Increasing engine power as well as the resource-wasteful nature of this doctrine led to its abandonment as tanks both well-armoured and fast, with significant guns, were developed.