Cruiser Mk VIII, A27M, Cromwell

7th Armored Division:

In Germany in April 1945:

Hobby Master 1/72 Diecast Models of Cromwell:
3101: 3103: 3104: 3105:

The General Staff drew up specifications in late 1940 for a heavy cruiser tank.

In 1941 2 designs were submitted. One with a Liberty engine that was produced by Nuffield and the other with a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine that was produced by Leyland. The Meteor engine was proven to be very reliable and based on the Rolls-Royce Merlin aero engine. Approximately 80% of the components of the engine were similar to the aero engine. The M in the A27M stood for Meteor.⁸ In January 1942 Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company took over the design. In January 1943 production models first appeared. Initially Rolls-Royce produced the engines, but it was contracted out so that Rolls-royce could concentrate on aircraft engines.

The first models were delivered in 1943.⁶

Driver and co-driver/hull MG gunner sat in the forward compartment. The rest of the crew was in the turret and the loader was also the radio operator. The turret could be rotated in 15 seconds. The commander had a cupola, with early models having 2 episcopes and later models having 8 episcopes. 23 rounds of 75 mm was stored in the turret and the rest around the walls of the fighting compartment. There was a No. 19 wireless set in the back of the turret. The turret was boxed shaped and had armor bolted onto an inner skin.^1,8

The engine was placed between 2 air cleaners and 2 fuel tanks. The radiators were mounted upright in the back. There were curved flame guards on the deck.¹ In later models side doors were added for the driver and hull gunner to be able to exit the tank easier. Some storage was lost, and local modifications often added additional storage.

With experience in Africa, the General Staff change the specifications to include the 75 mm gun that would allow HE ammunition to be fired at infantry and anti-tank targets. The ammunition was American made and taken from the Lend Lease supplies. Initially the gun was a bored out 6 pdr. (57 mm) which had it's problems, which were corrected in May 1944.¹

This was the most numerous British tank in 1944-45⁸, and replaced Shermans in many units. Many considered it too lightly armed and armored.

Many were used by the 22nd Armored Brigade of the 7th Armored Division.^7,8 Five of the armored reconnaissance regiments of the 21st Army Groups' armored divisions.⁷

Cromwell ARV⁸:

Turret removed and fitted with jib and winch.^1,8

Cromwell Command/OP⁸:

Mk IV, VI, or VIII fitted with dummy gun^4,8 and extra communications equipment^4,8.¹

Cromwell CIRD⁸:

Fitted to take Canadian Indestructible Roller Device mine exploding equipment.⁸ Few produced.¹

Cromwell "Prong"⁸:

Fitted with Cullin Hedgerow device in Normandy.^1,8

	Cromwell
Crew	Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver.3 51,3,4,8
Physical Characteristics
Weight	61,600 lb3 24.75 tons6, 27-28 tons4, 27.5 tons1,8 27,941 kg8, 27,970 kg1
Length w/gun	20' 10"1,3,4,8 6.31 m6 , 6.35 m1,8
Length w/o gun
Height	8' 2"3,4,8, 9' 4"1 2.47 m6, 2.49 m8, 2.83 m1
Width	9 ' 6"8, 9' 6.5"3,4, 10', 9'1 2.89 m6 , 2.9 m8, 2.91 m1
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	1' 4"
Ground contact length
Ground pressure	14.93 psi, 14.7 psi
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	6 pdr (57 mm)1 OR 75 mm1
Secondary
MG	2: 7.92 mm Besa MGs1, coaxial, hull8
Side arms
Quantity
Main	643
Secondary
MG	4,9503
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	8 - 761,4,5 83, 763,6,8 Welded variants: 103 Applique: 1013,8
Hull Front, Upper	57-63 (101 with applique)
Hull Front, Lower	IV: 57
Hull Sides, Upper	32@0°
Hull Sides, Lower	32@0°
Hull Rear	32@0°
Hull Top	20@0°
Hull Bottom	6-14 (10 on welded versions) IV: 8@90°
Turret Front	76@0°
Turret Sides	63@0°
Turret Rear	57@0°
Turret Top	20@81° & 90°
Engine (Make / Model)	Rolls-Royce Meteor1,3,4,7,8
Bore / stroke
Cooling
Cylinders	V-128
Net HP	6006,8
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	5 forward, 1 reverse, Merritt-Brown
Steering
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline8
Octane
Quantity	139 gallons
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°3, hydraulic, rotated in 15 seconds
Max speed	32 - 40 mph4, 31.67 mph1 51 kph1, 67 kph6
Cross country speed	18 mph3
Road radius	173 miles3, 172.67 miles1 278 km1
Cross country radius
Turning radius
Elevation limits	-12.5° to +20°3
Fording depth	3'3 4' prepared.3
Trench crossing	7' 6"3
Vertical obstacle	3'3
Climbing ability
Suspension (Type)	Improved Christie.3
Wheels each side	5
Return rollers each side
Tracks (Type)
Length
Width	14"3 15.5" in later models.3
Diameter
Number of links
Pitch
Tire tread
Track centers/tread	8' 1.75"3
Production	1/43-45

Sources:

1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
2. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
3. British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
4. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
5. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
6. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
7. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
8. The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006

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Other Cromwell Links
Main Page Mk I Mk II Mk III Mk IV Mk V Mk VI Mk VII Mk VIII

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