Bishop (artillery)
| Ordnance QF 25-pdr on Carrier Valentine 25-pdr Mk 1 "Bishop" | |
|---|---|
Bishop in the Western Desert, September 1942 | |
| Type | Self-propelled gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942 |
| Used by | British Commonwealth Turkey |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1941 |
| Manufacturer | Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company |
| Produced | 1942–1943 |
| No. built | 149 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 17.5 t (38,580 lb) |
| Length | 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) |
| Height | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Crew | 4 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver) |
| Elevation | -5° to +15° |
| Traverse | 8° |
| Armour | hull: 0.31–2.36 in (8-60 mm) superstructure: 0.51–2 in (13–51 mm) |
Main armament | QF 25 pounder gun-howitzer with 32 rounds |
Secondary armament | 0.303 inch Bren light machine gun |
| Engine | AEC A190 diesel 131 hp (98 kW) |
| Power/weight | 7.4 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | coil sprung three-wheel bogies |
Operational range | 90 mi (145 km) |
| Maximum speed | 15 mph (24 km/h) |
The Bishop, formal designation Ordnance QF 25-pdr on Carrier Valentine 25-pdr Mk 1, was a British self-propelled gun vehicle based on the Valentine tank and armed with the QF 25-pounder gun-howitzer, which could fire an 87.6 mm (3.45 in) 11.5 kg (25 lb) HE shell or an armour-piercing shell. A result of a rushed attempt to create a self-propelled gun, the vehicle had numerous problems, was produced in limited numbers and was soon replaced by better designs.