| SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer | |
|---|---|
SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer front (and direction of driving) to left, engine to right |
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| Type | Self-propelled anti-tank gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | September 1944 - ? (UK) |
| Used by | United Kingdom, Egypt |
| Wars | World War II, Suez Crisis |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Vickers |
| Produced | March 1943 - May 1945[1] |
| Number built | 655 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 15 tons (15 tonnes) |
| Length | 21 ft 11 in (6.7 m) |
| Width | 9 ft (2.76 m) |
| Height | 7 ft 4 in (2.25 m) |
| Crew | 4 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver) |
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| Armour | 14 - 60 mm (.55 - 2.36 in) |
| Main armament |
QF 17 pounder (76.2 mm) gun 39 rounds |
| Secondary armament |
.303 Bren light machine gun |
| Engine | GMC 6-71 6-cyl diesel 192 hp |
| Power/weight | 10.1 hp/t |
| Suspension | coil spring bogie |
| Fuel capacity | 227 litres (60 gallons) |
| Operational range |
140 km on roads (87 mi) |
| Speed | 20 mph (32 km/h) off road: 8 mph |
The SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer was a British self propelled anti-tank gun of the Second World War based on the Valentine infantry tank chassis fitted with a Ordnance QF 17 pounder gun.
Contents |
The 17 pounder anti-tank gun was a very powerful gun but also very large and heavy and could only be moved about the battlefield by a vehicle. This meant that it was more effective in defence than in the attack. Therefore there was the intention to mount it on a vehicle to give it more mobility. The Churchill tank had been trialled as a self-propelled gun; the "3-inch Gun Carrier". The US was expected to be able to provide the M10 Wolverine through Lend-lease. However other projects were under consideration using otherwise obsolete tank chassis. These included the Valentine for its low profile and reliability and the Crusader for its good power-to-weight. The Valentine chassis was soon chosen for this role, as it was in production but rapidly becoming obsolete as a tank in British use. The engine had a higher power rating than in the Valentine.[2] It was also one of the few chassis that could accommodate such a large gun. In separate development were tank designs using the 17 pdr - this would lead to the Cruiser Tank, Challenger a derivative of the Cromwell[3] and the Sherman Firefly conversion of Sherman tanks.
The Valentine had a relatively small hull and it was not possible to use a turret. Instead the gun was mounted in a simple low open-topped armoured box with gun barrel to the rear, very much like the early Panzerjäger German self-propelled guns in general appearance. This kept the overall length of the Archer short. However, this meant that on firing the gun breech recoiled into the driver's space. The driver stayed in position though in case the vehicle needed to move quickly.
The rear mounting at first seemed like a liability, but it was soon made into an advantage. Combined with its low silhouette, the Archer made an excellent ambush weapon, allowing its crew to fire off a few shots, then drive away without wasting time turning around.
Production started in mid 1943 and the Archer began to be issued in October 1944, and saw combat in the Western Front and the Italian Campaign. By the end of the war, 655 of them had been produced. The Archer was classified as a self-propelled gun and as such was operated by the Royal Artillery (RA) rather than a Cavalry or British Tank Regiment. This was standard practice and the 3in SP, Wolverine and related 17pdr SP. Achilles in British service was also operated by RA units.
Post war the Archer served with the Egyptian Army.
Surviving vehicles are preserved at the Yad la-Shiryon Museum - Israel, Overloon War Museum - Netherlands, and the Bovington Tank Museum - England.
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| British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II |
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