After the War, with the removal of the Sherman from British Service, designers began to look for a new flail vehicle based on a new, British-built chassis.
Initially, consideration was given to making a flail variant of the FV200 series of universal tanks, then in development as a replacement for the Centurion. However, when development of the FV200 was canceled, the flail version went with it. As such, designers turned to an old faithful – the Churchill, a heavy and obsolete vehicle available in large numbers, and cheap.
What would emerge from this became known as the FV3902 Churchill Flail, or as it is more commonly known, the ‘Toad’. Entering service in 1954, the Toad featured one of the most powerful mine flails ever created and became one of the last Churchill types to see service – albeit in a training capacity – with the British Army. It is in the Army that the vehicle gained the name ‘Toad’. Quite why is a mystery, although it may just be because it is a rather ugly vehicle – depending on the eye of the beholder, of course.
Article:
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/UK/churchill-toad-fv3902-flail-tank/If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal!
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/tankartfundPaypal:
https://www.paypal.me/tankartfundInformation sources:
Bryan Perret, New Vanguard #7: Churchill Infantry Tank 1941-51, Osprey Publishing
Wheels & Tracks Issue #20, Article by David Fletcher pages 36-43, April 1987, ISSN 0263-7081
Nigel Montgomery, Churchill Tank 1941-56 (all models), Haynes Publishing
David Lister, The Dark Age of Tanks, Britains Lost Armour 1945 – 1970, Pen & Sword Publishing
The Australian Armor and Artillery Museum
Toadman’s Tank Pictures
Details of the Restoration of the Toad on www.milweb.net
Details of the Littlefield auction on Auctions America
Image sources:
Ardhya 'Vesp' Anargha
David Barlow
milweb.net
David Payne
Wheels & Tracks #20, Apr. 1987
Toadman’s Tank Pictures
Ed Francis
Nigel Montgomery, Churchill Tank 1941-56 (all models), Haynes Publishing
The Tank Museum, Bovington
Wikimedia commons
Author’s own
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An article by Mark Nash
Video mounted by Jim Zawacki
Audio edited by Kraiger
Voicing by Brian Gaydos
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