LAND "IRONCLAD"

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 138, 7 December 1929, Page 20

LAND "IRONCLAD"

NEW 16iT0N TANK

The finest model o.f ,a;-;h.cavy--#ght- >- iiigniachino is the : new • 16-tpji Tank. In its general design, rits armaments, mobility, and climbing, power, it 13 incomparably the best armoured.weapon; of its. kind in.existence, ■'■■ It-might be! described, says aa overseas paper, as' the direct'offspring of the tank which; astonished the Dominion Premiers and. officers who.- were privileged to see the demonstration at Camberel, three years ago, when there -was shown the evolution of the tankr and other machines and the progress made in the application of science to war. ; ■ : That secret tank weighed 20 -tons.-' In design it had the appeai-anee s of. a. destroyer, and it was held to--"be-the last word in engineering skill. The military authorities -at- that time were disinclined to disclose to the world its peculiar characteristics, but one can now say that it carried four revolving turrets for machine-guns and one central revolving turret for the 3-pounder gun and the commander. It was regarded, however, as too heavy, while the expense involved in manufacturing... a number was held "to"Be" prohibitive;" '; The new 16-ton machine is a handier weapon, and in its interior construe-' tion improvements have-been made designed to remove dangers from which the crew are not free where the Vickers (medium) tank is.concerned;■ The essential difference- between the' newlydesigned tank and those- now in use is that.- .the -compartment. :f or '-the -ipetrol; supply" (the medium tahks"ca"rry 80 'gal-: lons of spirit) is "bulk-headed" from' the fighting-compartment -and: is separated -from the-engine. :■::•;. The danger M having the petrol supply in the same compartment as the personnel was disastrously exemplified in the later stages; of the/war.*. Ten tanks were taking par); ■in;.an advance in the early part of August,' 1918. lastead of,a crew of eight,-each tank oil that occasion. contained ; 18 P American and four Canadians. The German shells released the petrol in these armoured chests, and the imprisoned men were burned to death. -It-was.,only, a matter of a few- minutes.'"Many of tffe French', tanks and"" personnel.! suffered similar- disasters.". -".,".. :'.,'.;, "-. ;';:::' f Oats and hay.were tho food supplies carried for the motive jioiyer iii the old Army. To-day it is a'-higlily infianjmable product. If" an emergency should arise which called for the employment of tanks, these death-traps would have to be used. j The Tickers tank .has-taught us ajll we know about mqbUe.-warfare. '...; jt is in most respects a' goodjii}achiiipV . :Biit it' does hot possess'all tfie'qualities necessary in,a good fighting machine. Its cross-country, performance is good, but not quite good enough. Its engine performance in negotiating slopes must be improved. But, above all, ..it .is. .im: perative that the ever-present danger (in war.).t.O-.th.e.perso_njie,Lab9.uld..be.-xef moved. Members of "tlie crew'"ought not to bo resting against a large supply of highly explosive spirit. ', In the light tank, too, the petrol container is virtually a back rest for the driver, while ho is of necessity sitting immediately in front of his engine. . In.the reeont exercises a ilcalcage of petrol became'ignited. In' this small machine the "men jj,re"n"6"t" cased in armour, so that thejf\' escape^ frorjk danger is effected more' easily;" ' The* new 16-ton vessel is the product; of practical experience. ;It removes the petrol danger from the crews; This alone would justify the authorities in substituting it for the present machine. With its slightly increased coating of armour, a more powerful armament, greater engine power, aiul an.-improvecl gradient ■ climbing performance,., thp Tank' Corps would be equipped..with a machine embracing all the qualities essential to a land "ironclad."'