The Churchill Crocodile was one of the most devastating battlefield weapons in WWII and this is one of two on display in the U.S.
Based on the Churchill Mk VII infantry tank, the Crocodile was a conversion project that allowed the crew to use the tank’s existing gun plus a flame-thrower. The flame-thrower unit was installed in the hull gunners position and a trailer carrying 480 gallons of fuel and propellant was attached to the rear of the tank.
The Crocodile was a horrifying psychological weapon. It could shoot flames over 120 yards for up to 80 seconds, usually in one second bursts. Because of the terror this weapon had wrought, captured Crocodile crews were often executed on the spot by Germans.
Churchill Crocodiles served in the Normandy Campaign, Western Europe, the Italian Campaign and later Korea.
