Specification Crew : 6 Engine power : 150 hp Combat weight :13,040 kg (28,753 lb) Max speed : road 40 km/h (24.84 mph) Length : 5.79 m (19.00 ft) Range : 240 km (149.04 miles) Width : 2.5 M (8.20 ft) Main gun : 2-pounder(40 mm) Height : 2.65 m (8.70 ft) Armour : 6 mm (0.24 in) to 14 mm (0.55 in)

The first of the British Cruiser tanks the Mark 1 was built by Vickers Armstrong as the A9E1.Designed in 1936,it was a considerable advance over other British tanks of that era such as the Vickers Medium series.It even had a hydraulic powered traversing mechanism for the main turret.The three-wheel bogie suspension was so successful it was adopted for the Valentine infantry tank.However,there were carry-overs from earlier Vickers models such as the two 0.303-inch(7.7 mm)machine gun turrets on the front hull,when these were manned theCruiser Mark 1 required a crew of six.The main armament was a 2-pounder(40 mm)gun in the turret witch was a hard-hitting weapon by 1930s standards. By 1937 the Mark 1 was in limited production and a batch of 125 was ordered.A few were fitted with a low-velocity 3.7-inch(94 mm)close support howitzer in place of the 2-pounders(40 mm)and were renamed Cruiser Mark 1CS(Close Support).In the 1940 campaign the Mark 1 was found wanting in protection,firepower and speed.Its off-road performance was poor as was its mechanical reliability.All those sent to France were lost.Another batch was lost in Greece the following year.In North Africa Cruiser Mark 1s had to soldier on until well into 1942.A few captured examples were briefly used by the Germans.