Valentine VII, Infantry Tank Mk III***

The Valentine VII, Infantry Tank Mk III***, was an improved version of the Valentine Mk VI, and like that tank was produced in Canada.

The Mk VI had been a version of the British-built Mk IV, with a G.M.C. diesel engine, the original two-man turret and armed with the 2-pounder gun and 7.92mm Besa machine gun. The Mk VI kept the same engine and the 2-pounder gun, but after the sixteenth tank switched to the .30in Browning machine gun.

The Mk VII retained the 138hp G.M.C. 6-71 diesel engine, the original two-man turret and the 2-pounder gun, although it used the Mk X, with a forged barrel instead of the Mk IX used on earlier versions.

It was built with the Browning machine gun from the start.

The main difference between the Mk VI and the Mk VII was the installation of a Canadian built No.19 radio set in place of the No.11 set used in early production.

The Mk VII was followed by the Mk VIIA. This got studded tracks, jettisonable external fuel tanks, better turret protection and protective cages over the headlights.

The main visual difference between British and Canadian production was the use of a cast hull nose on the Canadian tanks, in place of the bolted nose used on British tanks.

A total of 1,420 Valentines were built in Canada, with all but 32 going to the Soviet Union.

Names
Valentine VII
Infantry Tank Mk III***

Stats
Production:
Hull Length: 5m 41cm/ 17ft 9in
Hull Width: 2m 63cm/ 8ft 7.5in
Height: 2m 27cm/ 7ft 5.5in
Crew: 3
Weight: 16,600kg/  16.4 tons
Engine: 138hp GMC 6-71 Model 6004
Max Speed on road: 24km/h/ 15mph
Max Speed off road: 18km/h / 11mph
Max Range: 176km/ 109 miles
Armament: QF 2-pounder Mk X, M1919A4 7.62mm Browning machine gun

Armour
Turret front: 65mm
Turret sides: 60mm
Nose: 60mm at 21 degrees
Glacis plate: 30mm at 68 degrees
Hull sides: 60mm vertical

Valentine Infantry Tank 1938-45, Bruce Oliver Newsome. Looks at the most numerous British tank of the Second World War, but one that only saw limited combat service, mainly in North Africa. Notable for the amount of information packed into a series of tables, including specifications and identifying features of the many versions of the Valentine, as well as the interesting material on the interior of the tank, how it was driven, and on the many special variants such as the Archer self -propelled gun, which carried its main gun pointing backwards. [read full review]
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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (4 June 2015), Valentine VII, Infantry Tank Mk III*** , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_valentine_VII.html

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