Comet (tank)

Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)
A Comet tank at Tankfest 2023 at The Tank Museum.
TypeCruiser tank
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In serviceDecember 1944–1958 (UK)
Used bysee Operators
WarsSecond World War
1964 Ethiopian–Somali War
Production history
DesignerBirmingham Carriage & Wagon Co
Designed1943
ManufacturerLeyland Motors
ProducedSeptember 1944
No. built1,200
Specifications
Mass35 long tons (36 t; 39 short tons)
Length
  • Hull – 21 ft (6.4 m)
  • Total – 25 ft 1+12 in (7.7 m)
Width9 ft 10+14 in (3 m)
Height8 ft 9+12 in (2.68 m)
Crew5 (commander, gunner, loader/operator, driver, hull gunner)

Armour.55–4 in (14–102 mm)
Main
armament
Secondary
armament
  • 2 × 7.92 mm Besa MG
  • 5175 rounds
EngineRolls-Royce Meteor Mark III V12 petrol
600 hp (450 kW)
Power/weight18.3 hp/long ton (13.4 kW/t)
DriveWebbed & spudded tracks
Transmission
  • Z5 Constant Mesh
  • (5 forward; 1 reverse)
SuspensionImproved Christie with return rollers
Ground clearance18 in (0.46 m)
Fuel capacity116 imp gal (530 L)
Operational
range
  • On-road – 123 mi (198 km)
  • Cross-country – 74 mi (119 km)
Maximum speed
  • On-road – 32.4 mph (52.1 km/h)
  • Cross-country – 14.3 mph (23 km/h)
ReferencesChamberlain & Ellis[1]

The Comet tank or Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34) was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of the Second World War, during the Western Allied invasion of Germany. The Comet was developed from the earlier Cromwell tank with a lower profile, partly-cast turret which mounted the new 77 mm HV gun. This was a smaller version of the 17 pdr anti-tank gun firing the same 76.2 mm (3") projectiles, albeit with a lighter charge, and was effective against late-war German tanks, including the Panther and Tiger.[2]

The Comet rendered the Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger obsolete, and led to the development of the Centurion tank. When firing APDS rounds, the 77 mm HV was superior in armour penetration capability to the 75 mm KwK 42 gun of the equivalent Axis tank, the Panther.[3]

The Comet entered active service in January 1945 and remained in British service until 1958. In some cases, Comets sold to other countries continued to operate into the 1980s.

  1. ^ Chamberlain & Ellis (1969), p. 50.
  2. ^ Fletcher & Harvey (2006).
  3. ^ Stone, John (2000). The Tank Debate: Armour and the Anglo-American Military Tradition. Harwood Academic Publishers. p. 70. ISBN 9058230457.