Centurion tank

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Centurion

Centurion Mk3
Type Main battle tank
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1945 - 1990s (derivatives still in service)
Production history
Manufacturer see text
Specifications
Weight 51 long tons (52 metric tonnes)
Length 25 ft (7.60 m)
Width 11 ft 1 in (3.39 m)
Height 9 ft 10.5 in (3.01 m)
Crew 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armour 6 in (152 mm)
Primary
armament		 105 mm L7 rifled gun
Secondary
armament		 co-axial .30 cal Browning machine gun
Engine Rolls Royce Meteor
650 hp (485 kW)
Power/weight 13 hp/tonne
Suspension Horstmann
Operational
range		 280 miles(450 km)
Speed 21 mph (34 km/h)

The Centurion was the primary British Main Battle Tank of the immediate post-war era, and has proven itself be one of the most successful tank designs of all time, mainly due to its thick armour, adaptability of its chassis to other roles, and numerous upgrades. Designed during the Second World War it served in Europe, but arrived several months too late for combat. It went on to provide excellent service during the Korean War where it outperformed both US and Soviet designs by a wide margin. It then further went on to see service with Australian forces in the Vietnam war, mostly in the support role. It would go on to be one of the most widely used tank designs, equipping armies around the world, with small numbers still in service until the 1990s. As recently as the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, the Israel Defense Forces still employed heavily modified Centurions, as armoured personnel carriers and combat engineering vehicles.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1943, the Department of Tank Design was asked to produce a new design for a heavy cruiser tank under the General Staff designation A41. After a series of fairly marginal designs in the A series in the past, and bearing in mind the threat posed by the German 88 mm gun, the War Office demanded a major revision of the design requirements, specifically: increased durability, reliability, a maximum weight of 40 tons, plus the ability to withstand a direct hit from the German 88 mm gun.

Tank Design responded by extending the long-travel 5-wheel suspension used on the Comet with the addition of a 6th wheel and an extended spacing between the 2nd and 3rd wheels. The Christie suspension with internal vertical spring coils was replaced by a Horstmann suspension with external horizontal springs. The hull was redesigned with welded sloped armour, and featured a partially cast turret mounting the highly regarded 17 pounder main gun and a 20 mm Polsten cannon. With a Rover-built Rolls-Royce Meteor engine, a version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin, the new design would have excellent performance.

Shortly after the programme commenced, it became clear that the requirement to withstand 88 mm artillery would be impossible to fill with the given weight requirements. The original specification had been set so that the A41 could be carried on the existing Mark I and Mark II transport trailers, both of which were limited to a 40 ton load. The War Ministry decided it would be wiser to build new trailers than hamper what appeared to be a superb design. Even before prototypes of the original 40 ton design were completed, the design of a heavier version was well underway. The new version carried armour equal to the heaviest infantry tanks, and cross-country performance superior to even the early cruiser tanks. The A41 was the first British tank that could "do it all", leading to the new designation, universal tank.

Prototypes of the original 40 ton design, the Centurion Mark I, had 76 mm of armour in the front glacis, thinner than the then current infantry tank designs like the Churchill which had 101 mm, but the glacis plate was highly sloped and so the effective thickness of the armour was very high - a design feature shared by other effective designs such as the German Panther tank and Soviet T-34. The turret was extremely well armoured at 152 mm. It was, however, extremely mobile and able to easily outperform the Comet in most tests. The uparmoured Centurion Mark II soon arrived, featuring a new 118 mm thick glacis and the sides and rear increased from 38 mm to 51 mm. Only a handful of Mk.I's had been produced when the Mk.II replaced it on the production lines, which were soon expanded to include Leyland, the Royal Ordnance Factories at Leeds and Woolwich, and Vickers at Elswick.

Centurion Mk. 3 at Eastbourne Redoubt
Centurion Mk. 3 at Eastbourne Redoubt

Soon after introduction, Royal Ordnance finished work on the extremely powerful 20 pounder tank gun. By this point the usefulness of the 20 mm Polsten had been called into question, so it was replaced with a BESA machine gun in a completely cast turret. The new Centurion Mark III also featured a fully automatic stabilization system for the gun, allowing it to fire accurately while on the move, dramatically improving battlefield performance. The Mk.III was so much more powerful than the Mk.I and Mk.II that the earlier designs were removed from service as soon as new Mk.III's arrived, and converted into the Centurion ARV Mark 1 armoured recovery vehicle for REME use.

The 20 pounder gun was used only for a short time before the Royal Ordnance Factories introduced the now famous 105 mm L7 gun. All later variants of the Centurion, from Mark 5/2 on, used the L7. A total of 24 variants and sub-variants were produced.

The Centurion was used as the basis for a range of specialist equipment, including engineering variants with a 165 mm demolition gun. It is one of the longest serving designs of all time from the Korean War to the First Gulf war.

Thirteen basic marks of the Centurion tank were produced between 1945/46 and 1961/62.

[edit] Variants

[edit] UK variants

Centurion AVRE 165
Centurion AVRE 165
Centurion ARK.
Centurion ARK.
Centurion ARV Mk 2.
Centurion ARV Mk 2.
FV3802
Self-propelled 25-pdr artillery prototype based on Centurion - engine at rear as in gun tank - no production
FV3805
Self-propelled 5.5in artillery prototype, again based on Centurion - engine at front - no production
FV4004 Conway
prototype based on Centurion 3 with a larger calibre 120mm L1 gun. One built
FV4005
experimental 180mm gun with concentric recoil and auto-loader mounted on Centurion - 183mm version also built, with hand loading and conventional recoil.
FV4007 Centurion Mk 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8/1, 8/2
FV4011 Centurion Mk 5
FV4012 Centurion Mk 7/1, 7/2
FV4015 Centurion Mk 9
FV4017 Centurion Mk 10
A41 [20mm]
Centurion prototype with coaxial Polsten cannon
A41 [Besa]
Centurion prototype with coaxial BESA MG - later fitted with experimental CDL
FV4202 40 ton Centurion
Used to develop various concepts subsequently used in Chieftain
Centurion [Low Profile]
Variant with Teledyne Low-profile Turret
Centurion [MMWR Target]
Cobbled together radar target tank.
Centurion Marksman
Fitted with Marksman air defence turret
Centurion Ark aka FV4016
Assault Gap Crossing Equipment
Centurion ARV Mk I
Armoured Recovery vehicle
Centurion ARV Mk II
Armoured Recovery Vehicle with superstructure
Centurion AVLB
Dutch armored vehicle laying bridge
Centurion AVRE 105
Combat Engineer Version armed with 105mm gun
Centurion AVRE 165
Combat Engineer Version armed with 165mm gun
Centurion BARV
Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle
Centurion Bridgelayer aka FV4002
Class 80 bridgelayer
Centurion Mk 1
17pdr armed version
Centurion Mk 2
Fully cast turret
Centurion Mk 3
Fitted with 20pdr, 2 stowage positions for track links on glacis
Centurion Mk 4
Projected close-support version with 95mm CS howitzer
Centurion Mk 5
Browning machine guns fitted to coaxial and commander's cupola mounts, stowage bin on glacis
Centurion Mk 5/1 aka FV4011
Increased glacis armour
Centurion Mk 5/2
Upgunned to 105mm
Centurion Mk 6
Upgunned and uparmoured Mk 5
Centurion Mk 6/1
Mk 6 fitted with IR equipment
Centurion Mk 6/2
Mk 6/1 fitted with ranging gun
Centurion Mk 7 aka FV4007
Revised engine decks
Centurion Mk 7/1 aka FV4012
Uparmoured Mk 7
Centurion Mk 7/2
Upgunned Mk 7
Centurion Mk 8
Resilient mantlet and new commanders cupola
Centurion Mk 8/1
Uparmoured Mk 8
Centurion Mk 8/2
Upgunned Mk 8
Centurion Mk 9 aka FV4015
Upgunned and uparmoured Mk 7
Centurion Mk 9/1
Mk 9 with IR equipment
Centurion Mk 9/2
Mk 9 with ranging gun fitted
Centurion Mk 10 aka FV4017
Upgunned and uparmoured Mk 8
Centurion Mk 10/1
Mk 10 with IR equipment
Centurion Mk 10/2
Mk 10 with ranging gun fitted
Centurion Mk 11
Mk 6 fitted with IR equipment and ranging gun
Centurion Mk 12
Mk 9 fitted with IR equipment and ranging gun
Centurion Mk 13
Mk 10 fitted with IR equipment and ranging gun
FV4010 aka Heavy Tank Destroyer G.W. Carrier
Malkara Anti Tank Guided Missile launcher vehicle

[edit] UK specialist variants

FV4003 Centurion Mk 5 AVRE 165
(1963) - AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) vehicle with 165 mm demolition gun and a hydraulically-operated dozer blade or a mine plough. Can carry a fascine bundle or a roll of metal Class 60 Trackway; and tow the Giant Viper mine-clearance equipment or a trailer for another fascine. This variant had a five man crew. The vehicle was used in the Gulf War (1991).
Centurion Mk 12 AVRE 105
- Ex-Forward Artillery Observer vehicles converted to AVRE role.
FV4019 Centurion Mk 5 Bulldozer
(1961) - Centurion Mk V with a dozer blade identical to that of the Centurion AVRE. One such tank was usually given to every Centurion-equipped squadron.
FV4016 Centurion ARK
(1963) - Armoured Ramp Carrier. Can span a gap of up to 75 feet, can bear up to 80 tons.
FV4002 Centurion Mk 5 Bridgelayer
(1963) - Mk 5 chassis with a No 5 Tank Bridge. The bridge can be launched in less than two minutes, can span a gap of 45 feet and can bear up to 80 tons.
FV4013 Centurion ARV Mk 1
(1952) - Based on Mk 1 / Mk 2 hull. Turret replaced by a superstructure housing a winch driven by a 72 hp Bedford QL truck engine. About 180 units were built, some of them were used in the Korean War. After 1959 were used as training vehicles only.
FV4006 Centurion ARV Mk 2
(1956) - Mk 1 / Mk 2 / Mk 3 hull with turret replaced by a superstructure housing a winch. The winch is powered by an auxiliary engine and is capable of pulling of up to 90 tons using a system of blocks. Armed with single .30 inch machine gun on the commander's cupola.
FV4018 Centurion BARV (1963)
Beach armoured recovery vehicle. The last Centurion variant to be used by the British Army. As of 2003, one vehicle was still in use by the Royal Marines. Now being replaced by the Hippo based on Leopard 1 chassis.

[edit] Non-UK variants

Sho't Kal Alef
Sho't Kal Alef
MAR-290 / Eshel ha-Yarden.
MAR-290 / Eshel ha-Yarden.
Olifant
Centurion tanks modernised by South Africa, considered the best indigenous tank design on the African continent.[1]
  • Semel (1974): 810 hp fuel-injected petrol engine, three-speed semi-automatic transmission.
  • Olifant Mk 1 (1978): 750 hp diesel engine, semi-automatic transmission.
  • Olifant Mk 1A (1985): Retains the fire control system of the original Centurion, but has a hand-held laser rangefinder for the commander and image-intensifier for the gunner.[1]
  • Olifant Mk 1B (1991): Torsion bar suspension, lengthened hull, additional armor on the glacis plate and turret, V-12 950 hp diesel engine, computerised fire control system, laser rangefinder.[1]
  • Olifant Mk 2: redesigned turret, new fire control system. Can mount LIW 105 mm GT-8 rifled gun or 120 mm smooth bore gun.
Tempest
Operated by Singapore, modernised by unknown source.
Sho't
An Israeli designation of the Centurion.
  • Sho't Meteor: Centurion Mk.5 tanks with the original Meteor engine purchased in 1959.
  • Sho't Kal Alef/Bet/Gimel/Dalet: Modernised Centurion tanks with 105mm gun from 1963, a new powerpack (the Continental AVDS-1790-2A diesel engine and the Allison CD850-6 transmission). Entered service in 1970; by 1974 all Israeli Centurions were upgraded to Sho't Kal (Mk.13 armour) and had a pintle mounted .50 cal HMG. Subvariants indicate upgrades received by Sho't Kal tanks during their operational life, including a new turret rotating mechanism, a new gun stabilizer, a new fire-control system and preparations for the installation of the Blazer ERA.
Nagmashot / Nagmachon / Nakpadon
Israeli heavy armoured personnel carriers based on Centurion tank's chassis.
Puma
Israeli combat engineering vehicle on Centurion tank chassis.
Eshel ha-Yarden
a quadruple tubular launcher for 290 mm ground-to-ground rockets mounted on Centurion tank chassis. The project was cancelled after a single prototype was built. Both this vehicle and an earlier version based on Sherman chassis are often referred to as MAR-290.
Stridsvagn 81
Swedish Army designation for its 240 Mk 3 Centurions (20 pdr gun) with Swedish radios, etc.
Stridsvagn 101
Swedish Army designation for its 110 Mk 10 Centurions (105 mm gun) with Swedish radios, etc.
Stridsvagn 101R
Swedish Army designation for Stridsvagn 101 upgraded in early 1980s with laser range finder, etc.
Stridsvagn 102
Swedish Army designation for Stridsvagn 81 upgunned in early 1960s to 105 mm.
Stridsvagn 102R
Swedish Army designation for Stridsvagn 102 upgraded in early 1980s with laser range finder, etc.
Stridsvagn 104
Swedish Army designation for 80 Stridsvagn 102 modernised in early 1980s with laser range finder and diesel engine, etc. (along the same lines as the Israeli Shot Kal).
Stridsvagn 105
Swedish Army designation for Stridsvagn 102R upgraded with new suspension, etc. Prototype only.
Stridsvagn 106
Swedish Army designation for Stridsvagn 101R upgraded with new suspension, etc. Not built.
Bärgningsbandvagn 81
Swedish Army designation for Centurion ARV.

[edit] Operators

[edit] Combat history

[edit] References

  • Dunstan, S., Badrocke, M. & Sarson, P. (2003). Centurion Universal Tank 1943-2003. Osprey Publishing Ltd (New Vanguard 68). ISBN 1-84176-387-X. 
  • Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of Tanks of the World. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7603-0892-6. 
  • Author unknown (1973). British Tanks 1946-1970 - An Illustrated Record of the British Armoured Fighting Vehicle. RAC Tank Museum, Bovington Camp, Dorset. no ISBN. 

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Trewhitt, Philip (1999). Armoured Fighting Vehicles. 96: Dempsey-Parr. ISBN 1-84084-328-4. 
  2. ^ C.F.F.Foss, Jane's Main Battle Tanks p.186

[edit] External links

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v • d • e
Post WW2 British AFVs
Wheeled vehicles
APCs and IFVs
Light tanks and
anti-tank vehicles
Self-propelled artillery
Main battle tanks
Centurion · Conqueror  · Chieftain · Challenger 1 · Challenger 2
UK unarmoured or non-fighting vehicles