Cromwell Mk.IV / Mk.VI

Airfix, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Background

The Cromwell tank, officially Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M), was one of the series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second World War. Named after the English Civil War–era military leader Oliver Cromwell, the Cromwell was the first tank put into service by the British to combine high speed from a powerful, reliable engine (the Rolls-Royce Meteor) and reasonable armour. The intended dual-purpose high-velocity gun could not be fitted in the turret, so a medium-velocity dual-purpose gun was fitted instead. Further development of the Cromwell combined with a high-velocity gun led to the Comet tank.

The name "Cromwell" was initially applied to three vehicles during development. Early Cromwell development led to the creation of the A24 Cavalier. Later Cromwell development led to the creation of the competing Centaur tank (officially the Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Centaur (A27L). This was closely related to the Cromwell, both vehicles being externally similar.

The Cromwell and Centaur tanks differed in the engine used. The Centaur had the 410 hp Liberty engine, the Cromwell had the significantly more powerful 600 hp Meteor. Tanks ordered as Centaurs were completed as Cromwells by fitting Meteor engines..

The Cromwell first saw action in the Battle of Normandy in June 1944. The tank equipped the armoured reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps, in the 7th Armoured Division, 11th Armoured Division and the Guards Armoured Division. While the armoured regiments of the latter two divisions were equipped with M4 Shermans, the armoured regiments of the 7th Armoured Division were equipped with Cromwells. The Centaurs were not used in combat except for a few fitted with a 95 mm howitzer, which were used in support of the Royal Marines during the amphibious landings of Normandy.

FirstLook

Airfix initially released their 1/35 scale Cromwell Mk. IV and Mk. VI kits in 2021.

Modellers quickly pointed out that there were a couple of acccuracy issues with the kits, most obviously the road wheels that had been moulded with only six bolts, not the eight that it should have.

Four recessed bolts were also missing from the rim surrounding the pistol ports on both sides of the turret.

This time around Airfix has addressed the most glaring problem with a newly moulded set of eight bolt road wheels.

The pistol port bolts are still missing, although that is an easy fix.

The other difference between the initial and latest revisions is that this kit now includes parts for both the Mk.IV and the Mk.VI in the one box.

The Airfix 1/35 scale Cromwell Mk.IV / Mk.VI comprises 215 parts in tan coloured plastic, 68 parts in black coloured plastic, two lengths of flexible black track, 18 polythene caps, one photo-etched fret and decals for two marking options.

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Thumbnail panels:

Academy apparently moulded this kit. The plastic is somewhere pleasingly between hard and soft. Goldilocks would approve.

Surface textures are well done with a combination of pressed metal effect on the track guards and crisply recessed panel lines, supplemented by a bunch of appropriately raised structural features including bolts, handles, hinges and more.

The hull is supplied as a flat pack with separate sides, front, rear, top and bottom panels.

The turret is broken down in a similar fashion. The turret will rotate and the gun will elevate when the model is complete.

There are a number of ejector pin circles but these are mostly located in places that will be hidden once the model is built. For example, hatches are designed with separate head cushions on the inside which effectively hide the ejector pin circles. The hatches may be posed open or closed.

Exterior detail is more than adequate although there is no interior or crew figures.

Wheels and tyres are all-plastic and provided as two main parts each plus a small hub cap. Two spare road wheels are also included but they are not mentioned in the instructions. They suffer from some nasty ejector pin circles.

The side turret stowage boxes are also on the sprues but their assembly is not covered in the instructions either.

The modeller is offered the choice of flexible black vinyl full-length tracks or injection-moulded link-and-length.

The link-and-length tracks are made up from a long top and bottom run, two shorter runs of seven and eight links with the remainder of individual links wrapping around the drive sprocket and idler wheel.

There are many ejector pin circles but they should be pretty much hidden once the tracks are assembled.

The subtly pitted finish on the link-and-length tracks looks great.

The photo-etched fret supplies a mesh exhaust grill and bullet splash guards for the glacis plate.

Clear parts are not included. The headlights and turret spotlight lenses are solid so you might like to source replacements for these.

Decals are supplied for two marking options - one for a Mk.IV and one for a Mk.VI

They are a case of any colour you want as long as it is SCC 15 Olive Drab. There are plenty of after market alternatives available including Star Decals.

The small decal sheet is glossy and in register.

Conclusion

This is a reissue of Airfix's 1/35 scale Cromwell Mk.IV and Mk.VI kits, originally released in 2021. Those kits suffered from highly visible incorrect road wheels with only six bolts moulded instead of eight.

This reissue has corrected that problem with a new set of eight-bolt road wheels. The four bolts on the raised rim around each of the turret's pistol ports are still missing though.

Exterior surface details are good, hatches may be posed open or closed (although there is no interior detail or figures provided), the option of vinyl or link-and-length tracks is a nice touch and the parts breakdown is modeller-friendly.

This is a nice kit of an important type by Airfix

Purchased by the reviewer