Cromwell tank

Cromwell tank was one of the last dedicated cruiser tanks developed by Great Britain.

Background
One of the cruiser tanks developed and employed by Great Britain, named after Oliver Cromwell, the A27M Cruiser entered service in 1944. The result of a long and complicated development history starting in 1940, the Cromwell was intended to be a replacement for the then-new Crusader as the A24 Cromwell. By 1942, different design ideas by the major British tank designers culminated in three different variants: The Nuffield A24 Cromwell I (eventually renamed Cavalier), Leyland A27L Cromwell II (Centaur), and the BRC&W A27M Cromwell III.

The Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon eventually became the Cromwell tank as it came to be known. Changing production circumstances and tactical requirements burther modified the design, leading to the inclusion of dual-purpose 75mm tank guns based on the performance of Lend-Lease M4 Shermans. Further improvements and modifications of the Cromwell until the first production variant, Cromwell IV, entered service. The distinguishing feature was the 600 HP Rolls-Royse Meteor aircraft engine, which gave the Cromwell an excellent power-to-weight ratio and made it the fastest tank in British service.

Cromwell III
Cromwell III was Centaur hull fitted with Meteor V12 engine. It still carried the 6-pdr for better anti-tank capability over the Ordnance QF 75 mm that later Cromwell tanks are quipped with. Only 200 were produced.
 * Cromwell III

Cromwell IV
The IV was a Centaur hull with the Royal Ordnance Quick Firing 75mm tank gun (a 6-pounder gun bored out to accommodate rounds for the M4 Sherman) with a coaxial 7.92mm BESA machine gun and another in the hull. A bomb projector was mounted on the roof of the turret for deploying smoke. Armor was up to 76mm on the front and 8mm in the rear. Command tanks were outfitted with more powerful radios to coordinate tank platoons.
 * Cromwell KRIH (Pol)
 * CMD Cromwell IV
 * Cromwell IV Dow.
 * Cromwell IV OP (140mm)

Cromwell V
The V was a finalized production model, built in accordance with the Leyland Battle Cromwell model. The Final Specification from 2 February 1944 introduced a host of minor changes, including better armoring for the floor of the crew compartment, a 360 degree vision cupola for the commander, seam welding, and a standardized Meteor Engine and Merritt-Brown transmission. It still mounted the Royal Ordnance Quick Firing 75mm tank gun (a 6-pounder gun bored out to accommodate rounds for the M4 Sherman) with a coaxial 7.92mm BESA machine gun and another in the hull, and the usual armor of the IV (76mm max on the front, although the weight savings made with seam welding allowed for extra applique armor).


 * Cromwell V (Pol) (SD2)
 * Cromwell V (UK) (SD2)
 * Cromwell V Dow. (SD2)
 * Cromwell V Sztab.

Cromwell VI
The VI was a variant of the finalized production model, built in accordance with the Leyland Battle Cromwell model. The Final Specification from 2 February 1944 introduced a host of minor changes, including better armoring for the floor of the crew compartment, a 360 degree vision cupola for the commander, seam welding, and a standardized Meteor Engine and Merritt-Brown transmission. It mounted the 95mm howitzer instead of the ROQF 75mm tank gun, and had the standard armor of the Cromwell V (76mm max on the front, although the weight savings made with seam welding allowed for extra applique armor).
 * Cromwell VI (Pol)
 * Cromwell VI (UK) (SD2)

Cromwell VII
Upgrade to Cromwell IV, V, and VI armed with the RQOF 75 mm gun and two BESA 7.92mm machine guns. Some hulls were upgraded with features from later hull types. Wider (15.5 inch) tracks, and upgraded suspension (where not fitted earlier in the production programme). These were introduced very late in the war and did not see much in the way of combat. ~ 1,500 produced, Some saw combat in the Korean War and many were later converted to FV4101 Tank, Medium Gun, Charioteer.
 * Cromwell VII
 * Cromwell VII (Pol)
 * Cromwell VII Sztab.