Panzerserra Bunker- Military Scale Models in 1/35 scale

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV and Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II - case report

Tankies!!!

Today we'll look at a parallel, twin construction: two brave English sisters, with minimal differences between them: the Cruiser Tank Mk.IV and Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II.

Let's press on and no messing about!

The crew of a British Cruiser Mk IVA tank with problems in the desert...
modified from photo IWM (E 2640)

British Cruiser Tank Mk IV - A13 Mk II. 1st Armoured Division 1940.
IWM (KID 770)

British Cruiser Tank Mark IVA - A13 Mk.II
IWM (MH 9270)

History:

The Cruiser Tank Mk IV (A13 Mk II) was a British cruiser tank of the Second World War. It followed directly on from the Tank, Cruiser, Mk III (A13 Mk I).

British Cruiser Tank Mk III - A13
IWM (KID 360)

The first Mk IVs were Mk IIIs with extra armour fitted to the turret. Later Mk IVAs were built with the complete extra armour. The tank was used in France in 1940 and in the early part of the war in North Africa, before being withdrawn from service. A fast vehicle compared to other British tanks of the early part of the war, it was probably the best cruiser tank Britain had in 1940. In total, 955 of these tanks were built.

Britain became interested in fast tanks after observing the Soviet BT tanks during the 1936 Red Army manoeuvres.

Russian Bystrokhodny Tank (High-speed Tank) BT-2

The BT series was based on the revolutionary designs of American J. Walter Christie and a team from Morris Motors was sent to the United States to purchase a Christie tank and the rights to build more. The tank was given the General Staff designation "A13E1" and was delivered in late 1936, but the hull was too small and this led to a second British-built prototype.

The Christie A13E1 tank prototype

The A13E2 was built to mount the turret of the Vickers-designed Cruiser Mk I (A9). This carried a 40 mm Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun and a co-axial .303 water-cooled Vickers machine gun. The drivetrain was also revised, better tracks were used, with rear-mounted drive sprockets and in trials, over 64 km/h was attained on them but later the speed was governed down to 48 km/h. The armour of the A13E2 was 15 mm, in line with other pre-war fast tank designs.

The A13E3 was the final trials model, which led to the production tank, A13 MkI, Cruiser Tank Mk III, which entered production in 1939 at Nuffield Mechanizations and Aero, a munitions subsidiary within the Nuffield Organization.

A13E2 and A13E3 prototypes

An order for 65 tanks was placed and at least 30 tanks completed when the War Office decided to build a new model with thicker armour.

The A13 MkII, Cruiser Tank Mk IV, had a maximum armour thickness of 30 mm (1.2 in) and faceted armour was mounted on the original turret sides and rear. This gave the tank a far more modern appearance; some Mk III tanks were re-built to Mk IV standard while at the factory.

The coaxial .303 Vickers machine gun gave constant trouble and was replaced by the 7.92 mm BESA machine gun. All British tanks were to have their designs modified to mount the new weapon from early 1940.

A13 MkII, Cruiser Tank Mk IV turret, with
coaxial .303 Vickers machine gun

A13 MkII, Cruiser Tank Mk IVA turret, with
coaxial 7.92 mm BESA machine gun.

This led to the main production version, the A13 MkII, Cruiser Tank MkIVA. A few examples were sent with the BEF to France, along with most of the earlier A13s. It is not known how many A13 MkIVA tanks were built - the numbers depending on the source. Between the Cruiser Mark III and Cruiser Mark IV, 665 had been built when production ended in 1941. English Electric, Leyland, LMS Railway and Nuffield Mechanizations and Aero Limited were also involved in A13 production.

A13 assembly line at LMS Railway 1940

Production of the Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA at Nuffield Mechanizations & Aero, 1940.

Factory fresh A13 tanks

Cruiser tank Mk.IV of 1st Armored Division about to set off
after receiving orders - Arundel, Sussex, England - 05 February 1941
IWM (H 7030)

During the Battle of France, the A13 did not perform well, due to poor crew training as a result of being rushed into service. Many tanks shipped to France were in poor condition and some were so new that they had vital parts missing.

Cruiser tank Mk IV - A13 under repairs in Blangy, France.
May 1940

Cruiser tank MkIVA - A-13 Mk.II (T18156) from 1st Armored Division
Chiddingfold, Surrey, 1940

A Mk.IVA - A13 Mk II (T9163) abandoned in Calais, France - 1940

A Cruiser tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk II abandoned in France - 1940

Cruiser tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk II at Huppy, France.
May 1940

The A13 performed much better in the deserts of the North Africa campaign and coped with the conditions better than some other designs.

The crew of a British Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA (early) - A13 Mk.II
studying a map in the Western Desert, Egypt, 30 Apr 1941
IWM (E 2640)

Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA (early) - A13 Mk.II belonging to 2 RTR,
under maintenance after the Battle of Sid Omar (Operation Crusader).
November, 1940.

Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II (late) of 2nd Armoured Division,
African Desert, 1941

Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II (early) destroyed in the North African Campaign
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-782-0016-08A

Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II (early) burning in the
North African Campaign

Destoyed Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II (early)
being examined by German soldiers, in the Western Desert.

A Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II and a Matilda tank
at a depot in Egypt, 5 September 1941.
IWM (E 5366)

Abandoned Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II (T15228)
in North Africa

It was fast, adequately armed and armoured against Italian and German tanks.The A13 MkII had armour up to 30mm and was armed with an OQF 2 Pounder (40mm) gun wit co-avial .303 Vickers medium machine gun. Powered by a 340 bhp Nuffield Liberty engine it had a maximum road speed of 48 km/h. In 1940 the co-axial .303 Vickers was replaced by the 7.92mm Besa, this led to a re-design of the turret face with a new external gun mantlet. This was to be the main production version designated the A13 MkIIA, at least 640 of this type were built 1940-41.

The Cruiser tank A13 MkIIA equipped the 1st Armoured Division in the UK in 1940, the division also had a few older A9 and A10 in its ranks. Its normal establishment was 45 Heavy Cruiser (2 Pounder) and 24 Cruisers Close Support (3" Howitzer) It was tasked with anti-Invasion duties and as a result was stationed in Southern England. As more tanks became available the A13 MkIIA also equipped the 2nd Armoured Division in late 1940 with the same mix of tanks. This division was preparing for service in North Africa early in1941

Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II (T18156) from 1st Armoured Division,
Chiddingfold, Surrey, 1940

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II from 1st Armoured Division
parading through Alton in Hampshire,
as part of the town's 'War Weapons Week' activities.
10 March 1941 - IWM (H 7902)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II from 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (RTR)
on exercise in East Anglia, 3 September 1940.
IWM (H 3656)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II from 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3 RTR)
on exercise in East Anglia, 3 September 1940.
IWM (H 3660)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II of 1st Armoured Division,
crossing a stream near Hindhead in Surrey, 14 May 1941.
IWM (H 9717)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II and a Light Tank Mk VI
of 1st Armoured Division, Southern Command, 4 December 1940.
IWM (H 5937)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II of 5th Royal Tank Regiment (5 RTR),
3rd Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division,
drive through a Surrey village, July 1940
IWM (H 2491)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II of 5th Royal Tank Regiment,
3rd Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, on Thursley Common,
Surrey, July 1940.IWM (H 2483)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II of 5th Royal Tank Regiment,
3rd Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, drive through a Surrey Village.
July 1940- IWM (H 2490)

Cruiser Tanks Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II of 1st Armoured Division on
an exercise in the UK, 20 April 1941.
IWM (H 9065)

Tank officers consult a map in front of a Cruiser Mk IVA,
named 'CHURCHILL', of 1st Armoured Division at Arundel in Sussex,
5 February 1941. IWM (H 7025)

Cruiser Mk IV with Vickers Mk.VI and Daimler Dingo scout car,
from 1st Armored Division, in exercises
in a picturesque village near Arundel in Sussex.
5 February 1941. IWM (H 7028)

The A13 MkIIA remained an effective weapon until late 1941, when newer models of the Panzer III and Panzer IV appeared with thicker armour and larger guns. In North Africa, it was the anti-tank gun that claimed the vast majority of British tanks lost in battle; German tanks accounted for few British losses, contrary to popular belief.

The A13 MkIIA, Cruiser MkIV was replaced by two tank designs, the Cruiser MkV Covenanter tank and the A15 Crusader tank. The A13 Covenanter was a radical departure from the original A13 design and constituted an entirely new tank, though design flaws meant it was unsuitable for warfare and it was used only for training. The A15 Crusader used the same Liberty engine but in all other respects was a new design.

Production history and variants:

Sixty-five Mk III were built in 1939 by Nuffield; some of these were converted to Mk IV

	Pre-war	Sep-Dec 1939	1940	1941
Cruiser, Mk. IV (A.13 Mk. II)	—	8	89	—
Cruiser, Mk. IVA (A.13 Mk. IIA)	—	—	169	6

Cruiser, Mk. IV CS: not built
Cruiser, Mk. V: re-design by LMS Railway as Cruiser Tank Mk V Covenanter (general staff specification A13 Mark III)

Cruiser, Mk. IVA (AC Mk.IIA) CS: The .303 Vickers machine gun was replaced with 7.92-mm Besa machine gun. The MkIVA featured a new gun mantlet and was built at several factories, including LMS Railway. It was the main type used in the desert from 1940 to 1942.

Approximately 40 Cruiser Mk IV and MkIVA, saw service in France in 1940 with the 1st Armoured Division of the British Expeditionary Force. Most were abandoned at Calais, and the few tanks that did see action were destroyed by the numerically superior German armoured forces.

From October 1940, MkIVA cruisers were sent to the war in North Africa, where it was used with the older A9, Cruiser Tank MkI and A10 Cruiser Tank MkII. The A13 was never available in sufficient numbers and a typical armoured brigade would have a mixture of relatively slow 16–32 km/h. Mk I and Mk II cruisers with faster 48–64 km/h Mark IVs and Light Tank Mk VI (the latter acting as cruiser tanks), this caused tactical and supply difficulties.

Nine Mark IV tanks captured by the Germans after the Battle of France were reused as command vehicles for Panzer Abteilung (Flamm) 100 ("Flame tank battalion 100") during Operation Barbarossa. They were given the German designations Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen - Pz.Kpf.Wg.A13(e) or MK IV 744(e); the 'e' signifying their origin as 'English'.

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II captured by Germans
and used as Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e).
Panzer-Abteilung (Fl) 100 (attached to 18. Panzer-Division (Wehrmacht))
Russian Front. Winter, 1941.

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II no. 141 captured by Germans
and used as Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e).
Panzer-Abteilung (Fl) 100 (attached to 18. Panzer-Division (Wehrmacht))
Russian Front. Winter, 1941.

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II no. 142 captured by Germans
and used as Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 744(e).
Panzer-Abteilung (Fl) 100 (attached to 18. Panzer-Division (Wehrmacht))
Russian Front. Winter, 1941.

Specs:

Tank, Cruiser, Mk IV and Mk IVA (A13 Mk II)
Type	Cruiser tank
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1940–1941
Production history
Produced	1939–1941
No. built	955 (IV +IVA)
Specifications
Mass	15 ton.
Length	6.02 m
Width	2.54 m
Height	2.59 m
Crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)

Armour	6–30 mm (0.24–1.18 in)
Main armament	QF 2-pdr gun 87 rounds
Secondary armament	0.303 in Vickers mg (IV) 7.92 mm Besa mg (IVA) 3,750 rounds
Engine	Nuffield Liberty V12 petrol 340 hp (250 kW)
Suspension	Christie
Operational range	140 km
Maximum speed	48 km/h (on road) 23 km/h (off-road)

The kits:

Once again, Kojak, demonstrating his bravery, decided to build two kits at the same time: the two versions of the A13 Mk.II - the Cruiser Tank Mk.IV (#CB 35027) and the Mk.IVA (#CB 35029), from Bronco Models. The two kits are practically identical, sharing 99% of the parts. Therefore, it is a great saving of time and an excellent use of logistics and expertise in the construction of the models.

Kojak with two A13 Mk.II - the Cruiser Tank Mk.IV (#CB 35027), injected in green
and the Mk.IVA (#CB 35029), injected in yelllow, from Bronco Models.

For aesthetic reasons, I decided to build both models with mixed parts, but the real distinction between the models comes from the color of the chassis: the green chassis is model IV and the yellow one is model IVA.

Starting the A13 Mk.II Cruiser Tank Mk.IV.
All suspension components are the same in both versions.
Installing the suspension swing arms with the springs and shock absorbers.

Attaching the outer armored suspension plates to the
lower portion of the chassis.

Performing the same previous step on the chassis of the Mk.IVA version.

Suspension arms installed and aligned.

The two chassis, lined up side by side. Kojak is a hardworking fellow...

Building the drive sprockets...

Same parts with different colors...

Building the suspension wheels...

The Mk.IV girl standing on her own feet.

and the Mk.IVA.

O kit Bronco é muito completo, com boas partes em PE.

The playful use of color continues: the kits look like real retail quilts...

And now, my personal nightmare: the link-by-link tracks, which in the case of this Bronco kit, are very detailed, but their size creates real despair when building... Many, many parts with super-fragile connections. And with a limited number of parts. Avoid fracturing or losing any link, because the numbers are very tight...

The downside of parallel double construction is that it
means doing twice the work. The upside is getting rid of the problem once and for all.
All links removed from the sprues and separated. ARGH!!!

Starting the nightmare...

And after many nasty words were spoken...

Tracks in position in the Mk.IV. and
under construction in the MK.IVA. Left view

Tracks under construction in the MK.IVA.
left view

Done!

The two Cruisers A13 Mk.II side by side

Now, let's start individualizing the builds. Starting with the Mk.IVA version (yellow chassis).

Building the headlight...

Sandshields. Left view.

Right view

Rear view. Notice the rear rack, with fuel cans
and the exhaust pipes.

Headlight armoured cover in dry-run

Details in the fenders

The kit is very good!!

Left side

Right side

Starting the Mk.IVA turret...Notice the cast gun mantlet.

A clean assembly...

Spaced shielding

Glued in position. Right view.

Left view.

And now, the Mk.IV version... right view.

Left view

With the Mk.IV turret and gun mantlet

Right view

Notice the riveted armour plates at the front of the mantlet.

Right view. Notice the antenna, made with an acupuncture needle.

Rear view

The Cruiser girls, side by side...

The Cruisers, with Crusader Mk.III AA Mk.I - 40mm Bofors
Kojak is a very busy man!!!

With the construction stage finished, it's time for markings and painting. For this pair, I used the markings provided by Bronco: for the Mark.IV version I will represent a tank of the 10th Royal Hussars, 2nd Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, fighting in France in 1940, with the color scheme in Light Green over Khaki Green.

For the Mk.IVA version, I choose the striking Counter Scheme (Portland Stone, Silver Grey and Slate), representing a tank of the 7th Armoured Division, 7th Armoured Brigade, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment in November 1941, in Egypt.

Colors & Markings guide
Mk.IV version

Colors & Markings guide
Mk.IVA version

The first thing to do is apply a thin, even coat of primer. I used Vallejo light gray primer for the Mk.IVA and black primer the Mk.IV version.

Vallejo light gray primer for the Mk.IVA

Vallejo black primer for the Mk.IV

Starting by the Mark.IV version, I painted the entire tank with Khaki Green (Vallejo Model Air Khaki Green - 71-330) and, after that layer was dry, I did the camouflage with Light Green (Vallejo Model Color German Camouflage Light Green - 70-833).

Khaki Green and Light Green
Left view

Right view

Rear view

Applying a glossy varnish as preparation for the decals.

For the the desert version, I choose the Counter scheme. I used the AK Real Colors Caunter Scheme paint set...excellent!!!

The colors for the Caunter Scheme:
Portland Stone BSC nº64 - RC041
Silver Grey BSC nº 28 - RC038
and Slate BSC nº34 - RC039

Starting by Portland Stone, the lightest shade of camouflage colors.

I only painted the specific areas in that color.

After masking the kit with masking tape, I applied the second color,
the Silver Grey

And finally, after masking the color Silver Grey,
I applied the darkest color, the Slate.

Right view

Masking tape removed. The Counter Scheme
is simply eye-catching...

Camouflage applied. Now, it's time to work with the tones and undertones,
as well as applying a gloss varnish before the decals to prevent silvering.

Mk.IVA - Markings and weathering - Left view

Mk.IVA - Markings and weathering - Rear right view

Mk.IV - Markings and weathering - Left view

Mk.IV - Markings and weathering - Right view

Mk.IV - Markings and weathering - Rear view

The two girls, with complete makeup,
almost ready for the party...

But there's still room for some accessories.
Testing things from Value Gear Details.

Value Gear Details after painting...

And after gluing the resin details onto the tanks and harmonizing them with pigments and other details, the girls were ready.

Here is the Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY", serving with 10th Royal Hussars, 2nd Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, in the 1st Troop, A Squadron, in France, 1940.

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"

10th Royal Hussars - 2nd Armoured Brigade - 1st Armoured Division

1st Troop, A Squadron - France, 1940.

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
front left view

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
left view
Notice the .303 Lee Enfield in the turret side

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
rear left view

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
rear right view

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
right view

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
front right view

Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - A13 Mk.II "AGILITY"
with Kojak.

And now, the Cruiser Tank Mk.IVA - A13 Mk.II, serving with 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division, in the Headquarters, B Squadron, in Egypt, November 1941.