Comet

This Comet is at Bovington, well the photograph was taken fifteen years ago I think, so it was certainly there back then… 😉

The Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34) was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It was designed to provide greater anti-tank capability to Cromwell tank squadrons. It was armed with a 77mm HV, a derivative of the 17 pounder, with the result that it was one of the few British tanks with the firepower to challenge late war German designs.

As a development of the Cromwell, it was an interim design before the Centurion tank. Seeing post World War II combat during the Korean war, the Comet remained in British service until 1958. Comets sold to other countries continued in some cases to operate into the 1970s.

It is one of those tanks that I think I like because of the Airfix and Matchbox influence, there was a lovely 1:76th scale plastic kit of the Comet from Matchbox that I remember building. I am expecting that we might eventually see one for Flames of War… you never know.