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Crusader Cruiser Tank 1939-45 Paperback – May 15, 1995

by David Fletcher (Author), Peter Sarson (Illustrator)

25 ratings

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The Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development prior to World War II also made it prone to mechanical failure. This book examines the Covenanter and the many variants of the Crusader tank, detailing the designs, developments and disappointments of these infamous World War II tanks.

Print length

48 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Osprey Publishing
Publication date

May 15, 1995
Dimensions

7.26 x 0.13 x 9.8 inches
ISBN-10

1855325128
ISBN-13

978-1855325128
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From the Publisher


Full colour battlescenes Beautifully illustrated battlescenes are included to bring the narrative of the conflict to life.	Cutaway diagrams Specially commissioned full colour illustrations are included alongside labels and comprehensive captions to give a full breakdown of the machines and ships used in battle.	Photographs Each volume features a wide range of photographs, which provide unparalleled detail of the uniforms and weaponry used by the combatants.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The unrivalled illustrated reference on fighting vehicles, transport and artillery through the ages. Each volume is illustrated throughout, making these books uniquely accessible to history enthusiasts of all ages.

About the Author

David Fletcher was born in 1942. He has written a number of books and articles on military subjects and is the current librarian at the Tank Museum, Bovington. He has spent a good 30 years studying the development of British armoured vehicles during the two World Wars.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Osprey Publishing; 1st edition (May 15, 1995)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1855325128
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1855325128
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.26 x 0.13 x 9.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,455,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,249 in History of Military Vehicles
- #3,953 in Conventional Weapons & Warfare History (Books)
- #24,100 in World War II History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
25 ratings

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5 star		63%
4 star		28%
3 star		10%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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Joe Neal

Good enough for a short book

Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2018

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This title explores the development of the British Covenanter and Crusader cruiser tanks and to a lesser extent their use. The notorious reliability problem is discussed. Some hint of combat use is provided. Mounting the 6-pounder is discussed, including how a 2 pounder armored Crusader was typically kept on hand as a command tank given the issue of the 6 pounder reducing the turret crew to two. The Rotatrailer supply trailer is given a paragraph. The variants based on unused tanks occupies 10 or so pages. Although the United States did not want to build the Crusader, they supplied parts for many British tanks. For a short book, the discussion is interesting. The production figure for the Covenanter on page 16 has an extra digit in it: the actual number was around 1,770.

David Fletcher has written more extensive books covering British tank design during World War II, especially “The Great Tank Scandal” and “The Universal Tank”, which can only be found used at exorbitant prices (or checked out of libraries). His weakness is cannon but he does not belabor that point and does a fairly good overall job when writing in a longer format.

For more technical details including a great in-depth accounting of the back and forth involved in the development of specific British tanks (according to his resources, which are primary ones, and of course nothing is perfect) consider P.M. Knight, especially “A15 Cruiser MK. VI Crusader Tank A Technical History” and likewise the one on the “A30 Challenger” and “A34 Comet”. P.M. Knight does not write for modelers; does not provide a lot of photos and illustrations and most of those involve components; but the text is solid.

Like most of these Osprey weapons titles: The first two numbered pages are publishing credits; three (plus a partial) pages provide notes on the color plates; the last page an index. The front cover cutaway is included (with an index of what is shown and basic details) in a 2 page spread along with 6 other color plates in the middle, mostly side views. A number of smallish black and white war era photos for the Cromwells and for post war variants are included, 1 or 2 per page on average (some pages without). There are some black and white diagrams: the war specifications for armor layout; a side view of the A/T amphibious tank; a stowage diagram for the Crusader MK III observation post model; a stowage diagram for the AA Crusader; a minimal detail proposal for the antitank crusader.

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2019

Verified Purchase

I have many books from this publisher, and I like them for what they are. Brief overviews with many photos for modelling. However, this particular one did not seem to have many newer photos, or great details. Much time is spent on the Covenantor Tanks, the Crusaders predecessor, which did not see combat. I like the lineage but I wish more time was devoted to the different Crusaders that did see action.

As a side note, the seller did a great job, quick, and no issues. I would not hesitate to order from them again.

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Wartime expediency...

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

As the Second World War approached, Britain scrambled to put together adequate armored forces. Among the wartime expedients were the Covenanter and Crusader tanks, which went straight to production from blueprints in 1939. Inevitably, the two tanks experienced significant teething pains. One would end up serving essentially as a training platform. The other would go on to active service in the Western Desert.

Author David Fletcher has provided a compact and interesting narrative of the journey from design to actual use. The text benefits from lots of period photographs and technical diagrams, nicely supplemented by color plates. Well recommended to students of armored warfare.

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Jonathan Lupton

Some Useful Information, But Lacking in Depth

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2010

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The mechanical characteristics of the Crusader tank are important to understanding the fighting in the Western Desert in World War II. For better or worse, the Crusader was the most numerous British tank in the desert fighting, and served during the heaviest fighting, from mid-1941 through the Tunisian campaign in early 1943.

This title gives some background on the Crusader, but I wanted more. Part of the problem is that the book gives equal attention to the Covenanter, a tank with severe cooling problems that kept it on training duties in Britain's mild climate through the war. To my mind, the Covenanter warrants a page or two at most; the Crusader should be the primary subject. There is also a bizarre typo that claims about 17,000 Covenanters were built; other sources put the total at a more realistic-sounding 1,700.

The author points out that some of the Crusader's notorious reliability problems stemmed from lengthy shipping time. Improper stowage, and attendant exposure to salt water, worsened the tank's problems once it arrived in North Africa's searing heat and ubiquitous dust. In fact, this much-maligned tank had some strengths, including good speed and a tough suspension. Reliability problems were reduced as crews learned the tank's servicing needs. The Crusader III mounted the highly effective 6-pounder gun, although this version did not arrive in North Africa until late summer, 1942, and was hampered by a two-man turret.

Text is readable, albeit in a techno/British style that may seem stilted to some casual American readers. I also would have liked a little more attention to the tanks' predecessors, including the A-13 Mk III and IV series that preceded both designs, and the flawed "cruiser tank" concept. A little more discussion of the two-pounder gun and its tank mounting would have helped, too. Note to Osprey publishers: the Crusader was important enough to warrant a title in the new "duel" series, perhaps up against the Panzer IIIh.

If you know little about the Crusader, this title will give you new information. Illustrations are of good quality. If, like me, you have encountered this tank in many readings, you will add a little to your knowledge, but still have a lot of questions.

3 people found this helpful

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Vauban

A thorough technical account but lacking the battlefield experience

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2020

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The Crusader was arguably the best-looking tank used by Britain during the Second World War, and is the subject (along with its even less successful predecessor, the Covenanter) of this typically well illustrated Osprey ‘New Vanguard’ book.

The technical analysis, and the history of its development is very good (especially description of the various Crusader conversations into what would become known as ‘funnies’).

But what is disappointingly missing is an analysis of the tank in action, where it served, who with, and how it performed. Accounts from the crews themselves would have been useful (I would be intrigued to learn what the commanders of the Mk III felt about having to both command the tank and act as loader for its 6 pdr.).

Reading other reviews of this book, I see I’m not the only one to have highlighted this oversight.

Brockman Henry

Development and manufacture well researched, but could do with more pictures of the tank in action

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2019

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Comprehensive guide to all the versions of this tank ever produced, but only limited history of the tank in action in N. Africa and elsewhere.

Mr. S. Harrison

Detailed and comperhensive

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 14, 2013

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Detailed and comprehensive analysis of the Crusader (which my Grandfather servered in in the Desert) and the lesser known Covenanter Tanks. Whilst the technical analysis, and that of the variants is very detailed, it would have been useful to have more details of the tanks performance in battle (for the Crusader) and what the crews view of it was.

3 people found this helpful

Martinus

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 16, 2016

Verified Purchase

Another excellent Osprey book providing a good overview of the Crusader and Covenanter tanks. Well illustrated with plenty of colour drawings and black and white photographs. Recommended.

Graham Buddery

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

Good interesting read. Nice to read such detail.

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