Comparing: Cromwell B vs. Centurion Mk. I vs. Centurion Action X

The vehicle made famous by the British 7th Armoured Division, who had been dubbed the Desert Rats for their exploits in North Africa. However, the 7th Armoured were not issued with Cromwells until 1944, when they returned to the U.K. to prepare for D-Day. In their Cromwells they fought across France and into Germany, and eventually took part in the Victory Parade on September 7, 1945, in Berlin.

Development of the Centurion started in 1943. The vehicle was designed as a "universal tank" to replace existing infantry and cruiser tanks. The Centurion was the first British vehicle that featured sloped armor plates. The tank entered service in 1947. A total of 100 vehicles of this series were manufactured from 1945 through 1946.

The Action X turret was planned to be used for later variants of the Centurion tank. One prototype of the turret was mounted on the chassis of the Centurion Mark 7, and another was used for ballistic trials. The vehicles with the Action X turret never entered mass production or saw service.