British - Challenger Cruiser Tank (A30)

The British Challenger Cruiser Tank (A30) was a late-war cruiser tank developed to provide British armoured units with a mobile platform capable of mounting the powerful 17-pounder (76.2mm) anti-tank gun. Introduced in 1944, it was based on a lengthened Cromwell tank chassis with an extra road wheel on each side and a much larger turret to accommodate the big gun and its crew. Armour protection was improved over the Cromwell, with frontal thickness up to 102mm, but priority was given to maintaining high mobility, with a top speed of around 52 km/h (32 mph) thanks to the Rolls-Royce Meteor engine. The Challenger’s primary role was to support Cromwell-equipped armoured regiments by engaging heavily armoured German tanks such as the Panther and Tiger I at long range. However, its tall silhouette and relatively low production—around 200 units—limited its impact, especially as the more versatile Comet tank entered service shortly after. The Challenger served mainly in North-West Europe during 1944–45, where it gave British armoured forces a much-needed boost in anti-tank capability until the arrival of newer designs.

Multi part resin model.

Printed by Imperator Models on License from Wargame 3D.