Specification Crew : 5 Engine power : 600 hp Combat weight :33,775 kg (78,883 lb) Max speed : road 47 km/h (29.19 mph) Length : 7.65 m (25.10 ft) Range : 198 km (122.96 miles) Width : 3.05 M (10.00 ft) Main gun : 77 mm(3.03 in)(actual calibre 76.2 mm(3 in)) Height : 2.68 m (8.79 ft) Armour : 25 mm (0.98 in) to 102 mm (4.02 in)

Almost as soon as the first of the Centaur/Cromwell tanks were completed thoughts were given to a heavier armament.Since the prime candidate,the 17-pounder(76.2 mm)anti-tank gun required a wider turret ring Vickers-Armstrong developed a version of the gun firing a reduced propellant charge.This gun fired the same projectiles and its performance was only slightly reduced.It was known as the 77 mm(3.03 in)for logistic differentiation. The tank for which the 77 mm gun was intended was supposed to be an enhanced Cromwell but by the time all the design changes had been embodied there were over 60 per cent new components resulting in an A34 designation and a new name of Comet.The first were delivered in December 1944 and took some part in the latter stages of the war,immediately proving themselves both battle-worthy and reliable.After 1945 Comets remained a feature of British Army tank parks until 1960 and served with many other armies well after then.The Comet was the best all-round British tank of the war years.The Comet had a slightly wider all-welded hull then the Cromwell due to the turret ring diameter which could not be reduced beyond a certain limit.There were also changes to the Christie suspension system which had remained basically the same since the original Cruiser tank Mark III.