Revell 1/72 Cromwell MkIV Tank (03123)

I wanted a Cromwell kit for most of my childhood but there simply wasn't an injection plastic version around in small scale back then. So the Revell kit was a must-have when it came out. Actually the Cromwell is a pretty ugly beast with some classically bad British design features. It was fast, but that didn't help much in the hedgerow fighting of Normandy. Come to think of it being fast didn't help earlier cruiser tanks much in the wide open spaces of North Africa either...
The Revell Cromwell is an easy, well moulded, well fitting kit, with excellent L&L tracks. I seem to recall the gun isn't built to elevate (something that always irritates me) so I had to do a bit of fiddling to make that work. Correct me if I'm wrong there - I don't usually keep build records. The kit comes with a Cullin hedge cutter to attach to the front. While that looks jolly cool I'm unconvinced that this device was ever fitted to Cromwells so have left it off. One day it'll go on a Sherman, which would be far more appropriate.

Now that is nice!

Much as I adore Airfix, I can't see their new Cromwell being as good as the Revell kit as the Airfix kit is let down by the tracks having a difficult to remove mold seem down the middle, except for the fact that the Revell kit is OOP and less easy to get hold of.

very nice....weathered up very nicely

what did you use to make the tow cable?

Thanks guys - I muddied this one up a bit more than intended, but then tanks do get muddy! Wish now that I'd redone the handles on the engine deck as the kit versions are a bit too fine.

Beowulf the tow cable is a few strands of electrical wire (computer cable) twisted using a pin vice. Should really have put one on the other side too for completeness.

I know there will be a lot of interest in the new Airfix Cromwell but solid tracks don't do it for me - I've made a few kits that have them (Pegasus and Italeri) but always end up having to do a ton of work to make them acceptable. The news about the mould seam down the middle makes it almost certain I won't be getting the new offering. If Revell re-release this though I'll be straight in the queue.

Wouldn't we have to actually see a production version of the new kit before we condemn it? I wouldn't want to rush to judgement based on a test shot.

Lovely build as always B4en. According to online sources (take with a grain of salt) 500 Cromwells were fitted with "prongs".



I don't know the original provenance of the above photo; it could just be a one-off test fitting. It would be more conclusive if there were photos of the vehicles so-fitted "in the field", but I can't locate any online. I can check some books I have at home if you like.

Cheers Bruce! You've made me check the Osprey book which, it turns out, has that very photo. The device wasn't test-fitted until November 1944 by which time as the caption notes: 'it was worthless'. No numbers are given (unless they are hidden away in the main text somewhere) but 500 fittings sounds highly unlikely - like yourself I've seen no photographic evidence at all that it was ever used in the field.

Great job.

James