The Australian Armour & Artillery Museum

A 27-Litre V12 SPITFIRE Engine in a Tank - Cromwell Test Drive

Road testing season continues. This Friday we take two late-war legends out for a burn: the D-Day Cromwell, powered by its legendary Rolls-Royce Meteor (the tank version of the Merlin that powered the Spitfire), and the Hetzer, Germany's deadliest tank destroyer, driven by a Czech-built Praga straight-six that kept the Wehrmacht fighting right to the end. Two very different philosophies of late-war armoured warfare, both on the same track. The Cromwell combined speed and firepower to spearhead British armoured divisions from Normandy onwards. The Hetzer took a completely different approach: small, low, cheap to produce, and armed with a 75mm gun that could knock out almost anything it faced. Over 2,800 were built in barely a year, making it the most common German tank destroyer of the war. Detailed driving shots, drone footage and action cam bring both vehicles to life in a way you won't see anywhere else. This is what these machines actually look, sound and feel like when they're moving. The Australian Armour & Artillery Museum is home to the largest collection of armoured vehicles and artillery in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Cairns, North Queensland. We are dedicated to the collection, preservation, restoration and display of military vehicles from the 1800s to present day. Our collection includes over 220 armoured vehicles and artillery pieces from 15 countries. 🔧 Visit us: https://www.ausarmour.com 📱 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ausarmour #Cromwell #Hetzer #WWII #BritishTank #GermanTank #RollsRoyce #Meteor #TankDriving #MilitaryHistory #TestDrive #AusArmourfest