Cruiser Mk I
| Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9) | |
|---|---|
Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9) | |
| Type | Cruiser tank |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1938–1941 |
| Used by | British Army |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Sir John Carden |
| Designed | 1934–1936 |
| Manufacturer | Vickers |
| Produced | 1936–1941 |
| No. built | 125 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 12.8 long tons (13.0 t) battle weight |
| Length | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Width | 8 ft 4 in (2.5 m) |
| Height | 8 ft 8 in (2.65 m) |
| Crew | 6 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, 2x MG gunners) |
| Armour | 6–14 mm |
Main armament | QF 2-pdr 100 rounds |
Secondary armament | 3 x 0.303 Vickers machine gun 3,000 rounds |
| Engine | AEC 179 6-cylinder petrol 150 hp (110 kW) |
| Suspension | sprung triple wheel bogie |
Operational range | 150 miles (240 km) |
| Maximum speed | 25 mph (40 km/h) |
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk I (A9) was a British cruiser tank of the interwar period. It was the first cruiser tank: a fast tank designed to bypass the main enemy lines and engage the enemy's lines of communication, as well as enemy tanks. The Cruiser Mk II was a more heavily armoured adaptation of the Mark I, developed at much the same time.