Churchill Mk VII Crocodile - Right Left View
The Churchill Infantry tank entered British service in mid-1941. It proved to be a mediocre tank, with a maximum speed of only 15 m.p.h. (24 k.p.h.), but turned out to be a suitable platform for modification into other roles, such as transporting and laying bridges. The Crocodile variant, which we see here, carried a flamethrower in front of the hull, replacing the machine gun normally carried there. The fuel for the flamethrower was towed behind in an armored wheeled trailer, which is not present here.
Unique among major powers, British Army doctrine in the late 1930s envisioned the next major European war to be identical to the Western front in the First World War. They saw a need for what they called an "infantry" tank, slow, heavily armored tanks to accompany the human waves of infantry towards the enemy trenches. The Churchill tank is one of those. They also saw a need for "cruiser" tanks, faster, thinly armored tanks to push through any breach in the line of trenches to advance to the enemy rear. Neither type required powerful armament and neither type was really appropriate to World War II realities. The doctrine was abandoned and better tanks were designed, but not in time to serve in World War II.
Churchills were sent to the Soviet Union, taking part in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk. A few British Churchills even fought in Korea.
At the Flying Heritage Museum, in Everett, Washington, about 20 miles (31 km) north of downtown Seattle. This museum displays and maintains in running condition historic military aircraft and vehicles, in addition to displaying inoperative machines and other equipment. I visited this place on August 26, 2017.
Churchill Mk VII Crocodile - Right Left View
The Churchill Infantry tank entered British service in mid-1941. It proved to be a mediocre tank, with a maximum speed of only 15 m.p.h. (24 k.p.h.), but turned out to be a suitable platform for modification into other roles, such as transporting and laying bridges. The Crocodile variant, which we see here, carried a flamethrower in front of the hull, replacing the machine gun normally carried there. The fuel for the flamethrower was towed behind in an armored wheeled trailer, which is not present here.
Unique among major powers, British Army doctrine in the late 1930s envisioned the next major European war to be identical to the Western front in the First World War. They saw a need for what they called an "infantry" tank, slow, heavily armored tanks to accompany the human waves of infantry towards the enemy trenches. The Churchill tank is one of those. They also saw a need for "cruiser" tanks, faster, thinly armored tanks to push through any breach in the line of trenches to advance to the enemy rear. Neither type required powerful armament and neither type was really appropriate to World War II realities. The doctrine was abandoned and better tanks were designed, but not in time to serve in World War II.
Churchills were sent to the Soviet Union, taking part in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk. A few British Churchills even fought in Korea.
At the Flying Heritage Museum, in Everett, Washington, about 20 miles (31 km) north of downtown Seattle. This museum displays and maintains in running condition historic military aircraft and vehicles, in addition to displaying inoperative machines and other equipment. I visited this place on August 26, 2017.