The Cromwell tank, officially Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M), was one of the series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second World War. Named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, the Cromwell was the first tank put into service by the British to combine high speed from a powerful and reliable engine (the Rolls-Royce Meteor), and reasonable armor.
“Speed, reliability and power” defined this well-balanced British tank. The Cromwell Cruiser tank featured reasonable armor protection and enough firepower to take on its German counterparts. The Cromwell was the fastest tank in the UK’s arsenal.
The Cromwell’s excellent V12 Meteor petrol engine was a non-supercharged version of the Merlin engine used in Spitfire fighter aircraft. It was produced by Roll Royce and first saw action as a support tank during landings in Normandy and across France. The British sector was where the majority of tiger and Panther engagements took place.
This is one of only two Mk VII Cromwell tanks in the Western hemisphere.
