Sherman BARV
| Sherman BARV | |
|---|---|
Sherman BARV during loading |
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 5 men |
| length | 6.20 m |
| width | 2.68 m |
| height | 2.97 m |
| Dimensions | 28 t |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | 12-62 mm |
| Main armament | no |
| Secondary armament | no |
| agility | |
| drive | General Motors 6-71 twin diesel engine |
| Top speed | 47 km / h |
| Power / weight | |
| Range | approx. 160 km |
The Sherman BARV was a British pioneer tank . The abbreviation stands for barv B each A rmoured R ecovery V ehicle (Engl .: armored beach-recovery vehicle). The operational concept stipulated that these vehicles should ensure that the traffic on landing beaches could function smoothly.
history
With a view to the landing in Normandy , vehicles were hastily developed that could act amphibiously. However, one could not avoid landing non-amphibious equipment such as trucks , guns or tanks . The problem arose that these vehicles got stuck in muddy or sandy ground on landing beaches. The Sherman BARV was designed to recover broken down vehicles.
Five soldiers operated the BARV tanks. They were all equipped with life jackets. One of these soldiers was a diver who tied a rope to the towed vehicle. The BARV could not only pull, but also push stranded vehicles off the beach.
By D-Day on June 6, 1944, 55 Sherman BARVs had been made and ready for use. Some BARV served until the 1960s and were then replaced by Centurion BARV . In its long post-war service, the Sherman BARV was renamed the Sea Lion .
technology
The Sherman BARV was built on the chassis of the Sherman battle tank . The tower was left out. Instead, a high watertight structure was installed. A fixed winch was not yet planned for this vehicle, nor was armament for self-defense.
The Sherman BARV was fully armored and lockable. With its tall structure, the vehicle was able to operate effectively at a depth of up to 2.70 m. At the front of the vehicle was a slide made from planks. This ensured that vehicles to be pushed were not damaged. The most important task of these planks was to push back stuck landing craft into deeper fairways.
literature
- Philip Trewhitt: Panzer Neuer Kaiserverlag, Klagenfurt 2005, ISBN 3-7043-3197-X .
- Pat Ware, Brian Delf: The Centurion Tank Casemate Publishers. Page 96 ISBN 978-1-78159-011-9 . (online preview)
Web links
- Description and pictures (English)