Read More The TV1000 Rhino – A 6×6 V8 Powered Beast The tank did however have the ability to be easily dismantled prior to transport if required for long-distance or bulk flights. Therefore, a smaller engine could be used, and lighter frame could be built – extremely useful for a light tank.Ī low weight was particularly important for the A46, as it was expected to be air-portable without disassembly.

The reason for wanting to reuse this steering system was that it required less power and a lighter transmission over conventional suspension systems. The A25 brought improvements over the A17 Tetrarch, but its production was delayed so severely that it was barely involved in the war. US equipment was good, but Britain shared a similar sentiment to many Allied, and later NATO countries relying on US vehicles, materials and weapons in the future would be financially damaging, and affect the nation’s pride and reputation. This was certainly helpful for Britain in the short term, but it would send them further into debt and hand over even more control to the colossal superpower. In this deal, the US would provide Britain with enough tanks and materials to enable them to begin new production in other areas. ContentsĪt the time Britain was maxing out its tank-production capabilities, and was essentially forced to arrange a deal with the US to alleviate the strain. As a result the A46 would be overshadowed by the larger, more extreme vehicles of the era, and fade into obscurity.

Sadly though the A46 never left the drawing board, missing the end of WWII and then being subjected to the changing requirements of the early Cold War years. It was designed to use the same running gear as the older Tetrarch light tank, but carry a much, much bigger gun, with more armor and more power. This was certainly a possibility too, as this little machine was armed with the same 77 mm gun as the Comet.

The A46 was a British vehicle developed in the 1940s as a means to both ween off of American dependence and introduce a new light tank that would perform on the battlefield.

Light tank modern