A1E1 Vickers Independent

1926

A1E1 Vickers Independent
Bovington

This was the first and most influential of the multi-turreted vehicles. Its descendents included the Soviet T-35, T-100, SMK, and T-28 and the German PzKw V and VI Neubaufahrzeuge. It underwent extensive trials in Britain, but no vehicles beyond the prototype were ordered or constructed. In Britain its relatives were the A6/Medium Mk III and the 3 turreted A9 Cruiser.

Remarkably the Independent has survived and is to be seen at Bovington. Regrettably, Medium Mk III did not survive WW II and recycling for metal.

SPECIFICATION

Crew Eight.
Weight 32 tons.
Length 24ft.11 in.
Width 8 ft. 9 in.
Height 8ft. 11 in.
Track plate width 16 in.
Armament
Main One 3-pdr. QF gun (47 mm.).
Secondary Four Vickers machine-guns, one in each of four subsidiary turrets.
Ammunition
Main 200 rounds.
Secondary 7,000 rounds.
Armour 28—1 3—8 mm.
Engine Armstrong-Siddeley 370 b.h.p./1.500 r.p.m
V.1 2 air-cooled. An inertia starter was fitted to supplement the inadequate electric motor.
Fuel 180 gallons.
Transmission SLM or lorry pattern gearbox.
Suspension
Four double bogies (four wheels 15 in. diameter) each side plus one single bogie (two wheels 24 in. diameter) fore and aft. Coil sprìngs in trunked guide.
Speed 20 m.p.h.

Front view showing two of the MG turrets

AA MG mount

Turret with AA machine gun mount

Interior, showing main armament

A1E1

Full length view

(pre-GS 'A' number designations)

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