COMET MK. 1

Crew: 5

Combat Mass:29,9 mt

Armament: 77 mm Mk 2 gun; 2 X 7,92 mm BESA Machine-guns; 2 -in Smoke Bomb Thrower; 2 x Rear Smoke Emitters

Ammunition: APCBC/T; APDS/T; HE; Smoke

Engine: Rolls Royce Meteor Mk 3; V12; Liquid Cooled; Gasoline; 447 kW (600 hp) at 2 550 r/min

Transmission: Clutch -Twin-plate; Dry Type; Hydraulically Operated; Gearbox Manual; Change-speed; Constant Mesh 5 Fwd 1 Rev; Neutral Turn Steering Drums; Gear Trains; Hydraulically Operated Brakes -Track Drums; Hydraulically Operated Road

Speed: 52 km/h - Cross Country 35 km/h

Operating Range: Road 177 km - Cross Country 89 km

The Comet was the last British built tank type to enter service before the ending of the Second World War, although it’s planned successor, the Centurion, was just starting trials. Comets served the British Army well from their introduction in 1945, to well into the 1960s. In essence the Comet was a redesigned Cromwell tank. A feature of the design was the fitting of the 77 mm gun firing the same projectile as the 17 pr gun, but with a smaller cartridge case. The Comet was extremely agile in all respects of speed, acceleration, changing direction and of course the neutral or pivot turn. A further feature was the spaced armour of the hull side plates. The gun itself was extremely accurate. In 1953 South Africa purchased 26 Comet tanks and on arrival in 1954 were immediately transported to a storage depot at Amanzijama, Durban. The first course conducted on the tanks in 1964 was for the training of South African Armoured Corps instructors. The Comets were withdrawn from service in 1968.