Cromwell Cruiser Tank 1942-50

Description

For most of World War II, British tank development remained faithful to the design philosophy inaugurated during World War I. Experiences in North Africa highlighted flaws in this basic design, however, and the General Staff identified the need for a new heavy cruiser that could combine speed and manoeuvrability with increased armour and armament. The Cromwell Cruiser tank was designed as a result and soon proved itself one of the fastest and most successful tanks deployed by the Allies during World War II. This book details the design and development of the Cromwell and its many variants, from its introduction at D-Day, through its many successes in the final year of World War II and beyond.

David Fletcher was born in 1942. He has written a number of books and articles on military subjects and is currently the historian at the Tank Museum, Bovington, UK. He has spent over 40 years studying the development of British armoured vehicles during the two World Wars. Dick Harley was born in 1953. He has spent over 35 years modelling, drawing and researching British military vehicles and has written and illustrated many articles for the enthusiasts' journals Tankette, Centurion and AFV News. He has studied the Cromwell tank family for over 25 years and this books supercedes all of his previous articles on this subject. Peter Sarson has produced graphic cutaways for many armoured vehicle publications and is regarded as one of the world's great illustrators of military vehicles. Peter lives and works in Dorset, UK.

"This volume is a valuable addition to any Tank enthusiast or military historian's library." --Alex Ness, popthought.com "I would have no hesitation in recommending this book as essential reading for Cromwell fans and as a very useful reference source for those who are interested in this vehicle." --Alan McNeally, Armorama (March 2006)