Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Technology Model - Churchill Tank Mk 3 1942

« Prev Item Next Item »

Subcollections

Overview

Hand craftwd model of a Churchill Tank.

The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV (A22) Churchill was a British infantry tank used in World War 2. It is , best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies. This feature enabled it to climb steep slopes, and led its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war.

Historical information

The origins of the Churchill's design lay in the expectation that war in Europe might be fought in conditions similar to those of World Wa 1, and thus emphasised the ability to cross difficult ground. The Churchill was hurried into production in order to build up British defences against a possible German invasion. The first vehicles had flaws that had to be overcome before the Churchill was accepted for wide use. After several marks (versions) had been built, a better-armoured specification, the Mark VII, entered service with the British Army. The improved versions performed well in the later stages of the war.
The Churchill was used by British and other Commonwealth forces during the North African, Italian and North-West Europe campaigns.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-54-903

Inscriptions and markings

The 1st Armoured Regiment was formed as a tank unit in the new Australian Regular Army on 7 July 1949. Initially, the new regiment was equipped with Churchill tanks, although this was only a temporary measure until Centurion tanks could be acquired. However, due to the perceived unsuitability of the Churchill and the late arrival of the new platform, the regiment was not deployed as part of Australia's commitment to the Korean War.

Contextual Information

The models in this collection were crafted from scratch by Mr Tom Runeckles. They were periodically displayed at the Museum before their eventual donation as part of the Mobility and Firepower story.

Links to additional resources

Virtual Tank Museum

Churchill Documentary

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Organisation Details
View Collection
Item Feedback