Sunday 7 June 2015

Sales Pitch

"British Military Mission in the USSR
January 15th, 1945

To Major-General Kutuzov
People's Commissariat of Defense
Moscow

In response to your letter from December 13th

I have been told that the Soviet Trade Delegation in London is making a request for a sample of the Challenger tank (A30). Because of this, I was instructed to send you a brief description of the tank, provided below:

"Challenger" tank, A30

This is an armoured Cromwell type tank with a depressing 17-pounder gun and two machineguns. It weighs about 32.5 tons and has a maximum speed of 40 kph. The front armour is 63 mm. The Challenger is equipped with a Rolls Royce 600 hp engine, giving it 18.4 hp/ton.

R.N. Brinkman
Colonel, General Staff
Head of the Army Section"

CAMD RF 38-11355-2747

The purchase, however, was never made.

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