05-08-06
Hi guys.
There's a gent whom I know who says either his dad or uncle drove Crusader tanks in the second world war on or after d-day.
Can anybody tell me where I might get decals for any such units? I believe allied armour had a big white star in a circle on them?

Any help appreciated.
I plan to use the Italeri 1/35 kit. Any aftermarket out ther for it?
Thanks in advance
Liam

Hi Liam,
You probaly already know this but the only Crusader tanks that saw service on or after D-Day were the Crusader Mk.III AA Mk.III & Mk.II variants used soley for anti aircraft duties. The gun tank versions of the Crusader were retired from service at the conclusion of the Nth African campaign.

Italeri do a nice kit of the AA varieant which comes with all the generic makings you should need to make a specific vehicle.

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/italeri/it6444.htm

http://www.internetmodeler.com/2006/march/first-looks/italeri_6444_review.php

Apologies if you already knew this, but your post sounded as if you were referring to the gun tank variant.

Cheers
Darren

did shermans replace crusaders?
also FSM did a reiew of the AA crusader tank

I don't think Crusaders were used on or after D-Day, they were used in Africa. I think you may be wanting information on the Cromwell. This page might help http://www.d-daytanks.org.uk/exhibits/cruiser-cromwell.html

Good luck and happy building

If you mean the Crusader AA variant Liam , Edaurd have PE update set specifically for this version


Ian

Liam,

What the guys are saying is true but one version missed is the Crusader Gun Tractor. This is a stripped out gun tank with re-modelled frontal and side upper hull details. The tractors main use was to tow 17 pdr anti-tank guns and limbers. The hull interior contained the ammunition with the gun crew sat each side. These vehicles were used by the Royal Artillery.
Accurate-Armour do a lovely conversion kit for the Italeri Mk III Crusader.
Perhaps this is the version of the Crusader your friend is referring to. It would be nice if you could find out a little more detail.

Cheers
Kevin

05-08-06
Thanks for the reply guys.
I don't think he meant the AA version. He was clear on that point, but maybe he meant the Cromwell or the Churchill.
I am not an armour-person myself, but I will have a word with the guy and get back to you all.
Thanks again
Liam

Another possibillity is Cavalier OP tanks were used post DDay & that back end is very similar to the Crusader with the same engine

On page 120/121 of the paperback 'Hill 112' (Tim Saunders, Battleground Europe series. Leo Cooper) there is a handwritten note by Sgt. Jim Stevens (from 129 battery, 86th A/T Regiment?) that list his troop losses for 10/7/44.

One later entry reads:

T125616 Crusader Recce 'writtren off, 'U/S' Grimbosq

Make of it what you will!

Hi There

As well as the vehicles mentioned above there were 40mm Bofors and triple 20mm Polsten Self propelled AA guns used by three LAA Regiments in NW Europe.
The turreted 20mm were AA units within armoured formations and as the Luftwaffe air threat was quickly reduced these vehicles were issued to anti tank regiments for use as command vehicles. The donkey engine fitted to power the turret would mean they could carry the extra radios needed and not have to keep the main engine running. Certainly M10 3" and M10 17pdr units had them, I think the Archer units got later Valentine marks. I'm not sure whether the command vehicles still had their 20mm guns or not.
After the problems the Crusader experienced in N Africa it's interesting to note that unit war diaries from NW Europe highly regarded the Crusader and it's reliability.

HTH
Nick

Aren't the Centaur and the Cromwell tanks basically the same?


Jeff

As built, the Centaur had a Liberty engine (a WW1 aircraft engine) while the Cromwell had the superior Meteor (a derated Merlin aircraft engine). It had been intended all along to use the latter, but the tank assembly line was up and running before the engine manufacturers had caught up, so the first production batches were assembled with the older powerplant. Most Centaurs were re-engined and upgunned before D-Day, and were redesignated as Cromwells (many Centaurs had been built with the 6 pdr, but the British 75mm later became available).
The Centaurs used by the Royal Marines in Normandy were actually Cromwell Mk VI's, since they had been rebuilt with the new engines. However, no one ever updated their paperwork, so they went down in history as Centaurs.