MINIART Valentine MK. VI Canadian - Built Early Production

Vickers-Armstrongs privately designed the Valentine. Based on the A-10 Cruiser tank it was submitted to the War Office on Feb 10 1938. The development team matched the lower weight of a cruiser tank to the suspension and transmission of the A10 heavy cruiser, with the superior armor of an infantry tank. The new design was easier to produce and cost less than the older Matilda tanks. The first Valentines used a gasoline engine with conventional steering. The Mark II used a diesel version of the engine while the Mark IV and later variants GMC diesels.

Our version the Mk VI was built under license in Canada by The Canadian Pacific Railway Company of Montreal and was supplied to the USSR. Using Canadian and American mechanical parts, the first few produced had the 7.92 mm Besa coaxial machinegun and were soon replaced by the 0.30 inch Browning. Main armament consisted of one QF 2-pounder (40mm) gun. Weighing in at 16 tons and a top speed of 15 mph with an operational range of around 90 miles. Thirty Mk. VI`s were retained in Canada for a training unit. In Soviet service the Valentine was used from the Battle of Moscow until the end of the war. Although criticized for its low speed and weak gun, the Valentine was liked due to its small size, reliability, and overall good armor protection.

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