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Churchill Crocodile (Churchill Mk VII)


Flame-Throwing Combat Tank [ 1943 ]



About 800 conversion kits were produced by Britain, making the classic Churchill Infantry Tank a feared flame-projecting system.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/27/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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The proven worth and numerical availability of the classic Churchill Infantry Tank made it an ideal candidate for slew of projects during World War 2 (1939-1945). One particularly successful conversion was the Churchill "Crocodile" which mated the existing gun tank to a flame-projecting system. The flamer unit replaced the coaxial machine gun installation in the turret face and a trailer was attached to the rear of the vehicle carrying the needed flamer fuel and propellant. The base Churchill tank was converted by way of a kit of which 800 were manufactured during the war. The Crocodile saw service along the Western and Eastern fronts as well as in the Italian campaign.

The British had been experimenting with flame-throwing tanks since the conflict began and these projects were both partial successes and failures. The Churchill "Oke" represented a Churchill Mk II developed to carry a flamethrower and these were used in the disastrous Dieppe Raid (1942) of France. The Crocodile was a follow-up form which was initially to use the Churchill Mk IV as its host vehicle. When showcased during a 1943 demonstration, the Crocodile caught the attention of General Percy Hobart and he pushed for the system to see widespread use. Hobart's name was attached to many special tank projects giving rise to the name of "Hobart's Funnies".©MilitaryFactory.com
In service the Churchill Crocodile model of choice became the Churchill Mk VII. The conversion process could be had in-the-field as opposed to the factory floor which made it possible for crews to modify any existing Churchill tank as a flame-throwing vehicle if the situation allowed/required it. The kit comprised the fuel/propellant trailer and reinforced pipe work. The trailer was towed behind the vehicle whilst the pipe ran under the vehicle floor. The BESA machine gun in its coaxial mounting within the turret was removed and the projector unit replaced it. One of the positive qualities of the conversion process was that the Churchill tank retained full functionality of its 75mm main gun which allowed it to continue to provide general ranged heavy gun fire as needed. Once in range of the flamethrower - about 120 yards - the projector unit could be brought into play. 400 gallons were carried in the towable trailer section.

Such vehicles proved great psychological weapons against entrenched enemies who would rather surrender than be burned to death. While range was a limiting factor for the projector, it's devastating firepower was never in question. The flames could penetrate weak spots in a bunker's design or clear entire swathes of cover. If the flames did not convince a stubborn enemy soldier, the intense heat generated by the weapon would. The British valued their Crocodile technology so much that any abandoned Crocodile tanks were required to be destroyed lest it fall into enemy hands.

After its service in World War 2, the Crocodile managed to see additional combat operations in Korea during the Korean War (1950-1953). They soldiered on until 1951 at which point the series was withdrawn from frontline service.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



State Factories - United Kingdom
Manufacturer(s)
Australia; United Kingdom; Soviet Union
Operators National flag of Australia National flag of the Soviet Union National flag of the United Kingdom
1943
Service Year
United Kingdom
National Origin
5
Crew
800
Units


INFANTRY SUPPORT
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.
MEDIUM TANK
Design providing enhanced armor protection and firepower over that of lightweight offerings - but lacking the general capabilities of heavier solutions.
TANK-VS-TANK
Engage armored vehicles of similar form and function.
SPECIAL PURPOSE
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.


24.3 ft
(7.4 meters)
Length
10.7 ft
(3.25 meters)
Width
8.2 ft
(2.5 meters)
Height
89,596 lb
(40,640 kg)
Weight
44.8 tons
(Medium-class)
Tonnage


1 x Bedford Twin-Six gasoline engine developing 350 horsepower.
Drive System
15 mph
(24 kph)
Road Speed
56 miles
(90 km)
Road Range


1 x 75mm Ordnance QF main gun
1 x Flame Projector Unit
AMMUNITION
84 x 75mm projectiles
400 x Gallons (Imperial) of flamer fuel


Crocodile - Base Series Name


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Images



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Image of the Churchill Crocodile (Churchill Mk VII)
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Image of the Churchill Crocodile (Churchill Mk VII)
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