Paper model of the A27M Mk VIII Cromwell IV tank

The model was made in 1:25 scale. The work was presented at the 10th Competition of Paper and Plastic Models in Świdnik, Poland in 2016.

The A27M Cromwell was a British pursuit tank. The tank was being made in the years 1943-1945. About 4,000 of the Cromwell tanks were produced. It remained in service until 1960.

The first combat use of the Cromwell tanks took place after the Normandy landing in 1944. The only advantages of this tank were high speed and low silhouette. Unfortunately, the armor was neither sloped nor profiled.

The Cromwell was not an equal opponent for the German tanks. An episode from the fighting in Normandy can be an example. One Tiger tank entered the city of Villers-Bocage occupied by Allied and destroyed 21 vehicles within 20 minutes. Tanks (including Cromwell tanks), trucks and armored personnel carriers were victims of the Tiger tank. The shells of the Allied tanks were not able to penetrate the armor of the German tank. Finally, a shot from a heavy anti-tank gun immobilized the Tiger. Even then, the Tiger still continued to shoot and destroy until the crew safely left the vehicle and fled.

Cromwell tanks were also in stock of the 1st Armored Division of the The Polish I Corps in the West. The name "Hela" is on the model of the tank shown in the photo. This is how general Stanisław Maczek called his mobile command center.

Some technical data:

• Length: 6,35 m (20 ft 10 in),
• Width: 2,91 m (9 ft 6.57 in),
• Height: 2,83 m (9 ft 3.42 in),
• Ground clearance: 0,40 m (15.75 in),
• Mass: 28 t (UK-27.56 t, USA-30.86 t),
• Maximum speed: 64 km/h (39.8 mph),
• Propulsion: a 12-cylinder gasoline engine (V-type) with a power of 600 hp (441 kW),
• Engine displacement: 27,027 l (1649 in³),
• Fuel type: gasoline with an octane number of 70,
• Fuel consumption on the road: 280-420 l/100 km (UK-99-150 gal/100 mi, USA-119-179 gal/100 mi),
• Off-road fuel consumption: 420-560 l/100 km (UK-150-198 gal/100 mi, USA-179-238 gal/100 mi),
• Range on the road: 280 km (174 mi),
• Off-road range: 130 km (81 mi),
• Armor thickness:
  • Turret (front, sides, rear, top): 76, 63, 57, 20 mm (3, 2.5, 2.2, 0.8 in),
  • Hull (front, sides, rear, top, bottom): 30-63, 32, 32, 20, 8 mm (1.2-2.5, 1.3, 1.3, 0.8, 0.3 in),
• Crew: 5.

Armament:

• Cannon 75 mm (2.95 in), stock of ammunition: 64,
• Two 7.92 mm (0.31 in) machine guns, stock of ammunition: 4950,
• 50.8 mm (2 in) smoke grenade launcher, stock of ammunition: 50.

Overcoming obstacles:

• Depth of the ford: 1,20 m (3 ft 11.2 in),
• Height of the wall: 0,90 m (2 ft 11.4 in),
• Width of the ditch: 2,30 m (7 ft 6.55 in).

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromwell_tank
• http://www.2wojna.pl/encyklopedia-uk-wb-011.html
• https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mk_VIII_Cromwell#Cromwell_IV
• http://panzerschreck.strefa.pl/normandia1944.html
• http://ciekawostkihistoryczne.pl/2011/12/20/czlowiek-ktory-jednym-czolgiem-w-20-minut-unicestwil-caly-pulk-pancerny/
• http://www.panzerpunkt.info/artykuly/wittman/wittman_ver2.htm

03 Jul 2016