WesWorld

As my current armor inventory is getting on in the years, I figured it is time to start looking for a replacement for all three types.

First up, a General light tank. Primary roles would be recon and infantry support in a jungle environment.

Second, a Anti-Aircraft tank. A model which allows for the secondary role of infantry support is desired, but not mandatory.

Third, and amphibious tank. Amphibian versions of the previous two designs are desired, but it is understandable if a third type must be acquired.

Quoted

Originally posted by snip

First up, a General light tank. Primary roles would be recon and infantry support in a jungle environment.

In response to the first vehicle described in the RFP, the following is offered from Yugoslavia:

LT.38

Specifications

Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loader/radio operator, driver)

Battle weight: 8.5 tonnes
Dry weight: 7.7 tonnes
Ground pressure: 7.8 psi
Length overall: 14.91 feet
Height overall: 7.76 feet
Width overall: 6.62 feet
Track centers: 6.16 feet
Ground clearance: 1.32 feet
Ground contact: 9.56 feet

Armament: one 37mm Bofors M36 L/47 cannon with 90 rounds, coaxial 7.92mm ZB37 machinegun with 1,200 rounds, hull 7.92mm ZB.37 machinegun with 1,200 rounds. Turret traverse 360o, elevation -6o to +12o. Sighting telescope, fixed cupola with four episcopes. Hull machinegun fired by driver via Bowden cable attached to steeting lever.

Armor: Hull nose - 25mm, vertical front plate 25mm, glacis 25mm, lower sides 15mm, upper sides 19mm, roof 10mm, floor 8mm, rear 12mm. Turret mantlet 25mm, front 25mm, sides 15mm, rear 15mm, roof 10mm.

Engine: Ceskomoravska Kolben Danek 6 cylinder water cooled inline overhear valve engine developing 125 hp at 2200 rpm. Fuel capacity 49 Imp. gallons. Praga-Wilson TN-100 epicyclic pre-selector transmission with five forward and one reverse gear. Praga Wilson epicyclic clutch and brake steering.

Suspension: Four rubber-tyred wheels per side, each mounted on a cranked stub axle and each pair of wheels being controlled by a semi-epicyclic spring freely pivoted. Wheel diameter 2.58 feet. Two return rollers per side. Cast-steel manganese steel, skeleton type tracks, width 11.5 inches, pitch 4.09 inches, 90 links per track.

Performance: Maximum road speed 35 mph, maximum gradient 30%, trench crossing capacity 6.1 feet, wading depth 3 feet, vertical step 2.6 feet. Road radius 128 miles, cross country radius 89 miles. Fuel consumption 2.6 mpg. Turning circle 14.9 feet.

Other: Fitted with Telefunken wireless and an internal system of coloured light for inter-communication. Nine cell NIFE battery, 100 Ab charged by 12 volt Scintilla dynamo. Bosch magneto ignition.




In addition to the basic gun tank, two specialist variants on the LT.38 chassis are presently in production. The first is a mobile artillery piece – a 15cm Skoda howitzer – firing in direct support of motorized troops.



The second is a salvage tank intended to recover damaged vehicles on the battlefield.

Heh, I should buy some of this stuff...

When is this tender offered?

Vickers is offering;


Light Tank Mk VI Tetrarch (A14): Designed by Vickers as a private venture in 1936. Has independent spring suspension which uses large road wheels and flexible track steering. The 165hp Meadows petrol engine provides a top speed of 40mph on roads and 20mph cross-country. Range is 140 miles. Weight 17,000lbs, 4.04x2.31x2.12m diemensions, The armour is 14-4mm thick and the armament is one 2pdr QF Mk IX (50 rounds) and one co-axial Vickers ‘K’ MG. The Tetrarch I CS is the same basic tank armed with 3.7in howitzer for infantry support and Vickers is offering a mix of both types.

Vickers is offering a bespoke AA version of the Tetrarch with the turret replaced by a six-MG mount (Thailand can choose the MGs to suit).

For the ampibious role Vickers is offering its L1E3 Light Amphibious Tank. Designed by Vickers and trialled during June 1938, attached to hull are two buoyancy tanks. The modified Hortstmann suspension has drum road wheels for improved buoyancy, two propellers driven from sprocket drive and moveable shrouds give directional control. Turret with one .303in Vickers, two crew, powered by a 88hp Meadows ESTB, 4mph in water, 4.4 tons, 15ft x 7ft 8ins x 7.ft ins.


As an alternative product range Vickers is also offering;

Light Tank Mk VII (A21): Modified Mk VI with sloped armour, new turret armed with a 2pdr gun and co-axial MG and hydraulically assisted steering. Designed in 1940 by Vickers the Mk VII is powered by a 148hp Meadows petrol engine for a top speed of 30mph and 125 mile road radius. Armour is 38-6mm thick and three crewmen are carried.
The basic chassis is also used in the new A22 Alecto self-propelled gun.

The Alecto is currently a mobile anti-tank gun with a 6pdr gun mounted low in a Mk VII hull with an open top. Four crewmen are carried and the engine and armour is unchanged. Other guns that can be fitted include 3.7in howitzers, light artillery and AA guns up to 40mm calibre or twin 20mm cannons.

France may be willing to sell some of the smaller cavalry tanks currently under consideration for the French Army. There will be an AA variant, but no specs are yet available.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]Renault Cavalry Tank[/SIZE]
Dimensions:
-- Length: 6.5m (hull and gun); 5m (hull)
-- Width: 2.6m
-- Height: 2.4m
Weight: 18 tons
Armament:
-- 75mm/L40
-- One 6.5mm GPMG
Speed: 55kph (road), 25-30kph (cross-country)
Engine: V12 diesel, 500hp
Transmission: Manual
Suspension: Auteuil (modified torsion bar)
Protection:
-- Turret face: 40mm
-- Glacis: 40mm
-- Sides: 15mm
Constructors: Renault (primary developer), SOMUA, AMX, Hotchkiss

For the "amphibious tank", Chile's going to suggest something wacky and wheeled. It's lightly armoured, but has pretty decent amphibious performance.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]Tortuga Amphibious Tank[/SIZE]
Type: Amphibious Truck
Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Dimensions: Length 6.4m (31 feet), width 2.67 m, height 2.92 m
Weight: 13 tons
Armour: Protection from .30cal MG rounds
Armament: 1 x 1.1"/L80 AT gun or 3" mountain howitzer
Engine: 1x 300hp engine
Speed: 45 mph (72 km/h) on road, 7 mph on water
Range: 400 mi (640 km) on road; 50nm on water

What about these:

AMP-10 A

crew: 4 (Driver, gunner, loader, commander)
weight: 9,5 metric tons
armament: 3,7 cm LBK4-1, 1x machine gun
engine: V-8 petrol engine, 275 hp
speed: on-road= 45 Km/h, off-road 23 Km/h, water: 8 Km/h
range: 330 Km
armor:
hull front = 20 mm
hull sides = 15 mm
hull rear = 12 mm
hull downside = 12 mm
hull topside = 12 mm
turret front = 22 mm
turret sides = 15 mm
turret rear = 12 mm
turret topside = 12 mm



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AMP-10 B

crew: 4 (Driver, gunner, loader, commander)
weight: 9,8 metric tons
armament: 75mm gun MUK-2, 1x machine gun
engine: V-8 petrol engine, 275 hp
speed: on-road= 45 Km/h, off-road 23 Km/h, water: 8 Km/h
range: 330 Km
armor:
hull front = 20 mm
hull sides = 15 mm
hull rear = 12 mm
hull downside = 12 mm
hull topside = 12 mm
turret front = 22 mm
turret sides = 15 mm
turret rear = 12 mm
turret topside = 12 mm



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AMP-10 LA

crew: 5 (Driver, gunner, 2x loader, commander)
weight: 9,9 metric tons
armament: 2x 37mm gun SMK-2
engine: V-8 petrol engine, 275 hp
speed: on-road= 45 Km/h, off-road 23 Km/h, water: 8 Km/h
range: 330 Km
armor:
hull front = 20 mm
hull sides = 15 mm
hull rear = 12 mm
hull downside = 12 mm
hull topside = 12 mm
turret front = 15 mm
turret sides = 15 mm
turret rear = 10 mm
turret topside = -



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Now that's pretty interesting. Not quite sure how it would work - it seems a bit lacking in internal space for crew and engine - but it'd sure be unique!

Yes, it is a bit unconventional....maybe too unconventional. The engine is located in the front. Don't know if there is enough space, maybe only if the engine is installed crossways...
For the the gunner, commander and loader should be enough space in the turret (otherwise the crew must be reduced to only 3 members which wouldn't be uncommon for a light tank).
As I have drawn this design the biggest problem was the drivers position located between the engine and the turret. My Way to solve this problem is this tall optical square in front of the drivers hatch to provide some sort of visibilty to the front of the vehicle. Not a perfect solution, but a bad visibilty for the driver is maybe not a critical problem...

The layout of these vehicles is not unlike that of the OTL AMX13, a French vehicle of 1950s vintage. The AMX13 had its engine located forward of the fighting compartment, and carried its armement in an oscillating turret at the rear of the vehicle.

And like the AMX13 I fear these vehicles would be deficient in internal volume, even with a three-man crew - the AMX13 dispensed with the loader by adopting an external autoloader for the main gun. The lack of internal volume could also have an impact on the amphibious capabilities of the design, despite the boat-shaped hull form.

However, it is an intriguing potential solution to the problem of an amphibious tank.

I made a quick drawing of the layout.... it is verysimplyfied of course...


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I agree with you both, internal space is a severe problem of this design. But you should consider that asian people are a little bit smaller and have a more delicate figure than the europeans...
Maybe it would help if I add a Storagecase to the turret rear for stuff and the ammunition storaged inside the turret?