The latest cruiser tanks (English cruiser tank Cromwell). Perks for the crew on Cromwell B
And the British urgently needed a new one cruiser tank.
The Crusader was to be replaced by a tank worn during development. code name A27. Part of the circulation was supposed to be equipped with the same Liberty engine that was on the Cruiser, and part with the Meteor aircraft engine from Rolls-Royce. Later, the A27 equipped with the Liberty engine received the index A27L and the name Centaur, and the version that was equipped with the Meteor received the index A27M and the name Cromwell.
Production of both variants of the A.27 began in November 1942, but due to difficulties with the supply of Meteors, the first Cromwells did not leave the factory floor until January 1943. The general contractor for their production was Leyland. However, other companies were also involved in the production of this most popular British cruiser tank of the Second World War. Metro, BRCW and Fowler. The tank was in serial production from 1943 to 1945. During this time, 1070 units were produced. True, a certain number of Cromwells were obtained by altering the Centaurs.
The Cromwells were constantly modernized by installing new weapons and additional armor protection. So only a few survived in their original form until the end of the war.
The first production version, the Cromwell I, was armed with a 6-pounder (57 mm) gun. On the Cromwell II model, which never entered production, the frontal machine gun was eliminated, the crew was reduced to four people, wider tracks and a new drive wheel were installed. The Cromwell III was a Centaur I with the Liberty engine replaced by the Meteor. The most widespread modification was Cromwell IV. It was a Centaur I with a Meteor engine and a 75mm cannon from a Cromwell III.
The combat weight of tanks of this model was 27.5 tons. The crew consisted of five people. Armament included a 75 mm Mk V or Mk VA cannon, coaxial and forward-facing 7.92 mm BESA machine guns, 7.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun Bren, carried inside the tank, and a 2-inch mortar for firing smoke mines. The ammunition consisted of 64 artillery rounds, 4950 rounds of BESA machine guns, 600 rounds of Bren machine guns and 30 smoke mines. The frontal armor of the turret reached 76 mm, the hull - 64 mm.
The Cromwell IV tank, as well as subsequent modifications, was equipped with a 12-cylinder, V-shaped, carburetor liquid-cooled Rolls-Royce Meteor engine. It was a tank version of the Merlin aircraft engine. With a 137.16 mm cylinder diameter and a 152.4 mm piston stroke, the engine had a 27.021-liter displacement and could develop 600 horsepower at 2550 rpm. True, the engine overheated greatly and its power was limited to 350-horsepower.
Torque from the engine was transmitted via a double-disc dry friction main clutch to a Merritt-Brown Z5 transmission, which included a five-speed non-synchronized gearbox, planetary steering mechanisms and shoe brakes.
The undercarriage for one side consisted of five large-diameter rubber-coated road wheels, a rear drive wheel (lantern engagement) and a guide wheel. Suspension – individual spring. Double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers were installed on the first, second, third, fourth and fifth suspension units. Each caterpillar included 125 tracks with a width of 356 mm. The tank reached a maximum speed of 64 km/h. Cruising range – 280 km.
The next modification, Cromwell V, had similar characteristics, which was a Cromwell I rearmed with a 75-mm cannon. The Cromwell VW model had a welded body (W - welded - welded). The frontal armor of the hull and turret was increased to 101 mm.
The Cromwell VI variant is the Centaur IV tank with the Meteor engine, as well as the Cromwell III and Cromwell V with a 95mm howitzer.
Cromwell VII is Cromwell III, Cromwell IV and Cromwell V with increased thickness of hull and turret armor (front - 101, hull side - 35, turret side - 75 mm). The tank's weight increased to 29 tons. The suspension was strengthened, and solid rubber tires were introduced for the road wheels. The tank was equipped with a 394 mm wide track. By changing the gear ratio, the maximum speed was reduced to 51 km/h.
Support tank Cromwell VIII - Cromwell VI with increased frontal armor to 101 mm, Cromwell I with increased armor thickness and a 95 mm howitzer. 
In the fall of 1943, the Cromwells began to enlist in the troops, primarily in those units that were to participate in the invasion of the European continent (Operation Overlord, launched in June 1944).
The first echelon of British troops that took part in the Normandy landings included three tank divisions. Most of the Cromwells were in the 7th tank division Desert Rats The 22nd Tank Brigade consisted of three regiments: the 1st and 5th Royal Tank Regiments, the 4th County of London Yeomanry. They included a total of 130 Cromwell III and Cromwell IV tanks and 15 Cromwell VI tanks. These vehicles also equipped the division's reconnaissance regiment - the 8th Royal Irish Hussars (The Kings Royal Irisn Hussars).
In the Guards and 11th Tank Divisions, Cromwells were only in reconnaissance units: in the 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards and in the 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry.
In addition to these units, they were in service with headquarters squadrons in divisions and brigades. Finally, shortly after the landing in Normandy, the 6th Reconnaissance Regiment airborne division light tanks
replaced by a dozen Cromwells.
As part of these and some other parts English army The Cromwells saw action in Europe until the end of the war. They were practically not used in other theaters.
In addition to the British army, some tank units of the Polish Armed Forces in the West, mainly the 1st Polish Army Corps, were equipped with these vehicles. The first to receive them was the 10th Mounted Rifle Regiment of the 1st Polish Tank Division. In total, from 1943 to 1947, about 300 Cromwells entered Polish units in the West.
One hundred and ninety tanks Cromwell IV and Cromwell VI became part of the Czechoslovak tank brigade, who also fought in the West. After the end of World War II, these tanks were in service with the Czechoslovak army until the early 50s.
As for Great Britain itself, a small number of Cromwell tanks took part in the Korean War. In 1953, they were transferred from regular army units to territorial troops.
In 1952, state arsenals, in cooperation with Robinson and Kershaw Ltd. Converted 200 tanks to the Charioteer Mk 7 version. 
See also:
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Modern battle tanks of Russia and the world photos, videos, pictures watch online. This article gives an idea of the modern tank fleet. It is based on the principle of classification used in the most authoritative reference book to date, but in a slightly modified and improved form. And if the latter in its original form can still be found in the armies of a number of countries, then others have already become museum pieces. And just for 10 years! Follow in the footsteps of Jane’s reference book and not consider this combat vehicle (very interesting in design and fiercely discussed in its time), which formed the basis of the tank fleet last quarter XX century, the authors considered it unfair.
Films about tanks where there is still no alternative to this type of weapon for the ground forces. The tank was and probably will remain for a long time modern weapons thanks to the ability to combine such seemingly contradictory qualities as high mobility, powerful weapons and reliable crew protection. These unique qualities of tanks continue to be constantly improved, and the experience and technology accumulated over decades predetermine new frontiers in combat properties and military-technical achievements. In the eternal confrontation between “projectile and armor”, as practice shows, protection against projectiles is increasingly being improved, acquiring new qualities: activity, multi-layeredness, self-defense. At the same time, the projectile becomes more accurate and powerful.
Russian tanks are specific in that they allow you to destroy the enemy from a safe distance, have the ability to make quick maneuvers on off-road, contaminated terrain, can “walk” through territory occupied by the enemy, seize a decisive bridgehead, cause panic in the rear and suppress the enemy with fire and tracks . The war of 1939-1945 became the most difficult test for all of humanity, since almost all countries of the world were involved in it. It was a clash of the titans - the most unique period that theorists argued about in the early 1930s and during which tanks were used in large quantities virtually all warring parties. At this time, a “test for lice” and a deep reform of the first theories of application took place. tank troops. And it is the Soviet tank forces that are most affected by all this.
Tanks in battle that became a symbol of the past war, the backbone of the Soviet armored forces? Who created them and under what conditions? How did the USSR, which had lost most of its European territories and had difficulty recruiting tanks for the defense of Moscow, was able to release powerful tank formations onto the battlefields already in 1943? This book is intended to answer these questions, telling about the development of Soviet tanks “during the testing days ", from 1937 to the beginning of 1943. When writing the book, materials from Russian archives and private collections of tank builders were used. There was a period in our history that remained in my memory with some kind of depressing feeling. It began with the return of our first military advisers from Spain, and only stopped at the beginning of forty-three,” said the former general designer of the self-propelled guns L. Gorlitsky, “some kind of pre-storm state was felt.
Tanks of the Second World War It was M. Koshkin, almost underground (but, of course, with the support of “the wisest of the wise leaders of all nations”), who was able to create the tank that a few years later would shock the German tank generals. And not only that, he not only created it, the designer managed to prove to these military fools that it was his T-34 that they needed, and not just another wheeled-tracked "motor vehicle." The author is in slightly different positions, which formed in him after meeting the pre-war documents from the Russian State Military Academy and the Russian State Academy of Economics. Therefore, working on this segment of the history of the Soviet tank, the author will inevitably contradict something “generally accepted.” This work describes the history of Soviet tank building at its most important. difficult years- from the beginning of a radical restructuring of the entire activity of design bureaus and people's commissariats in general, during the frantic race to equip new tank formations of the Red Army, the transfer of industry to wartime rails and evacuation.
Tanks Wikipedia, the author would like to express his special gratitude to M. Kolomiets for his help in selecting and processing materials, and also thank A. Solyankin, I. Zheltov and M. Pavlov, the authors of the reference publication “Domestic armored vehicles. XX century 1905 - 1941", since this book helped to understand the fate of some projects, which was unclear before. I would also like to remember with gratitude those conversations with Lev Izraelevich Gorlitsky, the former chief designer of UZTM, which helped to take a new look at the entire history of the Soviet tank during the Great Patriotic War Patriotic War Soviet Union. For some reason today it is common for us to talk about 1937-1938. only from the point of view of repression, but few people remember that it was during this period that those tanks that became legends were born wartime..." From the memoirs of L.I. Gorlinky.
Soviet tanks, a detailed assessment of them at that time was heard from many lips. Many old people recalled that it was from the events in Spain that it became clear to everyone that the war was getting closer and closer to the threshold and it was Hitler who would have to fight. In 1937, mass purges and repressions began in the USSR, and against the backdrop of these difficult events, the Soviet tank began to transform from “mechanized cavalry” (in which one of its combat qualities was emphasized at the expense of others) into a balanced combat vehicle, simultaneously possessing powerful weapons, sufficient to suppress most targets, good maneuverability and mobility with armor protection capable of maintaining its combat effectiveness when fired upon by the most massive anti-tank weapons of a potential enemy.
It was recommended that large tanks be supplemented with only special tanks - amphibious tanks, chemical tanks. The brigade now had 4 separate battalions of 54 tanks each and was strengthened by moving from three-tank platoons to five-tank ones. In addition, D. Pavlov justified the refusal to form three additional mechanized corps in addition to the four existing mechanized corps in 1938, believing that these formations were immobile and difficult to control, and most importantly, they required a different rear organization. The tactical and technical requirements for promising tanks, as expected, were adjusted. In particular, in a letter dated December 23 to the head of the design bureau of plant No. 185 named after. CM. Kirov, the new boss demanded that the armor of the new tanks be strengthened so that at a distance of 600-800 meters (effective range).
The newest tanks in the world When designing new tanks, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of increasing the level of armor protection during modernization according to at least one step..." This problem could be solved in two ways: Firstly, by increasing the thickness of the armor plates and, secondly, by "using armor of increased resistance." It is easy to guess that the second way was considered more promising, since the use of specially strengthened armor sheets, or even two-layer armor, could, while maintaining the same thickness (and the mass of the tank as a whole), increase its durability by 1.2-1.5 times. It was this path (the use of especially hardened armor) that was chosen at that moment to create new ones. types of tanks.
USSR tanks at the dawn tank production The most widely used armor was the properties of which were identical in all directions. Such armor was called homogeneous (homogeneous), and from the very beginning of armor making, craftsmen sought to create just such armor, because homogeneity ensured stability of characteristics and simplified processing. However, at the end of the 19th century, it was noticed that when the surface of an armor plate was saturated (to a depth of several tenths to several millimeters) with carbon and silicon, its surface strength increased sharply, while the rest of the plate remained viscous. This is how heterogeneous (non-uniform) armor came into use.
For military tanks, the use of heterogeneous armor was very important, since an increase in the hardness of the entire thickness of the armor plate led to a decrease in its elasticity and (as a consequence) to an increase in fragility. Thus, the most durable armor, all other things being equal, turned out to be very fragile and often chipped even from the explosions of high-explosive fragmentation shells. Therefore, at the dawn of armor production, when producing homogeneous sheets, the task of the metallurgist was to achieve the maximum possible hardness of the armor, but at the same time not to lose its elasticity. Surface-hardened armor with carbon and silicon saturation was called cemented (cemented) and was considered at that time a panacea for many ills. But cementation is a complex, harmful process (for example, treating a hot plate with a jet of illuminating gas) and relatively expensive, and therefore its development in a series required large expenses and improved production standards.
Wartime tanks, even in operation, these hulls were less successful than homogeneous ones, since for no apparent reason cracks formed in them (mainly in loaded seams), and it was very difficult to put patches on holes in cemented slabs during repairs. But it was still expected that a tank protected by 15-20 mm cemented armor would be equivalent in level of protection to the same one, but covered with 22-30 mm sheets, without a significant increase in weight.
Also, by the mid-1930s, tank building had learned to harden the surface of relatively thin armor plates by uneven hardening, known from late XIX century in shipbuilding as the "Krupp method". Surface hardening led to a significant increase in the hardness of the front side of the sheet, leaving the main thickness of the armor viscous.
How tanks fire video up to half the thickness of the slab, which was, of course, worse than cementation, since while the hardness of the surface layer was higher than with cementation, the elasticity of the hull sheets was significantly reduced. So the “Krupp method” in tank building made it possible to increase the strength of armor even slightly more than cementation. But the hardening technology that was used for naval armor large thicknesses, was no longer suitable for the relatively thin armor of tanks. Before the war, this method was almost not used in our serial tank building due to technological difficulties and relatively high cost.
Combat use of tanks The most proven tank gun was the 45-mm tank gun model 1932/34. (20K), and before the event in Spain it was believed that its power was quite sufficient to perform most tank tasks. But the battles in Spain showed that a 45-mm gun can only satisfy the task of fighting enemy tanks, since even shelling of manpower in mountains and forests turned out to be ineffective, and it was only possible to disable a dug-in enemy firing point in the event of a direct hit . Firing at shelters and bunkers was ineffective due to the small high explosive a projectile weighing only about two kg.
Types of tanks photos so that even one shell hit can reliably disable an anti-tank gun or machine gun; and thirdly, to increase the penetrating effect of a tank gun against the armor of a potential enemy, since in the example French tanks(already having an armor thickness of about 40-42 mm) it became clear that the armor protection of foreign combat vehicles tends to be significantly strengthened. There was a sure way for this - increasing the caliber of tank guns and simultaneously increasing the length of their barrel, since a long gun larger caliber fires heavier projectiles with a higher initial velocity over a greater distance without aiming correction.
The best tanks in the world had a large-caliber cannon, and also had big sizes breech, significantly more weight and increased recoil response. And this required an increase in the mass of the entire tank as a whole. In addition, placing large-sized rounds in a closed tank volume led to a decrease in transportable ammunition.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that at the beginning of 1938 it suddenly turned out that there was simply no one to give the order for the design of a new, more powerful tank gun. P. Syachintov and his entire design team were repressed, as well as the core of the Bolshevik design bureau under the leadership of G. Magdesiev. Only the group of S. Makhanov remained in the wild, who, since the beginning of 1935, had been trying to develop his new 76.2-mm semi-automatic single gun L-10, and the staff of Plant No. 8 was slowly finishing the “forty-five”.
Photos of tanks with names; the number of developments is large, but in mass production in the period 1933-1937. not a single one has been accepted..." In fact, none of the five air-cooled tank diesel engines, work on which was carried out in 1933-1937 in the engine department of plant No. 185, was brought to series. Moreover, despite the decisions At the very top levels of the transition in tank construction exclusively to diesel engines, this process was constrained by a number of factors. Of course, diesel had significant efficiency. It consumed less fuel per unit of power per hour. Diesel fuel was less susceptible to fire, since the flash point of its vapor was very high. high.
New tanks video, even the most advanced of them, the MT-5 tank engine, required a reorganization of engine production for serial production, which was expressed in the construction of new workshops, the supply of advanced foreign equipment (they did not yet have their own machines of the required accuracy), financial investments and strengthening of personnel. It was planned that in 1939 this diesel would produce 180 hp. will go to production tanks and artillery tractors, but due to investigative work to determine the causes of tank engine failures, which lasted from April to November 1938, these plans were not implemented. The development of a slightly increased six-cylinder gasoline engine No. 745 with a power of 130-150 hp was also started.
Brands of tanks had specific indicators that suited tank builders quite well. The tanks were tested using a new method, specially developed at the insistence of the new head of the ABTU, D. Pavlov, in relation to combat service in wartime. The basis of the tests was a run of 3-4 days (at least 10-12 hours of daily non-stop movement) with a one-day break for technical inspection and restoration work. Moreover, repairs were allowed to be carried out only by field workshops without the involvement of factory specialists. This was followed by a “platform” with obstacles, “swimming” in water with an additional load that simulated an infantry landing, after which the tank was sent for inspection.
Super tanks online, after improvement work, seemed to remove all claims from the tanks. AND general progress tests confirmed the fundamental correctness of the main design changes - an increase in displacement by 450-600 kg, the use of the GAZ-M1 engine, as well as the Komsomolets transmission and suspension. But during testing, numerous minor defects again appeared in the tanks. Chief designer N. Astrov was removed from work and was under arrest and investigation for several months. In addition, the tank received new tower improved protection. The modified layout made it possible to place on the tank more ammunition for a machine gun and two small fire extinguishers (previously there were no fire extinguishers on small tanks of the Red Army).
US tanks as part of modernization work, on one production model of the tank in 1938-1939. The torsion bar suspension developed by the designer of the design bureau of plant No. 185 V. Kulikov was tested. It was distinguished by the design of a composite short coaxial torsion bar (long monotorsion bars could not be used coaxially). However, such a short torsion bar did not show good enough results in tests, and therefore the torsion bar suspension was further work did not immediately pave the way for itself. Obstacles to overcome: climbs of at least 40 degrees, vertical wall 0.7 m, covered ditch 2-2.5 m."
YouTube about tanks, work on the production of prototypes of the D-180 and D-200 engines for reconnaissance tanks is not being carried out, jeopardizing the production of prototypes." Justifying his choice, N. Astrov said that the wheeled-tracked non-floating reconnaissance aircraft (factory designation 101 or 10-1), as well as the amphibious tank variant (factory designation 102 or 10-2), are a compromise solution, since they satisfy the ABTU requirements in to the fullest does not seem possible. Option 101 was a tank weighing 7.5 tons with a hull similar to the hull, but with vertical side sheets of cemented armor 10-13 mm thick, since: “The inclined sides, causing serious weighting of the suspension and hull, require significant (up to 300 mm) widening hull, not to mention the increased complexity of the tank.
Video reviews of tanks in which the tank’s power unit was planned to be based on the 250-horsepower MG-31F aircraft engine, which was being developed by industry for agricultural aircraft and gyroplanes. 1st grade gasoline was placed in a tank under the floor fighting compartment and in additional onboard gas tanks. The armament fully corresponded to the task and consisted of coaxial machine guns DK 12.7 mm caliber and DT (in the second version of the project even ShKAS is listed) 7.62 mm caliber. The combat weight of the tank with torsion bar suspension was 5.2 tons, with spring suspension - 5.26 tons. Tests took place from July 9 to August 21 according to the methodology approved in 1938, and Special attention was given to tanks.
In 1940, in France and North Africa, the actions of British tank forces showed that the Covenanter and Crusader cruiser tanks in service with the army were gradually becoming obsolete. Their negative sides steel weak armor, unreliable engine and insufficient weapons. The standard 40 mm weapon was inferior to the German 50 and 75 mm guns on German medium tanks.
By the end of 1942, British designers developed a new cruising vehicle, the Cromwell, a tank with high speed and maneuverability.
New engine
The Cromwell was developed according to the classic British tank design scheme: the engine, fuel tanks, and cooling systems were installed in the engine compartment, extending to the rear of the hull. Armor and fighting compartment - middle part hulls and towers. The transmission and control compartment are the front part of the tank.
The Rolls-Royce Meteor V-engine with 12 cylinders and a maximum power of 600 horsepower is a Cromwell. The tank easily reached speeds on the highway up to 64 km/h. The transmission of the new medium tank included:
- gearbox with synchronizers;
- friction clutch - part of the flywheel of an engine operating on the principle of dry friction;
- extended driveshaft with multi-stage system;
- rotating mechanism with double differentials.
Hull and turret armor
The body was made of rolled armor plates. The sheets were secured to each other and to the frame with rivets. The thickness of the hull plates reached 64 mm, the stern and sides - 32 mm. The bottom and roof of the tank were produced without a constant armor thickness, the value ranged from 6 to 14 mm.
The armor sheets that formed the tower almost square shape, secured without inclined angles with rivet and bolted connections. The thickness of the plates of the front part of the tower is 76 mm, the sides and rear are 51 mm. The new Cromwell (tank) was more armored than previous models of British medium combat vehicles.
Modernization
Since the end of 1943, the cruising tank has been modernized. Only a few models remained in the original version by the end of the war. The cars were modernized as overhaul, as well as new combat designs with low mileage. In the process of improving the tank from 1943 to 1945, variants of the Cromwell appeared:
- Cromwell I.
- Cromwell II is a test vehicle with a track width of 15.5 inches versus 14.
- Cromwell III is a 75 mm combat weapon.
- Cromwell IV and IVw.
- Cromwell VIII is a late model with a 95mm howitzer.
The cruising "Cromwell" (tank) received reinforced armor and an improved gun during the modification process.
Strengthened armor and improved weapons appeared during the modification process, but at a slower rate. Other versions of the machines were also designed.
Armament
The main armament of the cruising tank is a 57 mm cannon, the barrel length is 50 calibers. Various modifications The Cromwells were equipped with a 95 mm howitzer.
The gun was mounted on the front of the turret in a square mantlet with an additional armor plate. The tank was also equipped with auxiliary weapons: 27.7 mm machine guns - British modifications of Czechoslovak guns. One machine gun was attached as a coaxial one to the main gun, the second - to the left side of the hull in front. The set of charges included 3000 rounds.
Exploitation
The Cromwell cruiser tank, the photo of which is presented above, took part in battles during the Second World War in Western Europe and North Africa. In practice, the machine revealed shortcomings: weak firepower and armor.
The tank could withstand the German Panther, but was powerless against the heavy Tiger. During the battle near the French city of Villers-Bocage in 1944, a British column of Cromwell medium tanks suffered a devastating defeat from the Germans armed with Tiger tanks. At the same time, the number of German combat vehicles was three times less.
World of Tanks
The game is popular among many people in the world. A custom online arcade allows you to plunge into the times of World War II and learn about the combat vehicles in service with several nations.
Tank "Cromwell" in World of Tanks - average fighting machine sixth level. The game uses the mobility and agility of a cruising tank to achieve better results. It is more advantageous to approach the enemy from the flank or rear. The machine's rate of fire will allow you to incapacitate your opponent faster.
The tank has good speed: due to this, it can illuminate anti-tank equipment and heavy vehicles.
The main enemies of "Cromwell" in the game:
- PT (anti-tank vehicles) levels 5-6.
- ST (medium vehicles) level 6-7 with a top gun.
- TTs (heavy tanks) at long distances, but in close combat there are still chances of survival.
Cruising british tank“Cromwell” (reviews from online game users confirm this) penetrates the stern and sides well. Players note the advantages of the machine: high speed, tower mobility at good level, profitability.
Of the minuses:
- almost complete absence of armor;
- the gun has low accuracy;
- long aiming of the gun.
Also in the game, “Cromwell” often finds himself on the battlefield with tanks of the eighth level, where most of the vehicles are heavy equipment.
It is advisable for the car not to stand still in the game, but to constantly move in order to complicate the enemy’s task. The aircraft engine installed on the vehicle allows the medium tank to successfully bypass clusters of enemy combat vehicles and strike where opponents do not expect it.
“Cromwell” appeared thanks to a competition announced by the British General Staff at the end of 1940 - beginning of 1941, for a “heavy cruising tank”. The light and fast cruising tanks that were in service with the British Army at that time were designed taking into account the traditional tasks that cavalry have always faced - building on the success achieved in battle and pursuing the enemy, and did not meet the two most important requirements of modern combat: the presence of a reliable armor and high firepower. In accordance with the conditions put forward by the General Staff in 1941, the new cruiser tank was supposed to have a combat weight of about 25 tons, frontal armor about 70 mm thick and a 6-pound gun in a turret with a diameter of 1.52 m.
The prototype of such a tank, literally from the very first day of work, received the designation A24 and the name “Cromwell”, was developed by the Nuffield company. Being an improved version of the Crusader cruising tank, it inherited from it the transmission and power plant - the Liberty engine, which, as it quickly became clear, turned out to be unable to ensure the normal operation of a tank weighing about 27 tons. Soon renamed the Cavalier, this the unsuccessful machine began to be used in educational purposes, as well as to perform some specific tasks. However, every cloud has a silver lining, and Cavalier taught a good lesson to customers armored vehicles: after it, not a single tank was ordered or accepted on the basis of drawings without first passing comprehensive tests, and the test program was very extensive, and its requirements were extremely stringent.
At the beginning of 1941, two companies - Leyland and Rolls-Royce - actively collaborated in the development of a new tank engine and ultimately offered tank builders the Meteor engine - a modified Merlin aircraft engine. “Meteor” developed power up to 600 hp. With. - more than enough for heavy cruising tanks, - and since its development was very successful, the endurance and reliability of the new engine did not raise any doubts. The Leyland company began work on a tank that was called the Centor, but was essentially a Cromwell with a Liberty engine. 
And since at the start of production of the Centor tanks there was not a single ready-made Meteor engine, the first vehicles were equipped with Liberty engines and were not much better than the ill-fated Cavalier. One characteristic detail should be noted: the engine compartment of the Centor tanks was designed for a new engine, and when the Meteor was finally ready, most of tanks underwent conversion after 1943: instead of the old Liberty they received the more powerful Meteors. But, without waiting for the appearance of a new engine, the Birmingham Railway Carridge and Wagon Company (BRCW) on its own initiative developed the latest version of the Cromwell.
The first prototype appeared in January 1942. At first, the designation of the tank was somewhat confusing, since it was called both A27M (M - after the name of the Meteor engine), and Cromwell M, and Cromwell III. However, these problems ended when the designations of the Centor and Cavalier tanks were officially adopted. Given that previous failures were the result of superficial tests, the Cromwell was subjected to a whole series of rigorous tests - a real luxury in wartime - so the first serial cars appeared only in January 1943.
There were practically no problems with the Meteor engine, and this quite eloquently indicates that when designing the tank, special attention was paid to the power plant. Rolls-Royce itself manufactured the first series of engines in order to be ready at any time for the unexpected that can be expected from the new brainchild. However, the leadership of the military department decided to transfer the production of Meteors to subcontracting companies and thereby free Rolls-Royce for further work on aircraft engines.
By the time the first Cromwells appeared, the General Staff had changed its policy regarding the armament of tanks. Previously, it was believed that a tank gun was intended to fight enemy armored vehicles, but combat experience gained during the war in the North African desert showed that the main targets were not tanks at all, but dug-in infantry and anti-tank artillery.
During this period, the need was felt not so much for a gun that fired armor-piercing shells, how much is in a cannon capable of hitting less protected targets high explosive charges high power. The American Sherman and Grant tanks, armed with 75-mm cannons, met these requirements, so a proposal was made to equip the same guns with the same guns. British tanks. New technical specifications, developed by the General Staff, fully reflected this point of view, but nevertheless took into account the still existing need for tanks direct support infantry (CS modification). 
The development of the 75-mm gun caused new delays in the implementation of the Cromwell tank production program, as well as its rearmament serial tanks, leaving the factory floors with a 6-pounder gun. The first 75 mm guns entered service at the end of 1943. By that time they were already obsolete, which, however, did not prevent them from serving until the end of the war. The new gun was an improved model of the 6-pounder gun, from which it borrowed a number of components and parts. The barrel remained the same, but was bored out, shortened and equipped muzzle brake; the bolt mechanism was no different from those on previous models. All this explains the presence of many defects, which were completely eliminated only by May 1944. As for the ammunition supplied under Lend-Lease by the Americans and accepted without any changes, there were no problems with them.
In addition to the 75 mm gun, the Cromwell was armed with two 7.92 mm BESA machine guns, one of which was coaxial with the cannon, and the second was installed in the front plate of the tank's hull - the last reminder of the tank doctrine of the First World War, when tank hulls literally bristled machine gun barrels. Many tankers who fought on the Cromwells were quite skeptical about this machine gun, and it was not installed on subsequent modifications of the tank.
In accordance with the traditions of English tank building, the Cromwell’s hull was divided into three sections, and its armor was made of forged or riveted armor plates. In the front compartment there were a driver and a machine gunner. They were separated from the fighting compartment by a partition with a hatch. The tank commander, gunner and loader were located in a turret with a rotating turret: the gunner was on the left in front of the commander, and the loader was on the right. The hydraulically driven turret rotated 360° in 15 seconds and allowed high accuracy aim at the target.
On the first modifications of the Cromwell, the tank commander had two panoramic periscopes at his disposal; on subsequent versions there were already eight, which provided full all-round visibility. The ammunition consisted of 23 shells that were located in the turret, 41 rounds in ammunition racks located along the walls of the fighting compartment, and 4950 rounds of ammunition for machine guns. The radio station was installed in the rear of the turret behind the loader, who served as a radio operator and was constantly in touch. The engine was located in the power compartment between two fuel tanks and two large air filters. Behind the engine were vertically mounted radiators of the cooling system.
The transmission used a Merritt-Brown type gearbox, which was successfully used in 1941 infantry tanks"Churchill". The Cromwell was the first cruising tank with such a gearbox. Subsequently, for a long time, English designers used in their developments the combination of the Meteor engine with the Merritt-Brown gearbox. The Christie-type suspension was borrowed from the A13 tank and strengthened, but, as it turned out, not enough to withstand a maximum speed of 64 km/h. Starting with the Mk IV model, the speed was reduced to 52 km/h by using a reduction gear. The wider track than on the A13 ensured a smooth ride, for which all tankers loved the Cromwell, especially since it turned out to be fast and maneuverable. 
Maintenance was simple, and the reliability of Meteor engines was a real gift for mechanics who had to stoically endure all the vagaries of worn-out Liberty engines. However, in a number of cases, the crew, and especially the driver and machine gunner, had to deal with problems that arose when emergency escape cars. On subsequent modifications, side hatches were provided for the control compartment so that both tankers could get out of the tank in any position of the turret and gun. But the installation of these hatches led to a decrease free space on the fenders, and only a small box behind the turret was left for storing tools and spare parts.
Throughout 1943 and the beginning of 1944, the Cromwells were used for training purposes and first entered into battle during the landing of Anglo-American troops in Normandy. Tanks of this type formed the basis of the combat equipment of the 7th Panzer Division and a number of reconnaissance regiments. Compared to German tanks of that period, the Cromwell looked quite tolerable. The armor of the tank was comparable to the German T-4, the weapons were worse, but in battle both tanks were capable of destroying each other. Moreover, “Cromwell” had a huge advantage in speed, 50% faster German car! The Panther, which appeared in 1943, was in a different “weight category” and weighed 15 tons more than the Cromwell, had significantly more powerful frontal armor and much more powerful weapons. Surprisingly, the Cromwell's side armor was either equal to or thicker than the Panther's side armor. Although the Cromwell had a great advantage in speed and reliability, the Panther was by far the more powerful tank.
Attempts were made to increase the Cromwell's armor by welding on armor plates; this increased the frontal armor to 101-102 mm comparable to the Tiger. However, it was subsequently accepted that installing additional protection did not provide any benefit, although there were cases when such protection protected the crew of the Cromwell from German armor-piercing shells.
After the Caen breakthrough, the Cromwells were able to perform the task for which they were created: to develop achieved success. With the support of CS modification tanks armed with 95-mm howitzers, the Cromwell squadrons prevailed over the heavier German tanks thanks to its speed and maneuverability. As for firepower, in this case the British tanks still could not compete with the German vehicles. All attempts to install a 17-pound cannon on the Cromwell ended in failure, so the crews had to rely only on themselves (the training of English tank crews was beyond praise) and on the maneuverability of their vehicles.
Attempts to install a 17-pounder gun in the Cromwell turret ended, however, with the creation of the Challenger tank (A30). The first model, which appeared in 1942, resembled the Cromwell, somewhat lengthened due to the additional road wheel. The test results of the new tank were not very encouraging: the hull turned out to be too narrow for a large-diameter turret, and the increase in weight and lengthening of the chassis led to a loss of speed and agility. Nevertheless, the Challenger was accepted into service, and at the beginning of 1943, 260 vehicles of this type left the plant’s workshops.
Following him appeared “Avenger” - the same “Challenger”, only equipped with a turret better type, but with thinner roof armor... And finally, in 1950, “Cromwell” turned into self-propelled gun: on standard tank corps a two-man turret with a 20-pound cannon was installed, which was used to arm the Centurion tanks. During the Second World War, the Cromwell was the most widely used English cruiser tank and, without having the status of the main battle tank, together with the Shermans, was in service with all armored units of Great Britain.
: 31.10.2015 11:13
I didn’t understand this phrase in the article: “... The new gun was an improved model of a 6-pounder gun, from which it borrowed a number of components and parts. The barrel remained the same, but was bored out, shortened and equipped with a muzzle brake...” This follows Do you understand that by boring the barrel of a 6-pounder, they obtained a bore diameter of 75mm and in this form used it with an American 75mm projectile? Those who went to the American Sherman 75mm guns? Or how?
: 18.02.2014 11:01
I quote the tankman reader... it’s just that the British, and even the Americans, did not have an urgent need to modernize their tanks and create something new until the end of 44. because they fought in Africa mainly with the T-2, and old models of the T-3 and T-4. and they fought somehow... it’s another matter when they opened a second front and found themselves in a real meat grinder - then the need arose and experience began to accumulate. How do you mean “somehow”? Didn’t they kill their people in whole battalions and regiments at once in frontal attacks without the support of aviation and tanks? They fought, as was rightly noted, adequately to the enemy in front of them. And Rommel, poor fellow, did more than anyone else in his place could have done with such support and equipment. If the Fuhrer had not rushed around then and given him hundreds of 2-3 new “fours”, some “Panthers”, and most importantly - two normal air squadrons (a fighter and a bomber) - at El Alamein everything could have ended differently. Especially if he had also forced the “Great Duce” to transfer all available Italian aviation there. Externally, Africa, right, is the game “Zarnitsa” on Wed. with Europe. But it is almost impossible to imagine how the war would have unfolded if Rommel had captured the Arabian oil-bearing areas and the Germans would have received a lot of oil constantly. England (and to some extent the USSR through it) would have lost this source.
: 30.09.2013 12:02
Hello everyone and welcome to aces.gg! In this guide we will talk about interesting car, which has already been tested on European and American servers, and very soon players of the World of Tanks RU server will be able to appreciate it. Yes, today we will talk about a special premium British medium tank Cromwell B. Externally, this is a vehicle of the 7th Panzer Division “Desert Rats”, which received its name for its successful operations in northern Africa. The division received Cromwell tanks in 1944 after returning to the UK. It was they who took part in the Normandy landings, reached the Rhine and took part in the Victory Parade on September 7, 1945 in Berlin.
Based on the performance characteristics, we essentially get a premium analogue of the pumped-up Cromwell. With all its advantages in the form of excellent dynamics, high maximum speed and fairly good DPM. Let’s not forget about all the bonuses of premium vehicles: additional farming credits and experience and additional crew experience. Plus, you can transfer the crew from any upgraded British medium tank here without penalty. gun The gun of the Cromwell B, although it looks different, is essentially the same top-end barrel of its upgraded brother. Despite their different names, they are copies of each other. Consequently, our gun has excellent armor penetration performance for both BB and sub-caliber weapons. And such a rate of fire is essentially given to us by the “drum” without the need for a long reload after a certain number of shots.
Advantages and disadvantages: Pros: Minuses: optional equipment The choice here is pretty obvious:
Crew skills and abilities Standard and good choice will: Commander - Equipment selection Here is another standard, namely: Tactics and Application We have simply an excellent support tank in our hands, and this role will continue to be fulfilled, both at the top of the list and at the bottom. Thanks to the excellent maximum speed of 64 km/h, we can be directly where our help is needed: push the direction together with allied tanks, provide support to our heavy tanks, or return to defend our own base - our little Cromwell will have time to accomplish all this. Thanks to such a rapid-fire weapon, we will be able to simply “peck” at other 6th levels, and thanks to its high armor penetration, we will also become a hindrance to 8th level vehicles. The main thing to remember is that our one-time damage is quite modest, we have no armor, as such, and we cannot boast of a large supply of HP - so we need to play extremely carefully. Bottom line As a result, we get an excellent medium tank, which is in no way inferior to its upgraded counterpart, but at the same time has a unique appearance and all the bonuses of premium vehicles. Collectors are already rubbing their hands in anticipation of the appearance of the tank on sale, and clan players who often play on the Global World Map of Tanks, because in campaigns and events at 6 levels, Cromwell is simply irreplaceable.
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medium caliber gun rammer, 
improved ventilation and 
reinforced aiming drives.
Sixth Sense, 
Repair, 
The Brotherhood of War. 
Smooth rotation of the tower 
Smooth ride 
Radio interception, 
Non-contact ammunition rack, 
small repair kit, 
small first aid kit and 
manual fire extinguisher. I advise you to use premium equipment, which is quite expensive, but can significantly increase the survivability of your vehicle in battle. So feel free to bet on your tank 
large repair kit, 
a large first aid kit and 
automatic fire extinguisher. You can also install an automatic fire extinguisher instead of 
pudding with tea.