The Cromwell Tank

An overview of the Cromwell tank featuring it's use in video games and in the movies.
More War Movie Content: / johnnyjohnsonesq
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Movies/Games Featured:
Cromwell 1970
Band of Brothers 2001
The Intruder 1953
Company of Heroes (Video Game)
Girls Und Panzer 2015here
Battle of Britain 1969
The Black Tent 1956
Post Scriptum (Video Game)
Combat Mission (Video Game)
War Thunder
A Hill in Korea 1956
#ww2 #tanks #warthunder

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

For clarity, the "17-Pounder" used on the Comet was an evolution of the 17-pounder best referred to as the 77mm High Velocity. It fired the same caliber ammunition as the 17-pounder but the ammunition was not interchangeable.

[@bobmetcalfe9640]

I should learn to read the comments before I make mine. Comment deleted.😃

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

@@bobmetcalfe9640 No worries my man! The more good info floating around the better.

[@Jay-ln1co]

Problem was the 17pdr. used really long shells that were hard to load inside the cramped turret. So they designed a casing that was fatter, but shorter. The projectile was the same as on the 17pdr. They named the new gun and ammo "77mm High Velocity" to avoid confusion in logistics.

[@clydepatrick27]

17 pounder "short"

[@warpartyattheoutpost4987]

What do you think about the Whopper™ vs the Quarter Pounder™?

[@mbryson2899]

Oliver Cromwell _really_ got on the bad side of the Crown. After Charles II came to power (the Restoration) they dug up Cromwell's remains, lopped off his head, and displayed it for years on a spike on the Tower of London. He eventually got it back and his remains have been hidden for hundreds of years since. Regarding the Cromwell tank, I read an anecdote in which several Cromwells used their speed to pull off Dukes of Hazzard jumps over a canal when they were on their way to Germany. I cannot imagine what that must have been like for the crews inside.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

I was trying to work that canal jumping story into this and now I am mad at myself that I just didn't use Dukes of Hazzard footage.

[@mbryson2899]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Johnny, I saw it in my head! I figured you didn't use it (or the song) because of copyright trolls.

[@WhatIsSanity]

I heard a WWII tanker vet recall his airborne journey over that canal at 50+kph. There was a reason the hull crew wore padded caps lol

[@diggraver2929]

"Well it looks like those commonwealth boys are at it again!"

[@Cromwell-V]

I remember that moment well

[@somebloke3869]

Named after a leader so well loved sometime after his death his corpse was put on trial and then beheaded. I think it's fair to say the vehicle got more love than it's namesake.

[@cruzaider5339]

They really took his actions personally

[@ThommyofThenn]

It's like if Norway produced a Quisling tank haha

[@BeingFireRetardant]

English people always be chopping heads off the folks they worship. It's normal for them.

[@simonatford1]

@@ThommyofThenn Not really. Cromwell lived hundreds of years earlier and had a good reputation in Britain. There is a statue of him outside Parliament.

[@simonatford1]

His reputation was somewhat better by the 1940s than it had been in the 1660s. Not in Ireland of course.

[@Clipgatherer]

“The Intruder” (1953) - a unique blend of British army humour, war heroics and moving drama. A fine film.

[@DavidCowie2022]

Added to my Cinema Paradiso queue.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

However, this is not to be confused with Roger Corman's 1962 film The Intruder... which is also worth watching, all things considered. And man, do I need to watch Cinema Paradiso someday, preferably on the Director's Cut.

[@simonpotter7534]

Thanks for that, the Cromwell is a much overlooked tank and part of the evolutionary designs that eventually led to the Centurion.

[@Vade]

Suprised to find some of my own footage on here! Thanks for using it, Post Scriptum has alot to see and show - great videos overall!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Vade! Thanks my man. Your video fit in so perfectly for this project. Glad you found it. You have a cool channel brother.

[@Vade]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Cheers! Feel free to use any of my footage if you can use it - I'm happy to share your great content! ;)

[@ccdc7058]

Great interaction fellas. I like it

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@ccdc7058 great thread 😊

[@Count_Gustav]

Which episode was it?

[@aaronpaul9188]

The cromwell destroyed in korea is actually the first tank kill of the centurian. Mark Felton has a great video on it.

[@iowa_lot_to_travel9471]

This was a wellcrom addition to the repertoire Sir Johnny. 💪👍🔥

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Ha! My man.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

​@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Scouse Knighthood inda post, matey..😅😅

[@barrymerchant3320]

In the BoB clips, the Cromwells were actually used during this battle, they were from A Sqn The 15th/19th The Kings Royal Hussars, who were the Armoured Recce Regt of the British 11th Armoured Division, attached to the 506th PIR, the Sherman's in the same clips weren't there, I served with the 15/19Hussars for 12 years

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks for that. Much respect. 🙏🇬🇧

[@mateuszdudek5697]

Intresting fact connected to cromwell is that one crew got accidentally sent to front with a practice version of the tank which was far less armoured. It conclusion they were able to achieve higher speeds couse they were lighter and crew refused to give the tank up XD

[@qasimmir7117]

Bullets sticking into the front armour.🤣

[@JNF590]

I still remember Lindy's stroy about this one.lmao

[@paoloviti6156]

It was a good tank with relatively decent armour and a wonderful engine resulting in one of the fastest tanks. The factories really dragged their feet and was hampered with the old Liberty engines! The beauty of all this was that already it was urgent to develop a better tank in 1940 and already somewhere the experts was scavenging old Merlins...

[@carlambroson8872]

The original World of Tanks comic series made me fall in love with this tank!😂

[@JoFa876]

A good book to check out is 'Troop leader' by BIll Bellamy. It's a biography of when he was a tank commander of a Cromwell tank in WW2.

[@corvuslegio995]

Thank you for using our video. Corvus Legio send thumbs up and greetings!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Heck ya! Glad you found it. You have a great channel!

[@BHuang92]

Interesting Fact: A Polish tank battalion was equipped with Cromwells and Fireflys that fought in Normandy. They earned the nickname "Black Devils" for their aggressiveness!

[@wbertie2604]

That's an unusual combination as it was normally Challenger and Cromwell due to less visual difference, similar mobility, some parts compatibility

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Fireflies*

[@wbertie2604]

@@einundsiebenziger5488 That's the correct plural for the insects, but not the tanks.

[@hamishneilson7140]

Interestingly enough about that Cromwell the Centurion took out: I’m like 90% sure it was the first ever combat kill for the Centurion.

[@JNF590]

Yes in Korea.

[@billballbuster7186]

The 17 Pounder was NOT used in the Comet. The Vickers "75mm High Velocity Gun" first designed for the Cromwell was based on the old 3inch Anti-Aircraft Gun with a new breach and chamber fitted. This used a short bottle-neck case better suited to tank use, only the projectile was similar to the 17 Pounder as they had the same caliber. To avoid confusion the gun was later renamed the Vickers 77mm HV when mounted in the Comet tank. Though it was a totally different gun it is often classed as a 17 Pounder as it used the same 17 lb projectile.

[@masterbuilderproductions]

Can you do a video on the Krag Jorgensen?

[@crystalmath4145]

I second this

[@thetrader4011]

@@crystalmath4145 i third this

[@knott8441]

​@@thetrader4011 I fourt this.

[@User_Un_Friendly]

I fifth this. 😛

[@yannickmaes]

I sixth this.

[@julesbenedictcatalan4904]

I fucking love the intro, it cuts from a 17th century cannon firing to Cromwell tank firing

[@ArenBerberian]

Loved that first cut, very well done Johnny!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

BOOM! I don't care if Cromwell studio copyright blasts me it makes the whole video.

[@totkampf8427]

Never thought I'd see Vades footage used anywhere, I love it. Awesome work as always.

[@geordiedog1749]

I just read ‘Warriors for the Working Day’ which is an IWM classic. Worth a read. Really captures the stress of tank warfare. Great vid. As usual. Blah blah:)

[@RoyBennett-dz2cq]

I read that need novel but on the summer of 1984, as a 16 year kid . very good book outlying the British campaign in the summer of 1944.

[@Waabbrr]

Have you already covered the crusader? I feel it'd be fun to learn about.

[@weksheddweller]

I never knew the Cromwell appeared in more films (although in very few) beside Band of Brothers. Thanks for the clips Johnny! It always puzzles me as to why the Cromwell wasn't used more in old-school war films. With the unavaibility of German WWII tanks, I always figured the Comet or Cromwell would be a suitable substitute for say Pz 4s and Tigers. So much better than using M48s, Shermans, etc.

[@williampaabreeves]

as far as i know britain scrapped many of them after retiring for material similar to what happened with most warships. so numbers dwindled fairly quickly

[@davestevens6283]

Working M48's, Shermans, T-34 and the like were available in various armies for decades after the war ended. No point in sending a tank or a film crew half-way around the world just to get one shot. Kelly's Tigers | Yugoslav “Tiger” movie props kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIi6fYBprbScb7M

[@A27crommwell]

Thank for doing this video! It is my favourite tank, as you can see from my channel. Keep up the good work!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Mr. Cromwell! I hope you did you proud. Personal favorite of mine too.

[@A27crommwell]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq thank you !

[@eamonnclabby7067]

​@@A27crommwell a few Cromwell families here on the Wirral 😅..

[@A27crommwell]

@@eamonnclabby7067 ahh nice. Far away from me though!

[@mlembrant]

1:12 And this, my children, is how tanks are born ^,^

[@qasimmir7117]

One of my favourite tanks. Some of the stories from the crews are quite funny. Particularly when a group of Cromwells interrupted a German 88mm anti aircraft battery and they all had to turn around and jump across a river in their tanks to get away from them.🤣

[@colonelturmeric558]

Jumping a river in your cromwell tank, now that’s soldiering!

[@OrdinaryLatvian]

That intro was really cool! Thanks for yet another great video. Somehow I'd never heard of the Comet.

[@waffleeater223]

I can't believe you actually went back in time to record this magnificent tank

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

I do whatever it takes

[@billsilver6429]

Hammer film studios are famous for horror movies, but they did make a few war movies too. One of them called "Steel Bayonet", set in Tunisia in 1943, had Cromwell tanks doubling as German panzers and, in this capacity, they did resemble German tanks far more closely than the Centurions that played German armour in another studio's desert war movie, "Tank Force" a.k.a "No Time to Die", made around the same time, the late fifties, and starring Victor Mature. But then, in that movie, Cromwells were playing the British tanks, so it would have made sense to have used something different.

[@Twitchguy]

I have zero idea why but I really like the Cromwell and Churchill designs.

[@rolfagten857]

In the Overloon war museum there is such a Cromwell tank that ran into a riegel mine during the tank battle.

[@samuel10125]

The Cromwell showed Britain starting to get it's act together with tank design after this I believe came the Centurion.

[@arthurfisher1857]

The Comet came after the Cromwell, then the Centurion. The Comet was a great tank too. A little too late to play a major role, but did see action.

[@funkeystudiostv]

I love your videos, Johnny. Very informative, very accurate, very digestible, and absolutely smattered with war cinema, which I’m a huge fan of. Great channel.

[@blackegret666]

Nice Job Johnny!

[@dynaflow666]

Always liked the clean design.

[@vickyking3408]

2 Cromwell tanks lept across a canal in Belgium!!

[@arcturus64]

Loving the Company of heroes clips!

[@antartis73]

Great info, superb visuals. As always

[@nolotrippen2970]

Well done. Happy Easter.

[@JayjayElon]

I like you edit at the intro of Lord Oliver Cromwell shout to fire his cannon then suddenly a tank named after him firing at German Half track 😂😂 Plus, my opinion...it one of those tank platform that potential candidates to mount the 17 pdr before firefly and even the comet.

[@HandyMan657]

I was wondering when you would get to the ironside. Thanks for the information Johnny, catch ya next time.

[@elstevobevo]

Great video opening,Johnny!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

BoOm!

[@TomaszLLewandowski]

@Johnny Johnson - thank you for using this specific fragment from the Battle of Britain. This is the oldest use of DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA I've stumbled upon. Are you a Warhammer 40k fan by any chance? :)

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

hahaha it had to be done! Always make me smile. I am a 40k fan! I'm looking forward to the series I hear is being developed!

[@YOUSEFTECALB]

Love the Cromwell film/Cromwell tank transitions, Johnny. The one weakness was when the tank was hit - the tank commander would find it difficult to escape from the main hatch.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

That was the Panther !

[@Jay-ln1co]

I like the Cromwell in Battlegroup. It's not that much different from M4s and Panzer IVs, but it's fast and you can take them as recon units. So while your opponent brings in armoured cars and light infantry, you're rocking a medium tank.

[@tinchorb1340]

i bought a 1/72 cromwell some days ago it looks very nice

[@thekhoifish0146]

1:53 quite the accomplished actor, the cromwell

[@Crazy-pl1lo]

Never thought I would see a vade video

[@ThatWelshGuy.]

Yoooooo my favorite ww2 tank got a video letsss goooo Btw could u do a video on the m36 jackson?

[@simonatford1]

"How’s the work going on that silly, harmless old bomb, eh? Oh, you were all frightened of nothing, you know. " "This line the Major spoke from inside a suit of armour, inside a Cromwell tank."

[@jaffy9939]

these videos are so bingeable my dude, keep em rollin! but don't burn urself out of course

[@michaelandreipalon359]

British tanks really need more love. Hope to see the Churchill, the Centurion, and the Tetrarch more on other fictional works (especially animation, since live action is getting way more dodgy at times) and in YT channels like this.

[@jonmcgee6987]

Aside from the Tog 2 for the memes of it. The Cromwell is my favorite British tank. I like the look of it and enjoy the assorted versions of it in WOT Blitz.

[@rdjhardy]

Very good video, Johnny. 👍

[@zendell37]

Love seeing some Bo time gaming.

[@RJM1011]

Cromwell was also the code name to be given out if the Germans had invaded the UK. Thank you for the video and thumbs up.

[@civilprotection3114]

You have a rather splendid Cromwell reporting for duty.

[@robertfogelberg7538]

Thank Jonny my favurite tank of all the time love it my dream is to use one of them in a fantasy movie

[@apokos8871]

coolest tank of the war, hands down

[@bigblue6917]

There were two Cromwell's used by Israel as far as I know. Left behind by British sympathiser. During development it did suffer from a lack of leadership, though it also suffered at time from to many leaders. At one point it was to have the Liberty engine of WW1 vintage but would instead get the Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 petrol; 600 hp engine which gave it its 40 mph top speed. Though it was fitted with the 75 mm gun it did account for at least two Tiger tanks during the same engagement. As a sidenote, a much improved version of the 6-pounder was just brought out when the 75 mm went into service. It could fire APDS rounds with excellent penetration capabilities but lacked a decent HE round.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

True..

[@Daniel4646]

0:01-0:06 - I think the cut to the firing Cromwell tank should have been emitted. Would have had a more comedic effect here.

[@cruzaider5339]

The few tanks unbothered by rumours and dramatisation

[@generalspitfire01]

Surprisingly no Cromwell tanks in anime? Or is there any anime that have the tank in it? (I don't know if Girls Und Panzer had this fancy little tank in the show)

[@warthuderstuff]

1:39 bro flying fr

[@rileyernst9086]

It's not that the 75 had a good HE shell, it was more that if you have something going a decent velocity such as the British 6pdr, you tend to need to have more shell wall and less exsplosive payload or else it loses integrity in flight- also known as a bad thing. The old French model 1898 field gun of which the US tank gun was a derivative was never intended to breach the armoured hulls of tanks, as they had not been invented yet and thus its pretty well set up for slinging HE at things.

[@Nomadith]

Ah yes, a rather splendid Cromwell

[@nathangebben5738]

Another home run vid!

[@n8ivspat3n56]

1:38 is that where the picture of a flying Cromwell comes from?

[@vickyking3408]

2 Cromwell tanks actually jumped a canal in Holland

[@shengquanxuan132]

Churchill next?

[@abeyroad0487]

Idea for next video "Browing 1919 MG

[@BeatRoot14]

That jump in the tank must have been so sore on the landing

[@haiderameen2963]

Make the t62 tank in the movies or the t72 tank

[@SIXPACFISH]

Bo Time with Botime Gaming!

[@bkmisc54]

funy crom

[@billsilver6429]

P.S. To be honest, I DO miss the days when all you had to do was get a few M47s or M48s, either paint them gray or sand yellow, plaster them with black crosses, and call them "Tigers".

[@mbr5742]

Or use dutch Leopard 1 and some plywood and call it a Panther... (granted Leo 1 IS heavily inspired by Panther and in the same weight/size class)

[@erikasan3299]

I may be two days late but I m back with a vengeance for the m16!

[@darthgonk5648]

You still going to make that video of the chinook gunship?

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

I promise! But it might be awhile. I'm struggling with a Degtyaryov video at the moment. We will see how it goes :)

[@starkiller5857]

Thing hits like a truck in bf5

[@HamanKarn567]

That's my favorite British tank.

[@Bullet_Tooth84]

I'm not completely getting the British system: what does a gun make a 17pdr? Is it just the weight of the projectile? Could a 17pdr have different calibres?

[@wbertie2604]

The weight of naval shot that would fit in the calibre. All are the same calibre for a given number of lbs.

[@Erwin_Von_Heidenheim]

Fonominal video firstly Secondly it's great to see Girls Und panzer Featuring in these video analysts Thirdly I wrote a 5k word essay about 3 tanks of wwII one of them was the Cromwell, this video almost perfectly summarised my chapter about the Cromwell ,great video keep up the good work JJ

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks for you that!

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

A) "Fonominal" - congratulations! This is probably the most creative spelling of the word "phenomenal" in existence. B) ... to see Girls und Panzer* featured* in this video ...

[@the_simple_editor]

sorry if i haven't talked in awhile, how was your day? (don't ask why im doing this.)

[@kirishima638]

Great video

[@callsigntonks4029]

A bit late but keep up the good content johnny :)

[@MrRenegadeshinobi]

At 3:52 is a KZbinr named Bo Time Gaming

[@mbr5742]

Cromwell was a fine tank. Remember that it's most likely enemy was a Panzer III or IV and not a Tiger (rare) or Panther (kaputt). Against those the 75mm worked nicely, armor was compareable (or better in the welded versions) and both mobility and reliability was better (by that time P IV was a tad overweight) Yes, a Panther (assuming you could find a working one in the West) was better (Comet would take care of that) but overall Cromwell was a nice vehicle for killing Krauts.

[@tvgerbil1984]

The Cromwell wasn't particularly well designed for field maintenance either. To fix a broken suspension, engineers had to take the whole side off to get to it because the suspension springs were sandwiched between two armored plates which formed the sides of the hull. The internal space of the hull was reduced further by this type of design.

[@mbr5742]

@@tvgerbil1984 It broke down a lot less and removing a side plate is still faster than fixing the KrautMission on the Panther.

[@tvgerbil1984]

@@mbr5742 The British Army did not need to maintain Panthers but it had to maintain over 15,000 Shermans and 4000 Cromwells during WW2. Maintaining Shermans had to be a lot easier than Cromwells and getting repaired Shermans back to the field would have been a lot quicker as a result.

[@mbr5742]

@@tvgerbil1984 Sources for that?

[@tvgerbil1984]

@@mbr5742 If you do a web search on "tank exercise dracula", you will find plenty of details of an over 11000 miles field trial among Shermans, Cromwells and Centaurs to map out their respective reliability in the Autumn of 1943. There is also YT clip on the same exercise.

[@bigchunk7246]

Wonder if any Cromwells managed to get the 6 pounder apds

[@miles2378]

1:44 was that a ork flying that fighter?

[@User_Un_Friendly]

How about the silliest tank ever constructed? The Bob Semple tank? Or better known as the Big Bob?🤣

[@A27crommwell]

Btw the comet used a 77mm, great vid tho

[@AHappyCub]

Which is actually a 76mm but renamed to avoid confusion with the 17pdr despite, if memory serves me right, being the shorter version of said gun

[@A27crommwell]

@@AHappyCub ahh thank you

[@inductivegrunt94]

Fast, reliable, versatile. The British Cromwell really showed that British engineering was outdated, like with the lower more vulnerable Matildas and Churchills, or the fast and weak Crusaders and Valentines, all with weaker 2 or 6pdr guns. The Cromwell really was the step in the right direction as it helped lead to Comets and Centurions coming online and ushering in the era of the MBT. Another great video of a legendary tank. Are you perhaps maybe considering doing the Comet at some point? Or perhaps a famous WW2 weapon's origins in the Finnish Soumi KP-31? Any way you do it I'm sure it'll be a great video. And that bit with Girls und Panzer when talking about the Crusader made me smile. Love this video even more thanks to that.

[@trappenweisseguy27]

Those narrow tracks would not have fared well on eastern front I’d imagine.

[@mbr5742]

the final one was 400mm on a 28to vehicle. Panther had 660mm on 42+ to

[@ianmangham4570]

Warts n all

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Johnny, a back...😅..excellent...E..

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Another British video for my man E

[@eamonnclabby7067]

​@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Honorary Birkonian status duly conferred😅😅😅❤

[@Chiller01]

Another nice video. I got nothing to contribute regarding British armour. Hopefully a comment helps a little with the algorithm.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

It always helps I thank you for it 🙏

[@shortfilmsstudios1739]

Hey

[@MaximilianDenisPatrickPonsonby]

2:02 lmao

[@SD78]

The Cromwell was a partial British replacement for the Sherman and used identically in Armoured Divisions. It had some advantages with silhouette, speed and cross country ability but was a dubious use of resources that late in the war when there were plenty of Shermans to go around.

[@SmokeyBCN]

One could argue maintaining domestic development and production was vitally important for the coming "peace" time.

[@AdamantLightLP]

@NilinLusankya something many modern European nations have forgotten.

[@mbr5742]

No, it was good use. Because it advanced british tank design and gave the world CENTURION

[@SD78]

@@mbr5742 how would a boxy, traditional cruiser tank help with the design of a highly sloped universal tank that was a radical departure and required new trailers to be built for it?