Was the covenanter the worst tank of the war?

[Don Juan]

OK everyone the full story of the Covenanter can be found here.

This book clears up all the mysteries, and shows why the Covenanter had the problems it did, how they were cured (and they were cured), and why it didn't see frontline service.

It's a pretty involved story, that's quite a bit different from the one that is usually peddled. Basically, the Covenanter Mk.I was introduced into production before development was completed in the panic after the Battle Of France. The Mk.III, which was the "proper" version of the tank, had excellent cooling and was fully intended to be sent to the Middle East for frontline service, but was pulled at the last minute due to a production shortage of the air filters. By the time this had been overcome, the M3 Grants had arrived and the rest is history.

So the War Office got a crap tank (the Mk.I) because it had actually asked for one. Had it waited about three more months, it could have got a perfectly adequate one instead.

[Spontoon]

I think the discussion has lost it's way. Was the Covenanter the worst tank of the war? Nope. I feel the Bob Semple tank was probably worse.

[Urmel]

So 256 posts for nothing????

[Urmel]

OK everyone the full story of the Covenanter can be found here.

This book clears up all the mysteries, and shows why the Covenanter had the problems it did, how they were cured (and they were cured), and why it didn't see frontline service.

It's a pretty involved story, that's quite a bit different from the one that is usually peddled. Basically, the Covenanter Mk.I was introduced into production before development was completed in the panic after the Battle Of France. The Mk.III, which was the "proper" version of the tank, had excellent cooling and was fully intended to be sent to the Middle East for frontline service, but was pulled at the last minute due to a production shortage of the air filters. By the time this had been overcome, the M3 Grants had arrived and the rest is history.

So the War Office got a crap tank (the Mk.I) because it had actually asked for one. Had it waited about three more months, it could have got a perfectly adequate one instead.

Not sure if this picture of a Covenanter in Abassia in March 42 has been posted?

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196226

[phylo_roadking]

Not sure if this picture of a Covenanter in Abassia in March 42 has been posted?

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196226

Frequently! One of two (2) that found their way to North Africa, possibly for evaluation in the desert.

[verdenpark]

Not sure if this picture of a Covenanter in Abassia in March 42 has been posted?

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196226

Frequently! One of two (2) that found their way to North Africa, possibly for evaluation in the desert.

Were there not four sent to North Africa? Two ended up with the Kiwi's. But what of the other two?

Had a conversation about the Covenantor with a friend last night. He said he had come accross a reference to a small number of Covenantors being used in combat shortly after arriving in North Africa. He did not state the reference however, nor any dates or unit. IF this is true, what unit would it have been, and when? Could this have been the missing two? And what happened to them?