World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseIn 1941, the Railway Carriage and Wagon Company in the United Kingdom set out to design replacements for the aging Crusader cruiser tanks. After the Cavalier design, which was largely unsuccessful, the Cruiser Mk VIII (A27) design emerged. The initial models were equipped with the older and less-powerful Liberty engine; they were designated A27L Centaur tanks. Starting in Jan 1943, the more powerful Meteor engines became available, and those equipped with this engine type were designated A27M Cromwell tanks.

ww2dbaseThe Centaur tanks, with the weaker engines, were largely used for training purposes. Some of them were converted to specialty uses, such as the conversion to become armored bulldozers. A few of them saw combat as well, including the Normandy, France landing operations in 1944. The Cromwell tanks were the more numerous of the two variants. Similar to their Centaur cousins, the Cromwell tanks fielded dual-purpose guns that could fire high explosive shells made for the American M3 75-mm gun, thus making them excellent infantry support tanks. Cromwell tanks first saw action during the Normandy landing operations and were generally well-received, though many British crews preferred the American Sherman tanks.

ww2dbaseBy the end of the war, a total of 4,016 Mk VIII (A27) tanks were built; 950 of them were of the Centaur variant and 3,066 were of the Cromwell variant. Additionally, 375 Centaur hulls were built to receive anti-aircraft gun turrets, though only 95 of them were completed. After the war, they remained in service until the 1950s.

SPECIFICATIONS

A27L Centaur

Machinery	One Nuffield Liberty gasoline engine rated at 410hp
Suspension	Improved Christie suspension
Armament	1x57mm QF 6pdr gun (64 rounds), 2x7.92mm Besa machine guns
Armor	76mm
Crew	5
Length	6.35 m
Width	2.91 m
Height	2.83 m
Weight	28.0 t
Speed	40 km/h
Range	174 km

A27M Cromwell

Machinery	One Rolls-Royce Meteor V-12 gasoline engine rated at 600hp
Suspension	Improved Christie suspension
Armament	1x75mm OQF gun, 2x7.92mm Besa machine guns
Armor	76mm
Crew	5
Length	6.35 m
Width	2.91 m
Height	2.83 m
Weight	28.0 t
Speed	40 km/h
Range	174 km

Photographs