| Winston Smith | 24 Jul 2015 5:14 p.m. PST |
I bought a few boxes of the PSC Cromwell tanks. (Ssssshhh! It's a Top Secret thing!)
There is a vent or something, like a half of an oil drum, that goes over the rear engine deck. I have seen pictures of Cromwells, both with and without.
How optional is it? Can I have it on some, but not others?
And the Battlefront Challenger has the same feature. |
| steveinns | 24 Jul 2015 5:18 p.m. PST |
It's called a Normandy cowl. But that's all I can tell you @ this time. |
| jgibbons | 24 Jul 2015 5:29 p.m. PST |
i have heard a nuber of stated reasons – not sure what's correct…. 1. Keep exhaust from being sucked into the tank when stationary
2. Reduce exhaust plume
3. Make it easier for infantry to ride on engine deck
4. Prevent moisture (ie rain) from entering the top of te exhaust system |
| Winston Smith | 24 Jul 2015 5:34 p.m. PST |
Would it still be in use for Market Garden? |
 Doms Decals  | 24 Jul 2015 5:46 p.m. PST |
Yep – photos of Welsh Guards Cromwells in Holland usually show them fitted. (I'm only saying usually to hedge my bits – all of the ones I can find offhand do….) As for the reason for fitting it, the exhaust plume was the main factor – take a look at this one, especially when it changes gear, and it doesn't take much imagination to figure just how impossible concealment would be with that exhaust jetting straight up instead…. YouTube link PS – No idea why not (unless with that turret they just gave up on concealment….) but it was far less common on Challengers – after Normandy the cowl was pretty much standard on Cromwells, but rarely seen on Challengers. |
 enfant perdus  | 24 Jul 2015 6:03 p.m. PST |
Yes, plenty of pics of them still fitted during the remainder of the War. I would put it on all of them. It came about because of unforeseen problems with the exhaust system. Jgibbons has got it, although I don't recall reading about #4. The main problem was that UK training didn't involve nearly the amount of time sitting and idling that occurred in Normandy. So the problem of exhaust being drawn into the tank had not really presented itself. Likewise, a tank sitting idling for long periods, or moving slowly through bocage country, is sending a plume more or less straight up. This makes a fine aiming point for enemy FOOs. |
| Doms Decals | 24 Jul 2015 6:08 p.m. PST |
Note that Normandy cowl is a terrible misnomer – it was pretty rare in Normandy, and more or less ubiquitous later – Normandy was where they learned it was needed, not where they actually had it…. |
| enfant perdus | 24 Jul 2015 6:14 p.m. PST |
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| Winston Smith | 24 Jul 2015 6:33 p.m. PST |
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| Winston Smith | 24 Jul 2015 6:54 p.m. PST |
Glad to hear it was not common on Challengers. The Battlefront model is kind of crude compared to the PSC Cromwells. I don't really feel like whittling and filing.  |
| Eclaireur | 25 Jul 2015 3:52 p.m. PST |
Winston
It was a modification done to deflect the exhaust plume downwards. Before they were fitted (and presumably trying to move about tactically behind Normandy hedgerows) they found their location given away too often by a great upwards venting of hot air and dust. I imagine the cowl might have had some secondary effect in deflecting the noise too,
EC |
adds a tower to his 15mm trainyard.