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Posted on 05/18/2004 12:00:33 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 The General Staff drew up specifications in late 1940 for a heavy cruiser tank. In 1941 2 designs were submitted. One with a Liberty engine that was produced by Nuffield and the other with a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine that was produced by Leyland. The Meteor engine was proven to be very reliable and based on the Rolls-Royce Merlin aero engine. Approximately 80% of the components of the engine were similar to the aero engine. The M in the A27M stood for Meteor. In January 1942 Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company took over the design. In January 1943 production models first appeared. Initially Rolls-Royce produced the engines, but it was contracted out so that Rolls-royce could concentrate on aircraft engines.  Driver and co-driver/hull MG gunner sat in the forward compartment. The rest of the crew was in the turret and the loader was also the radio operator. The turret could be rotated in 15 seconds. The commander had a cupola, with early models having 2 episcopes and later models having 8 episcopes. 23 rounds of 75 mm was stored in the turret and the rest around the walls of the fighting compartment. There was a No. 19 wireless set in the back of the turret.  The engine was placed between 2 air cleaners and 2 fuel tanks. The radiators were mounted upright in the back. In later models side doors were added for the driver and hull gunner to be able to exit the tank easier. Some storage was lost, and local modifications often added additional storage.  Cromwell 1st Polish Armoerd Div - 1st Canadian Army With experience in Africa, the General Staff change the specifications to include the 75 mm gun that would allow HE ammunition to be fired at infantry and anti-tank targets. The ammunition was American made and taken from the Lend Lease supplies.  Cromwell in Germany in April 1945 This was the most numerous British tank in 1944-45, and replaced Shermans in many units. Many considered it too lightly armed and armored. Many were used by the 7th Armored Division. Cromwell I: Original production with 6 pdr.  Cromwell II: Removed hull MG. Installed wider tracks, 15.5". Cromwell III: Centaur I with Meteor engine.  Cromwell IV: Centaur III with 75 mm and Meteor engine. Issued to armored regiments in Oct. 1943. Cromwell IVw: With welded hull and Meteor engine. Cromwell Vw: With welded hull. Cromwell VI: As Mk IV with 95 mm.  Cromwell VII: Applique armor welded on hull front, wider tracks, and speed governed to 32mph. Cromwell VIIw: All welded hull. Cromwell VIII: Cromwell like VI. Cromwell ARV: Turret removed and fitted with jib and winch. Cromwell Command/OP: Mk IV, VI, or VIII fitted with dummy gun and extra communications equipment. Cromwell CIRD: Fitted to take Canadian Indestructible Roller Device mine exploding equipment. Few produced.  Cromwell "Prong": Fitted with Cullin Hedgerow device in Normandy. Cromwell OP: Used as mobile artillery observation post. Main gun removed and extra radios installed.
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Ugh, I am spoiling my own appetite!
BTTT!!!!!!!!
Dig the nursery!
Either Car&Driver or Road&Track did a "road test" on the crawler about 15 years ago. Pretty cool write up. Top speed: 1.1mph!
It was personalized for this colonel when his photo appeared on a Viet Cong wanted poster.
Still waiting on a report from DARPA on the use of gasbag senators (e.g., Ted Kennedy, Carl Levin) as strap-on armor for convoys running the gauntlet of IEDs, woman as human shields, children as shooters.
That'd work, by Jove!
Teddy's at LEAST good for 7 RPG hits without damage being perceptible.
And they're a semi-renewable armor source.
Just grab more and strap 'em to the vehicle.
Cool!
Probably a Geneva Convention reg against it somewhere though.
*sigh*
An RPG would either just bounce off or get sucked into his gut and lost. All you would hear would be a muffled explosion.
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