About the book: 2017 / One of the most famous and mass-produced tanks of the Second World War, the British cruiser tank Mk.VIII "Cromwell" became the basis of the armored formations of the royal army in 1944–1945. By the end of 1942, the leadership of the British army felt a real threat from the German heavy tanks that appeared on the fronts. To combat them, it was necessary to create a cruising tank that could withstand the “tigers” and “panthers” and at the same time perform the traditional tasks of cruising tanks - to develop the success achieved in battle and pursue the enemy. Due to a whole series of tough tests, the first production the cars appeared only in January 1943. And the tank received its baptism of fire on June 6, 1944, on D-Day, the day of the landing of Anglo-American troops on the European continent. The book provides a complete history of the creation and combat use of the Cromwell and the vehicles created on its basis, people and events, influenced his fate from the period of World War II to the Korean War. For the first time, detailed tactical and technical characteristics, assessments and operating experience from tank crews and engineers from various countries, comparative data obtained as a result of trials and tests, reports from numerous structures that worked on the creation and modernization of the tank, shed light on previously unknown pages in the history of this vehicle..