And from what I understand the USSR liked the design and many were lend leased to them, IIRC.
It was the #2 tank (in terms of volume) that the Russians received by Lend Lease. And they did indeed like it.
Although given the wide variance in versions, it is not entirely clear to me that all that volume, or opinions of it, should be lumped together as one tank. Maybe so, but maybe not.
if you look on the Russian military sites and the photographs, it was amazingly one of the first tanks into Berlin with their recce troops.
This is one aspect of Russian use that I find interesting. They considered it a light tank. They liked it for recon units.
Given that the British put it into service first as an Infantry Tank, and then later used it to fill in as a Cruiser Tank, it is something of an anomaly to observe that the Red Army, which may well have been the largest volume user of the Valentine, considered it a light tank.
It does speak to the very practical perspectives of the Red Army. The Valentine was probably seen as a better solution to what they tried to do with their T-70. Valentine had somewhat better firepower (2 pdr had better anti-armor performance than the Russian 45mm tank gun, and 6 pdr was a genuine step forward for a light tank). Valentine had very good reliability (engine, drive train, suspension all were mature and robust by 1942). It had good armor for a light tank (T-70 had decent armor for a light tank too, but the planned T-80 follow-on went even farther in armor before it was cancelled), and although it had a rather low road-speed, it seems that Valentine performed pretty well cross-country (a weakness of the T-60 / T-70 lineage).
Right up through mid-1943, for the Red Army light tanks were integral to larger tank formations. Almost 1/3 of all Russian tanks at Kursk were light tanks. The dismal performance of the T-70s at Kursk led to the Soviets shutting down all light tank production. In combat, the Valentine looks like an altogether more capable light tank. And, there was no longer any domestic supply. So yes please, may I have some more?
In 1942/43, the Valentine was really very useful to fulfill the light tank combat role.
Also, from what I have read of Russian commentaries, the Valentine was considered a notably quiet tank by Russian standards, which helps in a recon role.
Perhaps the real kicker was that it had a better turret / crew set-up. Looking at the T-70, I can't see how a TC could possibly maintain any sort of situational awareness in that thing. Which, for a light tank in a recon role, is kind of the whole point, you know?
So in 1943/44/45 the Valentine was the light tank that could fulfill the light tank recon role.
Or so I have concluded, from my readings.
-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)
covers the basics for this WWII theater of war.
And from what I understand the USSR liked the design and many were lend leased to them, IIRC.