🇬🇧Cromwell Applique (MT-5, premium) With the release of Update 2.1, the Cromwell Applique will be tested in random battles by the developers, supertesters, and their friends.
Historical Reference:
The armored variant of the Cromwell, known as the Cromwell Applique, was developed by Rolls-Royce in 1943 in response to the growing effectiveness of enemy anti-tank artillery and the increasing armor protection of Wehrmacht vehicles. Welded applique plates were mounted on the hull and turret, increasing frontal armor protection to 101 mm but raising the tank’s weight to 29 tons.
The Sheffield Steel Co. armor plates were tested by live fire on June 21, 1943—hits near the edges caused cracking, which indicated that stronger weld seams were needed. Later, the tank—ballasted up to 31 tons—completed 174 miles on roads and 110 miles off-road. The suspension handled the load, but two road wheels showed wear, and the brakes required reinforcement.
The applique protection was approved for all serial-production Cromwells; however, fewer than 200 such vehicles were produced—too few and too late. As a result, Cromwells were rapidly replaced by the more advanced Comet.
