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Great Britain's A33 Heavy Assault Tank, Excelsior

Design

Many in the British General Staff, including Prime Minister Churchill, were unhappy with the Churchill tanks performance at Dieppe.1,4 It was decided to design a tank that combined the cruiser and infantry function.1,4 English Electric produced a pilot model.1

By 1943 the Churchill became more accepted and this vehicle design was ended.1

Had an A27 hull with more armor.1 The first pilot had the T1 track from the American M6 Heavy.1 A second pilot was built with Cromwell type tracks.1

Specifications

  A33 Heavy Assault Tank, Excelsior
Crew Commander, driver, gunner, loader, co-driver.2
51,2,3,4
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 100,800 lb2
40 tons1, 45 tons3,4
40,642 kg1, 45,722 kg4
Length w/gun 22' 6"1, 22' 8"2,3,4
6.8 m1, 6.91 m4
Length w/o gun  
Height 7' 11"1,2,4, 11' 1.5"3
2.4 m1, 2.41 m4
Width 7' 11"3, 11' 1.5"2,4, 11' 2"1
2.88 m1, 3.39 m4
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance  
Ground contact length  
Ground pressure  
Turret ring diameter  
Armament  
Main 75 mm1,3
75 mm OQF2,4
Secondary  
MG 2: 7.92 mm Besa MG1,2,4
MG3
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main 642
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) 25 - 1121
202, 1142,3,4
Hull Front, Upper  
Hull Front, Lower  
Hull Sides, Upper  
Hull Sides, Lower  
Hull Rear  
Hull Top  
Hull Bottom  
Turret Front  
Turret Sides  
Turret Rear  
Turret Top  
Engine (Make / Model) Rolls Royce Meteor1,2,3,4
Bore / stroke  
Cooling  
Cylinders V-124
Capacity  
Net HP 6004
Power to weight ratio  
Compression ratio  
Transmission (Type)  
Steering  
Steering ratio  
Starter  
Electrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel (Type) Gasoline4
Octane  
Quantity  
Road consumption  
Cross country consumption  
Performance  
Traverse 360°2
Speed - Road 24 mph2,3,4, 25 mph1
39 kph4, 40.2 kph1
Speed - Cross Country 12 mph2
Range - Road 100 miles1, 130 miles2,4
160.93 km1, 209 km4
Range - Cross Country  
Turning radius  
Elevation limits  
Fording depth 3'2
Trench crossing 7' 6"2
Vertical obstacle 3'2
Climbing ability  
Suspension (Type)  
Wheels each side  
Return rollers each side  
Tracks (Type)  
Length  
Width  
Diameter  
Number of links  
Pitch  
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread  

Sources:

  1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
  2. British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
  3. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
  4. The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
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