AMERICAN TANKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1942, Page 4

AMERICAN TANKS

UNITS FOR DOMINION HIGH RATE OF SPEED. CAPABILITIES DEMONSTRATED. New Zealand can count itself lucky to be receiving the General Stuart tanks which have started to arrive from the United States. A demonstration of their capabilities, which was made in bad conditions, showed how useful they will be to the light armoured fighting vehicle regiments, to which they are to be issued in place of Bren gun carriers The tanks used for the demonstration were driven by young instructors of the New Zealand Armoured Fighting Vehicle School. They wore crash helmets, and climbed out at the end of half an hour with their faces spattered with black mud., like jockeys after a race on a heavy course. In action, they would have been driving with all ports closed, but for the demonstration they left them open and were sprayed with mud. “A DESTROYER SCREEN.” Snow, frost, rain and thaw had made the ground over which they were driven far too soft for maximum speed. Even so, the General Stuarts, which are about ;wo-thirds the tonnage of the/familiar Valentines, showed twice the pace of the British vehicle. Their role, of course, is different from that of the Valentine. The latter are infantry support tanks, and move with the infantry into action. The General Stuarts dash ahead; they are the destroyer screen of the infantry force. The Valentines do not need great speed; the General Stuarts must have it. A civilian watching Valentines working with infantry would be frightened by the inexorability of their advance; if he watched General Stuarts, he would be scared rather by the rate at which they approach. Seen from head on, they appear to come with the speed of an express train. Forty miles an hour from an 11.5-ton tank is fast moving. AIRCRAFT ENGINES USED. They are fitted with radial engines and work on high octane petrol. As a result, they have the roar of an aircraft, instead of the whine of the Diesel-driven Valentines. Inside, it is impossible to speak unless through internal radio, with which they have still to be fitted. Again like an aircraft, the danger of fire must always be present when in action, and the engine is equipped with an extinguisher which would spray all parts. A ride in one of the General Stuarts fully demonstrates not only the factors of speed and manoeuvreability, but also another great virtue in a tank — good suspension. A low bank fronting a small depression was charged with as much speed as could be got from the heavy ground. The tank hit the bank and bounced right over the hollow with everything clear of the ground. It came down with a jar which went through every bone of the passenger's body, bus the tank’s suspension was more than strong enough for this and any other test. The General Stuart’s manoeuvreability is almost equal to that of a Bren carrier. SOME MODIFICATION NEEDED. Certain modifications have to be made to the tanks before they are placed in general use with the lightarmoured fighting vehicle regiments, but when these have been completed, the General Stuarts will be seen in many parts of the country. Once these regiments, then mounted rifles, fought on horses, later they graduated to Bren carriers; in the near future they will all have tanks.