British - Tetrarch (15mm)

The Tetrarch Light Tank Mk.VII was a British light tank developed shortly before the Second World War and later became closely associated with British airborne forces. Armed with a 2-pounder (40mm) gun and a coaxial 7.92mm Besa machine gun, the Tetrarch combined a compact design with good mobility and was light enough to be transported into battle aboard the enormous General Aircraft Hamilcar glider. Its most famous deployment came during the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, when Tetrarchs of the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment were flown into France to support British airborne operations. Although its light armour and limited firepower left it vulnerable to heavier German vehicles, the Tetrarch provided valuable reconnaissance and infantry support during the early stages of the Normandy Campaign. Its unusual role as a glider-borne tank makes it one of the most distinctive British armoured vehicles of WWII.