83:
272:
215:
355:
141:. The personnel of the Brigade are now being trained to drive and to repair the kind of tractors to be used. It is understood that a tractor fitted with caterpillar tracks has been officially recommended for the trials, which are to take place shortly in the Aldershot Command. It is urged in favour of mechanical draught that it is economical in man power since the personnel of a battery might be reduced to approximately one half, when compared with one relying on horse draught."
263:, with a 30 ft (9.1 m) footbridge. The two detachable steel beams which were carried on the side skirts of the Mark I may have been connected with this. By 1926 a Vickers Medium tank had also been adapted to be a bridgelayer, but with only a 16-foot (4.9 m) light girder bridge, it was found to be of no practical use.
116:, suggested in a lecture he gave in December 1919 that the army should organize the entirety of its transport on the basis of trucks; the infantry, artillery, and engineers should be carried in tracked tractors and cross-country trucks capable of transporting them swiftly and safely across the battlefield.
366:
Mark E: eight road wheels in two sets of paired bogies, quarter elliptical leaf spring suspension, and four return rollers. The side skirts on previous models were removed, leaving the running gear exposed. There was a distinctive shape to the tracks with the top run angled upwards towards the front.
309:
The Mark III appeared in around 1929. The tracks had 11 road wheels (5 pairs flat on the ground and 1 single at the front), and six return rollers. The solid side skirt/mud chutes had four oblong holes. Five vertical bars linked the body to the side skirt. The headlights gained modern-looking faired
279:
Distinguishing features include 11 road wheels (4 linked twin bogies, two separate wheels at the front, one at the rear), and five return rollers. The side skirt /mud chutes with 7 square holes, two vertical bars linking the side skirt to the main body. Headlights on stalks. Prominent upwards-facing
179:
took delivery of the supply variant in August 1922: subsequently two more prototypes were built, named the
Vickers Dragon Nos. 1 & 2 Artillery Tractor (experimental). While the Light Infantry and Tropical Tanks used a novel tensioned wire rope suspension, the prototype Dragons had conventional
420:
infantry tank was derived from the Mark IV Dragon. During trials of early
Matildas in 1936 the track pins failed constantly until relative height of drive sprocket and wheels were changed, and the rubber-tyred road rollers (which were subject to considerable wear) were replaced with steel ones.
148:, including variants such as an amphibious tank capable of 25 mph (40 km/h). Another of Johnson's designs was a 'Light Infantry Tank', also based on the Medium Mark D. Johnson visited India in 1922 to see for himself the sort of requirements needed for a tank for the
50:
The Mark I–III versions were purchased and used in quantity by the
British Army at the start of its mechanisation of the artillery during the inter-war period. The Mark IV version of the Medium Dragon was effectively a complete re-design, using the running gear from the
55:
tank, neither of which were adopted by the
British Army. The Army finally decided in 1935 to purchase only wheeled artillery tractors, and no more were sold in the UK, but the Medium Dragon Mark IV sold well in export versions up to 1937.
159:
air-cooled petrol V-8 of 90 hp (67 kW) was installed at the front on the left, with radiator intakes/louvres in the front panel (which were reproduced in the Mark I Dragon). It had rear wheel drive, like the
338:
The Mark IIIC had extra armouring apparently protecting the left-hand side crew. The headlight enclosures were squared-off, and the triangular engine cooling intake was turned downwards-facing on rh side front plate.
404:
Vickers exported considerably more Mark IVs (alongside 6-ton tanks) to foreign armies. 23 were sold to China in 1935 and India bought 18 tractors in 1937. In 1932 one vehicle was sold to the German company
283:
There was accommodation for eight men sitting sideways inside, plus two on rounded leather? seats at the rear aft of the ammunition boxes, plus a commander & driver at the front.
137:, to be "mechanicalised" for the purpose of practical experiments. All the horses of the Brigade, except those of the officers, have been withdrawn and sent to the
622:
Dragon, Medium
Artillery Tractor Mk.Is towing field guns during a military exercise, watched by King George V and a group of senior British officers (photo)
851:
180:
coil suspension based on that of the
Vickers Medium Mark I, with eleven small road wheels and six return rollers. This system was carried into production.
371:
310:
housings. The air intake appears to be situated on the rh sloping front plate. Squared-off seats aft of the ammunition boxes at the rear of the body.
43:. It was developed from the carrier version of a 'Tropical Tank' designed by Lt-Colonel Philip Johnson, using components from the running gear of the
144:
Lt-Colonel Philip
Johnson of the Tank Design Department had been involved in tank development since 1918. Early designs after the war included the
370:
Only twelve were sold to
British Army in 1935, which adopted the official name of Dragon, Medium, Mark IV: some of these went to France with the
82:
409:; in 1933 Finland bought 20, and the same year 26 Mark IVs in an anti-aircraft version were sold to the Siamese (Thai) Army, armed with a
401:), and the procurement of tracked artillery tractors was dropped. Nevertheless, Mark IIIC Medium Dragons were still being used in 1942.
1016:
995:
911:
71:
260:
1042:
930:
313:
The Mark IIIB had modified mud chutes/sideskirts with three large oval holes and two smaller vertical oval ones at each end.
183:
Vickers began a limited production run in 1923, with the delivery of 18 Dragons Mark I, initially towing the Army's main
375:
149:
222:
11 road wheels, six return rollers, side skirt running the length of the tracks like
Johnson's 'Tropical Supply Tank'.
93:
Although there had been previous efforts to motorise heavy artillery transport during the First World War, such as the
1109:
389:
In 1935 the Army decided to concentrate on using wheeled vehicles for towing all the army's artillery (such as the
271:
1114:
343:
859:
225:
The nine crew members sat on three rather exposed forward-facing benches, plus a commander and driver in front.
437:
253:
233:
1069:
A view looking down into the open interior of a Medium Dragon Mark IV gun tractor from the rear of the vehicle
383:
121:
198:, which had been placed on a permanent footing in September 1923, acquired its first Vickers Medium Tanks.
35:), produced in various versions from 1922 to 1937. The Medium Dragon towed a wide range of artillery, from
410:
245:
229:
169:
790:, War Department Technical Manuals, vol. 30–140, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1942, p. 157
648:
214:
176:
165:
161:
126:
106:
44:
787:
Handbook on the
British Army with supplements on the Royal Air Force and Civilian Defense Organizations
571:
194:
During 1923-4 the first two field artillery brigades were completely mechanized. At the same time the
813:
152:. The trip resulted in a 7-ton 'Tropical Tank', together with a 'supply' (ie load-carrying) variant.
138:
67:
769:
354:
256:. One was further transformed into a boxy armoured personnel carrier with rifle ports in the sides.
1079:
A side view of a Medium Dragon Mark IV gun tractor. Note the open ammunition boxes in the hull side
433:
Dragon Mk I (1922) : First production vehicles used to tow 18-pdr (84 mm) gun and limber.
362:
The Mark IV of c1932 was essentially a complete re-design, incorporating the running gear from the
241:
102:
70:
for towing light artillery, with a similar name but of a completely different design based on the
972:
964:
156:
125:
reported that "The War Office have given instructions for the four batteries of the 9th Brigade,
98:
32:
1038:
1012:
991:
985:
926:
907:
785:
526:
406:
334:
Ammunition: 128 rounds of field gun ammo, stored in outwards-facing boxes with drop-down sides
188:
134:
86:
40:
36:
24:
252:
from 1922. The crew benches were removed, and an armoured body fitted with the turret from a
1104:
956:
725:
489:
417:
195:
130:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
765:
736:
714:
620:
595:
490:"A Royal Field Artillery 18-pounder battery towed into position on the Western Front, 1914"
301:
The Medium Dragon Mark II* had some minor changes, including re-designed ammunition boxes.
119:
By late 1921 the War Office had begun the process of mechanising the Army's artillery. The
941:
342:
A 1942 US manual on the British Army shows a Medium Dragon Mark IIIC towing a 152 mm
237:
28:
249:
1098:
468:
363:
298:
in c1923 watching Army exercises, including his inspection of a Medium Dragon Mk II.
291:
287:
145:
52:
987:
The Tank Factory: British Military Vehicle Development and the Chobham Establishment
976:
446:
Dragon Medium Mk II : 2nd version using components of the Vickers Medium tank.
94:
1057:
984:
Suttie, William (2015). "British Tank Development following the First World War".
689:
635:
1006:
886:
218:
Medium Dragon Mark I towing an 18-pounder (84 mm) field gun and ammunition limber
398:
390:
378:
6-cylinder inline water-cooled diesel engine as fitted to London buses (eg the
737:
Dragon, Medium Artillery Tractor Mk.II* of 10th Medium Battery, Royal Artillery
1089:
960:
925:. New Vanguard No. 8. Illustrated by Peter Sarson. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
379:
113:
394:
295:
184:
112:
Major-general Sir Louis Jackson, formerly Director of Trench Warfare at the
968:
436:
Dragon Mk 1 : Experimentally fitted with a body, and turret of
101:
and the Foster-Daimler Artillery Tractor to tow (in five loads) the
533:. (Reprinted from the United Service Gazette, December 29, 1921).
464:
Dragon Medium Mk IIIC : Revised engine air flow arrangements.
386:
4-cylinder petrol engine developing 91.5 bhp (68.2 kW).
353:
325:
Engine: air-cooled Armstrong-Siddley, same as in the Medium tanks.
270:
213:
206:
The Medium Dragon was produced in four main versions, Marks I-IV.
81:
467:
Dragon Medium Mark IV : New version using components of the
259:
Experiments were also made with the Mark I Dragon to use it as a
1064:
Medium Dragon Mark IV in the snow, towing a 60 pounder field gun
596:
Photograph: "Dragon, Medium Artillery Tractor Mk.I (Prototype)."
461:
Dragon Medium Mk IIIB : Modified sideskirts and mud chutes.
1084:
A rear threequarter view of a Medium Dragon Mark IV gun tractor
443:
Dragon Medium Mk I : 30-foot (9.1 m) bridge carrier.
942:"Doctrine and Organization in the British Army, 1919-1932"
548:
546:
544:
374:
at the start of WWII. The UK versions were fitted with an
452:
Dragon Medium Mk II : Experimental signals version.
105:, the vast majority of British field artillery was still
748:
746:
744:
280:
triangular air intake in the centre of the front plate.
852:"Vickers-Armstrong Dragon series of artillery tractors"
671:
669:
416:
According to David Fletcher, the running gear of the
726:
Pathé newsreel of King George V at Aldershot (1923?)
358:Medium Dragon Mark IV with 60-pounder (127 mm) gun
897:(1). United States Coast Artillery Association.
458:Dragon Medium Mk IIIA : Improved Mark III.
275:Medium Dragon Mark II*, three-quarter rear view
904:Making Tracks: British Carrier Story 1914-1972
89:and its limber being towed by six horses, 1918
8:
1090:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HUfbpO1JQc
955:(2). Cambridge University Press: 497–515.
902:Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris (1973).
1058:Vickers Medium Tank with photo of engine
838:
814:"British Tanks of the Inter-war Decades"
780:
778:
449:Dragon Medium Mk II* Modified Dragon II.
240:took over responsibility and control of
481:
800:
752:
607:
552:
531:Journal of the United States Artillery
513:
382:). Export versions were powered by an
649:"Two Dragons, or a Seal and a Walrus"
565:
563:
561:
7:
675:
537:. Artillery School Press: 241. 1922.
527:"Motorizing English Field Artillery"
1008:British Tanks: The Second World War
647:Legate, Bryan (8 September 2014).
23:was a fully-tracked British field
14:
328:Speed: 16 mph (26 km/h)
66:Vickers-Armstrongs also made the
694:Arcane Fighting Vehicles - AFVs
625:, Imperial War Museum, STT 4794
570:Lister, David (11 April 2019).
1037:, HM Stationery Office Books,
891:The Coast Antiaircraft Journal
572:"Johnsons Light Tropical Tank"
411:QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom"
41:BL 60-pounder heavy field guns
1:
923:Matilda Infantry Tank 1938–45
60:
455:Dragon Medium Mk III (c1929)
87:18 pounder (84 mm) field gun
940:French, David (June 2001).
885:Benson, C. C. (July 1929).
1131:
764:Two photos of Mark IIIAs:
228:Two were converted by the
961:10.1017/S0018246X01001868
887:"Mechanisation in Europe"
690:"The Vickers Medium Tank"
636:Another photo of a Mark I
344:BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer
246:Trans-Jordan protectorate
16:British artillery tractor
1033:Fletcher, David (1991),
921:Fletcher, David (1994).
906:. Profile Publications.
438:Rolls-Royce armoured car
254:Rolls-Royce armoured car
234:RAF Armoured Car Company
232:Woolwich for use by the
72:Vickers Light Tank Mk II
1011:. Casemate Publishers.
770:Medium Dragon Mark IIIA
766:Medium Dragon Mark IIIA
715:Dragon, Medium, Mark II
384:Armstrong-Siddeley Puma
949:The Historical Journal
653:Royal Air Force Museum
576:The Online Tank Museum
359:
305:Medium Dragon Mark III
276:
230:Royal Ordnance Factory
219:
170:Vickers Medium Mark II
122:United Service Gazette
90:
78:Design and development
1074:Medium Dragon Mark IV
990:. The History Press.
357:
350:Medium Dragon Mark IV
274:
267:Medium Dragon Mark II
217:
177:Royal Field Artillery
175:The 9th (IX) Brigade
166:Vickers Medium Mark I
162:Medium Mark A Whippet
127:Royal Field Artillery
85:
45:Vickers Medium Mark I
37:18-pounder field guns
21:Vickers Medium Dragon
494:National Army Museum
322:Weight: about 9 tons
68:Light Dragon tractor
818:Alternative Finland
242:Mandatory Palestine
187:, the (84 mm)
150:North-West Frontier
129:, now stationed at
103:BL 15-inch howitzer
1110:Artillery tractors
1005:Ware, Pat (2011).
688:Matthews, Graham.
360:
277:
220:
202:Production history
157:Armstrong Siddeley
139:Remount Department
99:Gun Carrier Mark I
91:
33:Vickers-Armstrongs
555:, p. needed.
407:Siemens-Schuckert
189:QF 18-pounder gun
135:Aldershot Command
25:artillery tractor
1122:
1115:Tracked vehicles
1047:
1035:Mechanised Force
1022:
1001:
980:
946:
936:
917:
898:
872:
871:
869:
867:
862:on 12 March 2015
858:. Archived from
848:
842:
836:
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829:
827:
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804:
798:
792:
791:
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773:
762:
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539:
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523:
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511:
505:
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486:
397:"Quad", and the
331:Capacity: 11 men
196:Royal Tank Corps
65:
62:
1130:
1129:
1125:
1124:
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1121:
1120:
1119:
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1094:
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1032:
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1027:Further reading
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508:
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483:
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427:
352:
307:
269:
212:
204:
155:The engine, an
80:
63:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1128:
1126:
1118:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1097:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
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1053:
1052:External links
1050:
1049:
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755:, p. 369.
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678:, p. 192.
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598:IWM Collection
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261:Bridge carrier
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250:parts of Iraq
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146:Medium Mark D
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53:Vickers 6-ton
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34:
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26:
22:
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1007:
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948:
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890:
879:Bibliography
864:. Retrieved
860:the original
856:Jedsite.info
855:
846:
841:, p. 4.
834:
822:. Retrieved
817:
808:
796:
786:
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709:
697:. Retrieved
693:
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656:. Retrieved
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579:. Retrieved
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95:Holt tractor
92:
58:
49:
20:
18:
1060:- Geocities
801:Suttie 2015
753:Benson 1929
713:IWM photo:
608:French 2001
553:Suttie 2015
514:French 2001
399:AEC Matador
391:Morris CDSW
290:film shows
107:horse-drawn
64: 1929
1099:Categories
1044:0112904874
932:1855324571
476:References
380:AEC Q-type
288:Pathé News
114:War Office
1088:Video at
676:Ware 2011
418:Matilda I
395:Morris C8
296:Aldershot
236:when the
185:field gun
133:, in the
977:43202707
699:12 April
425:Variants
27:made by
1105:Vickers
969:3133617
866:6 April
824:9 April
658:8 April
581:8 April
499:9 April
172:tanks.
131:Deepcut
47:tank.
31:(later
29:Vickers
1041:
1015:
994:
975:
967:
929:
910:
820:. 2014
97:, the
973:S2CID
965:JSTOR
945:(PDF)
471:tank.
59:From
1039:ISBN
1013:ISBN
992:ISBN
927:ISBN
908:ISBN
868:2020
826:2020
768:and
701:2020
660:2020
583:2020
501:2020
317:Data
248:and
168:and
164:and
19:The
957:doi
376:AEC
372:BEF
294:at
238:RAF
109:.
39:to
1101::
971:.
963:.
953:44
951:.
947:.
895:71
893:.
889:.
854:.
816:.
777:^
743:^
692:.
668:^
651:.
574:.
560:^
543:^
535:56
529:.
492:.
413:.
346:.
286:A
244:,
191:.
74:.
61:c.
1021:.
1000:.
979:.
959::
935:.
916:.
870:.
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803:.
772:.
703:.
662:.
585:.
503:.
440:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
