Tamiya - Cromwell Mk.IV Cruiser Tank 1:35

Tamiya

Regular price $92.00

Description
Store/Refund Policy/FAQ

Prior to the outbreak of WWII, Britain relied heavily on military alliance with France. It was felt that the large French army would be able to check any German expansion in western Europe should existing treaties be violated. As a result the British Army had been neglected, so that when war came the Royal Armoured Corps had only a handful of modern tanks in service. Many of these were sent to France with the BEF only days before France was defeated, all were abaondoned as their cres were evacuated back to Britain. The result was that new tanks were rushed into production without proper testing and were to prove unreliable in combat. As no new tank engines had been developed, most of these tanks were powered by the Nuffield Liberty, an American engine designed in WWI to give an output of 200bhp. Nuffield increased the output to 350 - 410 bhp and this was used to power the A13, A15 Crusader and A24 Cavalier. The engine proved adequate in the A13 and Crusader due to their modest weight, but in the Cavalier it was a disaster and the tank was unfit for combat. In 1941 Rolls Royce produced a de-rated version of their Merline aero engine, used in the Spitfire, Hurricane, and Lancaster aircraft, for tank use. Named the Meteor, this engine developed 600 bhp, more than enough for current needs. The successor to the Cavalier the A27 Cromwell, was designed to use this new engine and a pilot model was ready early in 1942. Unfortunately Rolls Royce was fully committed producing the Merlin and so was unable tomanufacture the Meteor in any quantity. The production of the Meteor was passed to the Rover Car Company, which had been tooling to produce the Merlin. Setting up this new engine production line was to take almost a year. While the facilities for producing te Meteor engine were being set up, it was decided to continue production of the A27 using the Liberty engine as a temporary measure. This version was designated the A27L Centaure, and the Meteor powered tank the A27M Cromwell. Leyland Motors were contracted to build 4,256 Centaures, with other companies producing a further 2,000 vehicles. Though not all these contracts were subsequently filled, and it is not known exactly how many A27"s were produced. The Centaur Mk.I entered production in the autumn of 1942, and was armed with the 6 Pdr. gun. This was followed by the Mk.III with 75mm gun and Mk.IV which mounted a 95mm howitzer. Early in 1943 most Centaur Mk.I were converted to the Mk.III by changine the armament. The a27M Cromwell Mk.I entered production in January 1943, but only a few were produced before production switched to the Cromwell Mk.V with 75mm Q.F. Mk.V gun. By mid-1943 enough engines were being produced to allow some of the older Centaurs to be converted to Cromwell, these tanks mounting the 75mm gun were designated the Cromwell Mk.IV, and this became numerically the most important mark. Most, if not all, Centaur tanks were built with an internal track tension system which was accessed by two small dome covers located on the front plate just inboard of the lifting ring brackets. Domes were not present on the tanks built from the start as Cromwells, these tanks had an external track tension system which was adjusted by a large "hockey stick" steel bar, stowed on the side of the engine deck. On conversion to Cromwell, there is evidence that some tanks were fitted with the external tension system. In this case the domes were welded in place or small armour patches were welded over the hole, and the "hockey stick" adjuster bar would be provided. Cromwell Mk.IV and Mk.V battle tanks, and Mk.VI close support tanks (95mm), started to be issued to the troops in October 1943 as they became available. The first were issued to the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments, one of which was to be attached to the Guards, 7th and 11th Armoured Divisions, and 1st Polish Armoured Division (Polish troops were equipped by the British and were part of the British 21st Army Group). Other Cromwells were issued as Command Tanks (Division HQ) and Royal Artillery, Armoured Obdservation Post (AOP) tanks. However the main recipient was the 22nd Armoured Brigade of the 7th Armoured Division which had all three of its armoured regiments equipped with the Cromwell. This was the last British Armoured Division to re-equip in preparation for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Guards, 11th and 1st (Polish) Armoured Divisions had already equipped with the Sherman. The A27L/M was built with five different hull types, known as "A","B","C","D" and "F" ("E" was an internal transmission modification). These types related to the hull crew hatches and to the engine deck door layout. Early type hulls were used on pre-production tanks, but the first type to be mass produced was the "C" type introduced on the A27L Centaur. The "D" type with revised engine access doors was introduced in 1943, as was the "F" which eliminated the hull top drivers hatch, replacing it with a side-opening hatch similar to that provided to the hull gunner. The Cromwell was a fast and reliable tank capable of speeds of over 65km/h on a good surface. It was compared favorably with tanks of similar weight such as the Sherman and Panzer IV. Most were armed with the 75mm Q.F. Mk.V/VA, which was based on the 6 Pdr. but chambered to fire American ammunition. This was a very good duel-purpose gun, well able to destroy enemy anti-tank guns at long range, or penetrate the frontal armour of a Panzer IV at normal battle ranges. However it was almost useless against German heavy tanks. Armour was a maximum of 76mm on early marks, but in 1944 some tanks received 25mm plates welded to the frontal armour, increasing the thickness to 101mm maximum. Tanks with 75mm gun became the Mk.VII, and those with 95mm howitzer the Mk.VIII. The Cromwell, along with a few Centaur special purpose tanks, first saw action during the Normandy campaign. Here it was at a disadcantage as it could not use its superior speed and agility, but this changed after the fighting moved to open country. Cromwell tanks made some spectacular advances in their pursuit of the Germans across Northern France, Belgium and Holland. The Cromwell served again in Korea and was finally retired in the late 1950"s. It is interesting to note that the Leopard, German"s first post-war tank, was much closer in concept to the Cromwell than it was to the Tiger!

Shipping:

We ship via USPS, UPS or FedEx. At this time, we do not offer shipping to addresses with an APO/FPO or outside the continental United States.

Shipping Time:
Orders are normally shipped from our warehouse within 24 - 48 business hours of order placement. Please allow 7 - 10 business days for delivery after your order has shipped. Delivery times are estimated and we do not provide money-back guarantee for any shipping option other than FedEx Express or UPS Next Day.

Terms of Use and Security

: We use cookies to store visitors preferences, record session information, such as items that consumers add to their shopping cart, record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit, alert visitors to new areas that we think might be of interest to them when they return to our site. If you do not want to receive e-mail from us in the future, please let us know by sending us an e-mail. If you supply us with your postal address on-line you may receive periodic mailings from us with information on new products, special pricing and services or upcoming events. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, let us know by sending us an e-mail. Please provide us with your exact name and address. Persons who supply us with their telephone numbers on-line will only receive telephone contact from us with information regarding orders they have placed on-line. With respect to security: We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of information that we have collected from you at our site. If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us at your discretion.

Returns & Replacements

We accept returns within 30 days of the date of purchase unless otherwise stated on the item's page. In order to return an item, please contact us for a Return Authorization Number. Once the Return Authorization Number is acquired, you have 30 days to return the item(s). All returned items must be unused and in new condition in their original packaging including all hardware and instructional components. Items are also subject to a 20% restocking fee. Although if you are a repeat customer who purchased from our website before, we are happy to waive the restocking fee.

Any returned item deemed not to fall within the preceding criteria will be returned with no credit issued at the customer's expense. Once your return has been inspected please allow 15 days for the credit to be applied to the credit card used for purchase. The initial cost of shipping is not eligible for a refund. Buyer pays for return shipping. To request your Return Authorization Number, please follow these steps:

1. Read and agree to the Returns Policy and Procedure above.

2. Email us at cs@phenomstores.com. We will need your order number and the Item ID number of the product you wish to return.

Refused Orders - Should you decide that you wish to refuse receipt of an item when delivered by UPS, USPS or any other common carrier and legitimately ordered from us, credit will be issued for the item, minus shipping and a restocking charge of 20%.

Exchanges - In order for us to do the exchange we would need to refund your payment, then you would need to make another purchase transaction with us for the item that you like within 7 days of your exchange request. We're asking that you return the item you bought from us within 30 days along with a tracking number so we both know that your return reached us. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items. All returned items must be unused and in new condition in their original packaging including all hardware and instructional components. Any returned item deemed not to fall within the preceding criteria will be returned with no credit issued at the customer's expense. You are responsible for the return shipping cost. We also charge a 10% restocking fee for exchanges. Once we received and inspected the item we will credit** your payment. Please take note, our inventory changes constantly so the item may not be available at the time of your request.

**A store credit will be issued on orders returned totaling less than $5.

Damaged, Defective and Wrong Item(s) - It is your responsibility that the item(s) you received are undamaged and the correct item(s). Please examine the shipping box and all contents immediately upon receipt for any signs of damage, defect or wrong item(s). All claims must be initiated within 7 days of delivery and send us an email so we can further assist you.

Still have questions? Please don't hesitate to contact us by sending us an email to cs@phenomstores.com or by phone at 608-571-7033.

FAQ

When do I expect my order to ship out?

Our normal shipping lead times can take up to 72 hours after your order is received. However, due to unprecedented demand brought on by COVID-19 our shipping times have been extended. This is due to logistical issues that our shipping carriers are experiencing that is outside our control. Rest assured, we're doing everything we can to ship your order as soon as it's received.

How will I know my order has shipped?

As soon as your order is packed and labeled, we will email you a shipment confirmation with the tracking number so that you're able to track your order. You can look up the status of your order by entering the tracking number found on the bottom of our web page under "Track Order Status". You can also look up the shipment status of your order by entering your shipment tracking number at USPS.com, UPS.com or FedEx.com.

How much does shipping cost?

Our shipping costs vary depending on the item you're purchasing. Most items are eligible for our FREE shipping if your purchase totals $59 and over. And for items that are excluded from FREE shipping like bulk or oversized items, we offer FIXED shipping rate or prevailing market prices.

Some of the items I ordered are missing. What should I do?

Please reach out to us when you have items that are missing when you originally placed your order. This happens either because,

1. The missing items are on backorder or

2. The missing items are still on its way but due to service delays from our shipping carrier (ie UPS, FedEx) your package may take longer than expected.

How soon after can I cancel my order?

Unfortunately, we cannot cancel an order once an order is placed. This is because your order is automatically placed in queue to ship out once an order is received.

What is the best way to reach you when I have a question?

Our customer service phone and chat lines are normally open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm CST. However, there are times when we can't be reached because all our customer service agents are helping other customers. If this happens, please leave us a voicemail at 608-571-7033 or write us a message on our "Contact Us" page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

What happens when I "Pre-Order" an item?

When you "Pre-Order" an item that is out of stock, you will be notified when we have the item in stock again. Our "Pre-Order" (or Wait-List) doesn't guarantee that your order will be fulfilled but we will do our best to make that happen.

You're also under NO obligation to purchase when you sign up for "Pre-Order".

Tamiya - Cromwell Mk.IV Cruiser Tank 1:35

Shipping:

Terms of Use and Security

Returns & Replacements

FAQ

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