Valentine IX Trails in the USSR

For the Record has an interesting post translating information on the Valentine infantry tank in Soviet service provided by Russian researcher Yuri Pasholok.  The post relates the results of Soviet testing at Kubinka in March of 1943 of a Valentine IX tank.  The IX variant was equipped with a larger turret and 57mm 6 pounder gun as compared to earlier versions of the vehicle which had the 2 pounder gun.  The report concludes that the Soviets were less than enthusiastic about this varient of the tank due to the lack of an HE round for the main gun and lack of coaxial machine gun.  The test results can be viewed at the Archive Awareness website.