Light reconnaissance tank Mk VIА Light Tank Mk VI. This tank was a kind of crowning of the development of tankettes and light reconnaissance vehicles by British designers that lasted more than ten years. MkVI was created in 1936, production was started in 1937 and continued until 1940. It had the following layout: the control compartment, as well as the power transmission and drive wheels, were located in front of the hull. Behind them was the fighting compartment with a relatively large turret installed in it for such a tank. Here, in the middle part of the hull, was the Meadows gasoline engine. The place of the driver was in the control compartment, which was slightly shifted to the left side, and the other two crew members were located in the tower. A turret with viewing devices was mounted for the crew commander. A radio station was installed for external communication. The armament installed in the turret consisted of a large-caliber 12,7 mm machine gun and a coaxial 7,69 mm machine gun. In the undercarriage, four interlocked pairs of road wheels were used on board and one support roller, a small-link caterpillar with a lantern gear. Until 1940, about 1200 MKVIA tanks were produced. As part of the British Expeditionary Force, they took part in the fighting in France in the spring of 1940. Their shortcomings were clearly manifested here: weak machine-gun armament and insufficient armor. Production was discontinued, but they were used in battles until 1942 (See also: “Light tank Mk VII, “Tetrarch”) The Mk VI light tank that followed the Mk VI was identical with it in all respects, except for the turret, again converted to fit the radio station in its aft niche. In Mk V1A, the support roller was moved from the front bogie to the middle of the hull side. Mk VIB is structurally similar to Mk VIA, but a number of units were changed to simplify production. These differences included a single-leaf radiator shutter cover (instead of a two-leaf one) and a cylindrical turret instead of a faceted one on the Mk VIA. The Mk VIB of the Indian design, built for the Indian Army, was identical to the standard model except for the lack of a commander's cupola - instead, there was a flat hatch cover on the roof of the tower. The latest model of the Mk series did not have a commander's cupola, but it was more heavily armed, carrying 15 mm and 7,92 mm Beza SP instead of Vickers caliber .303 (7,71 mm) and .50 (12,7 -mm) on previous models. It also featured larger undercarriages for increased mobility and three engine carburetors. The production of the Mk VI series machines began in 1936, and the production of the Mk VIС ceased in 1940. These tanks were in service in large numbers by the beginning of the war in 1939, the most produced were the Mk VIB. Mk VI made up the bulk of British tanks in France in 1940, in the Western Desert and in other theaters instead of the reconnaissance for which they were created. They were often used in place of cruising ships that suffered heavy casualties. After the evacuation from Dunkirk, these light tanks were also used to equip the British BTC and remained in combat units until the end of 1942, after which they were replaced with more modern models and transferred to the category of training. Modifications of the light tank Mk VI Light ZSU Mk I. Impressions from the German "blitzkrieg", when the British first encountered coordinated attacks by enemy aircraft supporting tank attacks, caused the hasty development of "anti-aircraft tanks". The ZSU with quad 7,92-mm machine guns "Beza" in a turret with a mechanical rotation drive mounted on the superstructure of the hull went into the series. The first version of the Mk I light anti-aircraft tank was carried out on the Mk VIA chassis. Light ZSU Mk II... It was a vehicle generally similar to the Mk I, but with a larger and more comfortable turret. In addition, an external bunker for ammunition was installed at the stern of the hull. The light ZSU Mk II was built on the Mk VIV chassis. A platoon of four light ZSUs was attached to each regimental headquarters company. Light tank Mk VIB with a modified chassis. A small number of Mk VIBs were equipped with drive wheels of a larger diameter and separate rear idler wheels (as on Mk II) to increase the length of the supporting surface and increase cross-country ability. However, this modification remained in the prototype. Light tank bridgelayer Mk VI... In 1941, MEXE adapted one chassis for the carrier of a lightweight folding bridge. Delivered to British Middle East forces for combat trials, this single vehicle was soon lost during the retreat. Performance characteristics Combat weight 5,3 t Dimensions:   length 4000 mm width 2080 mm height 2260 mm Crew 3 person weaponry 1 х 12,7 mm machine gun 1 х 7,69 mm machine gun Ammunition 2900 cartridges Booking:   forehead 12 mm brow tower 15 mm engine's type carburetor "Meadows" Maximum power 88 hp full speed 56 km / h Power reserve 210 km Sources: M. Baryatinsky. Armored vehicles of Great Britain 1939-1945. (Armored collection, 4-1996); G.L. Kholyavsky "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Tanks 1915 - 2000"; Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris. British and American Tanks of World War Two; Fletcher, David. The Great Tank Scandal: British Armour in the Second World War; Light Tank Mk. VII Tetrarch [Armour in Profile 11].