Coolness factor of 10.
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Welcome to the drawing board!
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Aha! Doubtless devised by the Brits as a response to the experiences of some Cromwell crews in Normandy - especially 2 Northamptonshire Yeomanry - who suffered at the hands of determined Waffen SS troops equipped with their magnetic, hollow charge anti-tank grenade at the village of Cheux on 26 June 1944.
The resourceful Yeomanry adapted rubber belts glued to their Cromwells in an attempt to overcome the success of the anti-tank grenades (Hafthohlladung); this, I’m assuming, got back up the chain of command to Higher Command, and hence to an experimental form of British Zimmerit. This is all a hypothesis I admit, but I suspect is how it went down; happy to be corrected of course - perhaps the Brits just decided to have a go at making their own anyway.
Some years ago in the Brit Military Modelling Magazine a modeller came up with the info and made a model of an A Squadron vehicle:
I thought I’d just add this for interest’ sake(!)
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I do find it ironic that the Germans developed Zimm as a defence against magnetic mines - a weapon only the Germans were using in Europe!
And I’m sure Brian is right - a field expedient led to more formal experiments…
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Arrived this evening and on the workbench tonight…
Armoured Archives: British Zimmerit
BTW - The Cromwell was the Best Tank of World War Two by my metrics.
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The biggest fault was it took them up to 1944 to get it into the fight!
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Yes, 'would’ve been quite useful around 1941/42. I always thought that it looked notably different with sand skirts:
Aesthetically, it just looked right; what the crews thought of it is another matter(!)
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Are side skirts available in the aftermarket?
There’s a couple of Cromwell’s in the stash.
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I don’t think so - though I’ve never really looked. It would make a nice What-If say, up against the Afrika Korps. I think they were only fitted for trials; in theory, they shouldn’t be too difficult to scratch (says he, who is pushed to manage a straight cut).
'Got me thinking though - a desertised Cromwell versus a desertised Panther - hmmmm.
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Damn! Can’t get an image now out of my head with a Panther D painted akin to Bovington’s Tiger 131, and an 8th Army Cromwell (with sand shields) in stone and pale green or whatever the scheme was with Grants.
PS: I wonder what mods would have been made to a Panther to tropicalise it?
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Couldn’t find any either with a quick search.
To me the straight cuts are the easy part. Half round strips laid out parallel twice x6 for each panel is the more difficult part in my mind. Maybe a wood jig to set the spacing and not stick with Tamiya glue.
Knowing enough to know I don’t know enough, does the vehicle number rule in or out the use of the Tamiya kit? Maybe not a concern with a what if but wondering.
Seems out based on Peter’s information.
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If you’re asking whether or not a Tamiya Cromwell would be suitable for N Africa, I have no idea; it would be a What-If as you acknowledge. However, as early a version as possible I suppose, conceivably with a 6 Pdr as opposed to the 75mm (which would rather spoil the fun let alone the aesthetics.
To be honest, if it was me I wouldn’t care that much. However, I do like to be plausible when tackling What-Ifs so I see the problem.
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While changing the engine deck is easy surgery, I do wonder if a desertised what-if would be the earlier Type C hull anyway?
As for doing the Type D engine deck, I prefer filling and chiselling the plastic rather than cutting the whole thing out for a resin replacement - the deck is a structural part of Tamiya’s upper hull.
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I really dislike doing all forms of scratch building because it’s so time intensive. Doing the center panel for a Panther engine deck was anything but fun.
Experiment wise, seems like slapping Panther G side skirt panels on a Cromwell might be an expedient field solution. Weld a couple of brackets to the Cromwell’s fenders hang the G skirts.
Doing Pz IV skirts would probably get your tank brewed up fast by friendly fire in the hedgerows.
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Now I find myself getting suckered into another “What-If” - like I need the distraction!
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I wonder if a desert Cromwell might use the same skirt parts as a Crusader? If so, these can be robbed from Italeri kits…
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Good call Tom, to hell with the slots in the sides, just slap 'em on!
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Just was looking up this set.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/eduard-35397-crusader-sandshields--119392
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Outstanding solution!!!
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One of my errant brain cells has just kicked in: didn’t someone make an Afrika Korps E-100 (or perhaps a Maus) on here a couple of years back?
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