A-21 Cruiser tank - Cyclops Mk.ii - France, 1944

[RAFF-35]

This build continues the timeline of if the British produced the T-34 under licence.
My original build can be found here:

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=52033.msg1014340#msg1014340

After the British took delivery of approximately 60 T-34/76's for use in the North African campaign. The UK purchased a licence from the Soviet Union and set about manufacturing the tank at Vauxhall. The design team reviewed the T-34/76 plans and then begun the process of Anglicising it for ease of manufacture. Now called the Cyclops Mk.ii, Vauxhall mounted the QF 77mm HV and 7.92mm Besa machine gun so that British ammunition could be used. The other main change was the swapping of the engine to the more powerful Rolls-Royce Meteor, which increased the tank's top speed to 37mph. Other refinements included a British radio set and new equipment stowage. The Mk.ii, however, still retained the left hand driver's position of the original Soviet design as this was deemed too complex and too unnecessary to warrant changing during urgent war time production.

Here's where the build is up to currently....

[kerick]

Another interesting idea. Would not have ever happened considering British thinking about tanks but good fun to imagine.

[RAFF-35]

Another interesting idea. Would not have ever happened considering British thinking about tanks but good fun to imagine.

The British actually seriously considered the T-34 and KV tanks instead of buying American, as detailed here;

https://www.scribd.com/document/241820378/Preliminary-Report-No-20-Russian-T-34

https://www.tankarchives.com/2013/04/bovington-t-34-and-kv-1-impressions.html?m=1

It's not quite as implausible as you might think 

[NARSES2]

Intersting 

[RAFF-35]

Got a fair amount of time to do some modelling today, so here's a progress report....

[kerick]

Nice!

[Wardukw]

This is a very cool build Raff and kinda funny too ... whats happened is they took a T-34/85 and turned it back into a T-34/76    
That 17pdr gun tho really makes it look powerful and if they had done this ,,yeah this machine would have been very useful .
Also if the Brit's had also reworked the steering and the gear shifter so the driver wouldn't need a hammer 

[RAFF-35]

Added the decals and a smidge of weathering and the Cyclops is all done!

[Old Wombat]

Is this the one where the US turns all its attention to the Pacific & ignores Europe after 7th December, 1941? 

[RAFF-35]

Is this the one where the US turns all its attention to the Pacific & ignores Europe after 7th December, 1941? 

Potentially, or potentially this is the one where the better design won out, or the one where it was politically advantageous to support the Soviet's design instead? Many many possibilities in Whifworld.

[Weaver]

Nice job - the Cullen hedgerow cutter really sells it!

Bit late now, but a thought just struck me: how about a couple of those characteristically British smoke projectors? There were actually based on a cut-down Lee-Enfield rifle mechanism, but in this scale they're often modelled as just a tube with a stick sticking out of the back.

[Rick Lowe]

The ones that come in the Academy Stuart kit are very nice.

[RAFF-35]

Nice job - the Cullen hedgerow cutter really sells it!

Bit late now, but a thought just struck me: how about a couple of those characteristically British smoke projectors? There were actually based on a cut-down Lee-Enfield rifle mechanism, but in this scale they're often modelled as just a tube with a stick sticking out of the back.

You are of course,  absolutely right. I had intended to scratch build some but in my excitement I completely forgot to 

[Jakko]

Bit late now, but a thought just struck me: how about a couple of those characteristically British smoke projectors? There were actually based on a cut-down Lee-Enfield rifle mechanism, but in this scale they're often modelled as just a tube with a stick sticking out of the back.

By 1944, they were more likely to be the later type that had a purpose-designed receiver from pressed steel. See this thread on the Maple Leaf Up forums for photos of both types.

But more likely is that the tank would have had a 2-inch bomb thrower Mk. II in the turret roof. All that needs on a model is to glue a little plate to the roof and drill through it at 45 degrees, then opening up the rear of the hole to be vertical.

The hedgerow cutter is unlikely, IMHO. The British never appear to have used those at all — despite every kit of a Cromwell including one, but those are all based on the photos of a single prototype that never left the UK.

[RAFF-35]

The hedgerow cutter is unlikely, IMHO. The British never appear to have used those at all — despite every kit of a Cromwell including one, but those are all based on the photos of a single prototype that never left the UK.

Well I didn't know that. I assumed that because, as you say, every Cromwell kit features it, it was widely used. Still, it makes it look more aggressive and purposeful and Anglicised. Plus in this timeline perhaps they were used more extensively?