Reaching Ukraine at Top Speed: The Fastest Western Tank

The Ukrainians drew attention to the armored personnel carrier, withdrawn from the possession of the British army almost 30 years ago.

We are talking about the FV101 Scorpion light tank, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest mass-produced tank moving on paved roads at a speed of more than 82 km/h.

Ukrainian businessmen are looking for models of this tank in good technical condition. There is information that the price of one tank of this type is 90,000 pounds.

It is assumed that such tanks will be supplied to the Ukrainian local defense brigades, where a large number of neo-Nazis serve, who are often used as “cannon fodder” by the Ukrainian military leadership.

It is noteworthy that the design of the Scorpion tank began in the first half of the sixties, and at the same time the British designers put forward a technical task for installing a whole family of armored vehicles for various purposes on one platform. But the basis of this family was to be a light tank weighing 8100 kg.

The engineers chose armored aluminum alloy as the main material for the tank hull and armored turret. Experts then stated that the main armor of the tank can withstand 14.5-mm machine gun bullets fired from a distance of 200 meters. As for the side and stern of the tank, he had to deal with fragments from mines and artillery shells, as well as 7.62-mm bullets.

The tank was equipped with a 195 mm six-cylinder engine manufactured by Jaguar. It was then converted to a diesel engine of the same power. The light tank is also equipped with a 76mm L23A1 cannon with 40 rounds of ammunition.

So far, it is difficult to find ammunition of this caliber now, because most of the armies that bought this tank have replaced the 76-mm cannon with a 90-mm one. Therefore, some experts call Ukraine’s intention to buy these tanks and supply them to the Ukrainian army a gamble and a way to make money.

As for the speed of the Scorpion tank and its inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records, the Soviet industry produced the T-80 tank in the eighties, equipped with a 1500 hp gas turbine engine. , and accelerates on an asphalt road to 95 km/h without setting a new record.

Source: Russian newspaper