A9 Cruiser Mk I (BR020) Cruiser Tank Mark 1, A9, A9E1, C.S. The A9 design was originally designed by Vickers to be a medium tank in 1934. However, it was re-designated a Cruiser tank for service with the armoured divisions as the Cruiser Tank Mark I, A9. A total of 125 were built. The A9 Cruiser Mk I saw some action in France in 1940 and again during the early desert battles in 1940 and 1941.

One of its best design features was its suspension, which was later adopted for the Valentine Infantry tank. Part of the new technology develops during the creation of the A9 was to make a new type of rubber that could withstand the heat and pressure of a 16-ton tank moving at 15 mph. The new rubber and improved variations played an important part of further British tank development. The main armament of the Cruiser Tank Mk I was the 2 pdr.

The Close Support (CS) version mounted a 3.7" howitzer in place of the 2 pdr main gun.  It was also fitted with two hull-turret Vickers machine-guns. Specifications Crew: 6 Weight: 13 Tonnes Length: 5.70m (19') Width: 2.5m (8' 3") Height: 2.65m (8' 9") Armour: 6 - 14mm Powerplant: AEC 150hp Armament: 1 x 2pdr or 3.7" howitzer, 3 x Vickers MG Speed: 40kph (25mph) Range: 240km (150 miles)

In Flames Of War Options for both the A9 Cruiser Mk I and A9 Cruiser Mk I CS come with the blister. The A9 Cruiser Mk I CS provided the CS tanks for the A13 Cruiser Mk III tanks in the Armoured Regiments in France in 1940. Also A9 Cruiser Mk I were used as Regimental command tanks. A9 Cruiser Mk I tank has excellent machine-gun fire, with three MGs. This gives it a ROF 5 when just firing its vehicle machine-guns.

To back this up it is fitted with the OQF 2 pdr gun, a gun capable of knocking out most enemy tanks with its Range 24”/60cm, ROF 2 and anti-tank 7. The CS version has the same machine-gun advantages, but its main armament is the 3.7” howitzer which fires smoke to obscure the movement of the Armoured Regiment. Designed by Evan Allen Painted by James Brown Check out the British A9 Cruiser Mk I (BR020) in the online store here...

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