Tank ID

[Dave Page]

Hi Guys,
it is thye rear view of a Valentine as far as I can make out, with the rear louvred hatches open but I don't think it is an Archer, could be a 6lber in a regular turret.
Cheers,
Dave

[tankbarrell]

All Valentine gun tanks have gearbox/ radiator cover that are made up of channel sections and are essentially flat in section. Archer has a different style which are made from plate and are triangular in section. I suspect the solid rear plate is to act as a blast shield.

These are clearly visible here and I still say it's an Archer with a dummy or cut short gun.

The first pic is from the Archer service instruction book and the second is from the Valentine X and XI book.

[Dave Page]

Hi Adrian,
enlarged the image and it is a lot clearer that the radiator hatches are as fitted to an Archer. As for the short barrel I have no idea.
Cheers,
Dave

[Alex van de Wetering]

hmm, good one.

For a moment I was thinking that it might be a partly dismantled Valentine Bridgelayer...the "barrel" not being a barrel, but part of the bridgelaying equipment. But, I have to say that Adrians point about the Archer engine covers are rather convincing. So, I would also say an Archer with some other gun fitted...maybe even 25pdr? It's post-war Dutch, so Bridgelayer, Archer and Valentine used as OP could be found in one of the vehicle dumps. Mismatches and strange combo's used for training purposes in Dutch service were no exception in the immediate post-war period.

Alex

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Alex, my thoughts exactly.

Thanks for ID'ing this Archer, Adrian!

Regards,
Hanno

[tankbarrell]

You're welcome Hanno! I bet there are other pictures of it somewhere showing what has happened with the gun.