1:72 Hobby Master British A34 Comet - 2nd Infantry Div - West Germany 1950

the Cromwell Tank as well as providing better anti-tank capability for their squadrons. The Comet was late entering WWII so it wasn’t involved in any major battles but with its new main gun it could take on Germany’s large tanks. After WWII the Comet saw combat in Korea and remained in the British inventory until 1958. The Comet was sold to 5 other countries and some even operated until the 1970s.

The British Liberation Army (BLA) was used to describe the British Forces on the Western Front during WWII and with the end of the war the second British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was formed on August 25, 1945. When NATO was formed in 1949 the BAOR was Britain’s first contribution. The BAOR task was to control districts the military government was running in British zones of occupied Germany. Once the government became a civilian responsibility the BAOR no longer had to deal with it and became solely responsible for British troops in Germany.

Specifications for the A34 Comet

Type – Cruiser

Manufacturer – Leyland Motors Ltd.

In British Service – 1944- 1958

Other Operators – Cuba, Finland, Ireland, South Africa and Myanmar (Burma)

Crew - 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver)

Dimensions
Length Including Gun Barrel – 25.13 ft.  (7.66 m)
Height – 8.79 ft.  (2.68 m)
Width – 10.1 ft  (3.04 m)

Weight – 68,343 lb.  ( 31,000 kg)

Performance
Engine – 1 X Rolls-Royce Meteor Mk. III V-12 600 hp.
Fuel Capacity – Approximately 120 Imperial gallons
Maximum Speed – 32 mph  (51.5 km/h)
Maximum Range – 123 miles  (198 km)

Armament
Main Gun – 1 X 77 mm HV Mk. II L/49 with 61 rounds
Secondary
1 X 7.92 mm BESA general purpose machine gun in coaxial mount
1 X 7.92 mm BESA general purpose machine gun in bow mount
7.92 mm 5,175 rounds