A30 Challenger tank (British)

Description

The Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30) was a British tank of World War II designed to add anti-tank firepower to the cruiser tank units. Cruiser tank design and doctrine focused around fast and mobile warfare against other tanks. However, this came at the expense of cruiser tanks mounting a powerful anti-tank main gun.

The Challenger mounted the QF 17-pounder anti-tank gun on a chassis derived from the Cromwell tank. The Cromwell was one of the mainstay cruiser tanks of the British Army.

The 17-pounder gun was a formidable weapon that could penetrate most German tanks at long range. However, fitting it onto the Cromwell chassis required some compromises. The size of the 17 pdr meant that the turret required redesigning to enlarge it. It also required reducing the armour thickness and increasing the height of the turret to avoid adding extra weight. The gun also had a long recoil, which made loading difficult and reduced the rate of fire. The Challenger was heavier and slower than the Cromwell, and had less internal space for ammunition and crew comfort.

Delays in manufacturing, and competition from other tank designs limited final the final production of the Challenger to only 200 between 1944 and 1945. It saw action in North-West Europe, Italy and North Africa. It proved effective against German tanks, but also suffered from mechanical problems and vulnerability to enemy fire.

The Challenger was an attempt to improve the firepower of the British cruiser tanks, but it was not a complete success. The Sherman Firefly, which was a simpler and cheaper conversion of the American Sherman tank with the same 17-pounder gun proved to be a better vehicle all round. The Firefly was easier to produce and more widely available than the Challenger, and became the main anti-tank tank of the British Army.

• Model: Challenger tank
• Country/Army: British & Commonwealth
• Dimension (mm) (WxLxH): 59 x 125 x 66
• Material: UV Cured resin
• Original Designer: Fylde Armouries
• Painted by: MarDav Miniatures
• These models are designed for modellers and collectors. They are not toys and are not suitable for children.
• Model supplied unassembled and unpainted. Additional finishing may be required during assembly.
• Finished colour of the product may vary from images shown.
• Photos and dimensions are at 28mm unless noted otherwise.
• All dimensions are complete with weapons unless otherwise stated.
• Other scales and dimensions may be available upon request.
• Models supplied at scales smaller than 20mm may be an alternative design more suitable for small scale prints. These are designed by Bergman or TigerAce1945.