TET Ram Mk I (UK)
Genesis
When news of the British Expeditionary Force evacuation at Dunkirk, loosing all their heavy equipment in the process, reached Canada, it was clear that if the Canadians wished to be committed in the conflict, no UK-built tanks would be spared for them at least for an estimated two years. At the same time, prospects from the USA were bleak as well, as all the deliveries were to be assigned to the UK first. So any armored forces levied in Canada had to be equipped with a domestic tank. Following these conclusions, the Government prospected the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Angus Shops in Montreal (CPR), the only factory capable of large scale production of such vehicles, equipped with the heavy infrastructure required. In the meantime, this company already signed a contract to produce 300 Valentine tanks (partially fitted) under licence, which had to be shipped for completion in the UK, followed by 480 more for the Canadian mechanized infantry divisions (as an infantry support tank).
Characteristics
The Canadian Interdepartmental Tank Committee, which was charged with the Ram design, chose a compromise solution, with the chassis, suspension, drivetrain, engine and a rewoked transmission of the M3. The upper part of the hull, a single piece entirely made of cast iron was to be completely redesigned, including a fully traversing turret (also made of a single cast part) housing the main armament, a British type 6-pdr. This ambitious enterprise encountered many difficulties. To simplify construction the manufacturer replicated or bought as many parts from the M3 and later the M4 Sherman, and British parts, as possible. L.E.Carr, an expert in tank design, was hired and conceived a lower, more compact hull than that of the original M3. The turret was roomy enough to be equipped later with a 75 mm (2.95 in) gun. The most intriguing part was the British-influenced forward secondary turret, equipped with two Browning machine-guns. This feature, still very present in British designs, would be seen as obsolete and dropped in late 1942 on the Mk. II. The driver sat on the right, conform to British specifications. The lateral doors of the M3 prototypes were also seen as a good idea, for the safety of the crew and easier access, despite being an obvious weak spot.
O-shoot cannon
N-Move tank
.,-Move cannon
I-shoot MG’s
I am back and i’m tired. It’s definitely one of my worst tanks, sorry
