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Armor/AFV: British Armor
Discuss all types of British Armor of all eras.
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Guards Division CO Cromwell
Mees76
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Brazil
Joined: February 17, 2009
KitMaker: 43 posts
Armorama: 25 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 03:31 PM UTC
Greetings,
I´m looking for information about the Guards Armored Division commander´s Cromwell tank, during the mid-late 1944 period. In the old Osprey Vanguard´s "British Guards Armored Division 1941-45" book, there´s an illustration of this tank, along with some information about its particularities; but, sadly, not enough to model it.
Would anyone have more info about this vehicle? Its WD number, name (if it did had one), hull type, etc?
Any help would be greatly appreciated...
Cheers,
Mees76
Mees76
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Brazil
Joined: February 17, 2009
KitMaker: 43 posts
Armorama: 25 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 04:58 AM UTC
Here´s what I have so far:
- Judging by the single photo of this tank that I could find (in the IWM archives), it had the early low commander cupola, extra antennas on the turret and no storage boxes on the turret´s sides. The (covered) muzzle brake looks suspiciously short, it might have been a dummy gun. Everything else is covered either by the camouflage or by the croud.
- in the Osprey book, the author mentions the name "Charger" - perhaps the tank´s name? For markings, it gives a DivHQ Tacsign (Black background with "40" superimposed), bridge circle (yellow, "23") and divisional sign on the front; in the glacis plate, a lighted box with "G O C" on it and a smoke emmiter (as usually mounted in the tank´s rear) on the opposite side. It also mentions a divisional commander´s flag being flown on the turret.
That´s it. I would still need info about side markings, tank WD number and name ("Charger"?), and hull type...
ALBOWIE
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New South Wales, Australia
Joined: February 28, 2006
KitMaker: 1,605 posts
Armorama: 1,565 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 09:33 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Here´s what I have so far:
- Judging by the single photo of this tank that I could find (in the IWM archives), it had the early low commander cupola, extra antennas on the turret and no storage boxes on the turret´s sides. The (covered) muzzle brake looks suspiciously short, it might have been a dummy gun. Everything else is covered either by the camouflage or by the croud.
- in the Osprey book, the author mentions the name "Charger" - perhaps the tank´s name? For markings, it gives a DivHQ Tacsign (Black background with "40" superimposed), bridge circle (yellow, "23") and divisional sign on the front; in the glacis plate, a lighted box with "G O C" on it and a smoke emmiter (as usually mounted in the tank´s rear) on the opposite side. It also mentions a divisional commander´s flag being flown on the turret.
That´s it. I would still need info about side markings, tank WD number and name ("Charger"?), and hull type...



The Charger title is not the vehicle name but a throw back to old Cavalry days were it referred to the horse the CO would ride around the battlefield (In this case the "Charger" is the tank). This is a Cromwell OP and the barrel is a fake just like most of the "Tanks" that Wittman slayed in VB. Without photos or Archive documents such as the AFV returns and Tech reports for GAD you will be hard pressed to find the details.
Al
Mees76
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Brazil
Joined: February 17, 2009
KitMaker: 43 posts
Armorama: 25 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 11:36 AM UTC
Hello Al,
Thanks for your answer.
Yes, I thought that "Charger" as the tank´s name sounded a bit suspect, but Osprey´s text is somewhat "ambiguous" on this matter... so I was looking for confirmation.
I´m starting to think that I´ll have to give up on this one (or, at least, leave it on the back-burner). The funny thing is that it was supposed to be the "easiest" of my Cromwell models... the other two are a Portuguese Centaur Mk.I (Liberty engine and 6pdr Mk.III gun) and an Israeli ´48 - a subject that is always open to discussion...
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