Difference between revisions of "Excelsior"
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== Description == | == Description == | ||
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | ||
| − | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was developed after early combat experience with Churchill Infantry Tanks. This tanks had very poor reliability and were also very slow for the modern battlefield. Thus, while the prototype A27 Cromwell was being developed, it was decided to use the A27 as a basis for a new universal tank meant to replace the cruiser and infantry tanks and combine them into a single vehicle. In 1942 the project was approved and the '''A33 Excelsior''' was borned. However the issues with the Churchill were fixed by 1943 and cruiser tanks were replaced by American M4 Shermans, thus the Excelsior was no longer needed and the project was cancelled. |
| + | |||
| + | It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/4648-special-war-thunder-chronicles-en|2017 "War Thunder Chronicles"]] event. The Excelsior is a weird tank, since it combines reliable armour, with good mobility and decent firepower for its BR. The gun is a [[OQF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm OQF Mk.V]] with good penetration values, although it lacks access to APHE shells like most British tanks of WWII, the gun handling is also great at -12 degrees of depression. The tank is also fairly survivable, specially if its angled, it also has access to smoke launchers to easily retreat or change position. However the reverse speed is very poor and it should be taken into consideration, while the armour is decent, the Excelsior is a very large target and will easily be spotted from far away. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a_33_excelsior Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a_33_excelsior Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
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;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role | ;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role | ||
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* [[Churchill VII]] | * [[Churchill VII]] | ||
* [[Churchill III]] / [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)]] | * [[Churchill III]] / [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)]] | ||
Revision as of 04:32, 26 November 2023
Contents
Description
The Tank, Heavy Assault, A33 (Excelsior) was developed after early combat experience with Churchill Infantry Tanks. This tanks had very poor reliability and were also very slow for the modern battlefield. Thus, while the prototype A27 Cromwell was being developed, it was decided to use the A27 as a basis for a new universal tank meant to replace the cruiser and infantry tanks and combine them into a single vehicle. In 1942 the project was approved and the A33 Excelsior was borned. However the issues with the Churchill were fixed by 1943 and cruiser tanks were replaced by American M4 Shermans, thus the Excelsior was no longer needed and the project was cancelled.
It was introduced in Update 1.67 "Assault" as a reward for the 2017 "War Thunder Chronicles" event. The Excelsior is a weird tank, since it combines reliable armour, with good mobility and decent firepower for its BR. The gun is a 75 mm OQF Mk.V with good penetration values, although it lacks access to APHE shells like most British tanks of WWII, the gun handling is also great at -12 degrees of depression. The tank is also fairly survivable, specially if its angled, it also has access to smoke launchers to easily retreat or change position. However the reverse speed is very poor and it should be taken into consideration, while the armour is decent, the Excelsior is a very large target and will easily be spotted from far away.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
- Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 114 mm (1°) Front plate 55 mm (74°) Front glacis 114 mm (18°), 55 mm (65°) Lower glacis |
39 + 25.4 mm | 32 mm (1°) Top 20 mm (18-62°) Bottom |
20 mm |
| Turret | 114 mm (1°) Turret front 63.5 mm (1-41°) Gun mantlet |
63.5 mm | 63.5 mm (1°) | 20 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels and bogies are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 42 | 3 | 40 | 811 | 1,198 | 20.28 | 29.95 |
| Realistic | 39 | 3 | 555 | 628 | 13.88 | 15.7 | |
Modifications and economy
2 × 90 / 130 / 150 % 2 × 148 / 148 / 148 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
| 75 mm OQF Mk.V | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 80 | -12°/+20° | ±180° | N/A | 19.4 | 26.9 | 32.6 | 36.1 | 38.4 | 6.50 | 5.75 | 5.30 | 5.00 |
| Realistic | 14.3 | 16.8 | 20.4 | 22.6 | 24.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| M72 shot | AP | 91 | 88 | 78 | 67 | 57 | 49 |
| M61 shot | APCBC | 103 | 100 | 89 | 77 | 66 | 57 |
| M48 shell | HE | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M72 shot | AP | 619 | 6.3 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | |||
| M61 shot | APCBC | 618 | 6.53 | - | - | - | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| M48 shell | HE | 463 | 6.3 | 0 | 0.1 | 666 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Smoke shell characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Screen radius (m) |
Screen deploy time (s) |
Screen hold time (s) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
| M89 | 259 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 20 | 50 |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 55 (+25) | 50 (+30) | 48 (+32) | 46 (+34) |
| 5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|
| 29 (+51) | 12 (+68) | 1 (+79) | No |
Notes:
- Racks 6 and 7 are first stage ammo racks.
Optics
When in simulator mode the gun will fire slightly low and to the left of the aimed position due to the sight being offset, this should be kept in mind and accounted for when engaging targets.
| Excelsior Optics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Which ones | Default magnification | Maximum magnification |
| Main Gun optics | x1.85 | x3.5 |
| Comparable optics | Churchill Mk I | |
Machine guns
| 7.92 mm BESA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 2,700 (225) | 600 | N/A | N/A |
| Hull | 2,700 (225) | 600 | ±10° | ±10° |
Usage in battles
The A33 Excelsior is a fast moving highly manoeuvrable, well armoured heavy tank offering great speed of up to 40 km/h. It excels at flanking and catching the enemy of guard. To get the best from this tank in battle, use it speed and manoeuvrability to your advantage. Since the Excelsior is a heavy tank it armour offers up to 114 mm of protection and if angled it can further increase it to offer over 210 mm. Allowing the tank to become immune to virtually all enemy rounds. However, the thickest parts of the armour plate is on the front of the tank and front of the turret, so it is important to keep the front pointed towards the enemy in combat.
Combined with the 75 mm cannon, which has a reload of up to five seconds, it is able to cause mayhem on the battlefield. load M61 Shot round and fire away, always aim for the sides and rear of the enemy tanks, this is the weakest parts, when at range. However, when fighting tiger tanks get as close as you can, approach from the rear and shoot the rear of the turret, it will knock the tigers turret out allowing you to head to its side and knock it out with some precision shots.
The A33 Excelsior, does not have any turret mounted machine guns, its roof armour is only 25 mm thick allowing enemy aircraft to cause havoc. To evade the aircraft use smoke and head towards any additional smoke rounds which you may fire, this will prevent the aircraft from following you and allowing you to evade them.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decent front armour thickness
- Quite fast
- Hull machine gun works
- -12 degrees of gun depression
- Access to smoke
Cons:
- Front armour is not sloped
- Large ammo rack in turret ring makes for easy detonation
- Very slow reverse
- Shells have no HE filler
- Weak side armour
History
Prompt
The early combat experience of the Churchill infantry tank raised concerns on its reliability and speed, with a suggestion that production be halted while development focus on an "universal tank" for the British armoured forces to replace the cruiser and infantry tanks. However, until such a design could be formulated, they still needed a tank for the assault role the infantry tanks would take.
Rolls-Royce Company, the company producing the prototype A27 Cromwells, suggested that the Tank Board use the A27 as an interim design with stronger armour, suspension, and armament. The suggestion was supported with the English Electric Company, whom plan to upgrade the A27 with thicker armour and elements from the American M6 heavy tank.
Development and Cancellation
On 07 May 1942[1], Tank Board approved for the production of these uparmoured A27 under the designation A33, though it would also have the name Excelsior. English Electric Company were in charge of producing the uparmoured A27 models and produced two prototypes. The first had the M6 suspension system and a 6-pdr cannon. The second had a wider track, different armoured skirts, additional frontal armour, and a 75 mm gun. Both used the same V12 Meteor engine as the A27.
Reliability issues with the Churchill were soon ironed out by 1943, to the point it became a very successful infantry support vehicle and multiple variations were made based off the chassis. The A33 Excelsior, meant to replace the Churchill, was no longer needed and the project was dropped in 1943.
Today, the second prototype can be seen at the Bovington Tank Museum.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
References
- ↑ Newsome, Bruce. "TANK INFANTRY A38, VALIANT (E1952.39)." Tankmuseum.org. The Tank Museum, n.d. Web. 10 May 2017. Web Archive
| The English Electric Company Limited | |
|---|---|
| Jet Fighters | Lightning F.6 · Lightning F.53 |
| Jet Bombers | Canberra B Mk 2 · Canberra B (I) Mk 6 |
| Tanks | Excelsior |
| The English Electric Company allowed the Glenn L. Martin Company to license-build Canberra bombers for the United States Air Force. | |
| Britain heavy tanks | |
|---|---|
| Matilda | Matilda III · Matilda Hedgehog |
| Churchill | Churchill I · Churchill III · Churchill VII · Churchill Crocodile · Churchill NA75 · Black Prince |
| Post-war | Caernarvon · Conqueror |
| Other | Independent · Excelsior · TOG II |
| Britain premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | A13 Mk I (3rd R.T.R.) · A13 Mk II 1939 · AEC Mk II · Crusader "The Saint" · Rooikat 105 |
| Medium tanks | A.C.I · Grant I · Cromwell V (RP-3) · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" · A.C.IV · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" |
| Centurion Mk.2 · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk.5/1 · ▄Sho't Kal Dalet · Centurion Action X | |
| Vijayanta · Khalid · Challenger DS · Challenger 2 OES | |
| Heavy tanks | Independent · Matilda Hedgehog · Excelsior · TOG II · Churchill Crocodile · Black Prince |
| Tank destroyers | Alecto I · Achilles (65 Rg.) · QF 3.7 Ram |
