Full Name | Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34) |
Class | Heavy Vehicle |
Movement | 6 |
Armor Value | 4 |
Vs Infantry (RNG / FPR) | 5/5 |
Vs Vehicle (RNG / FPR) | 9/13 |
Traits | |
Period | Late 1944-1945 |
Theaters of Service |
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This British cruiser tank first saw use near the end of World War II during the Invasion of Germany. Leyland Motors based the design on the Cromwell, but modified its track design, suspension, hull, turret, and other components. The tank mounted the new Ordnance Quick-Firing (QF) 17-pdr High Velocity (HV) 76.2 mm (sometimes referred to as a 77 mm gun, to differentiate it from the earlier QF-17 pdr) (L/55) gun in a lower profile, partly-cast turret. Firing the same 76.2 mm round as the earlier QF-17 pdr but in a shorter case with more velocity, this gun was more effective against late-war German tanks than the earlier QF-17 pdr. It also carried two 7.92 mm Besa machine guns. The tank was widely respected as one of the best British tanks of the war, and continued in service with the British Army until 1958. A crew of five operated the vehicle, and it had a maximum speed of 32 mph. Leyland Motors produced 1,200 in September 1944, in one version. During the war, they only saw service in Western Europe.