You could build a bigger tank with the Mollins 6-pdr sorta-pom-pom...
Or mounting multiple 2-pdrs
Or mounting multiple 2-pdrs
The Valiant has a 60" turret, that's too big for an armoured car. You'd IMO be better off with the Matilda II turret.Much as we all love the PomPom tank - its done.
The turret is far too small and the heavy tankette design is well obsolete even by 1939 standards - I would prefer a common turret shared between the Valiant and AEC
My hope would be that Valiant production (both I and Cruiser variants) would become so common that it equips all the Tank and Armour regiments and allow that initially Cavalry regiments would be able to have a squadron of the lesser Crusiers and later the Valiant* to give them some spine (a bit like a modern Armoured Cav Regiment) and once the heavy AEC is available have it issued like the Firefly in recce units (i.e. a 1 in 4 mix).
Or one of the Cruiser turrets?The Valiant has a 60" turret, that's too big for an armoured car. You'd IMO be better off with the Matilda II turret.
True. OTOH, a bigger turret (especially a heavily armoured one) is a heavier turret, and excess weight is something you really want to avoid, as it compromises your speed and mobility.Or one of the Cruiser turrets?
And why too big?
Its not like the Armour car has to worry about the turret overhanging the tracks as the wheel as forward and rear of that area which is a problem with the continuous track system of a tank.
The Mk1 was 11 tonsTrue. OTOH, a bigger turret (especially a heavily armoured one) is a heavier turret, and excess weight is something you really want to avoid, as it compromises your speed and mobility.
Hm, looking at it, probably not a hell of a lot I suppose. OTOH, do you need, or even want a turret capable of mounting a 6-pounder gun?The Mk1 was 11 tons
How much heavier than a Valentine Turret do we think the Valiant Turret or Valiant* Turret is?
Well OTL the AEC 1 had the same 2 pounder gun turret as the early ValentineHm, looking at it, probably not a hell of a lot I suppose. OTOH, do you need, or even want a turret capable of mounting a 6-pounder gun?
This is interesting. OTL the British force took up positions on the Aliakmon line, but the Greek forces in front of them on the Metaxas line were surrounded and destroyed before they could fall back to it, then it was outflanked through Monastir. If the Greeks initially dig in on the Aliakmon line, they have a chance to bleed the Germans, since the mountains are bad tank territory and if they have any sort of reserve the first breakthrough needn't lead to the snowballing collapse seen OTL.The Italian attack the previous October had united the Greek nation and brought about a resolve. To meet a potential threat from Germany, from two possible directions, would mean having to withdraw from much of the area captured in Albania, which could well have a disastrous effect on Greek morale. Withdrawing what was currently on the Metaxas line, while shortening the line in Albania, could provide about 35 battalions for the Aliakmon position, with one or two (tired) divisions in reserve. If the British provided two Divisions (another 18 Battalions), General Papagos could see that the position would be formidable.
True. Although the obvious option there is more Hurricanes, lots more Hurricanes than were deployed OTL. Its not perfect (they really need Spitfire's) but Hurricane's kill Stuka's and level bombers and aren't completely useless against the then current 109 model. OTL 80 squadron (which Roald Dahl was part of) and the others killed alot of bombers but were to few in numbers and were atrited out of existence until the axis could bomb at will.This is interesting. OTL the British force took up positions on the Aliakmon line, but the Greek forces in front of them on the Metaxas line were surrounded and destroyed before they could fall back to it, then it was outflanked through Monastir. If the Greeks initially dig in on the Aliakmon line, they have a chance to bleed the Germans, since the mountains are bad tank territory and if they have any sort of reserve the first breakthrough needn't lead to the snowballing collapse seen OTL.
On the other hand, the problem with an initial deployment at Aliakmon is that it effectively surrenders Thessaloniki without a fight. I doubt this will be acceptable to the Greeks, so I expect that some of those 35 battalions will end up deployed forward and not be able to run fast enough when the hammer falls. 1st AB may be intended as a screening force, but it's likely to wind up being used against German spearheads to try and keep the lines of retreat open for the the Greeks in front of them. And I suspect both the British and the Greeks over-estimate how fast they can move on Greek roads once the Stukas show up.
Littlejohn prevents the use of HE rounds. Something the Armoured Car Regts. found in NW Europe. They would often have one or two vehicles in a troop go without the Littlejohn and they would support the other vehicles which had it.Not sure when it came in but to add to those punch couldn’t they be equipped with the Littlejohn adaptor to increase their hitting power of it has been developed?
OMG, that refs to the 8 pdr...been trying to find bore of that baby for years...So found something related to Vickers:
View attachment 636293
So Vickers actually designed and succesfully tested a 69mm (12pdr) gun in a Valentine tank. This is kinda what Vickers is pulling with the Victor's 3" gun now.
A 57mm autoloader in the early-to-mid 40s?You could build a bigger tank with the Mollins 6-pdr sorta-pom-pom...
British created the "Firefly" a wheeled tank destroyer, armed with a 6 Pdr gun and a Molins autoloader in IIRC 1942. Molins had come to fame with cigarette rolling and packing machines in the 1930s. They created an autoloader in 1941 and it was initially used on MGBs with the naval 6 Pdr gun and then first mounted on the Mosquito in 1943. The "Firefly" was not adopted.A 57mm autoloader in the early-to-mid 40s?
You know what, I like it.
I question the turret layout that would allow the ammunition feeds for such a contraption, but as a concept it's not unreasonable.
Actually, after a second's thought I think it might be a pretty reasonable 'light' CS tank if you mounted the gun in a casement, TD/assault gun style instead of in a turret. You sacrifice the 360 range of the turret in exchange for increased internal volume for the magazines and crew. Depending on the mounting you could still get a reasonable range of traverse, well over 90 degrees if you're clever.
You know what, if they tried the same on surplus tank hulls instead of an armoured car I think you'd have something with a chance at adoption. Then again, if you did a really good job with the car chassis (ie: better than the Morris car the OTL Firefly was built on), a Molins 'Auto-Six' would make a hell of a heavy Armoured Car for a Recce group.British created the "Firefly" and wheeled tank destroy, armed with a 6 Pdr gun and a Molins autoloaded in IIRC 1942.
You'd need to either have short magazines like the 4-shot boxes already used TTL on the pom-pom so you could swap out, or if you're using a larger magazine or 'belt', a magazine cutoff/override so you can manual load in the alternate ammo. I'd assume HE as your standard ammo in the latter case, with AP in a ready rack for manual insertion.2) Can it deal with multiple ammunition types? If no, it's not going to work.
try in an M3 GrantA 57mm autoloader in the early-to-mid 40s?
You know what, I like it.
I question the turret layout that would allow the ammunition feeds for such a contraption, but as a concept it's not unreasonable.
Actually, after a second's thought I think it might be a pretty reasonable 'light' CS tank if you mounted the gun in a casement, TD/assault gun style instead of in a turret. You sacrifice the 360 range of the turret in exchange for increased internal volume for the magazines and crew. Depending on the mounting you could still get a reasonable range of traverse, well over 90 degrees if you're clever.
Britain has Valiant so its likely they'll try to avoid buying those wretched things this time round.try in an M3 Grant