Tank AA, 20 mm Quad, Skink

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Added photos to the post by Roger Lucy:

The records indicate that all three completed Skinks were built on Grizzly hulls. Pilot No.1 with the welded turret and HS guns (it was later refitted with a cast Polsten turret and sent to Borden) was according to one DND file on hull 62-918.

Skink roled plates turret.jpg
Welded rolled armour turret, with Hispano Suiza guns at full elevation. All hatches are open and the deflector sight deployed. Waterloo Manufacturing Company - 20 December, 1943.

Pilot No. 2, with a cast turret, was installed on Grizzly hull 62-727 (CT 163931) and sent to the UK for evaluation. It served in field trials in NW Europe in early 1945, after which it was returned to the UK - title was transferred to the UK account on 2 August 1945. It's fate is unknown.

Skink in trials CDP side view.jpg
Skink, as sent to England for trials, with all its markings and stowage. Notice the CDP tracks and "high bustle" turret

Pilot No.3 on Grizzly hull 62-728 (CT 163932) was sent to No.1 Proving Ground in Ottawa, it was photgraphed at the CNE in 1946. The eight completed but unmounted turrets were sent to Longue Pointe Ordnance Depot (LPOD), the last mention I have found of their existence was in 1947.

Skink 1945.jpg
Skink number 62-728 (WD Number CT163962) on display at Dennison Armouries - Toronto, Canada - 1946. VVSS Sherman tracks and sprocket.

Photos via http://panzerserra.blogspot.com/2011...n-aa-tank.html

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

So the Skink did see some action, although it did not do a lot more than setting a large number of buildings on fire using HE IT ammunition.

From a defunct website we learn some more:

A First Canadian Army evaluation report on the Skink read "In a ground support role, the vehicle was an infantry mop-up weapon, advancing with the second wave of armour to clean out infantry positions bypassed by the first wave. Using HEIT ammunition, the Skink proved most valuable in setting fire to buildings, thus forcing the enemy out into the open."

Other field reports described the effects of a burst of 20mm HEIT rounds directed at enemy-occupied buildings or hedgerows. In one instance, the Skink attacked a building occupied by 50 enemy soldiers. Ten of them were wounded by HEIT fragments, the others surrendered in terror. Another time, the Skink commander was fired on by a sniper. Unhurt but furious, the commander directed the Skink's guns to fire in the direction of the sniper. The 20mm's blasted away everything in the surrounding area and in moments the shaken sniper emerged.

[strat1]

A 4th turret has been located, used as a monument, the forth turret is sitting next to a War Memorial outside the Okanagan Indian Band, Band Office, British Columbia.

Anthony

[Hanno Spoelstra]

This turret cast is owned by the Historic Vehicle troop at LdSH(RC) at CFB Edmonton

Photos via Raymond Gedge

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