Tank Chats #60 Valentine Bridgelayer | The Tank Museum

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  • Опубліковано 16 вер 2024
  • Tank Chats playlist • Tank Chats from The Ta... The Valentine Bridgelayer, on a Valentine Mark I hull, was developed in 1943 during the Second World War. They were largely superseded by Churchill Bridgelayer, although some Valentine Bridgelayers were used in north-west Europe from 1944 to 1945, because the supply of Churchill Bridgelayers could not meet demand.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 143

  • @jackhudner3804
    @jackhudner3804 5 років тому +117

    Logistical vehicles. The true heroes but always overlooked.

    • @SonsOfLorgar
      @SonsOfLorgar 5 років тому

      I want a KMW Kodiak in my garage for whenever the weather and/or roads where I intend to go is too bad for my I30 diesel car ;)

    • @Hunter12396
      @Hunter12396 5 років тому

      This is engineering not logistical

    • @tutnallman
      @tutnallman 3 роки тому

      These vehicle are used by close support Royal Engineers .

  • @TheBrainSpecialist
    @TheBrainSpecialist 5 років тому +129

    I could listen to David talk about nothing in particular for hours, he just has that grandfatherly aspect to him that just puts you at ease.

    • @sharlin648
      @sharlin648 5 років тому +10

      Amen, he could read out his shopping list and you know it would be educational and have some amusing anecdotes thrown in there along with a nice serving of snark.

    • @ulrichkalber9039
      @ulrichkalber9039 5 років тому

      phone book

    • @Halinspark
      @Halinspark 5 років тому +4

      @@ulrichkalber9039 Phone book would be great, largely because he would inevitably take a moment to make fun of the names or business ads as he went.

    • @ulrichkalber9039
      @ulrichkalber9039 5 років тому +2

      Maybe a public reading of a phone book could generate some money for a good cause...

    • @princeofcupspoc9073
      @princeofcupspoc9073 5 років тому +2

      Check out The_Chieftain's channel, Operation Think Tank.

  • @kyle857
    @kyle857 5 років тому +44

    Best part about working nights in the States. All my quirky British UA-camrs post during my lunch break.

  • @Xenol1997
    @Xenol1997 5 років тому +128

    David Fletcher is the perfect human being. I want to go to a pub with him and talk about tanks over a pint.

    • @h0lx
      @h0lx 5 років тому +1

      So do I!

    • @sirshotty7689
      @sirshotty7689 5 років тому +1

      I'd join in too

    • @publiusscipio5697
      @publiusscipio5697 5 років тому +7

      Emperor_Xenolius I want a miniature one to put in my shirt pocket.

    • @Lazarus7000
      @Lazarus7000 5 років тому +8

      As long as he keeps talking, I'd keep buying drinks until I ran out of money or one of us fell from our chair.

    • @Taladar2003
      @Taladar2003 5 років тому +2

      In my mind Irving Finkel and David Fletcher are the two finalists in that competition and i would be fine with either of them winning.

  • @eddiecobbett
    @eddiecobbett 5 років тому +9

    'I won't go into detail about the Valentine tank as we've done that before...'
    Please do, the Valentine's contribution is so often overlooked. The most produced British tank ever, and the only western tank the Soviets really liked.

    • @r3cker
      @r3cker 5 років тому +3

      Soviets digged the Sherman too

    • @kevinsullivan3448
      @kevinsullivan3448 3 роки тому

      @@r3cker They just wouldn't admit to it during the cold war.

  • @Loui5D
    @Loui5D 5 років тому +58

    Cue David flailing his arms round looking silly for the next out take please.

  • @lElSanxl
    @lElSanxl 5 років тому +7

    Sir David Fletcher is the Papa Smurf of tanks. That's how cool he is.

    • @johntheformerpeasent5160
      @johntheformerpeasent5160 5 років тому

      He demands that the armor be three apples thick, and only one out of a hundred of the Mark I thru IVs be female.

  • @lt.bagelbites6969
    @lt.bagelbites6969 5 років тому +2

    Well, the Valentine is an amazing tank that the British used, especially the Archer. 76mm 17lb gun? The firepower of a Sherman Firefly, but the way it was always facing backwards made it a lot less useful in CQB. Awesome video!

  • @jilltate9866
    @jilltate9866 Рік тому

    My father drove one of these during the war, from D-Day until the end of the war, in western Europe in the 7th Armoured Division. I would love to hear of anyone who's relative did the same.

  • @TheIronArmenianakaGIHaigs
    @TheIronArmenianakaGIHaigs 5 років тому +107

    Its a well knowen fact, that these were also used to squash enemy tanks.

    • @markfryer9880
      @markfryer9880 5 років тому +12

      Or annoying Officers and Senior NCOs

    • @tobyhallidie1498
      @tobyhallidie1498 5 років тому +5

      @DroehnIng I think you just did ...

    • @Badr-il3pg
      @Badr-il3pg 5 років тому +2

      @DroehnIng r/woooooosh

    • @Michael-Madrid
      @Michael-Madrid 5 років тому +7

      @DroehnIng wow grumpy pants here.

    • @JackIsMe1993
      @JackIsMe1993 5 років тому +13

      Get me closer driver I want to hit them with my bridge!

  • @nathanaelyny
    @nathanaelyny 5 років тому +6

    Perfect Saturday morning breakfast telly!

  • @Matakshaman
    @Matakshaman 5 років тому +22

    David Fletcher on a Saturday morning... Sweet!

  • @danielhiscock1986
    @danielhiscock1986 5 років тому +2

    Can I say I love this videos. The family will be visting the museum ASAP due to this.

  • @prichards5113
    @prichards5113 5 років тому +5

    Thank you David and crew for the continued expatiation of the tank lover knowledge base. Can't wait for the next installment.

  • @PaulyPaulPaul
    @PaulyPaulPaul 5 років тому +48

    Any chance you can get David to do a 1 hour chat on something?.... Anything will do.

    • @gusty9053
      @gusty9053 5 років тому +7

      Search Operation Think Tank on youtube. It was a panel with mr Fletcher and some other historians. He explains among other things his love of the two wheel tank trailer.

    • @MrManBuzz
      @MrManBuzz 5 років тому +6

      Yes. My only complaint of tank chats is they're too short. I could listen to him ramble on all day.

    • @superdupergrover9857
      @superdupergrover9857 4 роки тому +1

      Maybe we could get him on Top Gear...

  • @yalelingoz6346
    @yalelingoz6346 5 років тому +4

    Love your work guys

  • @pickeljarsforhillary102
    @pickeljarsforhillary102 5 років тому +1

    2 crews, a commander and the driver.
    Life must have been hell in these tanks on deciding who is going to make the tea.

  • @whiskeytangosierra6
    @whiskeytangosierra6 5 років тому +2

    Threaded rod - no hydraulic fluid spraying all over the place instead of doing it's job. I love it. I can think of half a dozen places where threaded rod should probably be used in machinery right now.
    Doubt it will happen, "not invented here syndrome" stops a lot of common sense solutions.

  • @Daniel-S1
    @Daniel-S1 2 роки тому

    Thanks.

  • @Niterider73
    @Niterider73 5 років тому

    Fantastic video guys! Always a pleasure to get a notification showing you all have a new video. Hope to visit the tank museum in bovington Someday and get a couple of autographs from You two

  • @LeanderJobse
    @LeanderJobse 5 років тому +1

    These also saw service with the KNIL during the Indonesia Independence War. They were mostly used in combination with several kinds of armored cars and Stuart light tanks

  • @whirving
    @whirving 5 років тому +1

    British ingenuity, a fine thing.

  • @svuggli24
    @svuggli24 5 років тому +1

    I love this man.

  • @DC9622
    @DC9622 5 років тому

    Superb, from Mr Fletcher yet again.

  • @stallen1066
    @stallen1066 5 років тому

    David Fletcher. I salute you, sir.

  • @polarperlen
    @polarperlen 5 років тому +6

    Best part of driving ABLV's is that you are the fastest tank, once you've laid the bridge

  • @haroldellis9721
    @haroldellis9721 5 років тому +28

    OK, which one of you has the shakes, and clicked the thumbs down when you meant to click the thumbs up? Be honest.

    • @kenbrown2808
      @kenbrown2808 4 роки тому +2

      it was the hydraulics guy who is still bitter over the threaded rod system.

  • @jcdenton8542
    @jcdenton8542 5 років тому +1

    Love the thumbnail!

  • @Vlka_Fenryka
    @Vlka_Fenryka 5 років тому

    Sat at work, this made my day.

  • @xirensixseo
    @xirensixseo 5 років тому +2

    the scissors bridge was so powerful that it was used to cut pillboxes open

  • @loupiscanis9449
    @loupiscanis9449 5 років тому

    Thank you .

  • @GabrielLongo
    @GabrielLongo 5 років тому

    David Fletcher is the one with authority to change the name of the scissor bridge if he wants to, hahaha. Good video as always.

  • @gordonlawrence4749
    @gordonlawrence4749 5 років тому

    Screw thread actuators are used in aircraft as well because they are extremely strong and can generate a huge force. A gearbox can have a reduction ratio of in excess of 200 to 1 (1000 to 1 is possible without breaking a sweat) and locks by using a work gear. So if you have a motor capable of 5 pound feet of torque you can pull 1000 pounds+ with it. With the higher gearing a tiddly 5 pound foot motor would pull 2.5 tonnes or there abouts.

  • @samadams2203
    @samadams2203 5 років тому +5

    Upvote first, then watch.

    • @delvescoa
      @delvescoa 5 років тому

      Well earned trust

  • @roeng1368
    @roeng1368 5 років тому

    Excellent, good video.

  • @danielwechter601
    @danielwechter601 5 років тому

    The legend is back

  • @derptank3308
    @derptank3308 5 років тому +15

    Since the valentine is an infantry tank, I don’t even want to think how fast that thing goes with the huge hunk of material on top of it.

    • @DIEGhostfish
      @DIEGhostfish 5 років тому +1

      Like some sort of tower defense "Slow tank" stereotype unit.

    • @DIEGhostfish
      @DIEGhostfish 5 років тому +11

      He does say in the video it could do the Valentine's full normal speed.

    • @h0lx
      @h0lx 5 років тому +4

      @@DIEGhostfish which is basically "at a leisurly pace"

    • @ConsciousAtoms
      @ConsciousAtoms 5 років тому +7

      It does not have a turret. I wouldn't be surprised if the turret weighed more than the bridge, because of all the armor.

    • @JohnyG29
      @JohnyG29 5 років тому +10

      15mph to 20mph - he says so in the video.

  • @munky123jw
    @munky123jw 5 років тому +5

    David Fletcher is the Sir Martyn Poliakoff of tanks.

  • @davidduma7615
    @davidduma7615 5 років тому

    Mr. Fletcher states it was a 2 inch threaded rod (at 2:05). Look at the pictures, that drive rod is a lot thicker than 2 inches.

  • @eedjok
    @eedjok 5 років тому

    Another fab vidgeo by the one true master of tank n tache.

  • @tomholmez12
    @tomholmez12 5 років тому +3

    Didnt know there was a valentine bridge layer, thought it was just the churchill

    • @inkedseahear
      @inkedseahear 5 років тому

      The British were all over the place with tank variants, there were like 3 different Churchill variants that could lay bridges (one of them being a bridge) and 2 Crusader/Covenanter variants

  • @KA-dx2kz
    @KA-dx2kz 5 років тому +1

    you got to do one on the Ram 2

  • @sophrapsune
    @sophrapsune 5 років тому

    David Fletcher, living legend.

  • @HRHtheDude
    @HRHtheDude 5 років тому +6

    Does Mr Willey pehaps have a top 5 in the collection?

    • @princeofcupspoc9073
      @princeofcupspoc9073 5 років тому +1

      There's a Fletcher top 5 but not Wiley yet.
      Why do I feel like the mod today. Hey Tank Chats, need a mod? :-)

    • @HRHtheDude
      @HRHtheDude 5 років тому

      @@princeofcupspoc9073 I know that dude, that's why I suggested Mr Willey.

  • @FromMyBrain
    @FromMyBrain 5 років тому

    For some reason imagining a Sherman with a ton of improvised armor cracking one of these things.

  • @sarinhighwind
    @sarinhighwind 5 років тому +23

    #teamfletcher

  • @nigelkingsley-lewis534
    @nigelkingsley-lewis534 5 років тому

    Welded aluminium was very advanced for those days, what type of welding procedure was used? Gas and stick welding required very corrosive flux and it was very hard to ensure all flux was removed so it is unusual for weldments of that time to survive very long. TIG welding known as Heliarc was still in the experimental stages and just being introduced in the US. BOC did not introduce their version of TIG which they called Argonaut until after the war.

    • @princeofcupspoc9073
      @princeofcupspoc9073 5 років тому

      My father tried to weld a wheel back on an aluminium cart when I was a kid. Did not go well. :-) From google:
      Tig welding was invented during world war 2.
      Mig welding was invented during the 1950's.
      I am not sure when the first aluminum stick rods were produced, but I think it was after ww2.

    • @nigelkingsley-lewis534
      @nigelkingsley-lewis534 5 років тому

      @@princeofcupspoc9073 Yes TIG or rather Heliarc as it was called back then was invented by the Linde corporation as part of the Manhattan project. It used Helium as a shielding gas hence the name, the US had a ban on Helium exports and as the US oil wells were just about the only source back then I would not think it was used for welding those bridges here in the UK. I have a collection of books which are bound copies of Metal progress published by The American Society For Metals. They cover the period from 1944 to 1949 and one of the has an add for the Heliarc welding process, there is also articles on welding armour and tank building as well as a lot of information on the Manhattan project and Uranium some of which was classified soon after the war but freely talked about in publications like these during the war.

    • @bettongmi4340
      @bettongmi4340 5 років тому

      I think David maybe got his wires crossed and is thinking of a different bridgelayer? The 30' bridges on the Covenanter bridgelayers in Australia at the NSW Lancer's museum, and the Army tank museum both show rust where the paint has gone, so they're definitely steel, the Lancer's one has rusted through in places. I doubt aluminium would be diverted during war time from aircraft production to build bridges for tanks.

    • @nigelkingsley-lewis534
      @nigelkingsley-lewis534 5 років тому

      @@bettongmi4340 You could well be right on that, I was looking through the books I mentioned last night and found an article on recycling aluminium and seems that it was not really possible back then. The US navy tried experimenting with aluminium recycling from aircraft and found too much contamination and impurities for any practical use other than the lowest grade castings so even re used aluminium is unlikely to have been used for bridges. War time metallurgy is really interesting, what with various shortages of materials and the need for unifying alloys (before the war every steel manufacturer had their own "secret" alloys) The US nearly ran out of Tin as the main source was the Malay peninsular which was in Japanese hands.

  • @zxbzxbzxb1
    @zxbzxbzxb1 5 років тому +1

    David should try starting a new religion. Put an altar in the museum and get him to preach about tanks for an hour once a week, think he'd get a good congregation going. Me for a start

  • @gOtze1337
    @gOtze1337 5 років тому +1

    where the brits the only one who used "brigdelayer-tanks"? i didnt even know they excisted already in ww2.

    • @niclas8777
      @niclas8777 5 років тому +1

      The German had a panzer iv in the beginning of the war but it didn't worked very well so it was abond again

  • @Erik_Taurus
    @Erik_Taurus 11 місяців тому

    This vehicle wasn't under the 79:th Armoured Division?

  • @testd32187
    @testd32187 5 років тому

    Please make Tank Santa do a special episode and post it on Christmas Eve!!!!

  • @bagsbunny
    @bagsbunny 5 років тому

    It's possible that they made the bridges foldable so they'd fit onto transport ships and landing craft more efficiently.

    • @chaz8758
      @chaz8758 5 років тому

      It did make it easier to transport but its main reason was to enable a long bridge to be carried and laid easily, the Churchill AVLB carried a one piece bridge that overhung at front and rear but it could not span as wide a gap.
      Easier to fold a 20m bridge in half to drive with than try and drive around with a bridge twice the length of the tank hanging over, with the driver trying to judge where the ends are, what they might hit at the front and back as they turn/slew.

  • @markfryer9880
    @markfryer9880 5 років тому +2

    Is this video still part of the Hobart Funnies series or just one of the more specialized Fighting Vehicles?

    • @princeofcupspoc9073
      @princeofcupspoc9073 5 років тому +1

      The Funnies include the Churchill ARK bridge layer, but this was a different project.

    • @chaz8758
      @chaz8758 5 років тому

      @@princeofcupspoc9073 The Churchill Ark was not a Bridge layer, it was more a mobile "Bridge" as it drove into the gap and over vehicles or troops crossed over using it.

  • @Skreezilla
    @Skreezilla 5 років тому

    The Italian Carro Armato L3 Bridge Layer is the better option! (not laughed so much as when i say a video of one - a tiny tankette with a Bridge it is just too funny)

  • @TheMiseriaCantare
    @TheMiseriaCantare 5 років тому

    and there is the commander who tells you what to do

  • @alpteknbaser7773
    @alpteknbaser7773 2 роки тому +1

    💪🎾

  • @Jay-ln1co
    @Jay-ln1co 5 років тому

    Threaded rod on treads.

  • @gumunduringigumundsson9344
    @gumunduringigumundsson9344 5 років тому

    Sweeeet!

  • @lewismacnab7248
    @lewismacnab7248 5 років тому

    Threaded rod

  • @0YouCanCallMeAl0
    @0YouCanCallMeAl0 5 років тому

    The start of the video is a bit confusing...

  • @lafouche345
    @lafouche345 5 років тому

    Sir David to me

  • @sirshotty7689
    @sirshotty7689 5 років тому +3

    If an enemy saw one from a distance, would they be scared that it's a super weapon or laugh because it looks kind of ridiculous?

    • @CallanElliott
      @CallanElliott 5 років тому +3

      Looks a little like some sort of tactical missile launcher...

    • @haven6410
      @haven6410 5 років тому

      I think if the enemy can see it you're doing bridgelaying wrong.

    • @sirshotty7689
      @sirshotty7689 5 років тому

      Why spend a minimal amount of money to create a vehicle that can lay bridges when you can spend massive amounts of money to make the tank aquatic and have this barely be used

    • @princeofcupspoc9073
      @princeofcupspoc9073 5 років тому

      Because it looks very similar to German "Brucken" tanks? No, it's pretty obvious what it is. Because it's not in your video game does not make it "strange."

    • @bagsbunny
      @bagsbunny 5 років тому

      They'd laugh. Right up until tanks and armoured cars and trucks full of infantry started swarming over what they thought was an uncrossable obstacle.

  • @1701spacecadet
    @1701spacecadet 5 років тому +1

    Another perfect example of British ingenuity developed by men in sheds.

  • @AmazingAce
    @AmazingAce 5 років тому +2

    t h r e a d e d r o d

  • @homelessEh
    @homelessEh 5 років тому +1

    some day we'll find that 1 thumbs downer! ..some day

  • @P-40Warhawk
    @P-40Warhawk 5 років тому

    The mustache of knowledge is irrefutable.

  • @davemacnicol8404
    @davemacnicol8404 3 роки тому

    Hey babe let's play a game called every time the words threaded Rod is used I get a b******

  • @Italianstallion-v2f
    @Italianstallion-v2f 5 років тому

    I want your babies David fletcher.