The main difference between Skink and Grizzly tank turrets, apart from the obvious, is that the turret traverse motors were in effect doubled up to increase the speed of the traverse to enable the gunners to follow the enemy aircraft as they zoomed across the sky. On 23rd August 1944, the Canadian Department of Munitions and Supply was advised by the Department of National Defence that the program should be cancelled.
Specification OA 283 of the final design was issued at the beginning of 1944, and one pilot vehicle was shipped to England.Īllied air supremacy in North West Europe meant that there was no longer any need for this type of vehicle. Plans were prepared and a mock-up of this specially designed turret was built at the end of 1943. They fired High Explosive Incendiary Tracer (HEIT) rounds as well as Armor Piercing Rounds. The Hispano-Suiza guns were in high demand for anti-aircraft mounts on Royal Navy ships and for use on RAF airfields. It was originally designed with Hispano-Suiza guns but the 20mm Polsten cannons were found to be the better option as there were more available. It had a modified M4A1 cast turret designed to mount four 20mm Polsten machine guns instead of the standard 75mm main gun and coaxial machine gun. It was based on a modified Canadian built Grizzly 1 medium tank, a license built M4A1 Sherman tank. The Skink was officially designated the Tank A.A. Skink Anti-Aircraft Grizzly Tank (TKC No.
The original program called for production of 135 complete Skink Anti-aircraft Grizzly Tanks for the use of the Canadian Army and an additional 130 Skink Anti-Aircraft Grizzly Tanks to meet British requirements. The Skink could also be used to attack enemy ground targets such as soft transport and lightly armored vehicles. This Canadian built SPAAG (Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun) could provide that support. SPAAG – Approximately 3 Built A Canadian SPAAGĬanadian, British and other Commonwealth troops needed protection from air attack from low flying aircraft.
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