"The Archer SP 17 pdr " Topic

"In order to "upgun" its available inventory to become more efficient predators against the growing armor thickness of German tanks in World War 2, the British Army took to modifying their Valentine infantry tanks to mount a more lethal gun of 76.2mm (known as the "17-pounder"). The "Archer", as the converted model came to be known, was unique in that it fitted the main gun in a fixed superstructure designed to fire over the rear engine compartment of the hull. As such, the vehicle could be set in key strategic positions and utilized moreso as an assault tank waiting for enemy targets. With the driver and front of the vehicle already pointed away from the enemy, the Archer crew could fire its lethal gun and displace to a new favorable position and repeat the action. Couple this guerilla style tactic with the vehicle's naturally low silhouette, and the Archer would see successes throughout the latter half of World War 2 while serving with the British Royal Artillery regiment…"
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Amicalement
Armand

The requirement for the driver to dismount while the gun is firing seems like a major flaw, esepcially for vehicle with the gun mounted with limited traverse in a fixed super structure.

Chris

The driver didn't have to dismount to fire. He did however have to be somewhat careful if the gun was traversed to the maximum extent to one particular side.
It was usual for the driver to be in place whilst firing. Kind of the selling point of the thing is the shoot a couple of rounds with the potential to quickly scoot.

As AONeill says, that's something of a myth. In any case, remember that it wasn't a tank or even a tank destroyer – it was an SP gun in much the same mould as truck-mounted portee guns. The towed 17pdr was an absolute bastard to move and this was infinitely preferable to the crews.

A couple of things: The Valentine SP 17pdr first saw action in Italy, not NW Europe (it was probably unique in that regard – new kit normally went to NWE first). It also wasn't known as the 'Archer' until after the war, when 'A' names were given to SPAT guns.

Do you like this model?

Amicalement
Armand

I've always kind of liked the valentine.
I met someone who was in valentines in N Africa way back in my youth.
I was particularly interested in desert war at the time and found his tales fascinating.
I've always thought the archer a cool bit of kit.

Large AT guns were considered to have a poor survival rate because they were so easy to spot once they fired and so hard to tow away.
Any armoured tracked box made them much more useful.
At least that's what I've read and it does seem logical.

Can't have been too bad given that they served for a good 10 years after the war

"I met someone who was in valentines in N Africa way back in my youth."

My headmaster at junior school commanded a Valentine in the desert. He had rather a large dent in his head as a consequence.

As noted above, it was a self propelled AT gun, much easier than towing the things around. Also a fairly successful design as it spend ten years after the war holding off the Red Hordes in Germany.

The Egyptians used them in the '56 Suez war, too.

There was a SP version of the 17Pdr using a drive train on the rear of the trails from what i remember. I,ll check tonight

Finally found it.
It was called the straussler after the inventor or "the monitor" was powered by a Bedford QL drive train on right hand side of the gun. When in use it gave the gun a 360 degree powered tarverse.

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