British A34 Comet - Painted Sample 200627

[Rubicon Models]

NEW PROJECT OF THE MONTH... Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)

A34 Comet is a British cruiser tank that first saw service near the end of WW2.  It was designed as an improvement on the earlier Cromwell tank, mounting the new 77mm HV gun in a new lower profile and part-cast turret.  This gun was effective against late-war German tanks, including the Panther at medium range, and the Tiger.  The tank was widely respected as one of the best British tanks of the war, and remained in British service until 1958.  In some cases, Comets sold to other countries continued to operate into the 1980s.  By the end of the WW2, 1,186 had been produced.
















Enjoy!

[ultravanillasmurf]

Stunning.

That is both a surprise and a delight.

[Tracks]

Surprising, yes.
Especially after what RM wrote on the what British tank to do next post:

One of the reasons we want a poll here is to make sure we are not too far away from the expectations of forum members.

I guess RM is somewhat far away from the forum's expectations.

But didn't they hint that there were two projects?

Well heck, even the moon is pretty far away, but NASA eventually got there.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Surprising, yes.
Especially after what RM wrote on the what British tank to do next post:

One of the reasons we want a poll here is to make sure we are not too far away from the expectations of forum members.

I guess RM is somewhat far away from the forum's expectations.

But didn't they hint that there were two projects?

Well heck, even the moon is pretty far away, but NASA eventually got there.

The poll was for two future British projects, this is one they had already started.

[jamesvalentine]

VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS!!!

My Polish will certainly be needing 3.
However I will personally be changing the armament because I'm a rebellious miscreant.
I want one with an American 76mm gun and 2 with American 75mm guns.
just because I want to be different and make all the rivet counters scream.

[Ballardian]

 Excellent news, thanks for producing one of my favourite British AFV's, I really look forward to their release

[Pinky]

Really pleased to see this.  I will definitely be getting a couple!

[303in204]

Very exciting! I was planning on a few for my Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, always happy to avoid resins.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Two museum examples  (both from IWM Duxford, one is a Gate Guard) have the fish tail exhaust but without the "Normandy Cowl".

I will post some photographs later.

[Rubicon Models]

Two museum examples  (both from IWM Duxford, one is a Gate Guard) have the fish tail exhaust but without the "Normandy Cowl".

The fishtail exhaust without the cowl was postwar, it basically replaced the function of the cowl. 

[ultravanillasmurf]

Two museum examples  (both from IWM Duxford, one is a Gate Guard) have the fish tail exhaust but without the "Normandy Cowl".

The fishtail exhaust without the cowl was postwar, it basically replaced the function of the cowl.

Yes, I just mentioned it as it is shown with both (I know on previous occasions the drawings are representative).

[Ballardian]

 The exhaust cowlings were quite fragile (thin metal) and tended to get wrecked quite easily, the full length one (from the Cromwell) was fitted to a few early Comets, but then they noticed that it prevented the gun barrel from being locked down in the gun crutch (gun lock if you're American) - hence the introduction of the split or 'Normandy' version, which was easier than producing a taller gun crutch . The fishtail exhausts are a give-away to post war versions (for some reason the WG one comes with them, and though it's a generally decent looking piece of resin, lacks several quite important details - the smoke projector on the roof is missing, the lifting lugs on the forward hull - either side of driver & bowgunner for two...) along with turret-side smoke projectors like those found on the Centurion - Bovvy have a couple, one of each.








I assume you're going to produce a driver/bowgunner doing the 'Dukes of Hazzard' style manoeuvre necessary to get in or out of their ridiculous hatches 

[ultravanillasmurf]

Some photographs here:
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2019/07/comets-at-iwm-duxford.html
Post-war versions.

[History in Miniatures]

A very welcome addition to our Allied line up.

[Old Guard]

From the Finland tank museum ( great place to visit if you get the chance. They have an armoured train!)  Charioteer Turret a possible option ( or add on)?