Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: A.10, Cruiser II, Pt 2

And part two of this early-war British tank. Not a bad attempt, considering.

[@EvilTwinn]

Andre the camera guy, your sacrifices will be remembered!

[@readhistory2023]

at the tomb of the unknown cameraman?

[@twirlipofthemists3201]

Hopefully at the pub first.

[@osmacar5331]

@@readhistory2023 not sure, that after naned, or the forsaken?

[@sillysausage4549]

Nah, he's long forgotten

[@qunt2742]

A weird hatch arrangement and we got no "Oh my god, the tank is on fire"? You're slipping Nicholas

[@qunt2742]

wood1155 I certainly hope it wasn't, if it was, his ability to maintain his composure is great.

[@joewilson3575]

Well if it was on fire, the driver may be primarily concerned about the fuel tank he's sat next to and will have to climb on to escape.

[@DavidPT40]

Notice the instrument panel over his left shoulder? That is just sitting there. I think he didn't want to knock that down.

[@steeljawX]

I think with the A. 10, the more common saying was, "Oh my god, the driver is on fire." I mean in hindsight....putting a fuel tank next to the driver....

[@Detoyato]

The Abrams has two fuel tanks next to the driver... Putting fuel tanks next to drivers is a bit common on tanks.

[@kaleu6]

No fire drill? I'm emotionally crushed. :-)

[@MilesStratton]

I am disappoint Chieftain, no "Oh my god, the tank's on fire!" test?

[@croncorcen]

what the hell was that for?

[@blackbird8632]

Daniel The Big Beast! Holy fuck dude that was so edgy! You must be the badass of your middle schooll.

[@osmacar5331]

Early english ww2 tanks

[@mattdickson2]

that's cuz unless you are in the turret you are most likely a dead man.

[@andrewcoley6029]

An eye opener as to how advanced the A10 seemed compared to contempories like the Matilda Mark 1. Really interesting as usual. Top film. Very informative. Thank you.

[@neurofiedyamato8763]

Your deadpan humor on tank comfort always make these videos a blast to watch. I smile and laugh so much while learning. You really should do a 'Oh my god, the tank is on fire' drill as the driver lol.

[@sirlorax9744]

A moment of silence for chieftains camera man

[@ZGryphon]

press "f" to pay respects

[@jimsmith7445]

Yet another good VLOG!*** I'm a war board game player (PanzerBlitz, Panzer Leader, Squad Leader, etc)... and I'm trying to make sense of all the wonderful information you're putting out here... and how it would affect how I would use armor in a tactical war game. I don't know IF you would do this, BUT... it would be fantastic to see how a tank crew went into battle, and how they worked together... how long to load, fire, and how they get bumped about. I am imagining that not knowing how close the shells were falling, or how close enemy tanks were around you, would produce a great deal of "jumpiness".I say this because I am a fiction writer as well... and I'd love to bring a better and more plausible view to a scene where a crew would have to fight and perhaps save themselves from being hit... who would die, who would escape? Does any of that interest you at all? Would love to know around how large some of these tankers were, in the day.

[@Gamer_1745]

Thanks I really enjoyed it! So glad you are covering early tanks!

[@M29WeaselDriver]

Another great video! Thank you for making these!

[@snapper2497]

Another great video Nick, thank you!

[@barrbrown12]

Great video, always entertaining and informative. Always makes me happy to see someone doing their dream job so well.

[@random3362]

Wonderful review as always. Thank you for your work.

[@lhkraut]

Outstanding, as always!

[@Redchrome1]

Awesome as always! Would have loved to see more!

[@GeneralJackRipper]

I skipped over a Flight Chops video for this, and I'm a Commercial Pilot. Yes, I love tanks this much.

[@TokyoCraftsman]

Kudos Andre! Cheers from Tokyo

[@biobak123]

Nicholas you rule! Keep on going with these great vids!

[@VekhGaming]

Interesting, looks like my crew is fairly comfortable inside the tank in-game xD

[@Roblstar]

Thank you. I have really been enjoying your video's. If you have not already? When you do the Valentine. I would really like to know more about them, as used in Russian service. In a list of Russian tank Ace's. I did see one that included a Valentine Commander once. Anything more, than they were valued as a good reliable second line tank in Russian service, would be very interesting! Especially any unuasual actions they were involved in. Thank you ; )

[@harpomarx7777]

Thanks for enduring all those bashes and scrapes to show us this tank, mate.

[@MDavidW100]

Nick - love these!

[@hakdov6496]

Have you ever read Robert Crisp's book - The God's Were Neutral? It was his account of the Greek campaign as a tank commander in an A-10. Almost all of the British tanks broke down without ever seeing combat.

[@johnbagsic2960]

that wasnt agonizing at all... great job sir.

[@freighterjohn]

Fantastic, sir!

[@RyanLackey]

It would be cool if you did a making-of video about one of these videos, showing setup, crew, editing, etc.

[@jackdarbyshire5888]

Another great video as always, someday i hope to visit the tank museum but for now this will suffice and tank chats 😀

[@sheep21]

another great vid Nicholas. Would love to see one on the valentine.

[@RaduB.]

sheep21 A Valentine would be great!

[@doitatit]

Great fun as ever ! How gutsy would you have to be to get in these beasts and slog it out. Just mind boggling.

[@Charles-xe2qh]

Hello Chieftain! As always, great content. I have a question. What has been your favourite WWII tank so far? Usually you seem to find the ergonomics/crew comfort/optics pretty bad. Which of the WWII tanks so far have been best on this? And did those good factors make for a great tank overall, or were they outweighed by other bad design issues?

[@StormwatchNZ]

I would love to see something about the Valentine tank. It seems to be quite a forgotten tank, yet it was the most produced British tank and saw the widest service of pretty much all allied tanks, except for possibly the Sherman, I guess it was just an glamorous workhorse...

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Kudos on the audiomix on this one.

[@ethanmckinney203]

Bless you for this! I've been trying to find interior photos of the Cruiser Mk. I (A9) and Mk. II (A10) for many years. And now you show all of this! I only wish that we'd had the opportunity to see inside the Mk. I (A9) because I'm fascinated by the machine gun turrets. What sort of visibility did the gunners have? Were the sub-turrets manual or were they also powered?

[@ret7army]

hmmm a good tour, looking forward to the Valentine and others including, sometime I hope, the Tiger.

[@philgray8811]

The A10 also saw service as a German beutepanzer on the Russian Front in 1941, supporting Panzer II Flamingos.

[@Jesses001]

Unusually comfortable tank for its time to operate. I mean there are places for things like legs, and heads. Normally a lot of tanks, especially Russian ones, kind of forgot that humans had to be inside them sometimes.

[@ericscarburry8527]

Good video!

[@fenrirtyr8577]

So I have a few questions: 1. Can we get inside the wee pz. II some time in the near future? 2. Is there a video you made on chieftain? 3.where does one learn to entertain the masses of tank enthusiasts like myself who have the attention span of a lab pup while still giving out a stream of information? 4. Would you care to cover the logistical side of the vehicles(recovery vehicles, resupply, getting the boom sticks inside the tank, etc.) Thanks

[@MrMarinus18]

I am still hoping you would do more German tanks, especially the Panzer IV and the Sturmgeshutz. It's weird that you haven't done them as they saw an incredible amount of action.

[@alexfogg236]

Could you review the Canadian Ram tank next?

[@mattdickson2]

alex fogg you mean the maple scented budget Sherman?

[@Cthippo1]

24 minutes is a good duration for a really fine lay.

[@arn_ice]

It at the very least looks like something I'd draw as a tank and I imagine as an infantry man versus infantry I'd be glad to have with me. Just that runng up against a Panzer III (heck even PzII with HVAP or somthing like that) could get deadly. The PzII's autocannon-mg combo making it extra deadly to infantry.

[@jamescolebourn2547]

I can see an "oh my god the tank is on fire" test going badly wrong for the driver. When's that segment being released? :)

[@gwiazdapioun2127]

Petition to let the cameraman and other members of the Chieftain's crew have their own episode of Top 5 Tanks, where they get to talk about their favourite machines and the Chieftain will film them.

[@simongee8928]

And a drawback of the forward folding hatch was that the TC had to expose a lot of himself to be able to see forward thus also to enemy riflemen.

[@MRKapcer13]

Andrei is the real MVP

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

Again, early war goodness. All that was missing is if you had pointed the camera at the inside of the subsidiary turrets and driver position of the A9 for a brief comparison (possibly with the comment of "you think i'm going to clamber in there? nope, not going to happen")

[@failequalsuccess]

Now that you have shown us the quirks and features, could you give the tank a Chieftain score?

[@USSWisconson]

Proof the A-10 was invented for WWII. 10/10

[@Rook9696]

the moment you were talking about the driver's hatch i was expecting "oh bugger the tank's on fire" and i was disappointed

[@beencybouncyburger]

"...some A10 and A9s presumably dragged out of some pre-war museum. They were great ponderous things about as large as a prefabricated house and just as flimsy" - approximate quote from *Brazen Chariots* by Robert Crisp, who had just in '41 gotten back to Egypt from Greece. In the same book he makes a crack about the one he left behind perhaps now being a home for a family of Greek shepherds. In his other book, describing the Greek campaign (*The Gods Were Neutral*), he described his experience with the clapped out a10s sent to Greece in more detail. Including the moment one of his element deliberately (he believes) threw a track. Any tank you can deliberately throw a track on... it's, well, it's something.

[@donjones4719]

Perhaps the commander's all round vision was intended to be achieved by the astounding traverse speed. 360 in 10 seconds? 90 degrees right - 2.5 seconds. Rearward - another 2.5. Etc. The spots for the commander's & gunner's left knees - maybe to brace against while spinning. Note the pad for the commander.

[@alessiodecarolis]

The strange thing is the lack of a commander's cupola, this could've improved the latter's vision, plus the inutility of bow mg, in US' & german tanks the radio was in the hull, so it was justified, but in these ones it was in the turret, the space could've been employed for more rounds (as in the Firefly)

[@adamwarnock5695]

If the insides are still intact will you ever get around to doing a t95 or t34 video?

[@notbadsince97]

I really want a video on a Panzer 3, 4 and Stug... thank you very much

[@Akm72]

I thought the 'A10' part of the designation was separate from the 'Cruiser Tank Mk. II' part, being a General Staff number allocated on request of a design and the second part being the actual service name of the tank (prior to actual names being allocated when Churchill insisted on them in 1940).

[@ivanafterfive]

Considering most use the derp gun in the game it's fitting it's a CS version in the video.

[@Wabaanimkii]

I request a tour of the Russian T-26, prefer the conical turret version, but I'll take any detailed look inside. Thank you!

[@korblborp]

That's positively roomy compared to a lot of the others I've seen you cover

[@hammerheadeagleithrustakag9289]

Best teir 3 derp monster

[@blazer9105]

Heavy tank T29/T34 inside the hatch video would be pretty cool to see

[@Uncle_Spam]

I want to see the Matilda 1 and the light MK VI. I can only imagine how cramped they are

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

They used to have a shot up Matilda 1 in the children area by the main entrance. It was used as a climbing frame as literally it was just the side hull plates, a couple of roof panels and a turret left. Well I climbed in (because it was there) and can confirm that the turret would be all well and good, if cramped, if you did not have to also squeeze a machine gun in there as well.

[@fallout0624]

Never opened a video so fast

[@ExUSSailor]

So, are they going to let you do one of these videos for Tiger 131?

[@Charles-xe2qh]

This tank was actually very interesting from the point of view that it looks really rather amateurish but actually seemed to incorporate a good deal of modern design features. It seems to have been much better than it looked.

[@WeebLord69]

This tank was trash of the trash. Absolutely beyond obsolete even when it was created

[@Doiteify]

I am 6'5 I feel yours and Andres pain.

[@derekmcmanus1423]

Surprised to see how roomy this little tank is.

[@Akm72]

Vickers Armstrong was our most experienced tank design company pre-war, I guess this tank shows off their skills.

[@PsilocybinCocktail]

I was surprised how imposing it was when I came face to face with it at Bovvie; it's not actually little and that big boxy turret gives you pause.

[@RaduB.]

Hi! My thoughts exactly. Surprisingly spacious!

[@neurofiedyamato8763]

Yea I was surprised how spacious that thing was. Its really the massive tanks that are surprisingly cramp

[@Detoyato]

I mean the armoured walls of a fighting compartment takes up a lot of space... Thinly armoured vehicles like this would have a bit more room inside compared to something similarly sized but more protected.

[@mbt808]

This tank must have been too easy to get out of, cause there was no “Oh my god! The tank is on fire!” Test. Or maybe the chieftain is saving that for an upcoming series where he challenges 3 contestants to get out of a tank as quickly as possible and the winner gets a free tank, plane, or ship.

[@PCGHX]

Waiting for Panzer 1 and 2.... hopefully one day ;)

[@michaelcoulter1114]

Apparently, these tanks never brewed up, since there was no "oh bugger, the tank's on fire" segment. Every British tank should have shared in whatever sorcery rendered the Cruiser Mark II fireproof!

[@ericamborsky3230]

I wonder if the smoke shells the close support version fired were all actual smoke shells or if they also had a number of shells similar to one of the types of "smoke" shells that the Americans had.

[@paulmanson253]

Tell whoever did the sound mixing,I for one am grateful that bloody awful music did not overwhelm the monologue,the information stream I came here for. Given how awful some of the vids are,I will take what I can get. Nice presentation overall.

[@Tinblitz]

Couldn't agree more. That's why, as much as I enjoy these videos, I prefer his quick, unedited wanders around tank museums instead.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

It took 'em a bit but it seems they've finally got their audiomix down.

[@deadendfriends1975]

No bloopers ?

[@roberth.goddardthefatherof6376]

Do the best all round tank of the war please. the M4A3(76)w HVSS

[@bananabong4911]

I dont know if somebody said this before but there is a youtuber called potetial history who "copied" the inside the chieftains hatch videos and did an inside the hatch video on the ha-go and its actually pretty good

[@matthewcraver9917]

It'd be nice to see your review of a Valentine

[@1mymm]

A1E1 independent please?

[@linsluse]

Will there be one of the King Tiger?

[@brooksbrown580]

For 1940 These were good Tanks, The British designed practical Tanks, but reliability issues plagued most British Tanks , for some reason British Tank Engines were constantly over heating, losing oil pressure, and easily choked up with dust and dirt, which is strange as British Aircraft Engines were absolutely reliable and gave few problems, These Tanks were quickly replaced and withdrawn from front line service, many being used as training vehicles, and with turrets removed, tow vehicles, and some converted to ammunition carrier's.

[@jimbo9305]

"All the commander has to do is stick his head out and yell a lot." Oh, you mean doing his job.

[@torbai]

Another call for Medium Tank M4A3 76W HVSS video.

[@josephsatricleofevillanuev3194]

Press "F" to pay respects for Andre the cameraman.

[@Oddant1]

Obviously you're biased towards world of tanks but I would be interested to hear what you think about the ground combat part of war thunder?

[@zetman19]

very nice Nick,could we have any walkaround of its AEC Type A179 6 cylinder 150hp petrol engine,an a last question...what colour is the inner, white or silver? Thank you in advance and look forward hearing from you.

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

Inner of the tank? That particular one is a sort of dirty yellow. Most British tanks are silver.

[@zetman19]

Thank you, thats what I know too. I have seen the particular.Due to constructing it as a scale model at the moment, and would like to leave some hatches opened ,like engine compartment, I am seeking for any AEC Type A179 6 cylinder 150hp petrol engine photos..So far,I have found nothing.Any help would be much appreciated.

[@JenoSnetrem]

Aww no bloopers on this one? Oh well, still interesting :)

[@kmoecub]

"But if you wanted a really fine lay..."

[@twirlipofthemists3201]

Takes more than 24 minutes imho.

[@vombatti888]

"next up, the front hole..."

[@DavidPT40]

I was impressed by the design of the A.10 Cruiser II. Pretty modern for 1940. I was also wanting to see a "Oh my god, the tank is on fire". But I figured the instrument panel was in the way for that one.

[@Akm72]

The tank actually started development in 1936 as far as I recall, started production in 1939 and was delivered, straight to the front line, in 1940.

[@Akm72]

Just to correct myself, development of the A9 and A10 started at the same time in 1934. It was the A12 (Matilda) and A13 that started development in 1936. The A10 was originally intended to be an infantry tank variant of the A9, but they eventually realised that 30mm of armour wasn't sufficient for the role which is why they built the A11 and eventually the A12. The A10 was briefly cancelled, then resurrected as a heavy cruiser tank.

[@TheNordhammer]

The Soviet A-20 and A-32 '37-'38 The German Pz III and Pz IV '36- '37 The Crusier Mk II "pretty modern" is a generous term.

[@Akm72]

I took him to be talking about the design of the inside of the tank rather than overall and the A9/A10 duo were initiated a couple of years earlier than those tanks.

[@TheNordhammer]

Crusier MK II's prototype 1936 Initial design laid out in 1934 The PZ IV's prototype 1936 The PZ III's prototype 1936 The initial design of the PZ III & IV laid out in 1934. And for 1940 pretty modern was the Soviet A-32.

[@axlemarley3082]

13:45 so does that mean we're getting a valentine video soon??

[@o0rah]

4:26 i'm pretty sure just about everyone is a little shorter than you

[@wuppieigor]

I am betting I am quite a bit taller, 1.94m Edit he beats me by 1-2 cm

[@cobalt2361]

2m over here lol

[@mikkelborg241]

Oh, my god, the tank is on fire?!?!?

[@vaclav_fejt]

A significant emotional event indeed.

[@LensMega]

whaaat a prewar tank that Chieftain finds comfortable?

[@1337flite]

Did I miss it's? I don't think the tank caught fire (OMG!!)

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

ELC when?

[@johnmartin4639]

the tiger took 30 seconds for a full 360°traverse at 50% engine speed

[@Guy_GuyGuy]

You mentioned in part 1 that that 3.7 inch gun in the A10 was a mortar and not a howitzer. What is the distinction?

[@PsilocybinCocktail]

I would suspect projectile velocity. A mortar would consist of a weapon with a thin-walled barrel firing a relatively low-velocity round out to short ranges; a howitzer would have a far more substantial barrel with associated expensive bits and pieces, firing shells with far less explosive content, but out to much greater ranges. I say "suspect" as I cannot find anything specific about the weapon itself - so a bit of a fudge, I'm afraid!

[@comrademcsalty7676]

Mortar-->smoothbore / Howitzer--> rifled ?

[@Guy_GuyGuy]

bob llama, I don't think so, at 13:06 you can clearly see the rifling.

[@deepbludreams]

+Bob Llama Motars can be rifled, i think it has to do more with how low pressure the cartridge is then anything, this has a really thin barrel for such a high caliber, suggesting it has very low chamber pressure and thus **very** short range. I think it goes this way, Howitzers can be used in direct fire and indirect fire, cannons can only do direct fire, Mortars can only do indirect fire [guessing by how slow the projectile speed is, the barrel is pointing at the sky with this firing at any substantial range.]

[@HirooKoslov]

Mortars are basically cheaper to produce, lower velocity and range versions of a howitzer. You could make a mortar out of much thinner and shorter steel compared to a howitzer, but a howitzer shoots much further and is probably more durable.

[@monsieurfoupierre]

was that a Frog? Rivet rivet

[@jasonscott8844]

As the tc of this tank I would happily sacrifice my leg if it made the main gunner better. Lol

[@davidgaither5468]

I love the Chieftain and all he does. But for the love of god I cant tell if he is from The States, Canada, Or England.

[@fatman6061]

Ireland

[@gordonlawrence4749]

I was just wondering if the hatch would be proof against 50 cal. It looks like it might be to my untrained eye.

[@twirlipofthemists3201]

IDK, but if it didn't penetrate I bet a .50 might shut the hatch on you.

[@peterhudyman5052]

Love your videos...especially happy your showing early war tanks...gunner visibility...atrocious...usual British tank bias showing...