Alternative engine for Matilda II?

Matilda's twinned engine measured 1450x1470x950 cm, ie. bigger external dimensions than Meteor or HL210/230, so obviously the 'tankerized' Kestrel would've fit in comfortably.
Even the Churchill's Twin Six was of smaller dimensions than Matilda's, though that engine was heavier a bit.

The Valentine Mk. II, III, and VI used a single AEC straight-six Diesel engine while the Matilda II used two AEC straight-six diesels before switching to the Leylands.

I have been trying to find some schematics for the Matilda but I would think that the set up from the M4A2 would fit in the engine bay. The AEC and the GMC engines were roughly the same displacement IIRC.

Twin set-up made from AEC/Valentine's engines brings 250-260 HP. Matilda will not fly with such a set-up, but it should accelerate better, and also climb better. In the same time, try to get Valentine with Matilda II powerpack, 190 HP vs. initial 125-130 HP.
The AEC's petrol 6-cyl of 150 HP also brings interesting opportunities when/if driving the same gearbox/prop shaft - obviously 300 HP.

But then we have the Liberty of 340 HP and Kestrel of 400-450 HP as more elegant and better solution.
 
The information provided by Alamo would make a potentially interesting POD if we were to stick with a potential collaboration between Great Britain and the United States. The GM 6046 that would be used in the M4A2 was paired up to the power train from the M3A3/M3A5. I wonder if Mr. L.E. Carr came up with a suitable transmission for the GM 6046 as well.

I did happen to come across some interesting information on the Matilda II that includes some diagrams. http://www.livesteammodels.co.uk/dhmg/mahon1.html
I once worked on an old boat engine from the WWII era iirc it was a Continental (not 100% sure) 6 cylinder about 12 litre and when we got it running it purred like a basket of well fed kittens at full throttle. It was cast iron so was a heavy lump but was a nice compact engine about 60 inches long, it had bags of power and a V12 version would have been a great asset to the Allies.
The Continental AV1790 is the only V-12 that I can recall being used in tanks but I am not sure if that engine was available prior to the 1950's. A variant of it (2A) had 16:1 compression ratio and ran on 40 cetane diesel while others ran on 80 octane gasoline at 6.5:1 compression ratio.

And thank you for those numbers @tomo pauk. I am curious though on how much available space was left in the engine compartment but I imagine that there wasn't much.
 
The Kestrel has to be the best solution to all Britains tank engine problems till at least the Comet.

In 1936 Rolls Royce are starting to wind down production of the Kestrel as newer designs take over (No Peregrine in this timeline) the Government purchases all the jigs, patterns and tools that RR dont need and pass them to the Meadows company who are instructed to spread manufacture of Kestrel parts around various precision manufacturers (but not Napiers I wouldnt trust them to make wooden jigsaw puzzles) making use of companies outside of Air and Vehicle specialists. A new shadow factory is built to manufacture the latest modesl of RR Kestrel the RAF will need spares and engines for a good few years to come for its Miles Master advanced trainer. Rolls Royce will be the lead in quality control and development and all the Kestrels will have Rolls Royce on the cam boxes, they will be RR engines to all intents and purposes. Alongside the Kestrel a new land version called the Meadows King is built using the same parts but slightly lower specifications are allowed and substituting as many cast Iron parts as possible for cost and ruggedness. Three versions of the King are built the 400hp King12 which will be the specified engine in all medium and heavy designs to come, the 200hp King6 which will be the standard for all tank designs currently on the drawing boards and a 650hp supercharged V12 Sea King12 version for use as a fast boat engine.

Work on a V12 Diesel version is to go ahead with a high priority, the main design and development work being shared by a joint Meadows, Gardner and Ricardo design team known as MeGaRD.

A team from Woolwich Arsenal are brought into make sure the new Merrit tank steering transmission is perfectly matched to the new tank engine. Daimler are given a contract to design a new pre-selector gearbox which will fit the Merrit epicyclic gears and are designed to take as much effort out of gear changing as possible as the new tanks longer heavier and faster than previous designs. The manufacture of the new gears will be undertaken by the David Brown company.

A new design of Manganese Steel track by Vickers and a newly developed and highly secret Homogenous Steel armour designed by Firth Steels of Sheffield are to be standard on all new designs.

In France 1940 Cruiser Mk IV and Matilda MkII engage the Germans in vital rearguard actions that stop the panzers in their tracks for two days allowing an organised retreat by the French and British armies. However the hard running for days at a time of all the tanks to get to the battlefield shows that British tanks overheat and need bigger radiators, thermost controlled cooling fans and bigger fuel tanks. Pre war tests were never as prolonged or did as many miles as the battles of France showed were needed.

Two new designs come out in 1941 the Churchill and the Crusader both use the King12 and Merrit-Daimler transmission the Churchill has a modest top speed of 20mph but the Crusader has to have its engine derated to 300hp to try and save wear and tear on the crew and the tank, many crews quickly learnt how to tinker with the Solex carbs and Lucas magnetos getting an estimated 500hp out of the King12 which stood up to the hammering extremely well. The Army was not at all happy and this was stopped by new designs of SU carburettor and a copy of a Bosch magneto made by Miller that could not be tinkered with by the drivers.

In 1943 a new cruiser called the Cromwell with a Vickers 15 pounder High Velocity 75mm gun and an uprated 550hp SuperKing 12 is introduced. The Vickers 75mm HV fires US 75mm ammunition from a case derived from the 3 inch 20cwt AA gun and proves itself to be accurate and hard hitting it can just about penetrate the Tiger I with standard AP ammunition and a new HVAP tungsten round designed by Vickers but produced in the US will keep it level with the new Panther tank. To fight the rumoured new King Tiger a 20 pounder gun is designed for the Comet a version of the Cromwell with sloped armour and a bigger cast turret inspired by the T34.

By 1943 the new MeGaRd V12 diesel engine known as the MV12 is tested giving a reliable 650hp. The Rover company have built a 750hp land version of the Rolls Royce Griffon mated to a US built automatic transmission. The Army has to do extensive trials to see which engine will go into its planned new Centurion tank which will carry a 28 pounder gun derived from the 3.7 inch AA gun.
 
The information provided by Alamo would make a potentially interesting POD if we were to stick with a potential collaboration between Great Britain and the United States. The GM 6046 that would be used in the M4A2 was paired up to the power train from the M3A3/M3A5. I wonder if Mr. L.E. Carr came up with a suitable transmission for the GM 6046 as well.

I did happen to come across some interesting information on the Matilda II that includes some diagrams. http://www.livesteammodels.co.uk/dhmg/mahon1.html

The Continental AV1790 is the only V-12 that I can recall being used in tanks but I am not sure if that engine was available prior to the 1950's. A variant of it (2A) had 16:1 compression ratio and ran on 40 cetane diesel while others ran on 80 octane gasoline at 6.5:1 compression ratio.


V-12 Hall-Scott 'Defender'

Marine, Truck and Stationary gas engine during 1930-1940s

Model 2269, Industrial gas engine, 575 BHP@2100 RPM. Higher RPMs&HP for Marine versions.
2181 cubic inches 5 3/4" Bore x 7" Stroke, lb. ft.1500 torque
3600 pound weight. With Supercharger, 700HP

Also the 6 cylinder 'Invader' basically 1/2 a 'Defender'
 
(just because I love the real Merkava)

Here you go the Vickers Medium MkII front engined sloped armour doors at rear and a roomy interior. Theres nothing new in the world :)

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