The Mk.VII British Churchill infantry tank was manufactured from late 1943, its 75mm gun and improved armor making it an offensive and defensive upgrade over preceding variants as the Mk.VII proved its worth in the aftermath of the Normandy landings and onward. The Mk.VII Crocodile was a version with an 80-meter range flamethrower in place of the front machine gun, and trailer for fuel and compressed nitrogen propellant; it promised to strike fear into the heart of the enemy.