The "Churchill" Heavy Tank in the USSR
http://www.battlefield.ru/library/lend/churchill.html
The heavy infantry tank Mk.IV "Churchill" is known on a phrase ostensibly told English prime-minister: "this tank carrying my name has more drawbacks than me". Yes, it had obsolete design: to increase room for the tank crew, the designers of the "Vauxhall Motors" corporation have mounted some elements of transmission under the hull so the track was bent around it, as a tanks of the World War One. The tank had a 12-cylinder petrol engine of 350 h.p. that provided it with 27 km/h speed. First models (Churchill I and Churchill II) were armed with 40 mm gun - too weak for a heavy tank. Further tanks were armed with either 76 mm gun or 57 mm gun. The tank had 152 mm frontal armor.
Tank had two major disadvantages: first, the tracks were too vulnerable from shells and shell's fragments because they were too high. And second - the track often jammed the tank's turret. However, 5400 vehicles (all models) have been built and in British Army this tank served to 1952.
Western Allies delivered to the Soviet Union 301 of both Churchill Mk.III and Mk.IV. These two models were very similar and distinguished only a minimal changes- some changes in turret design. Probably, USSR had received some flamethrower Churchills VII (one of those tank showing in Kubinka museum). Interesting fact - during the Kursk battle, the 5th Guard Tank Army had 35 Churchills. They were the only heavy tanks in this army.
Churchills in Russian Use:
Some early Marks of the Churchill were sent to Russia as part of the lend-lease agreement. These were Marks I, II and II models. However the Russians had no use for the 2 and 6 pdr guns, so they tended to replace them with their own superior 76.2mm L30 gun. Some Mark IVs and Crocodiles were also sent, some 35 Churchills being employed by the 5th Guard Tank Army at Kursk
http://staff.bus.bton.ac.uk/fesg/mei...churchill.html
Prokhorovka 1943
[ 20. February 2003, 04:20 PM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]