Valentine Mk. II - WWII British Infantry Tank

This is a limited-edition series build and will not restock after its initial production run.

About the Valentine Mk. II - WWII British Infantry Tank 

The Valentine may owe its name to the day its plans were delivered to the War Office—February 14, 1940—or to the acronym of its designers—Vickers-Armstrongs Limited Elswick & Newcastle upon Tyne. Regardless, the Valentine was popular, effective, and the most produced British tank of the war. Incorporating strengths of cruiser and infantry tanks, the Valentine was compact, more lightly armored, cheaper, and effective in both tanks roles. Entering service hurriedly, the Valentine was sent to the Eighth Army in North Africa in July 1941.

Debuting in the desert during Operation Crusader, the Valentine became a workhorse of the tank regiments. It was beloved for its reliability, particularly due to its engine, built by the same company that built London buses, and its ‘Bright Idea’ suspension. From the victory at El Alamein through the pursuit of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, some Valentines drove a remarkable 3,000 miles. This stalwart of the desert campaigns was quickly dubbed “the Desert Sweetheart. 

The Valentine Mk II carried a 2-pounder anti-tank gun and a BESA machine-gun. It was small and cramped, with a commander who doubled as the loader, a driver, and a gunner. An AEC A190 diesel engine provided a 15 mph top speed, and external fuel tanks supplemented the regular 90-mile range. Later versions had a larger gun, designated loader, and expanded turret. By 1945, factories in the United Kingdom and Canada had built 8,275 Valentines.

Equipped almost entirely with Valentines, the 23^rd Armoured Brigade arrived in Africa in summer 1942. The Brigade fought at First and Second Alamein and Alam el Halfa, before its Valentines helped chase the Afrika Korps back into Tunisia, securing victory in North Africa.