Mk. VI. “Crusader III” – the British fast tank

In the thirties of the 20th century the British armed forces began to develop the concept of fast tanks, designed to carry out independent operations of large armored formations. In 1935-1936 the first tanks for this purpose were produced, called the “Cruiser Tank” Mk. I and Mk. II. But due to the inconsistency of the requirements for them, another tank was designed, which received the designation Cruiser Tank Mk. VI “Crusader”. The prototype was tested in 1939; from 1940 it began to be supplied to combat units. The tank received its baptism of fire in North Africa near Fort Cappuz. At the end of 1941 a new model was produced - the “Crusader III”, armed with a 57 mm cannon, mounted in a modernized turret. These tanks did not have a turret with a machine gun. The new tanks first saw action in May 1942. From mid-1943, the ‘Crusader” tanks began to be withdrawn from the front lines as obsolete and of little use. Polish soldiers first encountered the “Crusaders” in 1941. The first tanks were received by the 1st Armored Division, later by the Reconnaissance regiment of the Separate Carpathian Brigade in the battles near Tobruk and Gazala. At the end of 1942 in this tanks were armed the 1st Polish Armored Rifle Corps in Great Britain.

A small, medium-complexity, moderately designed and fairly well-detailed model without internal equipment for medium-experienced and experienced modelers. However, the model is not so complicated, that it cannot be assembled by an advanced beginner modeler, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague. There is no color stock, the textual instruction is quite large and informative, the graphical, like "Maly Modelarz", are quite large, informative and well-read. Antiquarian publication.