Atlas Editions Ultimate Tank Collection – Matilda Mk II Infantry Tank

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-sběratelský model tanku Matilda Mk II 1/72 
-provedení: kovový model s plastovými částmi

                    Matilda Mk II ( A12 )

The Infantry Tank Mark II, best known as the Matilda, was a British infantry tank of the Second World War.

The design began as the A12 specification in 1936, as a gun-armed counterpart to the first British infantry tank, the machine gun armed, two-man A11 Infantry Tank Mark I. The Mark I was also known as Matilda, and the larger A12 was initially known as the Matilda II, Matilda senior or Waltzing Matilda. The Mark I was abandoned in 1940, and from then on the A12 was almost always known simply as “the Matilda”.

Type	Infantry tank
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1939–1945
Used by	United Kingdom Australia Soviet Union
Wars	Second World War 1948 Arab–Israeli War
Production history
Designer	Mechanization Board and Messrs Vulcan
Designed	1937
Manufacturer	Vulcan Foundry and others
Produced	1937–1943
No. built	2,987
Variants	see Variants below
Specifications
Weight	25 tons
Length	15 ft 11 in (4.9 m)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Height	8 ft 3 in (2.5 m)
Crew	4 (driver, gunner, loader, commander)
Armour	20 to 78 mm/3.07in max
Main armament	2 pounder (40 mm), 93 armour-piercing rounds
Secondary armament	7.92 mm Besa machine gun 2,925 rounds
Engine	2×diesel 6-cylinder 7 litre engines: 2×AEC or 2×Leyland 2×94–95 bhp
Power/weight	7.5 bhp (5.6 kW) / tonne
Transmission	Wilson epicyclic pre-selector gearbox, 6 speeds
Suspension	Coil spring
Operational range	160 miles (257 km
Speed	16 miles per hour (26 km/h) (on road) 9 miles per hour (14 km/h) (off road)
Steering system	Rackham clutch

• Infantry Tank Mark II (Matilda II)

First production model armed with a Vickers machine gun.

• Infantry Tank Mark II.A. (Matilda II Mk II)

Vickers machine gun replaced by Besa machine gun. The “A” denoted a change in armament.

• Infantry Tank Mark II.A.* (Matilda II Mk III)

New Leyland diesel engine used in place of AEC engines.

• Infantry Tank Mark II (Matilda II Mk IV)

With improved engines, rigid mounting and no turret lamp

• Matilda II Mk IV Close Support (CS)

Variant with QF 3 inch (76 mm) howitzer , firing high explosive or smoke shells. In British service these were generally used by HQ units (usually a single command vehicle), whereas entire Australian squadrons often appear to have used them – frequently in a direct fire role, against Japanese strong points.

• Infantry Tank Mark II (Matilda II Mk V)

Improved gear box. Westinghouse air servo used.