Modern combat vehicles 2 - Centurion

Left: Centurion Mk 12. Simon Dunstan Above: Centurion Mk 3 of C Squadron I st Royal Tank Regiment on the Hook position, the Scene of one of the fiercest ballles of the Korean War, May 1953.

Below: Centurion Mk 12 Artillery Observation Post of the Royal ArtiUery who employ the last Centurion gun tanks in front line serviee with the British Army.

Left: Centurion Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle. S imon Duns/an Below left: Centurion Mk 5 Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers. S imon Duns/an

Above: Centurion ARV Mk 2 Armoured Recovery Vehicle. During the 1960s, rubber padded tracks came In to reduce road damage. Troops called them 'Hush Puppies'! Simon Duns/an Below: Bamboo scrub bursts into flame as a Centurion Mk 5/1 (AUST) of C Squadron fires a canister round at a suspected Viet Cong position. The canister round proved highly effective for clearing vegetation that concealed enemy bunkers.

Modern CODlbat Vehicles: 2

CENTURION

LONDON

IAN ALLAN LTD

First published 1980

TO JAMES

ISBN 0 7110 1063 3 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or tran smitted in any form or by any means , electron ic or mechanical , including photo­ copyi ng, recording or by any inform ati on storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publi sher in writing.

© Sim on Dun stan 19 80 Publi shed by Ian Allan Ltd, Shepperton, Surrey; and printed by Ian Allan Printing Ltd at their works at Coombelands in Runnymede, En gland

Endpapers: Centurion Mk 5.

Contents

In troducti on

I.

Centu rio n D evelo pment

2.

C enturi o n Pro du ction

4 7

19

3. In Serv ice

25

4. C enturio n C rew

39

5. C e ntu rio n E vo luti on

41

6.

Va riants

59

7.

C enturio n P roj ects a nd P rototy pes

87

8.

F o reign Se rv ice

105

9.

Centu rio n in A c tio n

12 1

Left: Centurions Mk 3 ofC Squadron 8RTR on the tank gunnery

ranges at Hohne.

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Introduction

Throughout World War 2 British tanks were constrained both tactically and technically by the misguided doctrine of employing two specialised types of tank to conduct armoured operations. Slow, heavily armoured 'Infantry' tanks were used for the direct assault of enemy positions to destroy strong points and machine guns delaying the advance of the infantry, while fa st, lightly armoured 'C ruiser' tanks were used to exploit the success of the infantry attack either through the breaches created in the enemy lines or around the Aanks in traditional cavalry manner. Neither of the two types laid emphasis on the primary characteristic of the tank - firepower . Although too late to be used in action, the emergence of the Centurion in 1945 did much to redress the balance of the qualitative inferiority of British tank s as against their less numerous German opponents. However, it was not until the introduction in 1948 of the Centurion Mk 3 mounting a 20-pounder gun that the British possessed a tank with the superiority of firepower they had lacked during World War 2. The armour piercing performance of a 20 pounder when firing APDS ammunition was reputedly twice that of the 88mm K wK43 of the Royal Tiger. Of course, a gun of high performance is not the only criterion of effectiveness. Without an efficient fire control system the gun cannot be used to its best advantage. This has been a distinct shortcoming of Soviet tank designs. Centurion however was the first tank to incorporate gun control equipment stabilised in both elevation and azimuth. Coupled with excellent optical instruments for the gunner and commander, thi s allowed Centurion to fire effectively on the move, an ability not shared by any contemporary tank nor embodied in subsequent designs until the late 1960s. Indeed later versions, being based on hydraulic systems, have proved to be vulnerable in battle, and have led to many crew casualties. The electro­ mechanical equipment incorporated in Centurion was considerably less liable to combustion. ' While the firepower of the 20-pounder and the fire 4

control syste m were first rate, the designers of Centurion did not neglect the other two principal characteristics of any tank - armour protection and mobility. Protection is not only a function of the thicknes s of armour but is also dependent on its configuration and metallurgical quality . Experience has shown that the majority of hit s suffered by tanks in battle are over the frontal aspect. Accordingly the thickest a rmour is arranged over the glacis plate and turret front. Centurion, with a mantlet thickness of 6in and slopi ng glacis plate of 3in (subsequently increased to 5in), afforded admirable protection while the excellence of the armour, manufactured under the strictest quality control, heightened immunity to shot and shell. An additional factor in a tank's ability to withstand destruction is the stowage of combustible materials within the vehicle. Thi s was one of Centurion's many attributes. All main armament rounds were stowed below the level of the turret ring, greatly diminishing the likelihood of a penetration of the turret leading to ammunition fires, the cause of the destruction of the majority of tanks during World War 2. In addition, Centurion's fuel tanks were completely separated from the ammunition behind a fireproof bulkhead. The use of petrol in any tank is not de sirable as it is less efficient and has a lower Aash point than diesel fuel. Throughout its career in the Bri ti sh Army Centurion was powered by the Meteor petrol engine but because of the internal stowage arrangements, it has not proved to be a liability. As a case in point during the battle of the Imjin river in Korea , two Centurions had to be hastily abandoned a nd to prevent them falling into the hands of the Chinese it became necessary to destroy them. Despite being pounded by armour-piercing shot from a range of 50yd, neither tank caught fire and they were subsequently recovered after the battle. The Israeli Upgraded Centurion incorporates a Teledyne Continental diesel engine with its attendant advantages of lower fuel consumption and reduced fire risk . Moreover, statistical analysis of tank casualties of the 1973 October War show that both petrol and diesel­

.,..-_ ~ :":~d

Centurions were less susceptible to fire when than any other tank in the conflict. J. :: combination of all these factors in Centurion -.:..0 ::lea nt that its ability to survive in battle, now - = :0 ~ :1ised under the term 'survivability' as being as -;xna nt in any tank design as firepower, protection ::l bility. is unsurpassed. This in turn has .,..- ;;:: dered great faith in the Centurion among tank :-;'.' s a nd is a significant stimulus to morale, a factor :"-2: .:: annot be overstated in the prosecution of =.:-:-are. A soldier without implicit confidence in his -:-~ _ i . me nt cannot be expected to give of his best. -:- ne employment of the Meteor engine and Merritt­ 3 -cwn gea rbox in Centurion provided adequate power ::: 2 ta nk weighing 50 tons. The design of Centurion ~::- ;,sed the importance of battlefield mobility as ~:..' ::S[ high road speed and coupled with its robust : - So _Il sion system ensured its ability to traverse : -" :":cn ground without undue discomfort to the crew. . -;::: a high power to weight ratio is undoubtedly ~'. 2..n ageous, mechanical reliability is arguably of ': -::2lCf importance. In service, the Meteor engine has : -,'Ycd to be a dependable powerplant and Centurions - -,.\"c o ften achieved 3,000 miles before base overhaul. ::L :ing that mileage it was unusual to replace more ::-_2:. [Wo engines or three gearboxes. Such an -. ~ ~~ssi v e record of reliability has ensured the ready ~ '. ::.;! a bility of the maximum number of tanks in any ~ ~;ltu r ion formation. A concomitant of reliability is 72...~ of maintenance and, although this has not been - ~ :-. in Centurion due to the lack of accessibility of - . 2 1:y components, numerous assemblies may be · ? 2.ired by a crewman with some mechanical .:.:,j w de. The advantage of this is self-evident as many - .l:":or failures may be rectified by the crew in the field .:'iout recourse to the overburdened repair facilities . .:": battle, not only has the Centurion's ability to .:'1 stand punishment won universal renown but the ;25" with which damaged tanks have been repaired ~..: returned to the fray has proved decisive on : ::asions, notably on the Golan in the opening days of :'-.e O ctober War. Unfortunately the sheer complexity c" :he current generation of AFVs with their laser and -::age intensification electro-optical instruments, -:. craulic steering systems, massive turbocharged : ~ "erpacks and composite armour defies battlefield -;;:lair and invariably leads to reduced reliability. Ease of operation of any weapon system is of major .::1portance. The simpler it is, the more crews are :3, able of using it, thus, training takes less time and : OSts are lower. Similarly procurement costs are s: gnificantly less. Centurion cost only half as much in ~ea l terms as Chieftain. Throughout its evolution :~ s p ite many improvements, Centurion has remained ; ssentially unchanged. A trooper who began his career ;). Centurion and rose through ranks to corporal and :~.~ :: a t e d

later troop sergeant grew in experience with the tank and he knew his ' Cent' inside out. In the Israeli Army, many reservist crews have manned the same type of tank for 15 years or more and their total familiarity with the vehicle has greatly enhanced their performance in battle. At the same time, the relative simplicity of operation of Centurion allowed Israeli tank crews with no more than two weeks' training to give a creditable account of themselves in the October War. It takes almost two years to train a tank crew thoroughly on a modern battle tank. On account of its sophistication, crews tend to despair at the slightest fault and wait for recovery reams rather than attempt a repair themselves that may only compound the problem . The Centurion, however, has held no fears for its crew and as such was the last of the 'tank man's tank'. Centurion has been the best tank Britain has so far possessed, even including Chieftain whose unhappy record of automotive unreliability has marred an otherwise first class fighting vehicle. Centurion's record in combat has been without parallel in the postwar era. I n the final analysis what other measure of success can there be for a fighting machine? It is curious that Centurion has fought in almost all terrains save that for which it was conceived - North-West Europe. That it has been so successful throughout the world is a tribute to the soundness of its design. From its first use in action among the barren hills of Korea, on the dusty plains of the Indian sub-continent, to the jungles of South-East Asia and deserts of the Middle East, Centurion has constantly proved its superiority , not only over contemporary designs but also over more modern and supposedly more powerful opponents. The reasons for the continuing success of Centurion are not hard to find . The original design struck an almost ideal balance between the characteristics of firepower, protection and mobility and allowed great scope for development. It has been upgunned twice, mounting the outstanding L 7 105mm gun in later marks, and carries more ammunition . It has been uparmoured twice, once in British service while latterly the Israelis have added yet more protection. The radius of action has more than doubled while the Israeli diesel version has even greater range. All this has been achieved with only a marginal increase in weight and complexity. Firepower, protection and mobility, that is what a tank is all about. Centurion incorporated all these to a remarkable degree. It mu st rank among the finest battle tanks produced in the age of mechanised warfare, perhaps the very apotheosis of the tank.

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Left: An Israeli Upgraded Centurion in its latest configuration with supplementary armour and thermal sleeve for the 105mm gun during operations against guerilla bases in southern Lebanon, April 1978. After 34 years in service, the Centurion remains a formidable battle tank which, with the advent of improved ammunition for the 105mm, is capable of combating successfully even the latest tank designs. Such longevity in all age of ever increasing sophistication in

weaponry testifies to the soundness of the original design. ECP A rlm?es

Acknowledgements Besides the many contributions from members of the Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Australian Armoured Corps, Israeli Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Marines and the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment to whom I am greatly indebted, I wish to express my thanks to the following, without whom I could not have compiled the information and photographs contained in this book: Astra SpA, Australian War Memorial, Noel Ayliffe­ Jones, Maj Jeremy Bastin, Tom Bell, Maj J. Bertrand MBE, British Aerospace, Lt-Col R. Brown MBE, Ken Chadwick, John Church, Maj A. Claessen, Vernon Cleare, Maj C. Davidson MBE, Kevin Dennigan, Chris Ellis, Lt-Col D. Eshel, Lt-Col G. Forty, Christopher Foss, Maj F. Fox, Les Freathy, Terry Gander, Alan Guy MA, Paul Handel, John Harding BA MA, Col B. Heath, Helmut Heitman, Lt-Col K. Hill, IWM Photo Library, Maj J. Jarnum, Kenneth Jones, David List, David Machin, Les Monger MBE, Lt Col M. Norman, Ken Pavitt, Col R. 6

Warren-Piper, Didrik von Po rat, RAC Tank Museum, Mike Roseberg, Soldier Magazine, Jean Simons, Marjorie Slater, Maj H. Starr MBE, Bob Stimpson, Stephen Tunbridge, Vickers Ltd, Col A. Uloth (late QOH), Doug Wharfe, J. Whatmough, J. Willoughby, Toby Wrigley.

Finally, I wish to thank my wife Susan and son Alexis who have forsaken their annual holidays for the past few years to wait patiently and uncomplaining at the gates of numerous military establishments and museums while I endeavoured to trace the story of the Centurion. Sutton, 1980

Simon Dunstan

•

Centurion Development

negotiate Bailey bridges and be readily -. :"~ ~ s·.: mmer of 1943, the widespread employment

. :..-. ~ Sherman and the capacity of British factories to

tran s po rtab le by rail. . ' -~ :-. e producing large quantities of adequate AFYs

-.:.:: it possible to escape from the strictures of Armament -:r~ .01 s des igns and allowed a radical reappraisal of

The main armament to be of the high velocity -~ - . development The design of Centurion was

75mm type or such better gun as may be designed, - :..::.:ed under the designation A41, following the

to be mounted in a three- man turret. It was to be a - -:--.c ~ al Staff statement of policy on tanks formulated

dual purpose weapon with highly effective High , ~ Army Council Secretariat Paper dated Explosive (HE) performance while at the same time _ S-:J:em ber 1943. being as effective as possible against enemy armour ~ : General Staff maintained its belief that to fulfil of the type likely to be encountered . .: : :z;:tic al role of the armoured forces two categories A small proportion of tank s of the Cruiser class .- ::"-. >5 were required: an Infantry tank to breach the were to mount a weapon having superior armour­ ~..:;::y · s main defensive positions in conjunction with piercing performance in order to engage enemy - ::"1 ~y and a Cruiser tank to exploit and strike deep AFY s with heavier armour than those against which -:.:' : .c enemy's rear installations, either through gaps the dual purpose weapon was effective, being at the :-:>::. :~ d by the assault of the Infantry tanks or around sa me time as effective as possible against anti-tank :..-:> :l an ks. In addition, a class of specialist assault guns and soft targets. A further proportion of tank s 'C-.;.:ies based on the Infantry and Cruiser tanks was in · -every regiment was to mount a CS (Close :-- ·.~ o a g ed as bridgelayers, pillbox destroyers, Support) howitzer of the 95mm type or better - - .?hibious tanks et aL capable of firing HE, smoke and hollow charge C :-Ider the short term policy of the Genera l Staff projectiles. ~ 2 :~ . ent the characteristics in order of priority of 2 A hull machine gun and a turret machine gun were ~. Ji ser tanks intended to equip armoured required. -:-:..:mnaissance regiments and armoured brigades of :..- :' sta ndard armoured division were: Armour

.::>=:iab ility -:-~ :'

unhappy experience of British tanks in the "\ -:stern Desert made the aspect of mech anical -'C:: zbili ty of utmost importance to ensure the --:2..:· ·m um efficiency of the tank under all conditions of --= ~ain . temperature and sustained action.

J"rability \ :-. initial life-mileage of at lea st 3,000 miles wa s essential coupled with simplicity of operation -'.:-. ease of maintenance.

~ee~ e d

J:·mensions '·eight - to be under 40ton O \·era ll width not to exceed JOft 8in and the o pti mum to be JOft 4in, to enable the tank to

Armour was to be the maximum possible taking heed of the charaCteristics already laid down. A high standard of protection against the danger of fire was also essentiaL

Speed and Endurance Although the Cruiser tank was to be capable of competing on even terms with enemy armoured formations , a high average speed and cross-country performance, including the ability to negotiate obstacles, was deemed preferable to high maximum speed on roads. Endurance or radius of action was to be su fficient to enable the armoured brigade to operate at the greatest possible range and fulfil its tactical role within a standard structure for replenishment of fuel and ammunition. 7

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Fighting Compartment The fighting efficiency of both main and subsidiary armament was of the utmost importance in the fighting compartment. The s towage and ease of handling of ammUnition were factors of great importance especially in view of the increasi ng size of the ammunition to be handled. The turret and turret ring were to be of sufficient dimen sion s to enable the armament to be served with the minimum of fatigu e to the crew. Whereas the short term policy necessarily implied modification and development of the existing AFV design, the A34 Comet, the long term policy was to be, in principle, free from such pragmatic restriction. The main General Staff Requirement was still for two types of tank to fulfil Cruiser and Infantry roles but radically new principles of design were open to consideration with a view to obtaining better performance, penetration and protection. At the 35th Meeting of the Tank Board held on 7 October 1943 the paper of 8 September was considered by the Director of the Royal Armoured Corps (DRAC), the War Office and the representatives of the AFV Division of the Ministry of Supply. Despite a Defence Committee ruling that research and development for the war against Germany should be limited to projects for equipment which would be in the hand s of the troops by the end of 1944 so as to concentrate on perfecting existing designs, it was recommended that long-term tank development sho uld result in a machine to the following broad specification and its development be pursued with all urgency: (I) The weight limitation of 40ton to be increased to 45ton. (2) The turret ring to be not less than the 69in of the Sherman. Below: The first A41 prototype vehicle armed with an Ordnance QF 17·pounder Mark 6 and 20mm Pols ten gun in a mounting alongside the main armament. The gunner's separate hatches were forward of the commander's No 1 Mk 2 vision cupola. The triangUlar patch on the turret side denotes it was made of mild steel and not armour plate.

(3) Meteor engine. (4) Merritt -Brown gearbox. (5) Armour: 4in frontal, s ide maximum within weight limitations. It was recommended that the side armour be not less than 60% of the frontal armour a nd if possible more. It was primarily for this rea son that the weight limitation was raised to 45ton. (6) In view of the considerable design improvemen ts in protection afforded by a sloping glacis plate, together with increa sed space available for ammunition stowage, it was recommended that the design should not embody a hull machine gun. (7) The tank was to mount a 3in l7-pounder, with a coaxial machine gun, firing fixed ammunition and, if possible, provision was to be made for mounting, as an alternative, a 32-pounder with separate ammunition and coaxial machine gun. (8) Wading ability of up to 6ft. As a result of the criticism in Parliament and elsewhere of the man ner in which tank design and production had been conducted, it was decided that the Department of Tank Design was to prepare the A4 J. Until this time the Department had held two functions: in the first instance to act in the role of a consultant engineering organisation to all firms engaged in tank design and produc tion with special emphasis on fighting equipment and immunity and , secondly, to act as the inspector of current production models and to approve modifications rectifying defects in existing service vehicles. Over the years, the Department of Tank Design (DTD) had acquired such a fund of technical knowledge and experience that it was engaged at times on original design work for the manufacturers. Although it was too early to define details , the tactical requirements envisaged, coupled with the known factors concerning armament, available engine and gearbox, were such that the basic characteristics could be formulated. After many exploratory ~ -. meetings the basis of a provis ional vehicle emerged. A small

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team of specialists in each field then took responsibility fo r direct detail investigation and de sig n through a co­ ordinating design team under the chairmanship of Sir Claude Gibb. This team was responsible for the final \ehicle layout. The respective groups dealt with hull and armour, turret, armament, engine and transmission, and suspension. The necessity of thwarting attack by known anti­ tank guns, including the dreaded 88mm, determined frontal a nd side armour thicknesses. This, coupled with space necessary for the main components and crew, governed the basic hull weight. Apart from co mponents such as engine, transmission and fuel tanks where overall dimensions were known quantities, ot her factors governing hull dimensions were primarily the turret ring size and the position of the driver. The previous weight and dimension limitations co nformable to British railway loading gauge, that had so constrained earlier British tank designs, had been waived by the War Office at the insistence of the DTD. The hull sides were sloped inwards to save we ight and to minimise the effect of mines detonated by the tracks. The bas ic dimensions of the turret were determined both by the degree of immunity to attack required and the turret ring diameter which was dependent on the calibre of the main armament and gun recoil, as well as loading and firing requirements. To simplify production, a turret with a cast front and elsewhere of welded plate construction was chosen although the desirability of an entirely cast turret was not overlooked. The adoption of the 17-pounder anti-tank gun entailed no serious problems and an orthodox mounting was used, comprising gun cradle and protective block supported by trunnions in the turret ape rture with a mantle! providing protection at all angles of elevation. Here also, immunity to frontal attack determined the basic mantlet and block thicknesses. Within limitations, this arrangement offe red most chance of keeping the mounting operational after a direct hit on the frontal armour. There were diverse opinions as to the choice of auxiliary weapons; some favoured a quick firing heavy calibre gun whilst other advocated an orthodox machine gun mounted either in the front and/or rear of the turret, or possibly a front mounting incorporating twin 7.92mm Besas. With all these alternatives the problems associated wit.h ammunition-feed , firing mec hanisms and crew responsibilities increased in direct proportion with the calibre and number of guns. Pending a General Staff ruling on the subject, design wo rk proceeded on the most difficult combination of a 20mm Polsten in a ball-mounting alongside the main armament, with a Besa machine gun mounted in the rear. The General Staff Requirement for the Meteor

engine offered an adequate combination of power, flexibility and development potentiality. The size-to­ weight ratio of the Meteor Mk 4 was suitable for its location in the hull in relation to the height of the vehicle, allowing the main armament which traversed over it sufficient depression to the rear , and its coupling through a dry plate clutch to the transmission system proposed, enabled all these components to be located together in the rear hull with direct output to the final drives and sprockets at the rear. It was decided to redesign the Z5 Merritt-Brown gearbox used on the Cromwell and Comet in order to improve its performance for A41 . A differential lock to assist in extricating the tank when one track slipped, a dry sump with jet lubrication of all gears and a reversed rotation output shaft combined with a new double reduction final drive gear system were specially designed for the vehicle under the designation ZSI. In addition the opportunity was taken to improve loading and gear-changing characteristics. Five forward and two reverse gears delivered power through a differential gear train to provide brake steering control. This basic system had proved to have lowest transmission losses and gave maximum possible power at the sprockets. Several suspension systems were considered but an Below: Meteor engine compartment. The engine was buried under a host of sub-assemblies leading to a long-standing criticism of Centurion, lack of accessibility for engine maintenance. For example, it took IIhrs to change the sparking plugs because so many other components had to be removed first. The Meteor engine was painted duck egg blue, as were sub-assemblies such as oil flIter, generator and auxiliary charging set engine. The hull interior, as well as air filters and fuel tanks, were painted metallic silver.

AEC/Rackham type adapted from a design by S. A. Horstmann of Vickers Armstrong was adopted . This system was chosen in relation to the hull shape to obtain maximum flexibility, reliability, ease of maintenance and cross-country performance giving the required ride characteristics. Due allowance was also made for the increased vehicle weight likely to occur with future development in armour and armament. The Christie suspension of earlier Cruiser tanks was discounted because the increased weight exceeded its effectiveness. A torsion bar system was not adopted because it was deemed too vulnerable to mine damage and, as it required internal volume, would have raised the height of the hull, and in consequence, the vehicle weight to an unacceptable degree. The modified Horstmann system embodied large road wheels ensuring long tyre life and by mounting these on twin axle arms operating against a single set of double-acting horizontal coil springs in three bogies on each hull side, a compact and accessible arrangement was achieved. The system also served to give greater protection to the hull as it was externally mounted. One notable innovation was the provision of an auxiliary 3kW generator driven by an 8hp Morris engine, to ensure a reserve of electrical power for radios, battery charging and gun control equipment. The fighting compartment was pressure-ventilated to remove fumes , eliminate flashback and protect the crew against gas. To ensure reliability no hydraulic or pneumatic systems were employed and simple mechanical rod controls were lIsed throughout for the change-speed mechanism, clutch, differen tial lock and brakes. As de sign work progressed, a provisional specification was submitted for the consideration of the Tank Board at their 36th Meeting on 22 November 1943. After the full particulars had been discussed it was proposed that pilot and pre-production models would be built towards the end of 1944 and, provided no undue difficulties arose, small scale production would start in the second quarter of 1945.

By February 1944, user opinion had been sought on the configuration of A41 and there was an insistent demand for a machine gun firing to the front. Although the advantages of a 20mm were realised, especially for firing at the gunshields of anti-tank guns, it was not considered an adequate alternative to a Besa nor was it felt that a machine gun in the rear of the turret in any way compensated for the lack of one at the front. There was in addition a firm user demand for a high speed reverse gearbox. This request came from experience of operating tanks in the orange groves and sunken roads of southern Italy. Vehicles had often been ambushed in such areas and being unable to manoeuvre freely many were lost when they exposed their vulnerable flanks whilst attempting to turn round. A high speed reverse was required to enable the tanks to withdraw rapidly. This was a remarkable instance of a particular and peculiar set of circumstances leading to an addition to the original design. The modified gearbox was designated Z5 1R (R for high speed reverse) and was incorporated into production vehicles. A final specification for the A41 was considered and accepted at the 38th Meeting of the Tank Board held on 23 February 1944. The Board recommended that the Ministry of Supply initiate the production of 20 prototypes to the following configurations: 15 to mount one 17pdr, one 20mm, one 7.92mm Besa (in turret rear) and having Merritt-Brown Z51 gearboxes ; five to mount one 17pdr, two 7.92mm to front, one 7.92mm to rear, with Sinclair self-shifting, self­ synchronising preselective traction clutch gearbox with scoop tube coupling. This latter gearbox was to incorporate six speeds forward and three reverse with a maximum speed in reverse of 14mph. This ingenious but extremely ambitious project was however still at an early stage of design and was regarded as highly experimental. The Board further stated that A41 had their full support and should proceed with all possible expedition. Accordingly, the Ministry of Supply

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Left: Merrill-Brown Z51 R transmission compartment. The gearbox casing was British bronze green, the cooling air fans, metallic silver and the clutch and brakes, black. The radiators laid almost flat across the top of the transmission compartment and were hinged to allow access to the compartments beneath; radiator body was duck egg blue and radiator cores black.

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ordered 20 prototypes and two hulls to be manufactured. Production was assigned to the Royal Ordnance Factories of Woolwich Arsenal and 'lotting ham, with sub-assemblies from ROF s Patricroft, Radcliffe and Ellesmere Port. Ten of the prototypes and the two hulls were to be built at Woolwich Arsenal and 10 at Nottingham . The two supplementar y hulls in cluded an unarmoured mobile (es t bed· - a 'soft boat' which was of mild steel and \,·ith no turret to prove the su spension, mec hanical co ntrols, engine and transmission layout and to guide Jna l design. The other was a completely stowed a rmo ur hull and turret for defen sive firin g trials for immunity acceptance. The 'soft-boat' hull was, in fact, built by AEC Ltd. On 24 May 1944 an Extraordina ry Meeting of the DRAC's Advisory Committee was held at AEC Ltd of Southall to discuss the A4 I. After the mee ting had \iewed the mock-up a short discussion was held and th e co nsensus of opinion was th at the secondary a rmament mu st either be coaxial with the main armament or be capable of being linked coaxially with it. The number of support mantlets for each weapon in the turret was considered sound, especially as the loade r could operate the secondary armament independently of the gunner. As a result, the order for th e 20 pilot models was amended to be armed as foll ows : 1-5 I- I7pdr, I -20mm Polsten, I -7.92mm Besa in ball mounting in rear of turret (first specification interpretation). 6- IO I 17pdr, I -20mm Polsten with optional linkage and with rear escape door. J I - I 5 I I7pdr, single Besa with optional linkage and rear escape door. 16-20 I -77mm, si ngle Besa with optional linkage and rea r esca pe door. During developm ent it had been discovered that in order to accommodate the mounting of the Besa in the back o f the turret it was necessary to omit the rear ~sca pe hatch, the 2in bomb thrower a nd also entailed :he relocation of the wireless set and restow age of Pols ten magazines. As the rear Besa was not a Ge neral Staff requirement, whereas the 2in bomb :h rower was, DRAC ordered that production tanks \'.o uld o mit the Besa and incorporate the bomb th rower , but that it was unnecessary to alter ::>rototypes Nos 1-5. At the meeting of 8 June 1944 it was confirmed that the 20 pilot models were being produced as experimental tanks but owing to ·iffic ulti es in stowage and mounting it was not possible :0 incorporate the rear-firing machine gun and the s heme was abandoned. During September, development trials of the 'soft­ 20a(' hull began at the Fighting Vehicles Proving

Establishment at Chobham. Although it suffered from 'tracking' which led to excessive wear of the steering brakes due to frequent correc tions for road camber, there were no involuntary stops in the first trials. Further problems were experienced fro m pitching motions of the hull but as nothing was fundamentally wrong, production of the prototypes began in Janu ary 1945. Meanwhile, design work had proceeded apace and new ideas were constantly being explored. In particul ar the adv a ntages offered by a fully cast turret and the simplification of a coax ially mounted machine gun were pursued . To this end, the DTD, in conjunction with Yickers Armstrong, had been working o n such a turret and it was incorporated on the A4IA Cruiser Tank. On 19 January at the 21st Meeting of the DRAC's Advisory Committee at Chobham, the mem bers viewed and discussed the mock up of A4l A . This ve hicle comprised an uparmoured A4 I hull with a new turret embod ying thicker armour and a new cupola with all round vision binoculars and a 22in devices, periscopic co mmander's hatch. The cast turret enabled a superior designed shape with armour concentrated where most required with minimum weight due to neutral blending of contours. Furthermore, provision for machining and fitting of ancillaries became simpler with more freedom of location due to absence of the weld seam between the cast front a nd the roll plate rear of the A4 I turret. In April , the first A41 prototype was delivered to FYPE from ROF Woolwich Arsenal and performance tri als began immediately . By this time th e A4 I had acquired the name Centurion which had originally been allocated to the A30, a lengthened Cromwell chassis mounting a 17· pounder gun, that was in the event named Challenger. At the fi rst trial conducted by Brig W. Morrogh, Commanding Officer of FYPE, Pilot No I cove red 1,055 miles of which 467 were cross-country. Vehicle weight was 45ton 11cwt 2qtr. A maximum speed of 23.7mph was recorded. Prior to the completion of the tri a l, it was decided to prove a number of prototypes under active service conditions so that lesso ns could be learned and applied to production vehicles. Code-named Operation 'Sentry', the object was to place Centurion prototypes in the hands of operational troops before the cessation of hos tilities in North-W est Europe. This was an unprecedented and imagin ative idea but YE-day came before it could be realised. In the event, six new prototype Centurion tanks, three from ROF Woolwich Arsenal (P3-T352412, P9-T3524 16, P 1I -T352417) and three from ROF Nottingham (P4-T352413, P6-T352414, P8-T352415), were taken over at FYPE early in May by a detachment of the Guards Armoured Division . II

The party was attached f~)r troop trials to the 22nd Armoured Brigade and divided its time between the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards (31 May to IIJune) and 5RTR (12 June to 23 June) under instruction from the Guards detachment. Tactical exercises were conducted by both regiments in comparison with Shermans and Cromwells. Although both exercises were of a simple nature they proved that, from a user's points of view, the tactical handling qualities were satisfactory. Between 27 June and 14 July, gunnery trials were held at the Lommel range in Belgium. User opinion of the fighting abilities of Centurion was high with only minor criticism of the ammunition stowage in the 20-round forward bin. All users requested a Browning instead of the Besa machine gun on account of the former's greater reliability. It was also considered essential for the commander to have a Browning mounted on the cupola. Only one of the six Centurion prototypes was fitted with a Besa; the others having the 20mm Polsten which was considered unsatisfactory as it intruded too far into the available turret space. In general, mechanical defects were conspicuous by their absence and 2,300 miles, including 250 cross­ country, of comparatively trouble free running was achieved on the original tracks with only a few bogie tyre defects. Major component failures included three gearboxes, one main engine and a broken auxiliary engine quill shaft; a minor problem that was to plague Centurion for several years. Pilot No I I suffered a sheared front idler bracket ; a defect experienced by many early Centurions but which was simply rectified. Throughout Operation 'Sentry', every opportunity was taken to show the Centurion to representatives of other units of 21st Army Group including 2nd Army, 8 Corps, Guards Armoured Division, 79th Armoured Division, 4th Armoured and 34th Armoured Brigades. The operation was regarded as thoroughly

representative as far as the users were concerned and they considered Centurion the best tank they had ever had . They would have been prepared to go into action with them if they had been fitted with machine guns instead of Pol sten s. Performance, reliability, fighting characteristics and ease of maintenance were all considered satis fa ctory and the users welcomed the opportunity, which they had not had before, to express their opinion on production prototypes, a procedure that has been maintained ever since. The recommendations put forward by 22nd Armoured Brigade at the completion of Operation 'Sentry' were considered at the 22nd Meeting of the DRAC' s Advisory Committee held on 22 August 1945 . As none of the criticisms were of major importance a nd in the main called only for enhanced handling and maintenance characteristics, a production programme of 800 Centurions was authorised. These were to include 100 Centurion Is (A41*) mounting a 17-pounder with a linked 7.92mm Besa and the remainder were to be Centurion lIs (A4IA) of which the first 100 were to have 17­ pounders and later versions 20-pounders. By 1946 12 A41 prototypes had been built. In the interim extensive running trials and developm ent of components had continued on test rigs and in vehicles. Up to this period, evolution of design had kept in step with these developments although it was rarely possible to embody the latest idea s in pilot vehicles currently being built. A total of 16 A41 prototypes was co mpleted, including one A41 S (P5) incorporating the SSS Powerflow gearbox. The remainder featured Mer ritt-Brown Z51 gearboxes (later Z5 I R) and 17­ pounder guns with various combinations of auxiliary armament, 10 with 20mm Polstens and six with 7.92mm Besas. When production of Centurion began in November 1945 the basic design was stabilised. Prototype No 12 was reworked to Centurion I standard and subjected

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:0 I'ull scale trials as stipulated in AFV Memorandum ·W04. These trials covered specifically performance and reliability, gearbox and engine cooling, defects and ::1a intenance, turret power traverse characteristics and s spension . The trials were in three stages of 1,000 ::liles each and extended over a period of 18 month s. The inform ation gained was to influence future design and in many cases warrant modifications to those C enturions currently being built. The production programme had been beset with delays, due primarily to a lack of electrical equipment. T he first Centurion did not appear until February 1946. Both Centurion I (A41 *) and Centurion II 1..l.41 A) were manufactured simultaneously, the production of the 100 Centurion Is being shared between ROFs Woolwich Arsenal and Nottingham . Three Centurion Is were built at ROF Barnbow, Leed s, which had recently been converted to tank production. Centurion lIs were built at Vickers ..l.rmstrong Ltd Elswick, Newcastle and ROF Barnbow. Centurion II incorporated several major improvements which could not be readily embodied in the Mark L These included a cast turret, commander's \'ision cupola, combined gunner's periscopic sight and range gear and a coaxially mounted machine gun. The latter, being integral with the main armament Below left: Prototype No I was delivered to FVPE in April 1945. Before the introduction of the stabilisation system no gun depression stop rails were filled. The 20in prototype tracks were made by Curran Steel Limited.

-,

Below: T35170 I was the second Centurion I (A41*) to be built in a batch of 100 vehicles. The marking ROFW on the lower hull front lndicates Royal Ordnance Factory Woolwich Arsenal and 2 the second production vehicle. The Besa 7.92mm machine gun was not :;et fitted in its ball,mounting which could be connected to the main armament and controlled in elevation and depression by an adjustable link system. I WM

mounting and governed by the same control system, relieved the auxiliary gunner of hi s role and enabled him to concentrate as loader-cum,wireless operator, besides eli"minating the components of a separate mounting. The adoption of the commander's vision cupola (No 2 Mk I) and the gunner's periscopic sight (No 1 Mk I) did much to improve fighting efficiency. Development of engine components had enhanced reliability and performance and, although of a minor nature in themselves, the many modifications combined to achieve considerable improvement overall. The piston compression ratio was raised from 6: 1 to 7: 1 to take full advantage of Octane 80 petrol thereby increasing engine output to 640bhp from the original 600 of the Meteor Mk 4. The new engine was designated Meteor Mk 4A . To offset the increased weight of 48ton over the 46ton 4cwt of Centurion I, the final drive reduction ratio was increased from 6.94:1 to 7.47:1. One of th e factors which led to this change was the necessity neither to overload the steering brakes nor increase steering effort. As a result the maximum speed was reduced from 23.7mph to 21.42mph. The gea r change between 2nd and 1st gears was modified to enable more rapid gear changing in difficult terrain. In line with previous practice, the War Office had expressed a requirement for a Centurion mounting a high trajectory howitzer to act in the close support role during infantry operations. The vehicle w as to embody a 95mm howitzer firing HE and smoke ammunition at relatively short ranges. It was proposed to mount this weapon in 10% of Centurions. A wooden mock,up was prepared, based on an A41 A but without provision for stabili sa tion of th e main armament as it wa s not a General Staff Requirement. It was completed by December 1945 . Development proceeded slowly under the designation Centurion IV. The problems of stowage

Right: Centurion Mk 2. The distinguishing features of the Mark 2 are the muzzle brake of the 17.pounder, strengthening ribs on the transmission covers and longer hull with si. louvres in the cooling air outlet. The strengthening ribs served as increased protection against artillery shells bursting on the rear decks. They proved to be an irritation to crews as water collected between the ribs and on opening the transmission covers

water flowed on to the clutch. They also precluded crews from sleeping on the rear decks at night with the benefit of residual engine warmth. Cel1lrai Press

for the number of rounds required and the design of numerous new components that differed from the standard gun tank caused considerable delays. It was not until March 1947 that a prototype Centurion IV was ready for inspection by DRAC's User Committee. Although a rework programme was planned whereby ROF Barnbow was to convert Centurion Is and production of components began, early in 1949 the requirement of Centurion IV was cancelled by the War Office when it was realised that Centurion III was able to fulfil the role by virtue of the performance of the new 20-pounder high explosive ammunition. By 1947 the 20-pounder (83.4mm) anti-tank gun, first conceived as a 21-pounder in 1945, was in the final stages of design. Concurrently, design effort had been directed to embody the new gun in a vehicle designated Centurion III . On 30 September 1946, FVPE issued the details of ammunition stowage of Centurion III. These were identical with those that had already been approved for Centurion II. The method of ammunition stowage was based on careful design to minimise the risk of fire following wartime experience where the destruction of the majority of tanks had been due to ammunition fires. Research had demonstrated that a tank's chances of survival markedly increased when all main armament rounds were stowed below the level of the turret ring. Such an arrangement was embodied in Centurion . The arrangement of 20-pounder ammunition stowage was similar to that of 17-pounder on Centurion II with the exception of two extra armoured 'ready' bins which accommodated two rounds each. These were necessary because only two 'ready' rounds (as opposed to four on Centurion II and five on Centurion I) could be accommodated in the turntable bin, by reason of the larger calibre gun. As the Centurion III hull was similar to Centurion II, only a wooden mock-up of the turret was prepared. It was viewed at FVPE, Chobham, on 3 October 1946 at the 24th Meeting of DRAC's Advisory Committee. On

account of the larger ammunition, 65 rounds of 20­ pounder were stowed as against 73 on Centurion II. During development up to this stage, the goal had been towa rd s mechanical improvement at the cost of some increase in weight. Detailed calculations, followed by physical checks, established that this had increased disproportionately. The engine air outlet louvres were redesigned and the huH s hortened by 4.5il1 (lOcm) thereby reducing weight by 1001b. By further scaling down of dimensions where safety factors permitted and the elimination of the strengthening ribs on the transmission covers, the battle weight of Centurion III was kept to 49ton 5cwt. At the sa me time, other new design features impracticable in the current production programme were incorporated in Centurion Ill; although many modifications were constantly being made in production. More than 400 refinements were approved during this period. Centurion Ill, whilst basically a Mark II as far as suspension, hull and turret were concerned, embodided several improvements. Besides the 20-pounder gun and revised stowage, the main features were the Meteor Mk 4B engine and more advanced gun control equipment. This complex equipment had been progressively improved over a long period. A detailed summary would be onerous; suffice to say the main components such as gyro inductor units, tachometer unit , amplifier, alternator, metadyne et al had been Top right: Pagan. Centurion Mk 3 reworked from Mark 2 standard of the 4th Hussars. In 1950 and 1951, Centurions Mk 2 were rearmed with 20-pounder guns in place of the 17-poullder to become Mark 3. The programme was undertaken at 37th Base Workshops, Woolwich Arsenal. Many were subsequently modified to Mark 5 standard or converted as ARVs. Centre right: Turret bodies, Centurions Mk I (left); 2 and 3. Right: Cupola, vision, No I Mk 2. Far righl: Cupola, vision, No 2 Mk I.

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15

brought to a high standard of efficiency. This type designated FVGCE (Fighting Vehicle Gun Control Equipment) No I Mk 3/ I was fitted in early production Centurion Ills. The Meteor Mk 4B had been improved in many ways over the Mark 4A and now developed 650bhp at 2,550rpm. Apart from a number of minor modifications, it now incorporated an additional dynamo to provide an alternative method of charging the batteries as well as more efficient fan belt tensioners and oil filter. Production of Centurion III began in 1948 at Vickers Armstrong and ROF Barnbow. Amongst the many schemes that were constantly being investigated during this period for Centurion, two are worthy of note. On account of the limited foundry capacity able to produce the one-piece turret casting, an alternative turret was considered for Centurion and also to provide experience for possible future designs. 25 turrets cast in three separate parts were designed and planned. The first prototype passed ballistic tests but the difficulties of welding such large pieces and their subsequent heat treatment to meet immunity requirements proved this idea to be impracticable for large scale production. The second scheme was the SSS (Synchro Self Shifting) Powerflow transmission . The General Staff had expressed a requirement for the process of gear changing of tanks to be made easier without at the same time resorting to designs that were complicated and costly in man hours to produce. The intention was to evaluate the Sinclair-Meadows SSS transmission as a possible alternative to the Merritt-Brown for later marks of Centurion and heavier classes of vehicles. The Hydraulic Coupling and Engineering Company was given a contract for the supply of six gearboxes. Unfortunately its layout and bulk was such that it was not possible to install the gearbox in the same space as the Merritt-Brown Z51 and a modification was necessary to the rear portion of the hull, hence the different vehicle designation A41S. The only prototype completed with the SSS transmission was delivered from Woolwich Arsenal in September 1945 and was subjected to maker's development trials until August 1947 when it was handed over to FVPE for performance and reliability trials. Many failures of the gearbox occurred, some of which caused appreciable damage. Gearbox No 1 was written off after 547 miles. Gearbox No 2 completed 1,092 miles but had many components replaced during this mileage. On account of the many breakdowns no comparative trials with a standard Centurion were achieved. Apart from the unreliability of the transmission it was not popular with drivers as it involved a different and u,northodox driving technique. It was never a serious contender for use in Centurion but was an interesting project that gives an insight into the problems of tank 16

development which often lead up blind alleys of research . It is now pertinent to consider the saga of the A45. This vehicle was conceived as an infantry support tank to complement the A41 Heavy Cruiser with which it was to share a number of common assemblies. This followed a decision by the Tank Board in 1942 to implement a degree of standardisation between the two classes of vehicles. The A45 was intended to replace the Meteor-engined A43 Black Prince - an attempt to mount a 17-pounder gun in an enlarged turret on a widened Churchill hull. Development began in 1944 under the design parentage of the English Electric Company. The configuration was similar to A41 but overall dimensions were greater and armour thickness substantially increased. The specification was altered following the recommendation in General Montgomery's Memorandum on British Armour : No 2, dated 21 February 1945, to abandon the unsatisfactory division of Cruiser and Infantry types and to develop a 'capital tank'. This was defined as a dual purpose tank, suitable for operating within the armoured division and for support of the infantry. Throughout the campaign in North-West Europe the Cromwell, Churchill and Sherman had proved to be successful in both roles as well as being adaptable to a multitude of specialist purposes such as flamethrowers, amphibious tanks and mine flails. In September 1946 this concept was formalised in a requirement for a Universal Tank capable of conversion to specialist tasks with the minimum of modification. The General Staff considered that Centurion could not be adapted to fulfil these ancillary roles without comprehensive redesign and the A45 was chosen as the basis for the series under the designation FV20 I. Thus by December 1946, the month Centurion entered service with the British Army, the decision had been taken to supersede it by FV20 I. Until such time as the latter became available, production of Centurion was to continue. The first prototype ran in October 1947. Design of the many variants in the series proceeded at low

Top right: A45 prototype with Centurion II turret. The A45 was intended to become the FV201 Universal Tank to supersede Centurion but was cancelled in 1948. The configuration was similar to Centurion with a fifih crew member who operated the remotely­ controlled machine gun above the len trackguard. Right: FV221 Medium Gun Tank Caernarvon mounting a Centurion Mk 3 turret on trials with 14th/20th Hussars to furnish essential data for the development of Conqueror. The similarity to A45 is apparent save for the deletion of the fifth crew member. Soldier

priority. It was soon discovered, however, that the flail tank version needed a hull somewhat larger than the basic FV20 I so a special vehicle would have to be developed. The Universal concept was further compromised when it was found that both the gun tank fitted with DD equipment and the FV208 Bridgelayer were too large to be launched from the LCT8 landing craft then in service. By late 1948 such were the delays in the development programme, it was considered that when FV201 entered service it would be incapable of meeting the potential Soviet threat and

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II

it was cancelled in favour of Centurion which was to be developed further. Combat effectiveness trials had shown that Centurion Mk 3 was superior to both the IS-3 and T-34/85 due primarily to its superior fire control system. (In 1948, vehicle mark numbers were altered from Roman to Arabic numerals, hence Centurion Mk 3.) The preponderance of Soviet heavy tanks howeve r led to a requirement for a 120mm gun to be mounted on the FV200 chassis to engage them at ranges beyond the capability of Centurion . Development was

undertaken by the English Electric Company of such a vehicle designated Heavy Gun Tank FV214, Conqueror. Pending its introduction a number of improvised tank destroyers were designed on the Centurion chassis namely the Conway and FV4005 (see Chapter 6). As the Conqueror hull and automotive components were essentially similar to FV201, only the l20mm gun turret had to be designed from scratch. To gain experience of operating such large vehicles, five chassis were fitted with the Centurion Mk 3 turret on an adapter ring under the designation Medium Gun Tank FV221 , Caernarvon. The first prototype of this vehicle was running by April 1952. Production of Conqueror began in 1955 and it entered service in 1956. Thus the so-called Universal tank to supersede Centurion finally emerged as a specialised long-ran ge tank destroyer, with only one of

Right: Driver's controls. Clutch, brake and accelerator were arranged conventionally left to right. Gear shift lever was in the centre with the steering levers to either side. The position of the hand brake so close to the right-hand steering lever led to a number of mishaps when it was inadvertently pulled instead of the steering lever. Below: Conqueror Mk 1 in its role of long range fire support of a Centurion Mk 3. The final development oftbe FV200 series, FV214 Heavy Gun Tank Conqueror entered service with the British Army in 1956. Although this 65ton tank posed serious mobility and servicing problems, it is remembered with affection by men of the Royal Armoured Corps. It was withdrawn from service in 1966 in favour of Centurion armed with the L 7 I05mm gun.

the ambitious se ries of variants, FV219 AR V, to see service. As a final irony , the performance of the L 7 105mm gun subsequently fitted to Centurion obviated the need for a heav y tank such as Conqueror with its restricted mobility and high servicing lo ads . It was withdrawn from service in 1966.

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2. Centurion Production

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Cen turion was built at three separate production lines. "l a rk 1 was produced at Royal Ordnance Factories Barnbow, Nottingham and Woolwich Arsenal, Mark s _. 3 and 5 at ROF Barnbow and Vickers Armstrong, " la rks 7 and 8 at ROF Barnbow and Leyland Motors a nd Mark 10 at ROF Barnbow, Leeds. An analysis of the weight of Centurion shows that ·14°6 of it comprised armour, 11 % arm a ment and

ammunition, 5% powerplant, 30% transmission and running gear and ]0% for crew, stowage and ancillaries. At the hei gh t of production in 1953 Centurions were built at the rate of 11 per week and assembly took approximatel y three months. Cost of Centurion in 1951 was £38,000 of which £1,600 was for the fire control eq uipment.

Ccnlurion Produc tion

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1945/46 1946/ 47 194 7/48 1948/ 49 1949/50 1950151 1951/52 1952/5J 1953/54 1954fj5 1955/56 1956/571957158 1958159 1959160 1960161 196116 2

1'0101

48

52

100

57

192

250

30

1.19

19)

229

500

573

565

359

154

105

274

139

193

229

500

573

566

513

245

2.833

221

36

176

129

168

13 1

78

94

755

II

51

16

16

14

108

29

110

16

15S

42 1

395

156

94

138

110

16

4,423

Left: Mounting the glacis plate to hull. Central Press

19

A large number of Centurion s were ex po rted and overseas c usto mers includ ed Australia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Holland, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerla nd . It must be stated that a measure of its sales success was due to the lack of competiti on in the early 1950s as the only nations buil ding tanks in quantity were Great Britain, USA and USSR . Be th at as it may, foreign sa les of new-build vehicles exceeded £200mil li on (£ 1,000mi llion at 1980 va lue). A further £600m illion was real ised for ammunition fo r these tan ks. Considerable further monies were real ised by the sale of second-h and vehicles to Israel a nd elsewhere and the conti nuin g sales of spare parts and ammunition has increased the total still more. This ca n be considered a satisfacto ry return on the development cos t of Ce ntu rio n which d id not exceed £Smillio n.

Left: Construction of hull, commonly referred to as the 'boat', in a rotating manipulator. Central Press Below: Drilling suspension mounting bolt holes. Cen tral Press Right : Fitting suspension units. Celltral Press Celltral Press

Left: Installing Meteor Mk 4A engine. Centra! Press Below: Installing 20-pounder main armament and mantlet. Cel/lra! Press Right: Final stages of assembly. Note the additional front guide roller, introduced in 1948, to prevent track damage to No 1 suspension unit. Below right: Details of inner turret.

Above: Welding the roof plate to the turret. This Mark 3 turret illustrates the changes made during production in late 1950. The major assemblies such as hull and turret were constructed in rotating manipulators to allow all welds to be made from above so enhancing the strength of the seams. April 1951. Soldier Right: Testing for leaks. Note the revised loader's hatches, position of loader's periscope, 2in bomb thrower mounting, side loading stowage bins and driver's approach march hood container on glacis plate, April 1951. Soldier

24

3. In Service

--: , e Centurion entered service with the British Army

u-: December 1946. The first regiment to receive the :ank was 5th Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Armoured 3 ~i g ade , 7th Armoured Division, based at Hamm in G er many. Initially only a limited number of Marks I 3.nd II were deployed in order to gain operational ~xp e rience. A cadre of instructors was formed early in 1947 and by the end of 1948 the three regiments of -:h Armoured Brigade, I and 5RTR and 5 Royal ::-miskilling Dragoon Guards (RIDG), were equipped wj-h Centurion s. Initial impressions were not :'3\'o urable as in its original configuration, mounting a j - ,pounder gun, Centurion represented little :;ual itative improvement over the German Panther ••. roduced in 1943. In the early days, as with all new and complex i:!ilitary equipments, there were a host of problems. ,.! any were of a minor nature that after six years of "\'artime tank design should have been eliminated at : ~ e development stage . All tanks suffer from teething : ~ o u b le s and Centurion was no exception. Fortunately, h was the technical expertise of the officers and senio r NCOs, who had served in tank s through six \'ca rs of warfare, that the majority of faults were ,=adily diagnosed and many were rectified by local :m provisation and ingenuity. One of the most pressing problems was the limited ooerational road range of only 60 miles. This was hi gh lighted during the Berlin blockade when it was ~ ea l i sed that Centurions would have been unable to reach the beleaguered city without refuelling en route. To overcome the problem a number of improvised soare fuel tanks were mounted on the rear hull in the ::-:a nner of Soviet tanks. The original design was ;im pl y a 40gal fuel drum strapped to the rear plate but it suffered from being too flimsy and easily ruptured in ; on voy collision s or when reversed into trees or . uildings. Many variations on this theme were made at • .it level until a jettison able 180gal oval fuel tank :-a bricated at the Hamburg Local Manufacture Unit 'Jecame standard equipment. An official design by FVPE of twin jettisonable 40gal drum s mounted on a :radle over the cooling air outlet was introduced but

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was disliked by crews as it lacked the simplicity of local designs and curtailed depression of the main armament over the rear decks. Later an armoured mono wheel fuel trailer was designed and used. The Mark 3 was the major production Centurion and first equipped 1RTR at Detmold in Germany. As the standard vehicle its technical description is appended.

Centurion Mk 3 Technical Description The layout was of a conventional nature and similar to most tank s of the period. The forward part of the vehicle was divided to form a driver's compartment on the right-hand side and a compartment housing a 20­ round ammunition bin and IOgal fresh water tank on the left. The rear of the driver's compartment was open to allow access to th e fighting compartment at certain angles of turret traverse. The fighting compartment occupied the centre of the vehicle and accommodated the commander, gunner, loader, main armament and auxiliary weapons and the bulk of the ammunition. The fighting compartment was separated from the engine compartment by a rear bulkhead which was fitted with a large access plate to facilitate engine m aintenance. Behind the Meteor engine was the transmission compartment housing the Merritt-Brown gearbox, cooling fans and steering brakes. Driving Compartment Access to the compartment was through two interlocking, spring-assisted doors located in the hull top plate. The driving controls consisted of clutch, brake and accelerator arranged left to right, a centrally mounted 2ft 6in gear lever and steering levers on both sides of the seat with the ' handbrake next to the right ­ hand steering lever. To the driver's right were the instrument panel and engine controls and to his left two CO 2 fire extinguishers . Driving Centurion was no easy task and required both constant concentration and much physical exertion. The tank had five speeds forward and two in reverse ; odd numbers were forward in the gear change gate and even numbers back, with I st gear on the right 25

and high and low reverse either side of 2nd and 4th. 1st gear was rarely used for moving off except on steep hills, soft ground or when making tight turns. Depressing the heavy clutch required a foot pressure of 601b but when in motion it was possible to overcome the inertia of the clutch assembly by pulling lightly on a steering lever which served as a clutch stop and allowed rapid gear changes. This was known as a 'stick change'. The driver was thus able to maintain the momentum of the vehicle with minimal loss of speed during gear changes. Across country an accomplished driver exploiting terrain such as hollows to sustain momentum when changing-up, could achieve as good or better performance as later semi­ automatic transmissions. To change down it was necessary to double declutch but should the driver fail to engage the gear from neutral while climbing hills the result could be dire. The vehicle might career downhill backwards out of control and no amount of brake application would stop it as the brake linings burned out in short order. This idiosyncrasy was well known to Centurion drivers the world over and each nation had a pithy phrase to describe it such as 'doing an angel' and 'Mexican overdrive'. Direction of travel of the tank was controlled by the two steering levers which affected the relative speeds of the tracks. Pulling on the left-hand lever reduced the speed of the inner track and by the epicyclic trains speeded the outer, turning the vehicle to the left. As the gearbox gave fixed steering radii according to the gear ratio engaged, it will be readily appreciated that the lower the gear engaged, the sharper would be the turn. Thus when the vehicle was moving forward with the higher gears engaged and it became necessary to make a sharp turn the driver changed down to a lower gear with a consequential loss of vehicle speed. In reverse, the opposite applied and pulling the left-hand steering lever turned the vehicle to the right. One further 26

characteristic of the Merritt-Brown gearbox was that in neutral, steering remained effective while both steering levers were forward and the clutch engaged, so it was possible to achieve a neutral turn, when either of the steering levers were applied, rotating the tank about its own axis. This gave a most useful turn facility in confined spaces. A measure of skill was required of the driver to obtain the best out of Centurion but the engine had a lot of torque and control was responsive. With a good driver, a sustained cross-country speed of the order of 15mph was possible with minimal crew discomfort, ensuring that they arrived on the battlefield in a fit state to fight.

Fighting Compartment The power-operated turret contained the main armament and auxiliary weapons with the wireless sets mounted in a recess at the rear. The commander was situated at the right-hand rear of the turret. A vision cupola was fitted in the roof plate over his position for all-round Observation with full protection. Either of two types of cupola was fitted. The early type, No 2 Mk 1, had nine episcopes, eight No 7 Mk 1 and one No 8 Mk I, while the later type, No 2 Mk 2, had seven episcopes No 7 Mk 1, a commander's sight No 4 Mk J and one episcope No 8 Mk 1. Both types were fitted with x 10 periscopic binoculars. The cupola could be traversed by gear or by hand. Introduced in April J954, the No 4 Mk J Rep (Reflector-cum-periscope) sight was a significant advance in target acquisition. Previously, when the commander sighted a target, he rotated the turret using his power transverse overriding control and aligned the main armament with the target by means of the blade vane sight mounted on the turret roof forward of the cupola. As this gave only an approximate line of sight, the gunner was often unable

Left: The major production version of Centurion was the Mark 3. 2,833 were built between 1948 and 1956. This late production model illustrates the many changes incorporated during manufacture including the elimination of the 2in bombthrower, extended trackguards at the front to reduce dust being thrown up into the driver's face and at the rear, to prevent mud being deposited on the 20-pounder when it was secured in the gun crutch. Top right: Layout of main components. Centre right: Underside and rear of vehicle. 2.5

-.:=

[hat 'JD th

Bottom right: Hull body.

! ; ~2 ~ed.

-eo-

~[ h er

:ank '_ [ rn

:-:lain

-:,' eless -::':1der ~--: = . A _ o~ his - ::-:x:ion.

-,,, early , \f. I : \! : 2.

-" sight - '-:"::" ~y pe s - '-:-

~'JPo l a

. Rep : ' 1 ant -::: the - - c~.

and

::-.eans : : roof an

27

Remote intercom cable reel --:-::::iiI';'.:'l'---:&;~iIIIA~

~~~!S!~~;:;:=======:..:2~i:nCh Bombthrower ~

Turret ventilator

Smoke dischargers Exhaus Silencer

Coaxial 7.92mm Besa

Driver's windscreen attachment point

to see inconspicuous targets through his x6 periscope that the commander had observed through his x 10 peribinoculars. The RCP sight overcame this problem by means of a linkage between the gunner's and commander's sight whereby both crewmen observed the same angle and field of view simultaneously. As the commander aligned the aiming point in his sight on the target, the gunner saw exactly the same in his and had only to adjust for range before engagement. This markedly reduced target acquisition time, the time it takes to engage a target once it has been seen, which is fundamental to survival on the battlefield. The tank that is able to engage and hit a target the quickest is the one that will survive. The gunner was positioned to the right-hand side of the turret alongside the main armament, forward of the commander. The main armament of Centurion Mk 3 was the Ordnance QF 20-pounder Tk Mk I gun of 3.3in (83.4mm) calibre. Four marks of 20-pounder barrels were used on Centurion, Mks 1,1/ I , 1/2 and 1/3 . Of these, Mks I and 1/2 Type A barrels had threads for the attachment of a muzzle brake but this was not fitted and a counterweight was substituted to rebalance the gun, whilst Mks I I I and 1/ 3 Type B barrels had, instead, a cylindrical fume extractor halfway down the barrel and without the muzzle weight. The Type B barrel was introduced in December 1954 and was retrospectively fitted to most Centurions Mk 3. The 20-pounder gun and coaxial Besa machine gun were supported and protected by a rectangular mantlet which was usually fitted with a canvas cover to exclude dust and rain. The 20-pounder gun was a 28

Above : Centurion Mk 3 showing salient details.

multi -purpose weapon designed to fire high velocity armour-piercing shot for destroying armoured targets, and medium velocity high explosive shells for unarmoured targets. It also fired canister shot, smoke shell s and practice rounds. The fixed ammunition was hand loaded into the side opening breech and fired by electric primer. Recoil was absorbed by two buffer cylinders housed on each side of the gun cradle and attached to the gun mounting. Spent cases were ejected automatically into a turret bin and disposed of through a port in the loader's side of the turret. Perhaps the most significant advance in the Centurion was in the fire control system incorporating stabilisation of the gun mounting in azimuth and elevation which for the first time allowed accurate firing on the move. Gun controls of early Centurions Mk 3 were of the FVGCE No I Mk 3/1 type but after October 1950, the No 1 Mk 4 was installed. For indirect or semi-indirect shooting the gun was laid for line initially by the commander using the blade vane sight No 9 on the turret roof and subsequently by the gunner using the traverse indicator No I Mk I in the turret and for elevation by means of the clinometer attached to the sight mechanism . For direct shooting from a stationary vehicle, the gunner laid the gun for line by either manual or electric turret traverse. He then applied the estimated range to the range drum on the selected ammunition scale. As the gunner's sight was geared directly to the range drum , it pivoted at an

=:-__

.....;:=-~,.;;~~e~~::;;..-.::~~:::;::7"-:::::O--==;;::::..

__

Aerial bases

-=..;;;;..,......:

Mantlet cover _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

..

Coaxial 7.92mm Besa _ _ _ _ _ _ _=_~ machine gun Air inlet louvres - - - - - ­ Gun cru·~h-----:::::;ii!

Cooling air outl et louvres

angle proportionate to the drum setting. Movement of the gun in elevation also rotated the sight and once a central point of aim had been taken on the target by means of the gunner's hand wheel or elevation control, the gun was at the elevation appropriate to the range set and ready to fire. For firing on the move the Metrovick stabilisation system was brought into operation. As the tank moved across country its pitch and direction altered the gun in azimuth and elevation in relation to the original gun setting. These deviations were sensed by two restrained gyroscopes and appropriate corrections were transmitted via an amplifier to the metadyne generator and elevation and traverse servo-motors returned the gun to its original heading. A popular misconception has arisen concerning the stabiliser and it is often thought to be a 'magic-eye' that fixes the gun on the target irrespective of tank movement. This is not so. With the stabiliser engaged by means of the gunner's spade grip traversing handle, changes in azimuth were corrected and the gun stayed on its bearing relative to hull movement but it was still necessary for the gunner to make fine corrections for loss of lay by inclining his spade grip to the appropriate extent. Similarly for elevation, as the tank pitched over undulating ground, the stabiliser maintained the gun on its original bearing but the gunner had to apply manual corrections on his elevation cont.roller. Once the gunner had acquired the ability to work in co-ordination with the stabiliser and did not anticipate its corrections as he saw his point of aim deviating in

Above: Centurion Mk 3 showing salient details.

his sight, the system was very effective but at all times it required the gunner's skill to maintain the gun on the target. Although it was possible to fire AP rounds on the move, it was preferable to halt to obtain optimum results. In these circumstances, the stabiliser was a great asset as whilst moving the gunner held the gun in the target area and as the tank halted it required only a split second or so to lay the true point of aim and engage the target. Firing HE on the move under stabilised control was very effective as was speculative, prophylactic coaxial machine gun fire against hedgerows and ditches that might harbour enemy infantry. The electro-mechanical Metrovick stabilisation system has been very successful in service and, although marginally more complex than hydraulic systems, it has proved to be more reliable and less vulnerable in battle. The third crew member in the turret, the loader/ operator, worked on the left-hand side of the main armament. Besides being responsible for loading the main armament and the loading and clearing of stoppages on the coaxial Besa machine gun, he tuned and serviced the wireless installation. Centurions up to and including early Mk 3s were fitted with the No 19 WT and No 38 AFV sets. Many of these were of World War 2 vintage of dubious condition made for overseas armies and consequently considerable confusion arose as it was not uncommon

29

Revised loader's hatches

~~~~~~~ii~~i~~~~~~~~;;~~::= Deletion of Bombthrow er _ _- - - - Loader's periscope reloc at ec ~

~~_-:;;'~~

Relocated aerial bases .30 calibre Browning coaxial Me:

Gun

for the instructions to be in Cyrillic or Chinese characters. The WS 19 Mk 3 was divided into A and B sets and intercom . The A set was for tank communication within the squadron while the B set was for within the troop. Orders from the commander were relayed to crew members through the vehicle intercom system. An infantry telephone was fitted to the rear hull plate of the vehicle and connected to the vehicle Command and control tanks had a second No 19 set for communication with higher formations. The No 38 set, replaced in 1950 by the No 88 Type A AFV, was used for co-operation with infantry. Three 4ft sections of aerial were provided for the A set but only one section was normally erected to prevent entanglement with trees and overhead wires, giving a range of five miles depending on terrain and conditions which was sufficient for most purposes. These wireless sets were superseded in 1956 by VHF equipment. A typical later Centurion had one SRC42 VHF transceiver for armour command links incorporating the crew intercom and one SRB47 VHF transceiver for use on infantry nets. The secondary armament of Centurion Mk 3 was the 7.92mm Besa Mk 3/1 machine gun mounted coaxially with the main armament in the mantlet and the same gun controls were used for elevating or depressing the machine gun. Although an effective machine gun itself, the Besa was never really

Ie.

30

Above: Centurion Mk 7 showing main differences rrom Mk 3.

satisfactory in a tank mounting as it was prone to frequent stoppages and gave off toxic fumes, much to the discomfort of the crew. A great number of tank crews had served through the war in American tank s mounting the reliable 0.30in calibre M 1919 Browning machine gun and they never came to terms with the Besa in the postwar years. The gun fired four types of ammunition at a rate of fire of 450-550 round/ min for engaging unarmoured targets and personnel at short and medium ranges. The four types of ammunition were AP, Ball, Tracer and Incendiary and were fired in the sequence ­ Tracer, AP, Ball, AP, Tracer, AP, Ball, Incendiary. In 1955, the Besa was replaced by the Browning machine gun. The Centurion Mk 3 carried 65 rounds of 20­ pounder ammunition of which 10 were readily accessible to the loader. 16 boxes of 225-round belts of Besa ammunition were carried making a total of 3,600 rounds of 7.92mm ammunition. Other crew weapons included one 9mm Sten machine carbine with 16 magazines, Grenades No 36, No 80 and No 83 (coloured smoke) nine in the turret and J 2 No 80 grenades in the smoke dischargers and a signal pistol with 12 cartridges. A smoke grenade discharger No 1 Mk J was fitted on either side of the turret forward of the stowage bins

Commander's No 6 Mk 1 cupola ..._ - - - - - - R evised loader's hatches ~~~~~"' ~~h:~;;"'~!!::"~----- Deletion of Bombthrower

~"--'.......:::~~------ Load er' s periscope relocat ed

i!\'i'i- - - - - - ­ Smoke dischargers

O)i ns

Gun elevation gear mounting bolt rec ess es

~~~!::;i~~~~ ~""'---7 Fuel fill er cap ,30 ca li bre Browning coaxial MG

Rea r light Pagoda type air outl et lo uvres Extended trackguards

g No 80 White Phosphorous grenades to provide immediate smokescreen at s hort range for self : ~o ec tion. Each discharger had two sets of three : 2 . rels mounted so as to spread the grenades laterally :0 a range of approximately 60yd. The dischargers =~ e operated electrically from inside the turret but ):-:-e fi red had to be reloaded outside the vehicle. Th e loader also operated the 2in Bombthrower . I;; 2 located in the turret roof beside his periscope in ~ ~o tatable plate which was meant to traverse the :.:Jmbthrower when not in use so that the breech was ::.:?ar o f the loader's head. The bombthrower was ~; 5n ed approximately fore and aft for loading and .ocing and laid for line by traversing the turret. It was a :~ :ec h-Ioading weapon with a simple falling block type ;::- breec h mechanism to provide smokescreens at 2 ~i ab le ranges up to 300yd . It was provided with two :yJeS of smoke ammumtlOn, the Mk 1 with -.3tan ta neous action and the Mk 3 (White ?' osphorous) which burst on impact. Other round s ere available such as HE and an illuminating flare. he latter was much prized by tank crews as they .::' ·smantled the flares and used the silk parachutes for u81d kerchiefs.) The bombthrower was never popular with loaders ;:.; it intruded into the turret space. A mumed curse :-~o m the loader was a &ure sign that he had once again -.I: his head on the breech. With the multi-barrel smoke ~: ~ hargers on the turret, the bombthrower was -_:"1

ex tra fuel tank

Above: Centurion Mk 7 showing main ditTerences from Mk 3.

2..l

somewhat redundant and it was rarely used in practice alth ough tank crews occasionally bombarded opposing tanks or umpires with smoke bombs during field exercises. It was discontinued on late production Mk 3s and subsequently removed from earlier vehicles. Engine Compartment The engine compartment was divided from the fi ghting compartment by a fireproof bulkhead incorporating the turret ventilation system, charging set engine controls and a two-round ammunition bin. Removal of the ammunition bin and bulkhead 'kidney' plate allowed access to certain engine assemblies such as magnetos, starter motor and coolant pump. The tank was powered by a Meteor Mk 4B or 4B/ I, 12-cylinder, V -type, liquid-cooled, overhead valve petrol engine developing 650bhp at 2,250rev/ min. The choice of a petrol engine for Centurion was determined by the wartime policy to obtain the widest possible amount of fuels from a given quantity of crude oil whereby the Royal Navy had priority for diesel oil, the RAF for high octane aviation fuel with the Army dependent on petroleum spirit. The use of petrol for tanks was therefore a deliberate decision reiterated in 1951 for the economic division of available supplies of crude oil. The petrol engine however has a lower thermal efficiency than the diesel engine and in

31

I. Flame detect or warn ing horn

27. Clul ch peda l

2. (n{crior lamp

2B. Adjustin g rod fo r clut ch

J. Dri ver's nccess door lock ing handle 4.

D rivcr' ~

periscopes

S, Day a nd night pa nel l
pedal free tra vel

29. CO , cylinders

30. Remote contro l allachm enl to stnker handl e

6. Speedometer 7, Engine o il pressure ga uge

8. Main engine generat or warning lamp

31. L.H . s teenng lever

32. G earlcver

9. FucllevcJ gauges 10. Panel lamp co ver 11. Engine temperature gauge

12. Driver's wind screen wiper socket

'3. Tacho meter 14. BatleTY m3 sterswitch

IS, Driver's swit chboard 16. C ha rgi ng

SC I

warning lar.-:ps

11, Trip mileage reset co nlrol

18, Turret posit ion inJicator 19, Sock et for int er-vehicle st arting lead

20, Stra ngler control lever 21. Portable fire eXlin guisher

22 Handbra kc 23. Hand {hrolli e control screw 24 . R.H . slecring !c\'cr 25 . Accel erator pedal 26. Brake pedal

comp ~

Left: Driver's compartment. Below left: Centurion Mk 5 (LR) crossing a No 6 Tank Bridge. The suffix LR (Iong range) denotes the addition of the 100gai auxiliary fuel tank on the rear hull plate. Although this was the official designation it was rarely used in practice and was subsequently dropped on Mark 11 s. The armoured bolt·on fuel tank was introduced in J963 and was not jettisonable. fWM Top right: Fighting compartment rear bulkhead. Centre right: Layout of engine compartment. Bottom right: Mid-production Centurion Mk 3 with revised stowage bins, relocated loader's hatches and periscope. These modifications were introduced in late 1950. The 2in bomb thrower was still retained at this stage. The spotlight on the gun mantlet was a local modification. fWM

MAR

MAIN BMKE

MA.IN BRAKE

Top left : Transmission compartment. Left: Layout of transmission.

FINAL DR IVE AND SPROCKET ASSEMBLY

FINAL DRIVE A.NO SPROCKET ASSEM8 l Y

FI\.ON T

consequence a higher fuel consumption. This was the major shortcoming of the Meteor engine with its petrol consumption of approximately 3-4gal to the mile cross-country and inadequate range of 32 miles before refuelling was necessary . The Meteor had two banks of six cylinders arra nged in a 60d eg Vee and was lubric ated by a sump force feed system incorporat ing one press ure and a double scavenge pump. The engine was fitted with a 33 gal press urised liquid cooling system. The system was sealed to a pressure of 10lb/sq in thus raising the boiling point of the coolant to a temperature of 239°F. The coolant used was an anti-freeze mixture of ethylene glycol and water. The fuel sys tem was provided with two tanks, one on each side of the engine. The right-hand tank had a capacity of 59gal and the left-hand 62gal. The fuel used was petrol of not less than 80 octane and it was delivered to the carburettors by two mechanically operated diaphragm pumps located on the front of th e engine. The two twin 34

Below right: Centurion Mk 5 (LR) Artillery Observation Post. The Royal Artillery has been an important user of Centurion since the early 195 Os and currently employs Centurions Mk 12 for OP work in BAOR. IWM

choke updraft Zenith carburettors were situated between the cylinder banks at the front and rear. Respiratory air was drawn through the engine deck lou vres by the suction side of the engine fans and , after passing through two oil-ba th ty pe air cleaners moun ted in the rear co rners of the engine compartment, into an air trunk located between the carburettors to the coolant-jacketed induction manifold . Ignition was provided by two magnetos, each embod ying an automatic advance and retard coupling, and to facilitate starting a booster coil enha ncing the intensity of spark was fitted. Spring­ loaded governors in the rotors limited the engine revolutions to 2,250rev/ min by shorting the HT leads at that s peed. This action resulted in unburnt mixture passing to the exhausts and exploding there. Consequently, driving 'on the governors' was bad practice from an operational point of view. Two spa rking plugs were fitted in each cylinder, one on the inlet side, th e other on the ex haust side.

The vehicle was provided with a 24V nominal system. Current was supplied by four 6V . a lleries connected in series and located beneath the i ghting compartment floor. The batteries were ~ h arged either by a generator fitted to the top of the ::l ain engine or by a generator driven from the a uxiliary charging set engine. This engine was a four-cylinder side valve Morris L SHNM Mk 2 or 2/1 petrol engine located in the ;" o nt left-hand corner of the engine compartment. It was independent of the main engine except for the "ooling and fuel systems, and could be run whether tile ::l ai n engine was in use or not. The set was run when th e power traverse or boiling vessels were in use or when the batteries were in a low state of charge. A Ki­ ~ as s priming system provided the means of injecting a spray of fuel into the induction manifold for starting :he engine in very cold weather. The engine cooling fans were mounted between the :': ) ne and transmission compartments. Non­ ~ ~s p iratory air passed over the engine, up through two swi\elling radiators mounted near-horizontally over :. e gearbox and out of the vehicle through the rear .:>utl et louvres. ~ ! e ctrical

Transmission Compartment ? o wer from the main engine was transmitted through ~ Borg and Beck triple plate dry clutch to the : ~ an sver se ly mounted Merritt-Brown Z51 R gearbox. - he transmi ssion consisted of a combined change s. ed and steering mechanism. Steering of the vehicle ~'. as achieved by means of brakes situated on either si e of the gearbox. These brakes were mechanically .YJ erated by two steering levers in the driver's :0 partment. The drive from the output epicylic gears 3 ' each side of the gear box was transmitted through an _ ternally toothed coupling ring and an externally :oo th ed driving shaft to the final drives. This system of stee ring reduced the loss of power from the engine to :he track s and provided a positive turning circle in =8c h gear, the radius of the circle being 16ft in bottom ;;;:a r and 140ft in top. Two final drive sprocket assemblies were mounted "

-.:

...~ .. .,,,"'

,\

at the rear of the vehicle. Each final drive assembly comprised a double reduction train of spur gears, whereby the speed of output from the gearbox was reduced to the ratio of 7.47:1 and the torque effort to the tracks was increased. Suspension The vehicle was supported on six suspension units, three on each side. Each unit incorporated three horizontal springs mounted concentrically and guided by a central rod and tube. The two outer springs were of equal length, the inner spring was shorter and only effective after initial deflection of the road wheel had occurred. The assembly was mounted between knife­ edges carried o n the axle arms. The front and rear suspension units incorporated four hydraulic shock absorbers mounted in side of the assembly bracket. Each shock absorber was connected to the axle arm by a lever and link. Each unit was fitted with two pairs of rubber tyred ro ad wheels. All road wheels were interchangeable to any position. The top of each track was supported on four double rubber tyred and two single all steel guide rollers. The double rollers supported th e top rim of each track and the single rollers, secured at th e front and rear, prevented the track fouling the front suspension unit and final drive housing respec tively . The track was of cast manganese steel construction and a new track comprised 108 links. Each link was 24in wide at 5.5in pitch. It had a spud to engage the ground and a horn on the inner face to guide the track on the wheels. Track adjustment was achieved by movement of the front idler wheel on an eccentric axle mounted at the front of the vehicle. As the track stretched in use, the idler wheel was moved forward to maintain the correct tension. When no further movement forward was allowable, gauged by the number of threads exposed, the track was broken and a link removed. The track was normally replaced after th e removal of seven links. Additional protection for the hull sides and suspension was provided by six detachable skirting plates, three on either side.

SHOCI( ABSORBER LEVER BRACI(ET

(FRONT LEFT & REAR RIGHT)

DRAIN PLUG FOR SHOCK

ABSORBER RESERVOIR

LEVER BRACI(ET BOLTS

WHEEL BRACKET

ANCHOR PINS

SHOCK ABSORBER LEVER BRACKET (FRONT RIGHT & REAR LEFT) NG NI PPLE UG HER ABSORBER LEVER-LONG LEVER CLAMP BOLT CLAMP BOLT

"""''' .'F.; . . .'"""____ LUBRICATING

NIPPLE

SHOCK ABSORBER, LEVER-SHORT " " CONNECTING PIN

JOINT

ROAD WHEEL OIL SEAL RETAINING RING TAPER ROLLER BEARING

r t.

-

turion Mark 3 Specification

~ : -t "~t :

(commander, gunner, loader/ operator, driver) 111 .9661b (combat ready) -:- ~r weight ratio: J 3bhp/ ton , un d pressure: 12.8Ib/ sq in .:: . !!e classification: 60 =-" ping tonnage: 75ton 15cu ft _ ='il£1.h: 24ft 9.5in (hull) : >:-3 in (g un forward) ~ ~:': 3in (g un in crutch) : eLh t: 9ft 7.75in (cupola door closed) 'I dth : 11 ft II in (side plates fitt ed) " :;: 9i n (s ide plates removed) G ro und clearance: 1ft 8in Track centres: 8ft 8in _ Cfl gth of track on ground: J 5ft (approx) '-fai D armament: Ordnance Quick Firing (OQF) :;O· po under Mark I :"-!': ill oreral/: 18ft lOAin ~ ;.':bre: 3.3in (83.4mm) · .:~;I/g : Pol ygroove plain section ".:"rarerse: 360° in coaxial mounting No I Mk ~ '--!ra[iol/: 18 ° approx :J,?:Jression: 10° (except over rear deck) ~ ondary armament: Coaxially -mounted 7.92mm Besa Mark 3/ 1 machine gun, belt fed, a ir-cooled · :;:e o/fire: 425-450 round/ min approx Ie hanism : Recoil and spring, gas-assisted Smoke grenade dischargers: Two sets, one either side o -tu rret, each with three pairs of two barrels · Ilge: 60yd approx · =~ 50 nal weapons and grenades also carried G un controls: FVGCE (Fighting Vehicle Gun Control Equipment) No I Mk 3/ 1 or 4 Po .l·ered controls: Stabilised powered traverse and elevation . '0 ·stabil ised powered traverse :--': on-stabilised emergency powered traverse :::- o mman der's overriding tra ve rse availab'~ except under emergency power ' ./a 11lIG / controls: Hand-operated geared elevation and hand traverse C mma nder's elevation hand wheel (not overriding) .\ fax speed a/powered traverse: 360 0 in 25sec Firing controls: Finger-operated electric firing circuit for 20-pounder Finger-o perated solenoid firing gear with alternative To p left: Road wheels, road wheel brackets and shock absorber age. Left: ' Elk ', Centurion Mk 5 with Mono-trailer, Fuel, Mk I. The mono·wheel armoured fuel trailer was introduced in [953 to . crease the operational range of Centurion whieh had fallen to an inadequate 32 miles cross·country. Note the later style bazooka pl ates, introduced on Centurion Mk 7, with their numerous camouflage garnishing hooks-an unusual feature OD an earlier mark.

mechanical ped al for coaxi al machine gu n Emergency firing set for 20-pounder Ammunition: 20-pounder: 65 rou nd s of fixed ammuntion with electrically fired primers comprising: APDS Mark 4 (m/ v 4,800ft/sec) HE (m/ v 1,97 5ft/ sec) Canister (m/v 3,OOOft/ sec) Smoke: (m/v 825ft/sec) Stowage proportions depend on tactical situation 7.92mm Besa: 3,600 rounds in 16 boxes Personal weapons: 512 rounds Grenades: 21 (inc those for smoke grenade dischargers) Cartridges: 12 (signal and illuminating) Sighting and vision equipment: Commander: Mounted in cupola vision No 2 Mk 2 Seven episcopes No 7 Mk I (x I magnification) One episcope No 8 Mk I (xl magnification) One sight periscopic No 4 (x I and x7 magnific atio n) Binoculars periscopic AFV No 2 (x I 0 magnification, 5.5 0 field of view) Bl ade vane sig ht mounted in front of cupola on turret roof Hand -held binoculars Gunner: Mountin g and range gear No 2 Mk 4 Sight periscopic AFV No I Mk 3 or 4 incorporating x6 monocular with sighting graticule (field of view 11 0 , for right eye), x I window (42 0 field of view), range scale reflector of x3 magnification(for left eye) Indicator traverse electric No I Mk I Loader: One periscope No 15 Mk I Driver: Two perisco pes No 15 Mk I Communications: Varies according to role. A typical gun tank would have: One WS No 19 transceiver for armour command links and incorporating a crew intercommunication facility One No 31 AFV or WS88 transceiver for use on infantry nets Remote control (via cable reel) and rebroadcast facilities Emergency crew control Infantry telephone on rear of tank hull , linked to intercom system Main engine: Meteor Mk 4B or 4B/ I, petrol, liquid -cooled, 12-cylinder, overhead valve, 271itre capacity, developing 650bhp at 2,550rev/ min Max torque: I ,5501b ft at 1,600rev/ min (gross) Compression ratio: 7 to I Charging set engine: Morris USHNM Mk 2 or 2/ 1, petrol, liquid-cooled , 4-cylinder, side valve,

developing 20bhp at 2,500rpm

Fuel capacity: (not less than 80 octane) Two interna l fuel ta nks, o ne either side of main engi ne - left hand 62gal, right hand 59gal 37

Transmission:

Clutch: Borg and Beck , triple 16in dry plates

Gearbox: Z51 R combined change speed and steering mechanism of Merritt-Brown design. Five forward and two reverse gears. Mechanically operated, controlled differential steering Final drive: Double reduction spur gear train 7.47:1 ratio Brakes: Girling Bendix drums attached to final drive input shaft Sprocket: 29in pitch circle diameter Road wheels: 12 of 31.6in diameter in pairs on 13.5in radial arms with horizontal coil springs in six bogies. Front and rear suspension units incorporate hydraulic shock absorbers Tracks: 24in wide at 5.5in pitch, each track comprising 108 shoes. Cast manganese steel construction Electrical system: 24V nominal, with negative earth return Power supply: Four 6V 115A-h metal-clad batteries

38

Generators: 120A 27V (3kW) dynamo driven by charging se t engine 55A 27V (1 .5kW) dynamo driven from main engine Max road speed: 21.5mph Max gradient: 30-35° (approx) Vertical obstacle: 3ft Trench: 11 ft Wading depths: 4ft 9in (shallow fording) Top of turret (deep fording) Fuel consumption: (appro x 0.6pint/bhp/h) 0.27mile/ga l (32.5 miles) (cross -country) 0.52mile/ gal (62.5 miles) (roads)

Below: Men of8RTR servicing the coaxial Besa machine gun of a Centurion Mk 3 on Hohne ranges. To overcome the problem of their limited operational range, many early Centurions were fitled with supplementary fuel tanks on the rear hull. This particular 180 gal design proved more robust than the earlier improvised ones made from standard 40gal fuel drums but collisions at night or in convoys and reversing into trees or buildings frequently ruptured the container. often with dire results.

4.Centurion Crew

Commander Commands the tank and crew; receives and takes action on all orders; mapreads and guides the driver. On a day-to-day basis the commander is responsible for the efficiency of his vehicle and supervising the checking and servicing systems. Photograph (right) shows a sergeant of the RTR in the command position at the commander's cupola using the x 10 peribinoculars. Gunner Aims and fires the guns (main and coaxial) on orders from the commander and is responsible for maintenance of weapons and sights. Photograph (below) shows him at his position in the front right of the turret with a clear view of his sighting equipment; a view through the latter is provided (below right). ~: ~~

~--~

Driver Drives the vehicle, choosing the best and quickest route to the loca tion ordered by the commander. The driver is trained to choose concealed routes and the best firing positions; he is responsible for the day-to­ day maintenance of engine, transmission and suspen­ sion. Photograph (above) shows an RTR driver seated in his compartment.

40

Operator/Loader Is responsible for wireless sets and operation; loading the guns (coaxial and mai n); storing of ammunition and dispensing of used rounds; clearing any jams in the coaxial MG; preparing food. His position at left of the main gun is directly under the loader's hatch. An RTR operator/ loader is show n at his set (below left) and (below right) an operator of the 9/ 12 Royal Lancers is shown in his loading capacity .

5.Centurion Evolution

By 1950, the production of Centurion Mk 3 was well under way but operational use had demonstrated the need for further improvements. Up to this time nearly 100 design meetings had been held and approximately 250 major and minor modifications had been approved for the Mark 3 programme. Amongst the modifications in stituted in late 1950 was the relocation of the loader's hatches to provide easier access and escape. The loader's persicope was moved forward on to the sloping face of the turret roof whilst the 2in bombthrower remained in its original position. At the same time the escape hatch in the rear of the turret was discontinued. The original purpose of this door had been to allow replacement of the 17­ pounder barrel on Centurion Mk 2. This laborious process necessitated the removal of the breech ring and withdrawal of the 17-pounder barrel through the rear of the turret. With the advent of 20-pounder, the barrel and mounting was so designed that it could be Below: Originally a Mark 3, this Centurion was successively modified to Mark 6/2 standard by the addition of .30in calibre Browning machine guns, uparmouring of the glacis plate, 105mm gun and ranging gun.

withdrawn forwards which saved a considerable amount of time and eliminated the need for a rear door in the turret. Many earlier Centurions subsequently had the rear door welded into position to improve the armour integrity of the turret. The problem of Centurion's limited operational range was only partially resolved by the use of supplementary fuel tanks as they were unarmoured and liable to damage. A more ambitious solution was devised by FVRDE (Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establi shment from 1952, formerly FVPE) in the form of a 200gal armoured fuel trailer towed behind the tank. Built by Joseph Sankey Ltd, it entered service in 1953. There is no doubt that of all the equipment associated with Centurion, none was more cordially loathed by tank crews than the mono­ wheel fuel trailer. It was attached to the rear of the tank by two jettison hooks which allowed the trailer to pivot vertically but not horizontally. The jettison equipment, fired from inside the turret, consisted of an explosive charge which, when detonated , opened the hooks and allowed the trailer arms to fall to the ground. Fuel was tranferred to the Centurion as it was

welcomed the demise of the monotrailer when it was replaced in 1963 by an additional 100gal armoured fuel tank bolted to the rear hull plate. There were persistent demands from users, both in BAOR and Korea , for the replacement of the coaxial Besa machine gun with the more reliable .30 calibre Browning. The Browning was extensively employed throughout NATO as a tank coaxial machine gun and the advantages of ammunition standardisation were self-evident. Trials began in January 1953 and the Browning was authorised for production vehicles in late 1954. Tanks fitted with the new coaxial machine gun appeared in the summer of 1955 under the designation Centurion Mk 5. The first unit to receive Mark 5s was the demonstration squadron of 1R TR at the School of Infantry, Warminster, in September. Apart from the different cradle and mounting, Centurion Mk 5 was identical to Mk 3. During late 1955 and 1956 all Centurions Mk 3 were retrospectively fitted with the Browning coaxial machine gun and became Mark 5s. From May 1957 an additional Browning machine gun was fitted to the commander's cupola of Centurion gun tanks for ground and air defence. Meanwhile, far reaching changes were in hand as new de sign features were being developed at FVRDE. Amongst these were a new type of gun mantlet embodying resiliently mounted trunnions, whereby impact from a direct hit would be absorbed so reducing the possibility of the trunmons sheanng; improved gun elevation gear to provide simpler installation with more efficient and accurate operation: improved ventilation and dispersal of gun fumes; an emergency gun firing set in case of failure of the main

used, thus the vehicle's petrol tanks were kept as full as possible at all times. The main problem was the excessive length of the vehicle with the mono-trailer fi tted. This created reversing problems and it was difficult to negotiate through woods or in and out of fire positions. There were instances when trailers folded on to the rear decks of tanks as they reversed up inclines. Conversely, it was possible to run over the trailer in reverse if it fell into a hollow. Petrol spillage was commonplace either through pump malfunction or broken fuel hoses. This effectively immobilised the tank on public roads as a spark from the metal track s might ignite the petrol. Many a traffic jam was caused on the roads around the Soltau training area as tanks halted as a result of spillage, were obliged to wait until the petrol had completely evaporated. Since there was no automatic cut off switch on the trailer pump it was possible for petrol to be pumped into the Centurion's fuel tanks when they were full. This caused petrol to spill out of the fuel tank breather holes into the engine compartment. Several Centurions burnt out completely when this happened. Coupling the mono­ trailer to the tank was a major task as only one lifting ratchet was provided when two were desirable. It was possible to use only one but this often led to distortion of the trailing arms. Peacetime restrictions did not allow for disengagement of the mono-trailers by explosives and they were towed throughout exercises even when empty which caused them to buck wildly behind the tank, again distorting or breaking the trailing arms and making them nigh on impossible to uncouple. Not surprisingly, Centurion crews heartily

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- -- -- - - - - - - -CENTURION MARI
Left: Centurion Marks. Right: Centurion Mk 5/1 on a battle run at Hohne ranges. The bar above the fume extractor was a 91b (± one pound) metal strip to counterbalance the gun when the B type barrel was installed. The X 10 peri binoculars at three o'clock to the cupola suggest that the commander was using the RCP sight.

12 AU

~

l

IR

RG

A U A -UP A RMOURED UG· UP GUNNED TO 105 m m JR ' IN FRA RED

RG • RA NGING GUN

61 6 • 11

42

7/1

2 9

_9il

8 8 0

102 12

_ .-S

system; a more reliable turret sealing ring and improvements to auxiliary engine, generator and fan drive. In January 1952, it was decided to introduce another mark of vehicle embodying an entirely new internal arrangement including all past and present modifications and those design improvements that could be readily incorporated. Design parentage of the new vehicle was entrusted to Leyland Motors who submitted the design specification of Centurion Mk 7 on 10 October 1952. The Mark 6 designation was reserved for a conversion of existing Centurions when a new tank gun in the course of design became available. The new features of the proposed Mark 7 were as follows. An extended hull to accommodate an additional IOOgal fuel tank under armour in the rear; lighter 'pagoda type' air louvres on engine and transmission decks; a turret turntable with rotating floor; new electrical system; improved ammunition stowage with more 'ready' rounds and reserve rounds accessible; ammunition loading port in left hull side; larger fuel fillers, relocated to avoid having to traverse the turret when refuelling; longer life exhaust system; minor improvements in controls, sights, seating, stowage et al; latest type of gun-control equipment (FVGCE No I Mk 6) marked in mils instead of degrees and minutes; charging set engine controls in the driver's compartment ; commander's elevation hand control gear (on previous vehicles only an overriding traverse control was provided); new cupola with overhead protection and UNF (unified screw threads) to conform with American National as a standardised screw thread.

In November 1952 a mock-up of the vehicle was inspected and approved by the User's Committee. The design was sealed at this stage, although the new cupola and gun mounting were still under development. As extensive proving trials of these items were still to be conducted it was decKled to incorporate these later in order to allow production of Centurion Mk 7 to proceed. By the end of 1953 production of components was under way and Centurions Mk 7 were built at a new Ministry of Supply factory in Leyland, Lancashire and at ROF Barnbow, Leeds. Development efforts were now concentrated on clearance of the outstanding design features and a new model of Meteor engine with mechanically driven fans instead of belts. Furthermore, a War Office requirement for additional frontal armour protection on Centurion had been made and it was planned to introduce these items on a new mark of vehicle as well as the many modifications approved since the Centurion Mk 7 programme began. However, only 12 of the new Meteor Mk 4C engines were built for trials purposes and although this version had double the life of the Mk 4B it was not introduced in any production Centurion for various reasons, the most important being the trend towards multi-fuel engines. The new gun mounting was ready in June 1955 and the first prototype vehicle incorporating the resilient mounting was delivered in September. The production programme of Centurion Mk 8 was authorised in November and although basically similar to its predecessors it had many new features. The turret front and roof was redesigned to accommodate the resilient gun mounting and a new commander's cupola No 4 Mk I with the RCP sight and xlO

Above left: Centurion Mk 6 (LR). The eccentric fume extractor is the main identification feature of the J05mm gun. Despite the increased length of the vehicle with the aux Hiary fuel tank, it proved more successful than the mono-trailer. The lack of the loader's periscope on the forward face of the turret roof indicates that this was originally an early production Mark 3. IWM

" '~ . ~_ ':' .. ' ~ ..." • .~ .. . ' ._ .- ..; -.. ,, ' .~~. '.:;'

binoculars adjacent was introduced. The cupola had the facility of ' con tra-rotation' to assist in target acquisition by enabling the commander to lay the gun on a target without interrupting his observation of it. The cupola also incorporated two semi-circular doors which could be raised in the closed position to give 'umbrella' protection while retaining the advantages of direc t vision . The doors were also lighter than the previous type and therefore considerably easier to open . The gun elevating gear wa s revised with a gun cradle mounted gearbox to simplify production and insta llation . Gun elevation was achieved by chain drive instead of gears. This proved to be less smooth for gun laying and required more maintenance. The latest gun control equipment (FYGCE No I Mk 8) wa s fitted with an electrical, instead of manual, change-over from hand to stabilised control. An automatic velocity sensiti ve control a utomatically engaged the stabiliser system when the al ternator and metadyne were switched on and the tank exceeded a speed of 1.5mph. User trials of Centurion Mk 8 were conducted in BAOR by 3rd Dragoon Guards and 4/7th Dragoon Guards in late 1956. Trials were also carried out in 44

Left: The classic Mark 5 configuration. Although this vehicle was originally a Mark 3, it illustrates almost all the modifications introduced up to the late 1950s, including B type barrel (1954), gun depression rail modified to accommodate fume extractor, gunner's sight wiper (1954) and commander's L3A2 Browning machine gun ( 1957). HQRACCentre

November 1956 of a Centurion Mk 8 (45BA II) fitted with additional frontal armour in the form of a 2in thick applique patch welded to the glacis plate. As there were no adverse effects on performance, riding characteristics, range or maintenance requirements, the additional armour was authorised for production vehicles and all Mark 8s except for the first 28, were uparmoured during manufacture. In this way the arm our thickness of the glacis plate was increased to Sin (J 26mm) which was proof against the IOOmm, APHE round of the Soviet T54/ 55 series at normal combat ranges. This policy was extended to include most Centurion gun tanks in the British Army and Mark s 5, 7 and the remaining 8s were uparmoured during base overhaul from January 1959 onwards. When the additional armour was fitted, the vehicle designation altered , thus a Mk 5 that had been uparmoured became Centurion Mk 5/ 1. Similarly this applied to Mk s 7 and 8. In the meantime, development of tank guns and ammunition had proceeded apace. Trials began in July 1956 of a 105mm high velocity gun to fit the breech and gun mounting of the existing 20-pounder. The Hungarian uprising of November 1956 gave Western

':t signers the rare opportunity to determine the threat ....;' potential ef\emy equipment when patriots drove a -:aptured Soviet T54 into the grounds of the British Emb assy. The military attache's staff had but a brief . . e to inspect the tank before it was deemed politic to ~em ove it from the premises. The armo ur thic~ness of :he glacis plate was erroneously measured as 120mm at 60deg (it is in fact 100mm at 54deg). Accordingly, ,he performance of the 105mm gun was required to efeat such a thickness of armour at 1,000yd . Comparative firing trials were held between the I0 5mm, 20-pounder and American 120mm LIAI. The 105mm gun exceeded the stated requirement with ~as e and demonstrated more than 25% increased ;>enetration performance over the 20-pounder. Following the success of these preliminary trials a ·ehicle was converted at FVRDE to carry the new gun an d ammu nition ; the latter still in mock-up form. The wo types of ammunition, APDS and HE, determined :he ammunition stowage layout. The HE round was some 2.5 in longer and Sib heavier than the 20­ po under. Despite this disadvantage, by further li mitation of operating space, a total stowage of 70 ~ o unds was achieved as compared with 63 round s on Centu rio n Mk 7 and 65 on Centurions Mk 3 and 5. Design of the L 7 I05mm was undertaken at the :'.rmament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead. It was closely integrated with veh icle design requirements and, consequently, the fume extractor was mounted eccentrically to allow greater ;:un depression over the rear deck. This also enabled si mpler gun depression stop rails to be developed wh ich were of extruded section rubber rails, instead of moulded blocks, with a cost saving of 75%. Despite its proven su periority of firepower, there was no service requirement for the L 7 105mm gun, and a production licence was offered to Vickers Ltd who made the initial batch of guns. This has given rise to the often quoted erroneous designation of Vickers L 7 \05mm gun. Due to the insistence of Maj-Gen H. Foote VC, then Director of the Royal Armoured Corps, authority was obtained in February 1958 to " rocure the 105mm gun for the British Army and prod uction was assigned to ROFs Cardiff and Nottingham . User trials of the 105mm gun began in BAOR on 15 July 1959 at Hohne gunnery ranges, Firing Point "lB, conducted by 4/ 7th Dragoon Guards. Two Centurions Mk 8 (44BA81 and 45BA89), converted at 7th Armoured Workshops with L7AI 105mm guns, were extensively tested and the gun was enth usiastically accepted into service. A single Centurion (42BA34) was built in 1959 incorpo rating the gun on an uparmo ured Mark 7 chassis. Vehicle designation was Centurion Mk 9. This mark was not put into series production, but the War

Office o rdered over 200 sets of conversion equipment to the origi nal FVRDE drawings, to enable REME Workshops to convert Centurions Mk 7 to Mk 9. As a natural sequence, the 105mm gun and ammunition were a lso applied to Centurion Mk 8 with the result that Centurion Mk 10 was born. Production of Centurion Mk 10 began in 1959 and the first vehicles were completed in early 1960. Several suspension modifications were incorporated to give improved spring and guide rod locking, a new design of final drive bearing to minimise the risk of overloading and failure due to unforeseen shock loads; for in stance, when unloading from a tank transporter the tank 's weig ht transferred to the sprocket and rear suspension unit as it reversed down the ramps, placing an inordinate strain on these components. These modifications were also incorporated in existing ve hicles. The only visible identifying features of la te production new-build Centurions Mk 10 were the revised engine louvres. These were of the chevron type which provided greater immunity against shell bursts and improved cooling performance but were 20% lighter in weight than the ' pagoda' type to enable easier handling. The Mark 10 was the final production model Below: The unusual configuration of a Centurion Mk 6/2 with 20-pounder gun. For several years after the introduction of the I05mm gun, it was customary for tank regiments to use 20-pounder barrels for live firing practice whilst stocks of20-pounder ammunition remained. Exchanging barrels was simplicity itself and took only minutes. IWM

Top left: 42BA34 was the only Centurion Mk 9 to be built: all others were conversions of exisling Mark 7s. It was al demonstrations such as Ihis one at Bovington in 1960 that the firepower of the L 7 105mm gun persuaded many foreign armies 10 adopt this outstanding weapon. Centre left: Centurion Mk 9 was an uparmoured and upgunned Mk 7. The loading port in the bazooka plate and hull side, introduced on the Mark 7, reduced ammunition replenishment time from 30min to 10. This vehicle carries the earlier pattern bazooka plates. / WM Bottom left: Compose. Centurion Mk 8/ I of C Squadron, 3rd Carabiniers during an assault landing exercise in the Western Aden Protectorale. 45BA 74 was one of the original 28 Centurions Mk 8 to be built; with additional frontal armour it became Mark 8/ I. The tank is fitted with deep wading equipment of melal trunking and fabric covers over gun mantlet, Rluzzle, smoke dischargers and driver's hatches. Right: Detail view of the two final modification programmes applied to Centurions of the British Army. The 0.5in ranging gun can be seen above and to the len of the coaxial Browning as well as the thermal sleeve and black barrel of the 105mm gun. The 22in searchlight!IR projector was mounted on the mantlet whilst Ihe two outer headlights on the glacis plate had lR filters for night driving. HQ RAC Centre

of Centurion and the last Centurion gun tank (03DA03) was completed at ROF Barnbow on 30 March 1962. With production of the I05mm gun well advanced, sufficient weapons became available to institute an upgunning programme for earlier marks of Centurion. The modification itself was straightforward and, besides the replacement of the 20-pounder gun barrel by a 105mm barrel, entailed the installation of new buffer lugs, ammuOitlon racks and clips, gun depression rail, cartridge case deflector, sight scales and barrel cleaning equipment, and in addition a modification to the gun crutch. Vehicle designation altered as a result of this modification and depended on the state of the vehicle before conversion. Thus a Mark 5 in its original configuration became, with the addition of the I05mm gun, a Mark 5/2, whereas an uparmoured Mark 5/ I with IOSmm advanced the designation to Mark 6. This also applied to Mark 7 which became either Mk 7/2 or Mark 9. As the majority of Mark 8s had been uparmoured during production and were therefore Mark 8/1 s ab initio, they became Mark lOs. By this time all of the original 28 Mark 8s had been uparmoured to Mark 8/1 standard and they advanced to Mark 10 as well. The designation Mark 8/2 for an original Mark 8 with 105mm gun did not therefore apply in practice. In fact there were very few Centurions Mk 5/2 or Mk 7/ 2 in service with the British Army as 'those tanks that had not been uparmoured before conversion with IOSmm guns had

both modification programmes applied simultaneously during base overhaul. The up-gunning programme began in March 1962. The next major modification programme was the introduction of infra-red night driving and fighting equipment. Trials of a Philips system were conducted in February and March 1960. Infra-red illumination for the gunner and commander was provided by a 22in IkW IR searchlight mounted on the mantlet and focused along the main armament line of sight. IR periscopes were provided to replace the normal gunner's and commander's periscopes when required. The previous two centrally mounted driving lights were replaced by four headlights mounted at each side of the glacis plate with IR lights outermost. These lights were fitted with detachable IR filters as was the searchlight. The introduction of IR equipment imposed as increased load on the vehicle electrical system, necessitating modifications to the existing vehicle charging system as well as the installation of two further 12V batteries in the hull. The equipment proved adequate for the task and it was possible to acquire a live stationary target (that is one emitting an infra-red signature such as a vehicle) at SOOyd. Positive identification occurred at 2S0yd but the ranges increased if the vehicle under observation was moving. Weather and atmospheric conditions had a significant bearing on performance as rain or mist degraded the image considerably. The limitation of such a system was that any tank using an infra-red projector in the active mode was readily visible to an

47

Top left: As with most Centurion modifications, it is necessary to see the front of the tank to identify its mark number accurately. The twin headlights on the glacis plate and mounting bracket on the mantlet indicate that I R equipment was filled despite the absence of the searchlight or IR flIters on the outer headlights. This, together with the flat mantlet of the Mark 8 type and ranging gun, identify this model as a Centurion Mk 13. The vehicle has no thermal sleeve fOf the 105mm gun but even if the ranging gun was not visible, the black barrel indicates that it was configured for a thermal sleeve and, lherefore, ranging gun was installed as these modifications were applied together. Note how the snow has compacted under the bazooka plales. I W M Below left: 05CCOO was a ' new· build' Mark 10 and, therefore, uparmoured during production so the step around the lifting brackets, characteristic of retrospectively up armoured Centurions, is not apparent. The IR equipment identifies this vehicle as a Mark 10/1. I WM Right: Centurion Mk 12. After more than 30 years of service, the Centurion is still employed by the British Army in a number of roles including driver training. Simon Dunstan

48

- - - - - -- - - ---

enemy equipped with similar apparatus. The facility for passive use was therefore tactically more important and it was in this role that it was normally employed. One of the shortcomings of Centurion was that, with its external exhaust pipes, it had a high infra-red signature. Indeed, at night it was often possible to see the glow of exhaust pipes with the naked eye. Installation of infra-red equipment began in 1965 and again vehicle designation altered on account of this modification. Centurion Mk 6 became Mk 6/1 and Marks 9 and 10 became 9/1 and 10/1. The final modification programme of significance was the installation of the 0.5in ranging gun in 1966. The ranging gun system offered a simple and accurate method of range-finding as opposed to complex optical instruments and was potentially superior to optical range-finders because of its ability to provide additionally the lateral aim-off for factors such as trunnion tilt, crosswinds, drift and also to compensate for changes in ambient temperatures . It was particularly advantageous when used with medium velocity ammunition such as HESH. The High Explosive Squash Head round had been introduced for the 105mm gun in 1960. The ranging gun itself was a modified O.5in M2 Browning mounted coaxially in the mantlet and fired three-round bursts of incendiary tipped tracer ammunition which ignited on striking a hard object. By observing the fall of bullets at a determined range until they struck the target, the reading was then transferred to the chosen ammunition scale of the 50

main armament and the gun fired. At ranges above 1,000yd this method was faster than shell ranging with an average engagement time of 15sec. The use of ranging gun did not disclose the tank's position to the extent one might expect and observation of the tracer rounds was possible in any light conditions except where they were so bad that targets could not be acquired anyway. However, unless the ranging gun was precisely aligned with the main armament, it obviously gave false range readings and it was this aspect that made the system suspect in Centurion. In British service the ranging gun mounting proved somewhat unreliable leading on occasion to inconsistent and misleading range data. The Dutch Army developed a different mounting for their Centurions with markedly superior results. This problem, together with the fact that observation of the fall of bullets in broken undulating ground or wooded areas was difficult, led to reservations as to its value. It is interesting to note that the Israeli Armoured Corps never adopted this system for the reasons stated and because they believed it was almost impossible to observe the fall of the tracer rounds in the heat of battle. Be that as it may, the ranging gun was a practical alternative to the optical rangefinders of the period and in fact, until the introduction of laser, there was no really effective rapid method of ranging for tanks. Within the limitations of the era, ranging gun was as good a system as any. At the same time as the installation of ranging gun,

Top left: 42BA34 in later guise with ranging gun and thermal sleeve and, therefore, Mark 9/2. This particular tank belonged to the RAC Gunnery Wing at Lulworth. When manned by experienced instructors and in favourable conditions, it was cap~ble of an extraordinary rate of fire, as high as II rounds a minute. HQRACCenlre Top: Centurions Mk 10 of the 16th/5th Lancers, Amphibious Warfare Squadron, wading ashore during an exercise in the Persian

Gulf. The leading tank 03DA02 was the penultimate Centurion gun tank to be built. Above: 44BA 72 was the first of 28 Centurions Mk 8 to be built; all subsequent vehicles were uparmoured during production and, therefore, Mark 8/ls. The commander's split hatches and Hat·faced gun mantlet are the characteristic external features of the Mark 8. Note the frame guards over the smoke dischargers, an unofficial but not uncommon modification.

51

Left: With the addition of IR equipment Centurion Mk 9 became 9/1. From Mark 7 onwards, bazooka plates had many more camouflage garnishing hooks. These also served as lifting handles to remove the heavy side plates. HQ RAC Cenrre Left: Centurion Mk 8, Vision Cupola No 4 Mk I with L3A2 .30in calibre Browning. (L3A2 was the British designation for the M 1919A4 on a flexible mounting.) The handle above the machine gun allowed the commander to fire from within the turret with minimum exposure. The split hatches could be raised to permit all round vision and still provide overhead protection. The cupola was capable of contra­ rotation to ensure that the commander's line-of-sight always remained on a selected target irrespective of rotation of the turret, but this facility was rarely used in the Centurion era. As there were only a rew Centurions of the Mark 8 type in any unit training on this equipment was neglected. When it was used, tank commanders sometimes became disorientated and preferred to disengage the gear so that they knew exactly where the main armament was pointing at all times. lM W

54

..

l'

Above: Centurion 07ZR59 began life as a Mark 3 and evolved to :bis final version of the type, Mark II, through numerous modification programmes. These included .30in calibre Browning to become Mark 5, uparmouring to 5/1, upgunning to Mark 6, IR equipment to 6/1 and ultimately ranging gun to Mark II or by a permutation of this sequence. It is a testament to the designers that Centurion has proved to be so adaptable and capable of being

improved repeatedly. Note the unusual location of spare tracklinks on the turret roof as well as glacis plate. I W M Below: While superficially similar to Mark II from the front, Centurion Mk 12 can be identified by its Mark 7 ancestry. The six recesses in turret roof and three rows of camouflage garnishing hooks on bazooka plates are tbe most evident features. I WM

a thermal sleeve was fitted to the barrel of the I05mm gun to minimise gunnery errors due to distortion of the barrel caused by solar energy, wind, rain and abrupt temperature changes. If the thermal sleeve was not fitted for any reason, a further indentification point is that the barrel was painted black in stead of green. The black paint gave a more even dissipation of heat and enhanced the effecliven~ss of the thermal sleeve. The installation of ranging gun on Centurions changed the vehicle de sig nation yet again and produced the final marks of the tank. A standard Mark 6 with ranging gun became Mark 6/2 and altered Mark 9 to 9/2 and Mark 10 to 10/2. Those tanks that had already been fitted with IR equipment, Marks 6/1, 9/1 and 10/1 became Marks I 1,12 and 13 respectively. As a corollary, Centurions Mk 6/2, 9/2 and 10/2 when subsequently fitted with IR equipment

also became Marks II, 12 and 13. There were, therefore, 24 marks and sub-marks of Centurion gun tanks excluding A4 I and the paper designations of Centurion Mk 4 and Mk 8/ 2.

Below: Centurion Mk 7/1 of A Squadron, 3RTR. The applique armour on the glacis plate with the characteristic step around the lifting brackets indicates this vehicle has been uparmoured, hence the suffix /1. The larger headlights and six recesses in the turret roof for the elevation gear mounting bolts are the distinguishing features of the Mark 7 type from the front. The vehicle carries early bazooka plates with fewer camouflage garnishing hooks.

~:

6.Variants The ill-fated Dieppe raid of August J 942 emphasised the need for specialised AFVs to lead the assault against Festung Europa. A wide range of ingenious and often bizarre devices was developed, based on the chassis of existing tanks. Those that proved effective were incorporated into the largest British armoured formation of World War 2 - the 79th Armoured Division commanded by Maj-Gen Sir Percy Hobart. Known colloquially as ' The Funnies' , they proved invaluable during the D-Day landings of June 1944 and subsequently fought with considerable success throughout the campaign in North-West Europe. After the war it was proposed to develop a range of vehicles of a similar specialist nature to those that had proved successful in combat, including two designs of AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers), a Flail Mine Destroyer, an AR V (Armoured Recovery Vehicle), an APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier), an ARK (Armoured Ramp Carrier) and various SPGs (Self Propelled Guns) as well as support vehicles for the Royal Artillery. As the A4l was considered incapable of being adapted to this multitude of roles without extensive redesign, it was decided to develop the A45 to become the FV201 Universal Tank which would form the basis of these specialised vehicles with the attendant advantages of stalldardisation on a single chassi s. However, as has been recounted earlier, the FV200 series never came to fruition except at the Conqueror heavy gun tank and the only variant to enter service was the FV2l9 AR V. The plethora of designs absorbed a considerable amount of research and development effort and delayed the introduction of specialised vehicles based on the Centurion chassi s which, despite the fears of the Genera l Staff, proved extremely versatile and capable of being con verted to most of the desired roles. World War 2 had demon strated the fundamental importa nce of efficient repair and recovery facilitie s. The fighting in the Western Desert highlighted the need for the rapid repair of AFV casualties to enable the commanding general to maintain the momentum of an offensive. Of the many tanks that suffered battle

damage the majority sustained only minor damage, principally to suspensions and tracks from mine attack and to turrets from gunfire. Approximately half of those disabled by gunfire and almost all by mines were capable of repair. However, it was mechanical failure, be it due to bad driving, poor maintenance, unfavourable terrain or just fair wear and tear, that absorbed the greater proportion of recovery resources and the need for an AR V, capable of recovering casualties in the forward battle area proved to be of the utmost importance. When the Centurion entered service, the only support vehicles available were the existing wartime designs. It soon became apparent that these were inadequate for the recovery of the heavier Centurion. At the time the regimental LAD (Light Aid Detachment) and REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) personnel were equipped with the Diamond T tractor, Scammell 6 x 4 recovery vehicle and Churchill AR V Mk 2. The first two vehicles had poor cross-country performance, limited winching capacity and were unable (0 tow a disabled Centurion. The Churchill AR V Mk 2 was capable of winching and towing a Centurion but with a top speed of only l4mph was unable to keep up with Centurion formations and was prone to break-downs. The only alternative was to use a Centurion gun tank to tow the casualty and although this was frequently done it met with stiff opposition from regimental commanders and general staff officers. Events in Korea likewise demonstrated the need for a purpose built recovery vehicle for Centurion. As an interim measure a number of battle damaged gun tanks were converted at Kure in Japan to become towing vehicles by the removal of the turret and ammunition stowage bins. Known as Centurion Tugs, they were issued on a scale of one per squadron with one in Regimental HQ. They served primarily as supply vehicles, carrying ammunition and stores to the exposed hilltop positions where the gun tanks acted in their fire support role. These positions were often inaccessible to wheeled vehicles and as the supply routes were subjected to persistent mortar and artillery 59

fire, armoured Centurion Tugs proved invaluable for this task. As a secondary role they were employed as towing vehicles to recover battle casualties but, lacking winching equipment they were unable to extricate bogged vehicles. Centurion Tower Pending the development of a purpose built AR V, similar conversions were undertaken at the 27th Command Workshops REME, Warminster, Wiltshire and at the 7th Armoured Division Workshops REME, in Germany. The first Centurion 'Tower' entered service with BAOR in 1952. The conversion was carried out on Centurion Mk 1, 2 and 3 hulls. The turret and all fire control equipment were removed but the turret ring and traverse gear were retained. A capstan drum was fitted to the turret ring and could be rotated by either hand or power traverse. The purpose of this drum was to provide stowage for a 300ft, 20ton SWL steel wire rope. It must be stressed that this capstan drum was purely a means of stowing the 300ft rope and was not a winch. The vehicle was equipped with a No 19 wireless set and carried a crew of three - driver, commander and wireless operator/ fitter. The weight of the vehicle was approximately 43 tons with a rated top speed of 25mph but the customary REME tuning of carburettors and isolating of ignition governors produced speeds of 30mph as well as providing a welcome power bonus for uphill tows. As a tug the vehicle performed well in its role of removing casualties from the battlefield. It provided armoured protection to REME personnel but its greatest limitation remained the lack of winching equipment. To 'unditch' a casualty the Tower relied on its own tractive power and the assistance of steel wire ropes and snatch blocks. It could not recover a heavily bogged casualty and had to call for assistance from Royal Engineer Caterpillar D8 crawler tractors with winches or else work in conjunction with a number of Scammells. It did, however, prove that there was a valid requirement for REME recovery teams in the forward battle area and laid the foundations for the

introduction of the Centurion AR V Mk 1. After their replacement by the later types of AR V, the Centurion Towers (also referred to as Tugs) were employed on gunnery ranges as ammunition carriers and for towing range hulks. In January 1957, one Tower was used as the basis for the prototype Centurion BAR V (Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle). Centurion AR V Mk I The design of a purpose built AR V began at FVPE in 1951 but pending its introduction, the pressing demands from Korea and BAOR for a vehicle with a winching capability led to the development of the Centurion AR V Mk 1. This stop-gap machine was designed and produced in a remarkably short time by 13th (now 43rd) REME Command Workshops in Aldershot. Based on Mark 1 and 2 hulls, the turret was replaced by a slab-sided armoured su perstructure housing a 72bhp Bedford QL six-cylinder petrol engine driving an 18ton SWL winch. The vehicle was fitted with a spade at the rear in order to anchor itself during winching operations, although it often proved

inadequate for the task. Despite frequent reinforcement by welding steel plates to it, the spade was prone to distortion and cracking. The winch also was not a great success and the winch cut-out failed to operate on numerous occasions resulting in rope failure and drum damage. The winch also served to raise and lower the spade. By means of the snatch blocks, a line pull of 54 tons could be achieved. Access to the crew compartment was via two rear hatches in the turret roof. Two additional hatches forward of these gave access to the winch and winch engine. Production began in 1951 at Aldershot which provided the vehicle's designation, Centurion AR V Mk I (Aldershot Pattern). The first model s completed were rushed to Korea arriving in March 1952 and equipped the HAD (Heavy Aid Detachment) REME of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. They proved most useful and a considerable improvement over previous recovery vehicles but the access hatches in the turret roof were disliked. On entering or leaving the vehicle in forward areas, the crews were often exposed to sniper and

mortar fire. Approximately 180 vehicles were built before production ceased in 1957. Besides Korea , the Centurion AR V Mk I saw operational service with the British Army at Suez and in the Middle East. It was withdrawn from front line service in 1959 but remained as a training vehicle well into the 1960s. Centurion AR V Mk 2 FV4006 One of the most important support vehicles within any armoured formation is the Armoured Recovery Vehicle whose function is to extricate disabled tanks in forward areas often under hostile fire. The design of a purpose built recovery vehicle based on Centurion began in 1951 at FVPE. The basis of the AR V Mk 2 was a Centurion Mk I, 2, 3 or 5 hull with an armoured superstructure in place of the turret, housing a winch powered by an auxiliary engine. The engine was either a Rolls-Royce B80 No I Mk 2P or B80 No I Mk 5P mounted in the winch compartment, driving an electric generator which supplied current to a motor below the winch and drove it by means of a roller chain. The winch was capable of producing a

Left: Centurion Tower was the first recovery vehicle based on Centurion. Its main limitation was

the lack of winching equipment but it was an effective stop·gap machine until the introduction of purpose­ built ARVs. Bottom left: Centurion Tugs were conversions of battle weary gun tanks in Korea. Their primary role was to supply the hilltop tank and infantry positions that were inaccessible to wheeled vehicles. Australian War Memorial Top right: Centurion ARV Mk I (Aldershot Pattern). This vehicle was designed and built at 13th (now 43rd) Command Workshops, Aldershot, hence the designation. It proved to be a considerable advance over the earlier Churchill ARV Mk 2. Bottom right: Thc ARV Mk I carried comprehensive recovery

equipment including Hollebone A-frame bars but lacked the numerous stowage bins of ARV Mk 2. The ribs on the transmission covers and longer hull indicate that it was based on a Mark 2 chassis.

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' i ~e c t pull of 30 tons or 90 tons when using 3:1 tackle, :or Ilhich purpose pulley blocks were carried on the s iac is plate. It was provided with 450ft of 1'I8in d ia meter SWR special improved plough steel, known uni l ersally as 'rope', with a useable length of 400ft. A sp ade type ground anchor was fitted at the rear of the h ull to prevent the AR V being dragged during heavy Ilinch pulls. Such pulls were, of course, made directly 1O the rear of the vehicle. An eye was welded on each side plate at the rear to form an anchorage for use

when making side hauls of up to 20 tons. This was a useful facility for extricating lighter vehicles when a straight rear pull was impracticable ; for ins tance, a vehicle that had run otT the road could be recovered by such means without the AR V having to straddle the road and thereby disrupt traffic. Similarly, fairleads and pulley guides were fitted to the roof of the vehicle to enable front pulls and self recovery to be achieved. Pushing of casualties wa s sometimes nece ssary and for this purpose a wooden bumper bar was used. To provide a safe seating for the bar a square socket was mounted on the lower front plate of the hull. A two­ piece aluminium jib capable of a 10ton lift, sufficient to remove the turret of a Centurion gun tank, could be mounted on the front of the hull. When in use, the vehicle had only limited ability to manoeuvre backwards and forwards as any turns induced t he load to swing and led to distortion or collapse of the jib. Provision was made for mounting a A frame jib on the ground anchor with a lifting capacity of 30 tons or 12 tons when folded for towing. Neither of these devices found favour with the British Army and they were rarely fitted. The stowage of the front jib on the vehicle so reduced space for ancillary recovery equipment that it was more often than not discarded. Towing was normally achieved by means of A frame hollebone bars capable of pulling even the heaviest vehicles in service. Extensive recovery equipment was carried in stowage bins extending to the top of the winch compartment and in smaller bin s on the front plate of the superstructure. Stowage bins and baskets were mounted over the rear trackgu a rds and exhaust silencers for miscellaneous items such as gun planks, pusher bar and ground anchors. The right-hand side track guard bin had internal fittings to carry oxy­ acetylene gas cylinders for welding and cutting. This

Left: Vale Centurion! Centurions Mk II of the Royal Canadian Dragoon Guards during their final parade at Lahr, 2 June, 1977. On this date Centurion was officially withdrawn from service with the Canadian Army to be replaced by Leopard C I. Canadian Forces Above: End·over-end recovery of a Churchill by a Centurion ARV Mk I. The earth anchor often proved inadequate during such operations as it was liable to cracking and distortion. The ARV Mk I remained in I!se as a training vehicle well into the 1960s. Soldier Right: Centurion ARV Mk 2 Spare Barrel Carrier. In 1962, a number of ARVs io BAOR were modified to carry two 105mm gun barrels, or with special liners 20-pounders, in place of the side stowage bins. /WM

65

was especially useful for cutting thrown tracks. Vehicle armam en t consisted of one .30in Browning mo unted o n the commander's N o I Mk 2 cupola for air and ground defence. An aux ili a ry fuel tank of 102gai was ho used in the front left com partmen t of the hull where on the gun tank the fo rward 20-round ammunition bin <'.nd wa ter tank were situated . This did much to a ll eviate the limited range of the vehicle but even so, fu el consumpti on when towi ng a cas ualty was com monly of the order of 5gal/mile and in heavy goin g across coun try as high as 10ga l/ mile. In the jungles of Vietnam under particularly difficult

conditions the Australi ans record ed fuel consum ptions of 15 gal/mil e. The fir st prototype ve hicle was built by Garner Motors of Acton. The design in corporat ed a winch generator coupled to a n electric winch motor made by Cro mpton Parkinson of Chelmsford t ha t was o riginally developed as a trolleybus motor for a Toronto omni bus company. Pro to ty pe 03ZR52 was com pleted on New Year's Ev e 1952 and underwent tr ials from Februar y 1953 until July 1954. Early win c h drum s tended to distort but th is wa s corrected by internal stren gt hen ing ribs. Other problems Left: A typical ARV recovery task of a Centurion Mk II, Germany, 1968. The penthouse structure, much favoured by recovery mechanics, can be seen on the rear hull of the ARV. 89BA47 was one of the A R Vs built at Vickers Armstrong on ' new·build' Mark 5 chassis. / WM Below: The limited crew space within the working compartment can be appreciated from this view. The 880 engine was situated along the right· hand wall of the superstructure with the electric generator and motor beneath the winch drum. In order to change the winch rope it was necessary to remove the roof, a lengthy process compounded by the near inaccessibility of the forward bolts. A further drawback was the amount of dirt carried into the winch housing when the rope was retrieved. Simon Dunstan

Above: Centurion ARV Mk 2. Left: Paying out the winch rope. This tiring task was the least appreciated feature of the Centurion ARV . Below: Attaching the rope to the casualty. A snatch block for a 3 to I pull lies on a gun plank above the earth anchor.

Lert: With the rope attached the ARV reverses to dig in the earth anchor. Below : Winching begins. Note the commander's remole intercom for

relaying instructions to the winch operator.

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Bottom: The casualty unbogged. The Centurion ARV Mk 2 was capable orrecovering even the Conqueror heavy tank. Photos: Simon Dunstan

Left: Centurion ARV Mk 2 with IOton front jib

~clu d ed inadequate cooling of the auxiliary engine

deAection of the winch under heavy loads. Once : :: ~ s ~ had been sati s factorily resolved , production . _a n in 1955 at Vickers Armstrong and ROF \'~o l\\i ch Arsen a l. The majority of conversions were 0;- ex isting vehicles although a numbe r were built on -. ~ V: Ce nturion Mk 5 hull s. The prototype and first 2 ~ od uc tion vehicle were tested between May 1955 and .' a\ 1956. T he Centurion AR V Mk 2 entered service with the 3 r:tis h Army in 1956 and has been employed :xtensively around the world. Mann ed by R E ME Royal Electrical a nd Mech a nical Engineer) personnel , ;-0 r AR Vs were a ttached to each armoured regiment 0:- the RAC , one for eac h sabre sq uadro n and one in ~ : i' i m ental headquarters. There have been m a ny ~I offic ial modifications made by recovery mechanics 2' 'ng its career including th e mounting of two r: ~ ad lights on the track g uard s in place of th e central ; ~ h t s on the glacis plate. The two re ar mounted ~e a rch li g ht soc kets were adapted to accept two more .::>ilin g vessels for cook ing and washing. A penthou se, ~ su a lly the canvas tilt of a three-tonner, was erected ~~ \ er the rear hull sectio n fo r livin g accommodation. Wit h the afo rementioned cooking ve ssels, the heat :-ro m the auxiliary charging engine and a portable :: ]e\'is io n set run off the vehicle's ba tterie s, 'recy ;r. echs· were the envy of tank crews during exercises in :..e depths of a German winter. By virtue of the fa ct :.: at there were no hydraulic sys tem s in the design , the A R V wa s co mmendably reli a ble a nd popular with Ie o \'e ry crews . .-\5 with all vehicles ho wever, th ere were a number (1 - unfavo urable features. The working co mpartment ··'·a s cramped for a crew of four . The wirel ess ope rator, ";\'ho sa t o n top of the B80 en gine with only 2ft 6in of " eadroom when closed down, was particularly ~ n c o mfortabl e. The commander's field of vision in 3;] j

such circumstances was very limited, due to the cen tre ch a nnel runnin g along the roof of the vehicle. One di sadvan tage was that to deploy the winch rope th e AR V had to reverse a s close as possible to the casualty, a ttach th e rope and then mo ve forw ard to pay o ut th e required length of rope. If the casualty wa s bogged in m a rshy ground the AR V could not approach too close for fe a r of bogging itself so th e crew were obliged to haul the rope by hand, a laborious and unwelcome task. The winch operator was so situated that he was often unable to see the casu alty and all signals had to be relayed to him by th e co mmande r via the remote intercom. A Centurion ARV Mk 3 was proposed to overcome the se problems with a forward c rew compartment and the a bility for front recovery similar to Conqueror AR V Mk 2 but it never proceeded beyond a design stud y. A furth er proposal to build the AR V on a Mark 7 hull also never came to fruition . One interesting variant that did enter se rvice was the Centurion AR V Mk 2 Spare Barre l Carrier. In 1962, many AR Vs in BAOR were modified to ca rry two I 05mm gun barrels al ong the track guards in place of th e side stowage bins. The intention was to provide th e sabre squadrons with ready replacements of gun bar rels once th ey had been 'shot out' in battle. Due to the lack of li fti ng equipment in forward areas a nd the lim ita tion of veh icle stowag e space, they were unpopular with REME crews an d the majority were su bseq uentl y reconverted to their original configuration. The Centurion ARV Mk 2 ha s proved to be an extremely effective vehicle. It has been employed in co mbat at Suez in 1956, by the Israelis and in South Vietnam with the Au stralian s. The AR V Mk 2 was wi thdrawn from fron t line se rvice with the armoured reg im ents of BAOR in 1979. However, it will rem ain in use with the Briti sh Army as a supplementary 69

Top left: Centurion Mk 5 Dozer in action. As the dozer blade filled with earth, the hinged top flap rose into the driver's view and gave an indication of blade load. lWM

Centre left: The Centurion Mk 5 Dozer was a standard gun tank fitted with a hydraulically operated blade. II was issued usually on the scale of one per squadron within armoured regiments. I WM Below: Centurion Mk 5/3 tankdoler of the Royal Hussars on a training exercise in Hong Kong with Ghurka troops. The Mark 5/3 was an interesting hybrid vehicle only encountered in the British A rmy on tankdolers. The configuration of radio aerials indicates a command tank.

. :- : '. ~ ~\'

\ ehicle to its successor, the Chieftain Mk 5 Other roles are envisaged for the Centurion -.. \" '\11; 2 and it will continue to give sterling service :. - -:: a : years to come. 1~

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C~nru rion

Mk 5 Dozer FV4019 Tan k. Gun, Centurion Mk 5, Dozer was a : ,' -:'. ~ r sio n of a standard Mark 5 gun tank fitted with a -: ': ~ au !ic ally operated dozer blade and ancillary == _:;:ment. The tankdozer is employed for a variety of :20:, 5 on the battlefield including the digging of tank -: -::. s for hull down Are positions. route clearance :- - 0 u ~h devastated towns, Alling in of anti-tank ditches .::.~ .: ot her minor earth moving work. Centurion :'::':1·..:dozers entered service with the RAC in 1961 and . c~ usu ally issued on a scale of one per squadron. The do zer blade, manufactured by T . B. Pearsons :...:.: of Newcastle, was identical to that Atted to the ;: ~ :1 lur i o n A VRE. Features of the blade included a -"';-.;:\\ able steel bottom cutting edge and a hinged flap c.: : ..e top. The flap hung down by reason of its weight _:::il scooped spoil lifted it, thereby increasing the ",:'"ecti \'e depth of the blade. By reducing the height of : ~ ~ lade in this way, it did not cause the bottom edge :0 50 low that it affected the vehicle's ability to :-''"i'0tiate obstacles nor did it obscure the driver's " ision during travelling, As the blade Ailed, the flap : 3:ne into the driver's view and was a valuable I:-.dica tion of blade load. The dozer blade was :0n tro lled by a joystick in the driver's compartment .::.:-: ' :he sy stem operated by a hydraulic pump driven 0': the main engine - Meteor Mk 4B-H. The suffix H ,j ;:noted the modiAcations made to the standard engine :0 dri\'e the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic system and ~ umps were designed and manufactured by H. M. Hob son Ltd ofWolverhampton. .-\ s with al\ hydraulic systems con stant skilled .. aintenance was necessary to ensure reliability. When . ro perly serviced the Centurion Dozer performed well ; . its many tasks. The designation of most Centurion \'a riants was based on the mark number of the original ' eh icle ; as the conversions were carried out on Mark 5 f un tanks, the tankdozers were designated Centurion ~,Ik 5 Dozers. The dozer attachment made the vehicles . 05e heavy and precluded the Atting of applique ar mour to the glacis plate as was done with Mark 5 l un tanks which, following uparmouring, became C enturion Mk 5/1. The majority of these gun tanks were subsequently upgunned with I05mm guns to become Mark 6 and later with the installation of ranging gun and infra-red night Aghting equipment, \Iark II. The Atting of I05mm guns to tankdozers changed the designation to Centurion M k 5/2 Dozer, foll owing the standard system. The installation of ranging gun to these vehicles produced a hybrid mark, ~1 e Mark 5/ 3, as no gun tanks of the British Army -:- -~

were used in this configuration. Thus the Mark 5/ 3 was a basic Mark 5 that had been upgunned and Atted with ranging gun without having been uparmoured Arst. In the British Army only tankdozers were so designated but the Dutch Army employed gun tank s modified to this conAguration with the addition of infra-red night fighting equipment. Tankdozers were exported to several foreign users of Centurion including Australia and Denmark. Centurion BridgeIayer Mk 5 FV4002 The Centurion Bridgelayer was used for carrying and launching a single span bridge across rivers and gaps up to 45ft wide. It was fully armoured and normally used in the assault phase of a cro ssing, the bridge being laid in less than two minutes without exposure of the crew to enemy fire. The design of a tank mounted bridgelayer to replace the wartime Churchill type began in 1946 at MEXE (M ilitary Engineering Experimental Establishment), Christchurch in conjunction with FVPE. It was originally intended for the FV200 series Universal tank. [n late 1946 a steel lattice framework was built atop an A41 prototype (P3) to prove the feasibility of manoeuvring a vehicle 52ft in length. With the demise of the FV200, the project proceeded at a low priority. A mock -up bridge was Atted to a Centurion Mk I hull in 1952. to test performance at the projected battle weight of 49ton 2cwt. Development continued slowly and it was not until 1956 that an operational prototype vehicle was produced based on a Centurion M k 7 chassis. It was built by Hudswell Clark Ltd of Leeds. User trials of the bridgelayer together with a second prototype vehi cle built to production standards were completed by September 1958. These trials proved the feasibility of the concept but it was decided to base the production version on redundant Mk 5 hulls, This caused considerable delays due to the many differences of detail between the chassis. The Arst pre· production Bridgelayer Mk 5 was completed at ROF Barnbow in early 1960. Acceptance trials were conducted between June and September of that year and production began in 1961. The production contract for the British Army was completed in 1963 but further models were built at Barnbow for foreign customers until 1966. A reworked prototype bridgelayer was delivered to Bovington in April 1962 for in structional training. Production versions entered service with the RAC and RE in 1963. The basis of the Centurion Bridgelayer Mk 5 was a COil version of a Centurion Mk 5 hull reworked to the latest automotive standards and with Centurion Mk 7 electrical system. The turret, gun control equipment, ammunition bin s and ancillaries were discarded and a hull roof plate Atted over the turret ring. The roof plate 71

in corporated an access hatch for the wireless operato r and air inlet and ou tle t louvres for the B40 e ng in e. Th e bridge laun c hin g mec hani sm was operated by a Towler hydrauli c pum p driven by mean s of a propeller s haft from Roll s-Royce B40 No I Mk 5 P petrol engine located in the fighting compartment besid e the wireless operator. The commander sat alongside th e driver in the position formerly occupied by the 20-round ammunition bin a nd water tank. He had a simple rotatable cupola with three periscopes incorporating mounting lugs for a machine gun, the only armament carried besides crew s mall arms. The vehicle was fitted w ith a pa ir of s moke disc harger s mo unted on the front bridge support stru c ture. A 100ga i auxiliary fuel tank was mounted on the rear hull plate to extend the radius of action. The Bridge T ank No 6 was of aluminium alloy, riveted plate girder construction and co mprised four identical quarter trackways, each 26ft lo ng and 5ft 8.5in wide. E ac h quarter section could be transported by a 3ton truck. The quarter s were joined togethe r in pairs to form two track ways each 52ft long. The vehi cle was provided with a lifting jib, attached to the launchin g arm , to asse mbl e the four quarter sections to make a complete bridge. It was not capable however of lifting the 7ton bridge when assembl ed and being somewhat limited in application was only used when more suitabl e lift ing tackle was not avail able, although it did prove useful for other tasks inclu ding track maintenance. Each trackway was connected toget her by mean s of two portal frames and a diagonal brace, giving a longitudinal ga p 2ft 6in wid e between the tracks. Liftin g brackets were fitted to each trackway and were engaged by the bridgela ye r laun ching a rm , en a bling the bridge to be laid or reco vered from either end. The steel po rtal frames were sufficie ntly strong to support the weight of each track way during launching but were Intended to bend under the lo ad imposed by a heavy vehicle crossing the brid ge when it rested on unev en ground. Two spare

72

portal frames were suppli ed with each bridgelayer to rep lace those distorted during brid ging opera tion s. Bridge classification was Class 80. The total la unch time was 100sec whilst recovery could be achieved in 120sec un de r ideal conditions. The bridge cou ld be launched on a cross slope of I in 10 with a maximum permissible fo re and aft tilt of I in 4 and between banks having an 8ft difference in height on a clear spa n of 45ft. Centre decking sections Below: In 1946, A41 (P3) was fitted with a steel lattice bridge structure to test the manoeuvrability of such a bulky vehicle. At this stage, the design was intended for the FV200 series Universal tank. Bottom: Centurion bridgelayer side view Right : The prototype Centurion Bridgelayer was built on a Mark 7 hull by Hudswell Clark of Leeds. The vehicle is seen during troop trials at Bovington in 1957. Soldier Far right: Centre decking sections were placed between the bridge trackways to allow passage of Centurion gun tanks towing mono­ wheel fuel trailers and to prevent small vehicles and marching troops from falling into the gap. IWM Bottom right: Centurion bridgelayer launching sequence.

=:-e provided to allow passage of Centurion gun {Owing mono-fuel trailers . It was not unknown --::: 2. Centurion to drag its mono-trailer between the ::-2:;;'.,·ays rather than lift and shackle it to th e rear - _:: ola te. the previou sly prescribed method . The :7-.:::: decking also prevented small wh eeled vehicles ..: :: ma rc hing troop s from falling into the gap between :..-" tr ack ways. The sections were stowed on the :..:.zooka plates, rear fuel tank and transmission covers ':;: not in use. The bridgelayer could be employed :, :- 'o\'erbridging' understressed bridges that were ~. "s

unable to bear the wei ght of AFVs. By laying the No 6 Tank Bridge on chocks at either end, it was possible for even the heaviest vehicles to negotiate flimsy bridges that would otherwise have impeded the advance. Centurion Bridgelayers were originally issued to the RAC on the scale of three to a regiment, one to each sabre squadron. However, their great height and inability to negotiate the narrow streets of many German towns and villages meant that they were unable to keep up with the gun tank s. It was often

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73

necessary to reconnoitre a special route for the bridgelayers to bypass obstacles such as low bridges and power cables. Th is, together with the problems encountered wit h the com plex hydrauli c sys tem and shortage of spare parts, made them so mewhat unpopular with the Royal Armoured Corps. Often they were off the road and remained behind at barracks to be ca nnibalised as spare parts for the gun tanks. All bridgelayers were subsequently transferred

Above: Centurion Mk 5 Bridgelayer (FV4002) in travelling configuration. The vehicle's great lenglh and heigh I poscd serious problems of manoeuvrabililY in Ihe narrow slreels of many German lowns and villages. Soldier Left: It was possible 10 manoeuvre Ihe vehicle wilh the bridge verlical for final positioning al bridging siles (nole Ihe Hauened ground behind Ihe vehicle). Cenlre decking sections were carried on the bazooka plates, rear fuel lank and two on Ihe transmission covcrs. The crew of this bridgelayer stowed Ihe laUer pair on the launching frame 10 allow easier access to Ihe transmission. Below left: One disadvanlage of Ihe vehicle was Ihal during launching Ihe 53ft 6in No 6 Tank Bridge was most conspicuous; by Ihe use of lerrain, in Ihis case masked by lall Irees, this shorlcoming could, on occasions, be minimised. IWM Below: The layout ofthe launChing mechanism is evident in this photograph of a Centurion Bridgclayer crossing its own bridge. The vehicle was capable ofrelrieving Ihe bridge from eilher end; a distinellaclical advantage during rapid advances. I WM

rhe Royal Engineers to become part of the engineer squadrons, where, under ==ntralised control, it was possible to devote more a:rention to their upkeep and they proved to be most t:Tcctive in their tasks.

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Centurion Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle (B ARV) FV4018 T he primary role of the Beach Armoured Recovery 'chi cle (BAR V) is to effect the recovery of drowned "chicles to the shoreline and keep exits from :anding craft clear during assault landings. It can also . sh off stranded Landing Craft Mechanised (LCM) ~ ;: means of its nosing block and drag broached La ndi ng Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP) into ":eep water. It is employed for many other general ~ asks on the assault beach such as laying flexible : ra ckwa ys and on more than one occasion has been . sed as a temporary anchorage for sm all craft. During the 1950s the only vehicle available to fill ~ is requirement was the wartime Sherman BAR V. Although it had given admirable service in its day, 5pares for the Sherman BAR V were in short supply a nd . since it was inclined to float in 8ft of water, it was ~ j a ble to retrieve and heavier armoured vehicles than ~nt e r ing service. MTDE Technical Group REME, F rding Trial s located at Instow in North Devon su bsequently Fording Trial s Branch (FTB» were ~ a sked with the design and building of a mock -up \ eh icJe to replace the Sherman. In January 1957, a C enturion Tower was delivered to FTB and detail design and development was undertaken. The hull was ; uued of all equipment and a ssemblies except for ~ng ine , clutch and gearbox whilst the general layout of :0" driver's compartment remained intact. This 'o upled with the basic hull design, determined the su perstructure which wa s shaped to form a bow or =urwater. The prototype (06ZR24) was constructed of 3/ 16in ::lild steel bolted to a girder framework and made its ::~s r dip in June 1957. After further modification it was successfully demonstrated on Instow beach on 4 and 5 \-larch 1958. The prototype then went to FVRDE o r final development of the armoured version prior to a production contract for [2 vehicles at ROF Barnbow, Leeds. I n February [960 the first production Centurion B...... R V arrived a t Instow for user trial s which proved it n ore than adequate for its role. Minor improvements ".-ere incorporated and modifications implemented. Production of the [2 vehicles based on Centurion \, fk 3 hulls was completed in 1963 . The Centurion BAR V had a superstructure of one inch armour plate. T he vehicle was able to wade in up to 9ft 6in of water al th ough the usual maximum operating depth was 8ft. i n water less than Sft the driver had direct vision

through a laminated glass block but in greater depths he W aS directed by the commander from the opened hatch. This single hatch gave access to the working compartment for all crew members. The BAR V had a crew of four including the commander, driver/wireless operator and two recovery mechanics, one of whom was a trained diver. His tasks included working in water up to 20ft in depth to attach tow ropes to casualties and to cut away with oxy-acetylene equipment any obstruction impeding recovery such as wreckage or beach obstacles entangled with the tracks. Two types of diving equipment were used; one utilised pure oxygen and th e other compressed air. A s the BAR V operated on soft ground or in water where the effective weight could be as low as 15 ton s, all shock a bso rbers were removed to reduce servicing. The probability of enemy ground attack by rocket launchers was discounted and in any case the best defence against any attack, be it from ground or air, was to position the BAR V in deep water. In consequence the bazooka plates were discarded, much to the approval of BARV crews. The BAR V carried its own lifting tackle which, when not in use, was stowed on brackets attached to the superstructure sides. The lifting gantry with a one­ ton Morris block could be erected in one hour by three men and by unbolting the rear door, the engine, clutch or gearbox could be lifted out with relative ease. The BAR V crew were capable of carrying out all these tasks either on board ship, wea ther permitting, or in the field. The normal trackguards were replaced by heavy wire mesh catwalks through which water passed freely to reduce buoyancy . Three hand rail guards were fitted at the front. These were painted white a s were all attachment points to aid location by the diver when working submerged in conditions of low visibility. Various items of stowage were attached to the

Below: Centurion Beach Annoured Recovery Vehicle. The hardwood 'nosing' block replaced the previous rope fender when it was found that without the extension the BARVs tracks damaged Landing Craft when 'nosing' at an angle. Simon Dunstan

superstructure walls including spare road wheels, pioneer tool s, towing hawsers. The BARV had no winching equipment but 2: 1 pulls could be achieved using a snatch block which was stowed above the driver's compartment. Normal recovery was achieved by str aig ht towing. Tractive effort on dry land was 28 ton s which reduced by two tons for every foot of water. The front fender could also be used for recovery of casualties by pushing them to dry land. Armament comprised one GPMG and a Sterling sub-machine gun for each crew member. The BARV has seen extensive service with the British Army manned by REME personnel, notably with th e Royal Navy Amphibious Warfare Squadron in the Middle East. The BAR V was normally the fir st vehicle to be di sembarked on a landing to keep beach

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channels clear of drown ed and stationary ve hicles. Recovery in suppo rt of beach landings was undertak en by a BAR V working in conjunction with a Michigan Light Wheeled Tractor to form an ' amphibious beac h unit'. With th e withdrawal of the British Army from east of Suez, assault la ndings have become the responsibility of th e Ro ya l Marines and they are the current users of the Centurion BARV. The two LPDs (Landing Platform Docks) HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid ca rry one eac h crewed by Royal Marines. Operating in conjunction with other Naval and RAF support, th e LOP s carryall types of military equipment, including tanks, to effect an amphibious landing anywhere within NATO . To this end two BAR Vs have been modified for use during winter operation s in N orw ay. The Centurion BAR Vs will probably be the last Centurion variant to serve with the British Army. Despite constant use, they clock up only low mileages; the reason being that BARVs operate more often in reverse gear which is not recorded on the odometer! At 40 tons, the BAR V is the fastest Centurion on dry land; wi th the usual tuni ng and isolating of the governo rs by REME personnel speeds in excess of 30mph have been ac hieved, Top left: The current users of the BARV are the Royal Marines­ note the two Es on the ' REME Recovery' plate have been obliterated to make 'R M Recovery'. Vehicle front , handrails, ladders and equipment stowage hooks are painted white to aid location by the diver when working underwater. Vehicle name is SUlfrider 1. Left : Centurion BARV of the Amphibious Warfare Squadron recovering a Centurion Mk 8/1 during a landing exercise in the Persian Gulf. Note the improvised extension on the front fender. Below: Removal of the Merritt·Brown gearbox by means of the vehicle gantry and one·ton Morris block and tackle. Top right: 06ZR24 - prototype of Centurion BARV was based on the hull of a Centurion Tower. The rear fender was not fitted to production vehicles. Right : Centurion BARV 04ZR49 recovering a Centurion Mk 6/2 during Exercise ' Frangipani'. The majority of recovery tasks are conducted in reverse gear and therefore a lot of mileage is not recorded on the vehicle odometer.

Centurion Mk 5 A VRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) FV4003 The Centurion A VRE was the workhouse of the armoured engineers. It was designed to undertake a number of roles on the battlefield. It mounted a large calibre, low velocity demolition gun to destroy defended strongpoints and pillboxes. The vehicle could launch a fascine into a gap to enable armoured vehicles to cross streams, trenches and anti-tank ditches. A dozer blade was fitted for improving

crossing places, clearing rubble and other similar tasks. Development of the Centurion A VRE began in 1955 at FVRDE to replace the Churchill Mk VII A VRE that had entered service in 1954. Initial trials were held to prove whether Centurion was able to carry a fascine which it did with no apparent damage to front suspension units. The basic design was approved by the War Office in July 1955 and the prototype vehicle was delivered to FVRDE in August 1957. The A VRE was a mo¢ified Centurion Mk 5 gun

Top left: Besides its normal work as a recovery vehicle, the BARV undertakes numerous roles during an assault landing such as laying Class 60 Trackway for following vehicles. Below left: Prototype of Centurion AVRE. Note the hydraulic winch on the rear hull plate and parbuckling pulley on the turret roof, neither of which were fitted on production vehicles. A 100gai fuel tank was added at the rear and cooling air was vented through chevron type louvres over the transmission compartment. Above: Despite the increased length of the vehicle, the 7.5ton A VRE trailer did not impair mobility unduly . Typical loads included fascine, Class 60 Trackway or demolition stores. The size of the AVRE with trailer made it difficult and time·consuming to conceal in 'tank hides'. Soldier

tank with an Ordnance BL 165mm (6.5in) A VRE L9A I gun firing a powerful projectile with accuracy up to 2,000yd. The 64lb demolition charge projectile contained 311b 130z 7dr of PE4 explosive, equivalent to six rounds of 120mm, HESH ammunition. lts accuracy was such that the bridge girders could be destroyed at 800yd, bridge piers and pillboxes at 1,400yd and at greater ranges it served as an effective area weapon. The AVRE mounted a hydraulically operated dozer blade, identical to that of the Centurion Mk 5 Dozer, with an output capacity of 300cu yd/h, as against 200 for the Caterpillar D8 bulldozer. It was used for a multitude of tasks such as route clearance in built up areas and woods, route denial , creating or filling anti ­ tank ditches, improving bridge approaches and river crossing places and digging gun emplacements and tank slots. As an indication of its effectiveness, the

A VRE was able to dig a hull down fire position for a gun tank in light soil within seven minutes. The dozer could also be used as a grader by ' back -blading' with the blade on float to smooth the ground before laying metal Class 60 Trackway. The latter was a most versatile device that had many uses as a bridge approach, helicopter landing pad, recovery base on boggy ground, riverbank exit and entry and as a tank slewing pad. It was carried on a cradle mounted over the glacis plate and deployed by means of three explosive 'blow-out' pins ; one was fired to release the trackway from the cradle and the other two to drop it once it had been laid in position. The whole operation was controlled from under armour without exposure of the crew. The cradle was also used to carry a fascine that could be launched into gaps of up to 20ft in width . This ancient technique of warfare was a simple but highly effective means of trench crossing that has been used by British tanks since the Great War. It consisted of a bundle of brushwood or chestnut stakes fashioned into a cylindrical bundle 8-IOft in diameter by 16ft long and weighing 5-8 tons depending on water content. It was usually bound around a number of steel tubes, often scaffolding, to allow water to flow through in order to prevent 'damming' and consequential flooding of a crossing place. The fascine was jettisoned either manually or by electrically fired 'blow-out' pins. With the fascine in the cradle, vehicle speed was limited to 10mph and the commander was obliged to ride on a seat atop the turret to guide the driver. This precarious perch was used only infrequently as the driver had sufficient limited forward vision below the cradle. Before the advent of 79

left: With a fascine in the cradle, the driver's visibility was strictly limited and the commander directed him from a seat perched precariously on the turret. Metal tubes in the fascine allowed water to flow through the bundle and prevented a 'damming' effect. Note the ammunition loading port in the bazooka plate for easier replenishment of the bulky l65mm projectiles. Soldier Below and right : Centurion A VRE deploying its fascine into an anti· tank ditch. Obstacles up to 20ft in width could be bridged by a single fascine; wider gaps were spanned by a number of AVREs working in concert or by Centurion Bridgelayer and ARK. Earth was 'dozered' over the fascine to allow 'B' vehicles to cross. Soldier

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Class 30 and Class 60 Trackway it was standard practice to split the fascine to form a roadway approximately 50ft in length over muddy ground. The prototype AVRE was fitted with a hydraulic 1.75ton winch on the rear hull plate which served to parbuck Ie the fascine on to the cradle by means of a six-part line. The prototype also had a mounting on the glacis plate for a 10ton jib, similar to that of the AR V Mk 2, which, in conjunction with the winch, was intended to lift engineering equipment or clear obstacles. It proved to be too unwieldy in practice and neither device was fitted to production vehicles .

The A VRE could haul a 7tton four-wheel trailer designed to carry a fascine, Class 60 Trackway roll, demolition stores or other RE equipment. The A VR E trailer could be jettisoned at will by firing an explosive release mechanism in the rotable towing hook . It was able to traverse any terrain negotiable by the A VRE without seriously reducing the performance of the towing vehicle. The A VRE was also employed to tow two Barmine mechanical minelayers, either singly or in pairs, behind the trailer for rapid minelaying operations. The trailer carried 864 mines in pallets as against 144 in a conventional FV432 APC. One other

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::2Jer designed for use with A VRE was the Giant

Performance was dependent upon a number of factors but Giant Viper could be expected to render inoperative a high percentage of blast-susceptible anti­ tank and anti-personnel mines over a pathway 24ft wide by 600ft long. Besides the fascine cradle, dozer blade and demolition gun, other modifications to the basic Centurion Mk 5 included greater fuel capacity with an additional 100gai fuel tank in an armoured downward extension of the hull rear, revised cooling air outlets above the transmission compartment and an additional crew member alongside the driver. The communication system included VHF radio consisting of B47 and C42 wireless sets. One of each was fitted in a troop A VRE and an additional C42 in a command A VRE. Infra-red equipment was developed for night driving and fighting. User trials of the Centurion A VRE began in February 1962 and it entered service with the Royal Engineers in 1963. It formed the basic equipment of Left: Centurion Mk 5 AVRE with Giant Viper mine cleering the three Armoured Engineer Squadrons of 32nd ~ uipment. Both the AVRE and Giant Viper were introduced into Assault Engineer Reg iment in Germany. Originally se rvice in 1963. Throughout its career this powerful assault vehicle each squadron consisted of three a rmoured troops, " as known by its initials - AVRE. HQ RAC Centre each of three A VREs and two Centurion Bridgelayers, Below left : Centurion AVRE firing Giant Viper. The three parachutes and a troop of four Centurion ARKs. Later the ac ted as arresters to straighten Ihe hose during flighl and operale the composition varied and became more flexible to suit detO nating mechanism as it landed on the minefield. the tactical situation in hand. The British Army was HQ RA C Centre the only user of the Centurion A VRE and it has been employed operationally only once. In 1972, four Below: Centurion ARK deploying its ramps over an impassable, Centurion A VREs were used to remove the reinforced high·sided bank. Expendable 'crusher boxes' were attached below tbe tail of each ramp to absorb impact on landing. Soldier barricades in the so-called No-Go area of the Creggan

''-.;:,cr anti-tank mine clearing equipment. This device lS used to blast a passage for tanks an d vehicles :: ~o ug h a minefield up to 600ft in depth. A ':~\'el opment of the wartime Conger, it con sisted of - 50ft of 2Ysin diameter hose filled with plastic -:\ lo sive mounted on a two-wheel trailer. In use, the ." \ 'R E towing equipment halted approximately 150ft :'~ m the edge of a minefield and the Gian t Viper was -;red from within the vehicle. It was projected across ::; e m inefield by a cluster of eight rocket motors. The :ail end of the hose was fitted with arrester gear in the ,o rm of three parachutes which straightened the hose :! ring flight and operated the striker mechanism to e o nate the charge on landing.

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~5 ia t e in Londonderry during the opening phase of O peration 'Motorman'. Since L979, the Royal E. gineers have been equipped with the FV L80 Co mbat Engineer Tractor but the CET is no ~;Op l a cement for the powerfully armed and armoured .\ VRE. The Centurion A VRE will remain in service , th in its present form and in a di fferent guise.

Centurion ARK (Armoured Ramp Carrier) FV4016 The rol e of the Centurion ARK was the rapid assault . ridging of shallow gaps of up to 75ft wide and of high ba nks. The vehicle itself entered the obstacle and acted as a central pier. Development of the Centurion Single .\RK began in 1958 under the design parentage of FVRDE. It comprised a standard Centurion Mk 5 without the turret. Modifications to the hull were of a minor nature. An armoured plate covered the turret ing. A simple commander's cupola was positioned al ongside the driver with a conning tower behind to enable the driver to be directed during wading

Top left: Centurion Mk 6 (LR) mounting the ARK. Soldier Below left: CAMP (Centurion ARK Mobile Pier) was an ARK with its folding ramps removed. Soldier Below: Comparison of employment between ARK and CAMP. In its conventional form, the ARK entered a river and deployed its ramps to either bank. The CAMP positioned itself parallel to the Danks and acted as a pier to two Centurion Bridgelayers. The greater span of the CAMP method is evident in this photograph of Armoured Engineers bridging the Leine river. RA C Tank Museum

operations. Wading screen frames were fitted around the engine and transmission covers which differed from those of a standard gun tank as the trackways fouled the normal type. The main and auxiliary engine exh a ust pipes were extended to permit wading to a depth of 8ft. Four banks of six-barrel smoke dischargers were fitted below the level of the trackways, two on each side of the front of the vehicle. The total of 24 barrels, 12 of which faced forwards and 12 sideways, created a quick and effective smoke screen to mask the vehicle during bridging operations . A robust superstructure of six posts, surmounted by three cross bearers, supported two longitudinal decks at each end of which was attached a folding ramp, consisting of main, centre and tail sections. The ramps could be extended mechanically to form, in conjunction with two centre deck s, a roadway over 80ft long with an effective horizontal span of 75ft when a bank setting of 2ft 6in at each end was used. The decks were located at each side of the vehicle leaving a central gap. A screw mechanism at each end of the superstructure provided means of varying the distance by which the decks and ramps were separated. The innermost position reduced the overall width of the vehicle for transportation purposes while the extreme outer location permitted passage of the largest vehicles up to Class 80. In this position the centre gap was too wide to permit the passage of small vehicles and centre decking sections were provided for this purpose, a laborious and di sagreeable task for the three-man crew. The hull was fitted with stabilising jacks at front and rear. Power for extending the ramps was provided by a hydraulic pump mounted on and driven by the main engine. The track ways could be launched prior to entering, or in the gap, depending on the nature of the banks. Recovery of the ramps, a long

and arduous task , necessitated the use of two vehi cles in conjunction with a recovery strut a nd slin g. Built at ROF Barnbow, th e ARK en tered service with the Royal Engineers in 1965. Toget her with th e Centurion A V RE a nd Centurion Bridgelayer, it served with the assault e ngi neers of th e 2 nd , 26th and 3 1st Armoured Engineer Squadro ns. Each sq uad ro n had four ARKs. Besides s pannin g wide gaps the AR K was capable of launching its ram ps over walls and ea rthworks up to 19ft in height to provide a means of crossing. It was employed during river crossings as an exi t over high sided banks for wading tanks , a m anoeuv re that required skilled driving to enabl e the wading tank s to negotiate the submerged ramp s. In simil ar circumstances the ARK was used as a n unloading pier at river banks. One interesting variant of the ARK was the CAMP Centurion ARK Mobile Pier. Experience of operating the ARK had shown that, when it was employed in the conventional mode as a bridge across a water-filled obstacle, it acted as a dam to th e flow of water, creating scouring and build-up of the river bed. On occasions this caused the vehicle to tilt and when vehicles crossed the bridge resulted in distortion of the ramps. To overcome this problem a number of ARKs had their folding ramps removed leaving only the

central trackways. The CAMP was dri ve n into the river and placed in the centre para llel to the ba nk s. The vehicle was then used as steppin g stone for two No 6 Tank Bridges. One Centurion Bridgelaye r deployed its bridge from the nearside bank on to the CAMP. The second Bridgelayer mounted the first Tank Bridge and la id its own o n to the far bank. On one occasion a river crossi ng was achieved by employing two CAMPs and t hree No 6 Tank Bridges but the problems of al ignmen t posed considerable difficulties and it was not a techniq ue to be undertaken in the heat of battle. It did , however, prove that it was possible to span wider rivers than those using conventional methods. The British Army was the only user of the Centurion ARK; a legacy of its wartime experience of employin g thi s unusual and interesting technique of obstacle crossin g. The ARKs were withdrawn from service in 1975 . Three vehicles were subsequently employed at the RE wing, Bovington, for driver train in g. With all track ways and superstructure removed, they were known as 'Wedges'.

Below : Centurion ARK in travelling configuration.

7. Centurion Projects and Prototypes Peanut Tractor In 1947, the Crown Agents issued a requirem en t for a powerful land clearing bulldozer for use in the 'Grou ndn ut sc heme ' in Tanganyika (Ta nzan ia). A \'eh icle based on Centurion auto motive components \\'as designed and produced within one year at FYPE. It was powered by a Meteori te engine, a n eight­ cylinder version of the Meteor, and had a 16ft x 6ft dozer blade which at th e time was the largest in the \\wld. It had been intend ed to build the Peanut Tractor at the Royal Ordn ance Factories engaged in lank production using spa re manufacturing capacity but beca use o f the emergence of the Cold War a nd the dem ise of the ill-fated Gro undnut sc heme, production did not begin .

Conway Interim Heavy Gun Tank FY4004 Throug hou t the Cold W ar the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank posed a constant threat to the ar mi es of the western po wers. With the ca ncellation o f the FY20 I Univers al tan k, a number of tank destroyers were designed to co unter Soviet heavy a rmour pending the introduction of the Heavy Gun T ank Conqueror. The first of th ese was the Conway based on a Centurion Mk 3 hull, deve lo pment of which began in 1950. The main armament was a 120mm gun of American origin mounted in a ro ll plate turret designed by the Auster Light Aircraft Company of R ea rsby, Leices tershire. The re were severe problems because of th e weight limit of 50 to ns. Of necessity , the L I A I 120 mm gun had to be installed hi gh in th e turret to enable it to recoil abo ve the level of the turret rin g into the rear bustle. This in turn dictated a tall sla b-sided turret to permit any elevation of th e main arma men t which, in fact, was a barel y adequate IOdeg; gun depression was limited to a n un sa ti sfacto ry 5deg. The vehicle's grea t height raised its centre o f gravity to an alarming exte nt a nd presented considerable proble ms of transportatio n by road or rail. Onl y 20 ro und s of 120mm APDS and HES H a mmunition were ca rried, I J of which were ready round s. Th e turret design was a creditable achievement considering the short development time, built by Chubbs of Wolv erhampton. Final assembly of

the single prototype vehicle (07BA67) was undertaken at ROF Barnbow. Prod uction was sched uled to sta rt ea rl y in 1952 but this was deferred. Trials of the prototype continued in order to imp rove th e de sign so that pro duction could be initiated in an emergency bu t the project was cancelled in Dece mber 1952. The Conway is preserved at the Roy al A rm oured Corps Tank Museum, Bovington.

Centurion COL The CDL was developed as a tank based armo ured sea rchli ght in th e early d ays of World War 2 under the code-name Ca nal Defence Lighl The searchlight projected a powerful bea m of light thro ugh a narrow ve rtica l s lit incorporating a shutter device to make th e light fli cker, so co nfusing th e enemy as to its exact locatio n and therefore less vulnerable to countermeas ures. Employed with success during the crossing of the Rhine, the CDL wa s resurrected during the war in Korea where tan ks mounted searchlights of Am erica n origin for ni gh t action s against ma ss Chinese infantry attacks. These unarmoured searc hlights were frequentl y damaged by sma ll arms and art illery fire so it was proposed to mount the armoured CDL projectors o n the Centurions of 1st British Commonwealth Division. Trials were conducted at FYPE of such a searchligh t fi tted to A41 proto type P8 (T35 2415) but the Korean War ended befor e it could be used in ac ti o n.

Self-Propelled Heavy Anti-Tank Gun No 1 FY4005 The design of a self-propelled gun capable of destroyin g enemy heav y tank s at long ran ges was initiated in 1951. At the time there was much discu ssion and experimentation as to th e relati ve merits of the conventional rifled gun as again st the innovative anti-tank guided missile. Briti sh designers considered th e heavy calibre gun to be the most effec tive weapon for the task. A 183mm gun firing HESH am mun itio n was deemed to be suffi ciently large to dis rupt an y size of tank that an enemy mi gh t deploy o n the battlefield. The gun was insta ll ed in a limited traverse mounting with an automatic ro ta ry loader on 87

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To p left : Many Centurion components were utilised in the J " ign of the Peanut Tractor. At the time of its inception it was the gest land clearing vehicle in the " orld. C entre left: The Conway lank destroyer was designed to counter the preponderance of Soviet heavy Lanks in the early 1950s. The high, fabricated steel turret is readily ap parent in this photograph. Bonom left: Centurion CDL. The C OL device, developed during World War 2, was revived during the Korean War. The insignia of a guardsman in a sentry box,just discernible on the turret stowage b in, indicates that this A41 vehicle (P8) took part in Operation 'S entry', the troop trials of Centurion in 1945.

RAe Tank Museum

Top right: Self-Propelled Heavy ..\nti-Tank Gun No 1 FV4005 was based On a Centurion Mk 3 hull incorporating a 183mm gun in a "mited transverse mounting with automatic rOLary loader. Centre right : FV400S Slage 2. This version had a lightly armoured splinter proof turret housing a hand loaded 183mm gUll. Neither vehicle proceeded beyond the prototype sLage. rWM Below: Centurion Engineer Bulldozing Equipment.

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a Centurion Mk 3 hull as the FV 4005. A second prototype vehicle was built with the 183mm gun inside a lightly armoured turret on a Centurion Mk 3 chassis. Unlike the previous vehicle, the separated HESH ammunition was hand loaded usi ng a special loading tray in the turret. A ramp was provided for ammunition replenishment after the tank destroyer had expended its 12 rounds of stowed ammunition. Spades were attached to the rear of both vehicles to absorb recoil on firing. I

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Centurion Engineer Bulldozing Equipment Until 1954, the only tank dozer equipment in service was the Centaur dozer which was replaced by the Churchill Mk VII A VR E. A bulldozer kit was also designed, similar to that of the Churchill AVRE, for fitment to any Centurion and Conqueror gun tank s. The prototype blade was fitted to the original A41 'soft- boat' hull for trials purposes. A development of this equipment was employed on the Centurion Dozer FV 4019 and Centurion A VRE FV 4003. Centurion Flamethrower The Churchill Crocodile had proved fearsomely effective against strongpoints and pillboxes during World War 2 and such a weapon had a profoundly demoralising effect on enemy troops. In 1954 this equipment was mounted on a Centurion Mk 3 (03ZR 71) for trials purposes only. The equipment was identical to that of the wartime Crocodile being one of the 250 sets that had been reserved for use in the war against Japan. 80-83 one-second shots were obtainable to a range of 100yd. It is of interest to note that Centurion 03ZR 7 I is preserved at the Royal Armoured Corps Tank Museum at Bovington. Inflatable Dummy Centurion An inflatable rubber Centurion tank was produced during the 1950s for use by the Joint Concealment Centre as a deception measure and as a training aid for aircrews engaged in reconnai ssance and ground attack exercises. The Dummy Centurion was inflated by hand, a motor pump or by the exhaust of the transporter vehicle. FV3802 and FV3805 Self-Propelled Guns Soon after World War 2 design work began of 25­ pounder and 5.5in self-propelled guns based on the new FV300 light tank chassis. Development started at low priority but in 1948 the 5.5in SP FV305 was abandoned when it was decided to buy American medium self-propelled guns. Design of the FV304 to replace the 25-pounder SP Sexton continued and in 90

1950 work commenced on a Command Post Vehicle (FV302) and a Section Ammunition Vehicle (FV309). At this stage it became apparent that the Royal Artillery would be the only users of the FV300 chassis series as the Royal Armoured Corps no longer had a requirement for a light tank . By 1952 the Sexton was nearing the end of its useful life and the need for a replacement became urgent. Development of the FV300 series was raised to highest priority but there was some doubt as to whether this vehicle would prove sa tisfactory and parallel development, also at the highest priority, was started on the following vehicles based on Centurion automotive components - 25­ pounder SP FV3802, Command Post Vehicle FV3803, Section Ammunition Vehicle FV3804. Work also commenced on a 5.5in SP FV3805 and 7.2in SP FV3806 but at a much lower level of priority. The advantages of using Centurion components that were proven and in production had obvious attractions and the FV300 series was subsequently cancelled. Designed at FVRDE, the FV3802 utilised Centurion Mk 7 components and assemblies wherever possible. The hull was shorter by some 20in than the standard Centurion with five instead of six road wheel stations per side. The superstructure, mounting a 25 -pounder gun, was fully enclosed with the gun firing rearwards over the engine deck s. The first prototype was delivered to FVRDE on 27 October 1955 and trials were conducted until January 1956. Ride characteristics and steering proved sat isfac tory but the gun mounting with its ball and trail, although attractive for economy of space, was not particularly reliable and the incidence of maintenance was high. Three prototype vehicles were completed by Leyland Motors. The design was approved by the Users Committee and FVRDE but by the time the last prototype had been built enthusiasm see med to wane. The Royal Artillery insisted that a larger gun be provided and thi s accelerated the development of FV3805. Again Centurion running units were used as a basis for the vehicle. It mounted a forward firing 5.5in Howitzer in a turntable capable of traversing 30deg to either side with an elevation of 70deg. 76 shells and 96 charges were carried in the vehicle and maximum rate of fire was three rounds/min for 10min with a sustained rate of fire of one round/min for three hours. Two prototypes of FV3805 were completed in 1956 and underwent extensive trials but the project was cancelled in 1960 in favour of FV433 105mm SP Abbot. Besides th e aforementioned FV3802-FV3806, a range of vehicles was proposed on similar lines including the FV 380 I Gun Tractor, FV3807 120mm SP Anti-Tank Gun, FV3808 SP Mounting Medium Equipment and FV3809 15 .5cm SP Gun. None of these other vehicles progressed beyond the mock-up stage.

Top: Centurion Flamethrower. The flame throwing equipment was identical to that of the wartime Churchill Crocodile. Above far left: Rubber Centurion Dummy Tank. Mcn of the 56th (London) Armoured Division (T A) carrying a Rubber Centurion during Exercise 'London Pride', September 1954. K eyslOlle

Above: 5147 was the first of three prototypes of FV3802 built by Leyland Motors. The 25-pounder fired to the rear over the engine decks. Left: Unlike FV3802, the FV3805 was driven with the engine to the front and driver inside the fighting compartment above the left-hand trackguard. The 5.5in howitzer is elevated to its maximum of 70deg.

91

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Centurion Wading Equipment In any military operation involving beach landings, AFVs and vehicles must be waterproofed to enable them to wade to the shoreline in anything up to 6ft of water from ships and landing craft; in depths greater than this alternative means must be used such as floatation or snorkel equipment. In 1948, trials were conducted at SADE (Specialised Armament Development Establishment), Gosport, of a Centurion Mk 2 (T351402) fitted with wading equipment similar to that used in the numerous assault landings of World War 2. This system was used with mixed success during the Suez operation of 1956. Due to immersion in salt water during practice landings in Malta, some of the explosive bolts had become corroded. When the Centurions of 6th Royal Tank Regiment waded ashore over the beaches of Port Said a number of bolts failed to detonate and the crews were obliged to remove the wading equipment with sledgehammers and crowbars while subjected to sniper fire. Further operational experience with the Independent Tank Squadron in the Middle East (subsequently the Amphibious Warfare Squadron) emphasised the limitations of this method of waterproofing which was only capable of a single fording operation and precluded any form of servicing or repair to the vehicle. As the role of the Amphibious Warfare Squadron was constant patrolling of the Persian Gulf, involving repeated landings of the tanks, Fording Trials Branch at Instow developed a simpler and reusable waterproofing kit of PVC material. The kit comprised a flexible PVC cover over the engine decks which was sealed by a simple 'Zipper' system, a cover over the driver's hatch, a collapsible air outlet stack and extensions for the exhaust pipes. Air for

aspiration and cooling of the engine when wading was drawn through the turret. To allow normal engine breathing after fording, the front and rear PVC covers were blown clear by detonating Cordtex. The main engine exhaust pipe extensions were sheared off by the gun when it traversed, whilst the auxiliary engine extension pipe offered no resistance and simply flexed when contacted by the gun. This system was not only lighter and cheaper but also reduced the number of parts required from 487 of the hardware kit to just 13. It was capable of repeated use and took only minutes to remove and close for vehicle servicing, During 1962 and 1963 two types of 'zipper' wading kits, one of PVC and one of fabric material were tested by the Scots Greys in the Middle East. The PVC kit was judged to be superior and remains the standard method of waterproofing AFVs for wading operations.

Below: Centurion Mk 5 with wading kit. The PVC 'zipper' kit was a simplified form of wading equipment that allowed vehicle servicing and was capable of repeated use. Right: The first Centurion wading equipment was similar to that employed during World War 2. The Centurion Mk 2 illustrated, T351402, was tested at SADE, Gosport in 1948 and waded for 22min in up to 6ft of water. Seawater caused the clutch to fail at 10 miles after the wade. Below right: Centurion Mk 7 with metal trunking wading equipment. This type was employed during the Suez operation of November 1956. The fabric covers over the driver's hatch and smoke dischargers were jettisoned by Cordtex explosive. The muzzle cover was punctured by an AP round before engagement with quick-fuze high explosive shells.

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Centurion Floatation Equipment The standard Centurion gun tank is able to ford unprepa red to a depth of 3ft 6in and with wading equipment to a depth of 6ft. A s part of the research programme into water crossing techniques, a number of fl oa tation devices were de veloped to give Centurion an amph ibious capability to transfer the tank from ship to shore durin g assault landings. A Duplex Drive Amphibious Landing Kit was designed by FVRDE and manufactured by the firm of Nicholas Straussler, the original designer of the DD technique that was employed during World War 2 by Shermans for the D -Day landings. Trial s of a Centurion Mk 3 (OOBA 95) fitted with DD eq uipment were conducted at A WXE (Amphibious W arfare Experimen tal Establishment) Fremington, Devo n in 1954. Only limited waterborne trials were achieved due to rec urring break ages of the propeller driving mechanism. Speed of erection and lowering of the screen and of steering respon se was too slow a nd the vehicle failed to meet the Genera l Staff specification ' that th e vehicle, on emerging from the Top left: As a Centurion reached assault beaches, the wading equipment was jettisoned by means of explosive bolts or Cordtex in the case of the fabric kit and the vehicle resumed its role as a normal gun tank. Left: Centurion Mk 8/1 of the Scots Greys undertaking trials of the 'Zipper' wading kit in the Middle East, 1963. There were several variations of the cooling air outlet stack before a standard type evolved. Right: The trials version of Centurion DO (Duplex Drive) on Fremington Sands, August 1954. Exhaust pipe and bilge pump extensions passed over the rubberised fabric screen which was held upright by internal compressed air with external metal struts.

water, mu st instantl y be able to convert to a normal fighting tank ' . Depressio n of the ma in armament was limited to 5deg over the frontal arc and was practically nil for rem ai nder of tr averse due to the gun fouling with the screen . A second floatation system was devised for Centurion, designated T a nk, Inland Water Obstac le Crossing Equ ipment. It comprised 12 lightweight panels fitted to a sheet meta l decking running around the hull at trackguard level. These were retained in place by straining wires a nd spring-loaded side bol sters anc hored to a central explosive ' blow-out' pin. When this detonated, the panels were jettisoned and the vehicle reverted to the role of a normal fighting tank. Howeve r, the panels proved extremely difficult to seal and th e joi ns leaked to an unacceptable degree. To obviate thi s problem a rubberised fabr ic sc reen was added which was jettisoned by Cordtex. Propulsion in water was by means of the tracks at a speed of 4.95mph; however steering ability wa s virtually nil. Development proceeded a t low priority to refine the

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design . A subsequent type of Rigid Panel Floatation Equipment was built which differed in shape and detail to allow the Centurion to float with its main armament facing forwards. Several other ingenious de sig ns of floation equipment were proposed but the only one to be tested was a pneumatic ring. Although it appeared to be potentially su perio r to other systems its bulk when inflated and obvious vulnerability to enemy fire were a disadvantage and the projec t was subsequently discontinued.

Centurion Snorkel Equipment During the early 1960s a snorkel kit wa s designed and developed by FVRDE to meet a req uirem ent of the All Arm s Steering Committee on Wat er Crossing. It must

Top left: Centurion Mk 7 with a later version of Rigid Panel Floatation Equipment which allowed the main armament to be pointed forwards. Left: One of several experimental "oatation devices devised for Centurion was this pneumatic ring. Although these devices were based on Centurion, they were designed primarily to test water crossing techniques and formed no part of the Centurion development programme as such. Below left: Centurion with Rigid Panel Floatation Equipment. The fabric cover was added to improve panel sealing. The floatation equipment weighed approximately 1,500Ib. Below: Centurion with Snorkel equipment. This was the later version of (he kit with a tube over (he transmission decks to obviate the dangerous concentration of petrol vapour in the engine compartment.

be no ted that thi s research was co nducted to investigate th e problems in volved in water crossing techniqu es and the possible means of solving them, rath er than with the object of developing production equ ipment specificall y for Centurion. Similarly, the a forementio ned floatation equipment was developed as a design exercise using Centurions as test vehicles. After two years of development at FVRDE, trials were conducted in BAOR on a Centurion Mk 7 (43BA64) equipped with a snorkel kit. Fitted at 7th Armoured W o rk sho ps, it was extensively tested during Exercise ' Ploughs ha re' in April / Ma y 1965. The kit comp ri sed a PVC cover over the engine and tr ans mi ssion deck s, a simil a r cover over the driver's hatch and a snorkel tower o n the commander's cupola. E ngin e breathi ng air was drawn through the fighting compartment and exhaust dispelled through a ball and cage outlet. The vehicle made 18 crossings of the Leine and W eser rivers in depths rang ing from 1- J 5ft feet, whilst the width va ried from 40-300ft and g radients o f entry and exit varied from gentle inclines to nea r vertical. With the vehicle sealed, the lack o f ventilation a nd air circulation re sulted in petrol vapour from the fuel tank breather holes accumulating in the engi ne com partment and a spark from the uns hie lded mag netoes caused a n explosion a nd fire which seve rely damaged the vehicle and injured two crew member s. A seco nd snorkel kit was developed with a 6in diameter tube from the tr ansmission compartment to obviate this problem. The exhaust pipes differed in having rubber fishtail extension s that would close by water pressure if the engine stalled. A Centurion fitted with this type of snorkel kit achieved 22 river crossing before the engine stalled and water flooded the tank

through the auxi liary charging engine exhaust pipe. Each crewman had breathing apparatus to effect an escape in such circumstances. A snorkel kit was also developed for the Centurion AR Y Mk 2 as a heavy ' P at hfinder' vehicle capable of aiding and recovering AFYs during a river crossing. A pulley and guide rollers were fitted to the glacis plate to enable the AR Y

to extricate o r pu ll itself over normally impassable river banks. The driver had a detachable hatch which acted as an air bubble shou ld he need to escape in an emergency. The name ' Pathfinder' was subsequently given to FY437, a prototype vehicle built on the FY432 chassis designed for the sa m e task of recovering vehicles during river crossings.

Tank Medium No 2 Experimental Vehicle FV4202 Top left: The first Centurion ARV Mk 2 snorkel equipment had twin towers over the cooling air outlets. By means of its winch rope deployed over the roofofthe vehicle, the ARV could negotiate steep river banks and effect self·recovery. Bottom left: Centurion ARV Mk 2 with snorkel equipment. The vehicle was rigged for self· recovery during water crossings in case it became immobilised. Below: FV4202, also known as the 40ton Centurion, was built to test the supine driving position, 'mantletless' turret and low suspension intended for FV 420 I, Chieftain. Three such vehicles were built, one is on display at the RAC Tank Museum, one is employed as a recovery training aid at SEME Bordon and the other was sold in a batch of Centurions to Israel where no one knew what to do with ill

The FV4202 was not a Centurion series vehicle. It was built by Ley land Motors as a research vehicle for FVRDE to test the conceptual layout of the proposed FV420 I Chieftain. The vehicle incorporated a reclining position for the driver and a turret without a man tieL Based on Centurion components, three vehicles were built in 1956 to this configuration with five roadwheels per side and the low suspension that wa s embodied in the fir st Chieftain prototypes. Also known as the '40-ton Centurion', th e weight of FV4202 was nearer 42 tons as the turrets were usually too heavy due to the fact that the manufacturers of the turret castings were paid by weight rather than per item! One vehicle is preserved at the RAC Tank Museum .

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Action X Centurion During ther Chieftain development programme a ' mantletless' turret was designed for im proved ballistic protection. It was proposed to introduce thi s type of turret on late production Centurions but only one pro tot yp~ was built with the cast turret mounting a 20­ pounder gun o n a Mark 7 hull.

ex tractor to resemb le the Centurion. They were used to train infantry in the use of an ti -ta nk weapons.

Centurion Moving Target Tank Three specially armoured Centurion tanks were built at the 27th Command Workshops REME, Warminster, for the School of Infantry. They are used as mobile targets for the traini ng of infantry anti-tank crews firing inert projectiles from Milan and Carl Gustav weapons. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, the East German Army modified a number of T34/ 85s with sheet metal bazooka plates, turret bins and fume

Below: Action X Centurion. The 'mantletless' turret, designed during development of Chieftain, was intended for late production marks of Centurion. The turret shape differed slightly from FV 4202. Right: Centurion Moving Target Tank. Three of these 60ton vehicles were built for training of infantry anti-tank teams. Teny Gander Below right : A modified T34/85_

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100

II

Kirkcudbright Cranes During the I 960s the Armamen t Wing Workshop at the tank gunnery ranges, Kirkcudbright, Scotland produced a hybrid mobile crane to handle he avy equipment, suc h as gun mountings and range targets,­ in places inaccessible to wheeled cranes. An S7 - 10 crane was fitted to a Centurion Mk 2 hull together with a rail sleeper front fender to push range hulks into position. The crane was damaged beyond repair when the vehicle fell into a pit and a Jones KL 11.7 crane was subsequently mounted on the Centurion hull. The J ones crane has a lifting capacity of 12 tons.

Centurion with Swingfire In 1967, the British Aircraft Corporation (now British Aerospace) proposed the install ation of their Swingfire Anti-Tank Guided Weapon system on several contemporary battle tanks, including Centurion. A Centurion Mk 5 was fitted with a mock-up system comprising twin missile launchers on either side of the turret, with a further two missiles stowed on the turret rear, to permit accurate anti-tank eng agements to a range of 4,000m. Despite considerable interest from a number of nations the system was not adopted. Left: Kirkcudbright Crane. This was the first version that was damaged beyond repair when it rell into a pit.

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Top right: Centurion hull fitted with Jones KL 11.7 crane. These cranes were built at MVEE Armament Wing, Kircudbright, Scotland, to move range targets and heavy equipment. Below right: Centurion equipped with BAC Swingfire Launchers.

102

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Centurion Astra A26 Bridgelayer In the late J960s, the Astra Company of Piacenza, Italy , developed a bridgelayer utilising the chassis of the Centurion a nd the M47/ M48/ M60 series of US tanks. The scissors type bridge was of steel and aluminium alloy construction and could span a gap of 20m. The Class 60 bridge was launched hydraulically in under three minutes without exposure of the crew and could be retrieved from either end. By using the hinged end ramp in a vertical position to act as a pile, it was possible to launch a second bridge to span a gap of up to 38m. The Astra company no longer produces the vehicle. Right: Centurion A26 Bridgelayer was developed by the Astra Company of Piacenza, Italy. This highly versatile bridging system was tested by the Israeli Army. Below right: No Centurions in Swiss service were uparmoured. However, additional frontal armour was fitted to the two vehicles modernised by Vickers. This is the second Centurion, formerly a Panzer 57, during evaluation trials. Amongst the modifications apparent in this photograph are the No 15 commander's cupola, No 6 Mk 2 NBC filtration system as filted to Chieftain and additional stowage baskets. Although the vehicle is fitled with infra red lights for night driving, typical oflater Swiss Centurions the Pz57/ 60 Retofit also had passive night vision equipment for commander and gunner.

104

Vickers Centurion Retrofit Vickers Limited, in conjunction with other component suppliers, has developed a comprehensive 'retrofit' programme to improve Centurion to a level of performa nce comparable with modern battle tanks. Development of the Vickers Centurion Retrofi t began in 1971 and was offered on the internation al market in 1973. Two Centurions were completely stripped, refurbished and fully modernised by Vickers for the Swiss Army and extensively evaluated for possible improvement of their complete fleet.

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Australia The first foreign purchaser of Centurion was the Australian Army in 1950, however the initial consignment was transferred to the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars at the outbreak of the Korean War as the regiment was being re~ equipped for employment in support of the Commonwealth contingent fighting with the United Nations Forces. It was not until February 1952 that Centurions arrived in Australia and they entered service with the 1st Armoured Regiment. They were Mark 3s equipped with 20~ pounder guns and 7.92mm Besa coaxial machine guns which were replaced by .30in calibre Brownings to become Mark 5s. The tank training area amongst the ubiquitous gum trees and sun baked terrain around the regiment's headquarters of Puckapunyal was a severe testing ground for Centurion and particularly puni sh ing to the suspension system - yet it proved to be a most robust vehicle. With the growing Australian commitment to the Vietnam War in the 1960s, a number of Centurions were modified in 1967 at 3rd Base Workshops,

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Bandiana for employment with the 1st Australian Task Force serving in Phuoc Tuy province in South Vietnam. The tanks were modified to Mark 5/ 1 (Australian) standard by the addition of applique armour on the glacis plate, .50in calibre Browning ranging gun, No 4 RCP sight and infra-red night fighting equipment for the commander, gunner and driver. In February 1968, C Squadron of 1st Armoured Regiment, reinforced by a Special Equipment Troop of bridgelayers and tank dozers and integra l RAEME (Royal Au stralian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) support, was committed to the Vietnam War to enhance the combined arms nature of the Task Force. Despite the scepticism of many observers a s to the effectiveness of Centurions in the jungles and paddy field s of a tropical war, the tanks

Below: Centurion Driver Trainer. Three Centurions Mk 5/1 (AUST), damaged in the Vietnam war, were converted as driver training tanks. The vehicle rode appreciably higher without the weight of the 11.5ton turret. Paul Hal/del

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Canada The Canadian Army purcha sed 374 Centurions Mk 3 between 195 2 a nd 1953, to replace its M4A3E8 Sherman s. The Sherma ns of Lo rd Strathcon a's Horse had fought alongside the C enturions of 1st British Commonwealth Di vision in Korea where the latter's thick armour, superior firepower and mechanical reliability proved it to be the outstanding tank of the war. Tra ining on Centurion was not completed before the war ended and prevented its deplo yment with the Canadian Forces in Korea. The Centurions were modified with .30in calibre Browning coaxial machine guns to beco me Mark 5s , together with Americ an radios and later with applique a rmour o n the glac is pla tes. They were deployed with an armoured regiment in each o f the three infantry brigade gro ups based in Canada and wi th the 4th Canadian Mecha nised Brigade Group (4 CMBG) that for med Canada's co ntribution of land forces to NATO in Europe. In 1962 the Centurions in Germany were eq uipped with L7 I05mm guns to become Mark 6s. They were su bsequently fitt ed with a.5in calibre rang ing gun s and infra-red night fi ghting equipment and rede sig nated Mar k II s. In the late 1960s a c hange of policy Above: Ccnturions Mk 5 of 1st Armoured Regiment RAAC moving eliminated Centurions from th e order of battle of the through typical 'gum tree' country around the regiment's

armoured regim ents in Canada and only those in headquarters at Puckapunyal during Excrcise 'Iron Maiden'. The

Germany together with a few at C FB Gagetown for robust Horstmann type suspension system proved equal to the

training purposes remained in o perational service. By hostile terrain in Australia. Its successor, Leopard I, has not fared

the mi d- 1970s the Centurions had beg un to show their as well and consumes track pads and suspension components at an

age co mpound ed by the difficulty of obtaining spare alarming rate. A year's spare parts, scheduled by experience on

parts and replacement engines. Altho ugh a Centurion, have been used in as little as three months.

moderni satio n programme was contemplated it was Below: Canadian Centurions Mk 5 on manoeuvres in Germany.

decided to replace Centurion with the Leo pard C I, the Vehicle markings followed the British pattern with the radio

first of which entered service in 1978. Many Canadian call sign 33 Alpha within the squadron sign (in this case C Squadron)

Centurions suffered an ignominious end as hard on the turret stowage bins. Vehicle registration number 81341 is

targets on the ta nk ranges of the British Army carried on the trackguard stowage bins. The prefix 5 I denotes the

Training Unit, Suffield, Alberta. year the tank was ordered.

proved their wo rth on many occasions notably in the defence of Fire Support Bases Coral and Bal moral during th e enemy Tet offensive of 1968, the savage street fi ghtin g in the village o f Binh Ba in 1969 and during the many o perations conducted throughout Ph uoc Tu y province such as ' Pinaroc', ' Matilda', ' Hammersley', ' Iron Fox' and ' Hermit Park'. By 1971 when the tanks were withdr awn, all three squadrons of I st Armoured Regiment had served in South Vietnam, with C Squadron twice. The Australian Army purchased 131 Centurions including six ARVs Mk 2, four bridgelayers and four tha t were converted to ta nk dozer s. Seven gun tank s and a n AR V Mk I were a lso obtained from New Zea land as spare parts for the Centurions serving in Sou th Vietnam and a further 15 gun tank s were bo ught from British sto cks in Ho ng Kon g in March 1971 . An interesting conversion undertaken by the Au stralian Army was the C enturi o n Driver Training Tank which was produced in 1971 by removin g the turrets of tank s damaged in ba ttle and substituting a si mple superstructure with sea ts for students and instructor. The Centurion was phased out of service with the Austr a li an Arm y in 1977.

Denmark It is ir. ~ 7purch a;=: : . was t l~~ L offshore ~ . : Ministr\ ~:::: Army 0 : -­ parts fo: :..-~ Anoth e~ $40,650 .: : : Centur i ~~ ~.5

Right: Centurions Mk 5/2 of the Danish Army crossing M2 amphibious bridges laid by German pioneers

Below: Centurion Mk 3 of the Egyptian Army during a military parade in Cairo before Lt-Col Gamel Abd el Nasser, February 1956. Paul Popper

Denmark It is interesting to note that the largest quantity purchaser of new Centurions after the British Army was the United States of America. In 1952 and 1953 offshore procurement contracts were awarded to the Ministry of Supply and Vickers Armstrong by the US Army Ordnance for 600 Centurions Mk 3 a nd spare parts for the Dutch Army costing over $100million. Another major contract followed in 1954 totalling $40,650,000 for the production of a further 200 Centurions. Of this sum, $27,150,000 was for the manufacture of Centurions Mk 3, Centurions AR V Mk 2 and spare part~, while the remainder was for the production of ammunition. These tanks were supplied to the Royal Danish Army under the Mutual Defense

Assistance Program (MDAP). They were modified to Mark 5 standard and subsequently to Mark 5/ 2 by the installation of L 7 105mm guns. The only other modification was the installation of a 0 .5in calibre M2HB Browning machine gun forward of the commander's cupola. Centurions will remain in service with the infantry tank battalions of the Royal Danish Army into the 1980s.

Egypt Egypt acquired a number of Centurions prior to the departure of the British in 1956. After the Suez crisis, the country fell under the influence of the Soviet Union and the Egyptian Army was equipped with Warsaw Pact tanks from C zechoslovakia. The Centurions 107

Top left; The Dutch Army produced their own version of Centurion tankdozer by utilising the blade and hydraulic system of obsolescent wartime Sherman Dozers. These vehicles were not rearmed with 105mm guns and when stocks of 20pdr ammunition ran out in 1972 the main armament and fire control system were removed. The turrets were then welded in the traversed 'position with the vehicle headlights mounted on the roof.

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Centre left; In 1965, 16 Centurions Mk 5 were converted to bridgelayers by installing the A VLB system of the M48 Patton. The folding scissors type bridge has a span of 18m. The marking NL on the trackguard stowage bin is self­ explanatory and applies to all vehicles of the Royal Netherlands Army within NATO . Bottom left; The final configuration of Centurion in the Dutch Army incorporated the 105mm gun with thermal sleeve, ranging gun in a modified cradle and IR equipment. The XSW 30/u IR/white light projector, as fitted to Leopard I, was installed in 1967. Beside the coaxial machine gun is the bracket for the searchlight which is stowed in an armoured bin at the rear of the turret when not in use. Note the guards around the smoke dischargers to prevent crewmen from mounting the turret by stepping on the discharger cups. Right; Centurion Mk 7 during the Indo-Pakistan War in 1971.

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remained in service until they were lost to the Israelis at Kuntilla during the Six-Day War. It is estimated that the Egyptian Army had 32 Centurions. Ironically it now has a similar number of Israeli Centurions, many of them in running order, captured in the October War of 1973.

Holland During 1953 and 1954 the Dutch Army procured 591 Centurions Mk 3 under MDAP and in 1956 44 Centurions AR V Mk 2. Upon arrival they were fitted with .30in calibre Browning coaxial machine guns and the WS 19 was exchanged for SCR508 and WS31 AFV radios. These US radio sets were replaced by the more sophisticated AN/G RC7 in 1964 which in turn was superseded by the Philips RT-3600 type in 1969. The Browning coax was replaced by the Belgian MAG 7.62mm calibre in 1968. 70 Centurions Mk 7 were bought in 1957 but because of the UNF standards the tanks were difficult to incorporate into the logistical system and were sold to a middle-eastern country in 1963. Infra-red night fighting equipment was introduced in 1964 as well as rubber tracks to lessen damage to the roads of Holland and Germany and reduce costly repair claims. In 1962 32 Centurions Mk 5 were converted to special purpose variants, 16 as tank dozers and 16 as bridgelayers. The tankdozers incorporated the hydraulics and dozer blades of wartime Shermans. The bridgelayers utilised the US scissors type A VLB of M48 . This system was adopted in preference to the British Centurion Bridgelayer on account of its bridging capacity of 18m and reasonable cost. 343 tanks were converted to Mark 5/ 2 with L 7 105mm guns in 1967 and 1968, whilst 216 remained in their original configuration. With the advent of Leopard I in 1969, 122 Centurions Mk 5 were sold to a middle-eastern country. Also in 1969, a 0.5in ranging gun and thermal sleeve for the 105mm gun was added. A modified cradle for the ranging gun was developed which gave superior stability to the original British mounting. In the same year two Centurions were modified with the diesel engine and transmission of M60. In order to accommodate the larger

powerpack the hull had to be lengthened by 60cm and this entailed extensive modification. A number of problems arose during trials when it was found that due to the higher speed and load, track return rollers were torn off and quill shafts broke. Although all the technical problems could have been solved it proved too expensive as the estimated cost of conversion to this configuration was 800,000 Dutch guilders as against I. I million for Leopard J. The two tanks were designated 'Centurion-retrofitted' and the project was abandoned after six months. The Dutch Army evaluated the modernisation programme proposed by Kraus s Maffei but it was not adopted. In 1979, the Dutch Army ordered the Leopard 2 to replace its Centurions. Deliveries of the Leopard 2 are scheduled to begin in 1982 and continue until 1988. Pending its introduction, the Centurion fleet is to be upgraded with the Teledyne Continental A VDS-1790-2AC diesel engine and Allison CD-850-6A transmi ssio n, SABCA fire control system and Cadillac Gage turret power and stabilisation system. As with all MDAP equipment, the Centurions of the Dutch Army will return to American ownership when they are eventually phased out of service.

India An initial batch of approximately 60 Centurions Mk 7 was procured by the Indian Army between 1955 and 1956. A further 128 Centurions Mk 7 were purchased in 1957 and formed the basis of the Indian 1st Arm oured Division that has fought in two major wars on the India n sub-continent. Both the Indo-Pak istan wars of 1965 and 1971 were fought on th e borders of the two co untries over alluvial plains that embrace many types of terrain from waterlogged areas and soft desert sand s to rock strewn ground and rice paddy fields. On both occasions the robust Centurion with its relative simplicity of operation well su ited to the capabilities of the combatants proved to be the outstanding tank of the conflicts. Against the sophi sticated M47 and M48 of American origin, the simpler fire control system of Centurion and a strict adherence to the 'battle range' technique of tank engagement proved decisive. That both sides showed little im agi nation in the use of armoured formations

Len: Centurion Mk 7 or the Iraqi Army on a Dyson 50ton 16TW/4LB Trailer No I Mk 3 during a military parade in Baghdad,1961. Central Press

does not conceal the fact that the Centurion was undoubtedl y superior and its armour protection against even 90mm APCBC projectiles became legendary. Indeed many units wished to retain their Centurions rath er than be issued with the newer Vijayanta Main Battle Tank. The Centurion is no longer in service with the Indian Army. Iraq In 1965 the Iraqi Army receiv ed 12 Centurions Mk 7, 10 of these were a gift of th e USA obtained from Britain by offshore purchase and the remaining two were the gift of the British Government. On 6 January , th e tanks appeared in the Iraq Army Day Parade before King Feisa l II, after a hazardous journey by barge up the Tigris river from Basra to Baghdad, as the road and rail system was quite incapab le of transporting such heavy loads. A further 40 Centurions Mk 7 were purchased by Iraq in 1957. After the communist coup d 'etat in 1958 the Iraqi Army was grad ually re-equipped with Soviet weapons and the Centurions were phased out of service in the mid-1960s. Israel The Israeli Army is currently the largest user of Centurions with approximately 1,000 in se rvice. They will continue as the mainsta y of the Israeli Armoured Corps for many years to come. From its inception in 1948, the Israeli Armoured Corps employed a motley selection of wartime tanks, predominantly Shermans, that were un complicated and simple to operate. When the Centurion was procured in 1959 the more complex maintenance procedures and gunnery system proved to be beyond the capabilities of the citizen army's 110

national servicemen. For a number of years Centurion had a poor reputation with Israeli tank crews and the deficiencies were blamed on the tank itself. In th e training areas of the Negev desert the abras ive and all pervading dust considerably shortens the life of engines and all mechanical parts. Many was the time that Centurions failed to complete exercises when engines overheated and on occasion caught fire , brakes failed causing tanks to career down hills out of control and the standard of gunnery was abysmal. The causes of these defects were due almost exclusively to inefficient maintenance, poor driving and inadequate training brought about by deficient leadership. The first Nukheila incident in the so-called 'War of the Tractors' on the Syrian border was a case in point. For months the Syrians had sporadically fired on agricultural tractors and construction vehicles which resulted in exchanges of artillery fire . In November 1964 a company of Centurions was concealed on the border. At noon, on Tuesday 3 November, Syrian tank s opened fire on a reconnaissance patrol and the Centurions immediately returned fire. For an hour and a ha lf the tanks, which were dispersed within 50m of each other, fired continually, raising a cloud of dust and smoke that made target acquisi tion extremely difficult. After a ceasefire had been arranged by UN observers, the results were assessed and it was found that, despite expending 89 round s of 105mm ammunition, not a single Syrian Panzer IV had been hit. The fault lay in dispersing the tanks in a small area which caused such obscuration on firing that it was nigh on impossible to see the targets let alone hit them. The crews, however, blamed the tank and the gun. The reputation of Centurion had reached its nadir. It was not until General Israel Tal became commander

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Right : Following the experiences of the October War, Israeli Centurions were further modified " ith supplementary armour on the f lacis plate and turret roof. Besides a number of important modifications to the fire control s: stem which must remain lassified, the vehicle embodies a Xenon AN·VSS·3A IR searchlight, a facility sorely missed during the fighting on the Golan. On account of the fearful casualties among tank commanders who invariably fought with head and shoulders exposed

fo r increased direct vision, a revised commander's hatch, known as the Tal cupola, has been introduced that allows overhead cover in a raised position. A loader's machine gun has been added as a prophylactic measure against infantry tank hunter teams.

o f the armoured corps on I November 1964 that Centurion was to vindicate itself. General Tal, a man o f wide technical expertise and the strength of character to instil the discipline essential to the command of armoured formations, rigorously instituted strict maintenance procedures and gunnery training. The efficiency of Centurion crews rose d ramatically. At the second Nukheila incident, morale improved when a single Centurion destroyed two Panzer IVs that had fired on a patrol. In spite of this success it took a considerable time for efficient standards of maintenance to permeate throughout Right: As the majority of Centurions in Israeli service were

"lark 5s, this designation was applied to all tanks irrespective of ancestry or configuration. Israeli Centurions were upgunned with I05mm guns from February 1963. '<0 Israeli Centurions have been rearmed with French I05mm guns. Camera Press

Centurion units in the armoured corps. Even more important was the emphasis laid on gunnery; within the Israeli Armoured Corps crew members of intelligence and technical ability are selected as gunners and having gained the necess ary proficiency finally become tank commanders, so in any Israeli tank there are two gunners of proven ability. The fruits of this policy were shown during the continued incidents along the Syrian border in what was known as the Water War when the Syrians attempted to divert the sources of the Jordan river and so deprive Israel of vital water. In one such incident on 13 May

Left and below left: Centurion modification line at the Israeli Ordnance Corps workshops at Tel a Shumer, near Tel Aviv.

1965 Centurions destroyed Syrian earth moving equipment at a distance of 6km. As these engagements occurred with greater frequency the Centurion gunners became even more adept and it wa s not uncommon for Syrian tanks to be destroyed at ranges of 4,OOOm with as few as two shots. On 12 August 1965 General Tal himself took part in an engagement against Syrian tanks and destroyed a Panzer IV with his second shot while another Centurion hit Syrian plant equipment at a range of 11 km. Despite this change in its fortunes, certain aspects of Centurion made it necessary to improve the tank to suit Israeli requirements. The relatively low power to weight ratio of the Meteor petrol engine with its high fuel consumption and limited operational range were the main disadvantages. Dependence on foreign suppliers and the difficulty of obtaining spare parts compounded the problem. Tank engines had to be repeatedly rebuilt which led to poor reliability and high failure rates, necessitating large stocks of s pare engines. Ease of maintenance and engine replacement times have always been long and arduous in Centurion and overburdened the limited repair facilities. The auxiliary assemblies, particularly the cooling system, posed frequent maintenance problems. In the desert, radiators became clogged with dust and oil, pulleys and drive belts failed which decreased the tanks availability. The original air cleaners were found to be only partially effective in the Negev. They needed to be flushed with fuel and filled with clean oil daily, while under extreme conditions it was necessary every four hours. One of the factors contributing to this unhappy state of affairs was that many of the Centurions bought on the international market were in a dilapidated condition . It must be noted that the regular British Army did not encounter such problems in the equally arid Libyan and Arabian 112

desen, ~ ~ ­ Radfa n. di stin c :c­ Armoc== ::­ mo s t . " .,.­ countr ~ ' .:: other). To 0' =-­ devi sed "­ perfo rrr.::: : = to rep I2 : = engines. :_ wa s IiI ::=: availa b:" ~ ­ provide :_- ~ con vers;-­ require r .o-- ­ existin g =-; developr.=­ Althou &: ~. :. Conti ne:": : ::. ­

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Left: For those countries contemplating the replacement of their Centurion MBTs, the Israeli firm Soltam have proposed a self· contained 155mm SPG turret for redundant hulls. Two vehicles have been built incorporating the Tampella 155mm Calibre 39 howitzer in a turret capable of all round traverse. Although a sales venture, its application to the Israeli Defence rorces when Centurion is eventually replaced by Merkava is obvious. Vehicle design3l ion is M72.

deser ts nor in the extremely hostile terrain of the Radfan. The Centurion a lso had the doubtful dist inction of being the slowest tank in the Israeli Ar moured Corps (while at the sa me time it had the mos t powerful armament, heaviest armour and across coun try its speed was not sign ifican tly less than any o ther). To overcome these problems the Ordnance Corps devised a programme in 1967 to improve its perfo rmance and reliability. The prim ary concern was to replace the Meteor but the choice of existi ng engines, suitable in term s of power, speed and ran ge, was limited to six. The replacement had to be readily ava ilable on the world market, be of rea sonable cost, provide the specified performance, be sui tab le for local co nversion and fulfil the ease of maintenance requirements. None of the six would fit within the existing engine compartment. During the course of development three different engines were tested. Although all three proved prac tica ble, the Teledyne Continental A VDS-l790-2A air-cooled die sel engine was selected primarily due to sta nd a rdisation with the M48A2 Pattons that were being similarly modified. The adoption of this engine had a number of further advantages, the most impo rtant being the lower fuel consumption by a factor of 1. 7 a nd reduced fire risks. At the same time the Merritt·Brown Z5IR gea rbox was rep laced by the Allison CD-850-6 automatic transmission. This greatly eases the task of driving and simplifies driver training. This choice presented a grave problem in that the rotation of the output shafts was reve rsed to that of the Z5IR gea rbox. In order to prevent the tank from travelling backwards it was necessary to reverse the direction of output rotation and this was achieved by altering the number of reduction steps from two to one, by employing an unconventional reduction ratio of 6.45: 1 and by

precise design of the gearwheel teeth profile. By these original means the new parts were made to fit within the exi sting final drive housings. As th e size of the selected powerpack was too great for the existing engine compartment in terms of hei ght above cranksh a ft, height above hull floor and basic dimen sions, the rear hull had to be enl arged. Even so the engine was installed at an inclination of 3.5deg front side up and this necessitated elevated top decks to accommodate the cooling a ir outlet ducts that now vented upwa rds through louvres above the tran smission compartment. This has the added advanta ge of mixing cooling air with engine exhaust thu s reducing the infra-red signature of the vehicle. On account of the increased fuel capacity requirements, intr icately shaped fuel cel ls were developed that serve the dual purpose of utili sing every avai lable space within the hull for fuel stowage and as cooling air shrouds. When the turret is tr aversed, the increased height of the engine deck s limits depression of the ma in armament over th e rear and an automatic elevation device was designed to prevent the gun from fouling th em. Amongst the numero us ot her modific ations were a more efficien t oi l cooled braking system. fire extingui shers of grea ter capacity with a lOsec de lay on actuation to allow the cooling fans to stop so that they do not disperse the ex tinguishing agent before it is able to take effect and increased amm uniti on stowage of 72 rounds as agai nst the previou s 70 with more of them read il y accessible. In a ll it took three years to effect this comprehensive redesign. To mark its entry in to servi ce in May 19 70, the Ordnance Corps redesign ated the ve hicle Upgraded Centurion. Israeli tank crews however hold little sto re by designa tion s and to them a Centurion is a Centurion , a Patton is a Patton whatever its configuration, altho ugh among regular ta nk units the 113

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Left: Israeli Upgraded Centurion. Below and bottom: Comparison between basic Israeli Centurion and Upgraded Centurion during evaluation trials in the Negev Desert. The air filter boxes on the trackguards and raised engine decks are the identifying features of the latter.

improved Centurion is called 'Shot' which is Hebrew for Whip. In the lAC, the Centurion is not and has never been known as Ben-Gurion; a name ascribed to the tank by foreign commentators. For the purposes of identification in this book, the modified Centurion is called by the Ordnance Corps designation. The Israeli Armoured Corps employs only a few special purpose variants of Centurion, including the AR V Mk 2 and a simple turretless towing vehicle, similar to the early British Tug. A number of Centurion gun tanks have been modified to carry Soviet minelaying equipment such as the PT-55 mineroller and KMT-4 mineplough.

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Jordan The Jordanian Army was strongly influenced by the British during the early 1950s and it employed predominantly Britis h equipment. Between 1954 and 1956 50 Centurions Mk I, 3 and 5 were acquired. No modifications were undertaken besides the addition o f a n 0.5in M2HB Browning mac hine gu n on the turret roof. The Centurions were employed during the Six-Day War of 1967. Other marks were procurred and by the 1970s approximately 150 were in service, the majority being Mark 7s. The most celebrated formation to be equipped with Centurions was the 40th Armoured Brigade that fo ught with distinction during the Jordanian Civil W ar of 1970 and thwarted the Syrian invasion in support of the PLO. In 1972 many of the Centurions were fitted with L 7 105mm guns to become Mark 7/2s. It was thi s model that equipped the 40th Armoured Brigade when it fought in support of the hard pressed Syrians during the October War of 1973 when it proved once again to be

the most formidable of the Arab armoured formations. Centurion will remain in service with the Royal Jordani an Army for some time to come. Kuwait On 12 June 1961 the kingdom of Kuwait proclaimed independence and Britain ceased to control its external a ffairs. Within weeks the country was faced with in vasion when Ka ssem of Iraq decl ared that the diminutive oil rich state was to be seized by force. Britain responded swiftly to an appeal for help. The Centurions of C Squadron 3rd Carabiniers were shipped from Aden to Kuwait where they landed on I July. Such a prompt display of force averted the crisis. After the co nfrontation 25 Centurions remained in Kuwait where they were stored in the walled courtyard of a royal harem for use by an armoured regiment flown from Britain sho uld the occasion demand, pending the tr aining of Kuwait troops to man the tanks. In all, the Kuwait Army has 50 Centurions Mk Above: Centurion Mk 5 of the Royal Jordanian Army. Left: Centurion Mk 8/1 of the Kuwaiti Army during a military parade, 1962. IWM

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Left: Scorpion, Centurion Mk 5 of the New Zealand Armoured Regimen!, Queen Alexandra's Own, on manoeuvres in the bleak training area around Camp Waiouru. Scorpion was one of the initial batch of three Centurions purchased by the New Zealand Army, the others being Scarab and Scipio A/ricanus, one of the most original names for any tank. The registration number on the glacis plate is NZ29374 and the triangle on the turret bins denotes A Squadron. Other markings include a white fern leaf on a blaek square and red over yellow arm-of­ service sign with a white unit serial number 2 superimposed. Bazooka plates were rarely fitted after the first few years.

I and t hey serve alongside the 150 Chieftains that iJ a \e been acquired recently.

static display at the Army Muse um , Waiouru and the other is preserved in running condition at the School of Armour.

~e w Zealand :\n initial purchase of three Centurions Mk 3 was . ade in 1952. For many years they were the principal fi ght ing arm of the New Zealand Armoured R egiment, Qu een Alexandra's Own. Subsequently eight Mark 5s Were purchased in 1964 from British stocks in Hong Ko ng. A single Centurion ARV Mk I was a lso bought ':hich in New Zealand se rvice delighted in the name of ..A.R V -A-MO'. These venerable vehicles, some of whi ch were veterans of the Korean War, proved so mething of a liability suffering as th ey did from ~ec urrent brake failures. Seven of them together with the ARV Mk I were sold to Australia in 1969 where they were cannibalised to provide spare parts for the Cen turions serving in South Vietnam. Of the remaining four, two became hard targets, one is a

South Africa In 1953 , the South African Army received the fir st of 200 Centurion s Mk 3 that were to form a South African armoured divi sion as part of a British Commonwealth contingency force for employment in the Middle East. Those tanks not employed by the South African Army were stored at Durban from where they could be readily shipped to any operational area where British Commonwealth interests were threatened. The 7.92mm Besa machine guns were replaced by 0.30in Brow nings altering the Centurions to Mark 5. An additiona l Browning was fitted to the commander's cupola. After the Suez crisis of 1956, there was no further requirement for a South African armoured division and the surplu s Centurions were so ld to Switzerland. Until 1956, tank training was Left: Centurion Mk 5 negotiating a 'knife-edge'. The South African registration number (R90569) is carried on the bazooka plates, hull front and rear. Tactical signs and formation insignia are carried on

detachable plates on the front trackguards and rear hull plate.

117

undertaken at three main centres, namely. Potchefstroom in the Transvaal, Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State and Oudtshoorn in the Cape Province. Thereafter most Centurion training has been conducted at Bloemfontein, although unit and formation exercises are held throughout the country. A squadron of Centurions was al so stationed at Walvis Bay for some years. In the early 1970s, 41 Centurions were purchased from Jordan. These practically unserviceable vehicles were completely refurbished at 61 Basis Werksplaas (61 Base Workshops) in Verwoerdburg. Other Centurions have been acquired from various sources. All C enturions of the South African Army are undergoing a complete modernisation programme including a diesel powerpack and numerous improvements, the details of which are classified. The Centurion remains an important item within the army 's order of battle and a powerful deterrent to potential enemies of the Republic of South Africa.

Sweden The international tension engendered by the Korean War prompted the Swedish Army to reinforce its armoured forces. New tanks had to be rapidly introduced and in such an urgent situation the only possible solution was to obtain tanks from abroad. On account of its success in the Korean conflict, the Centurion was chosen and 88 Mark 3s were procurred under the designation Stridsvagn 81. A substantially greater number was purchased in ] 954. All were modified with .30in calibre Browning machine guns (Swedish designation Ksp m/ 39). These were fitted

"'-III

with 8mm barrels for training purposes but in wartime they would have 7.62mm barrels; there still being substantial quantities of 8mm ammunition in stock. A special track link ice peg was developed to enhance mobility in icy conditions. (The ice peg was also adopted by the British Army.) A crew heater and facility to prewarm the engine has been added to suit Swedish winter conditions. In 1958 a further batch of Centurions was ordered. These were delivered in 1960 as M ark lOs, designated Stridsvagn 101. In 1962 the Strv 81 s were modified to incorporate 105mm guns and redesignated Strv 102. Other modifications included a turret direction indicator and

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employ the mono-trailer consistently. This Stridsvagn 102 ~ ales some of the numerous modilications on Swe!lish C ,murions. The driver's approach march hood container is attached ::, me rear of the turret. The tall rectangular box beside it holds a fire ,-runguisher. On the rear hull plate are a different infantry telephone bon and a container for smoke discharger grenades with the vehicle , , _'mation number 80171 painted on it . Again, lights have been ~ [ered to meet indigenous traffic regulations. The two rectangular ;>Blebes on the rear of the trackguards are red reHectors. 10

Bottom left: Stridsvagn 101 is the Swedish designation for Centurion Mk 10. The commander's machine gun is the Ksp m/39 (.30 in calibre Browning manufactured in Sweden). Two . andankare' are stowed on the glacis plate. If the tank becomes bo gged in mud or snow, they are attached to the tracks to unditch Ibe vehicle, on the same principle as 'spuds' used by World War I tanks. On the outer edges of the front trackguards arc slots to carry ·lys platta'. These are boards coated with phosphorescent substance for night operations when military vehicles are diven without lights. They appear as yellowish squares from ground level but are invisible ':rom the air. Note the tubular guards for headlights and gunner's sight. Below: Swiss Panzer 57. Above the spare track links that extend the full width of the glacis plate on Swiss Centurions, one can see electrical conduit leading to the vehicle headlights and sockets for IR lights (not litted on this vehicle) beside the trackguard support bracket. The layout of the lights was altered to conform with Swiss traffic regulations.

new auxiliary engine. Early Centurions were fitted with th ree radios of American manufacture (RA 121, RA 130 and RA400) but these were replaced by two RA421 radios. A number of Centurions AR V Mk 2 were procured in 1956 and 1961 and designated

Bargninstanvagn 8 J (Bgtv81). It was proposed to upgrade the 300 Centurions in service with diesel powerpacks and improved AGA fire control system and although trials were conducted, the modernisation programme has been deferred . The Centurion will remain in service with the Swedish Army into the 19805. Switzerland Following the tank's success in the Korean War a contract was authorised by the Swiss Parliament in M arc h 1955 for the purchase of 100 Centurions from Vickers Ltd. They were delivered as Mark 5s between 1956 and 1957 and equipped two newly formed tank battalions under the designation Panzer 55 (Pz55). 20 Centurions AR V Mk 2 were also acquired and desig nated Entpannungspanzer 56. In 1957, 100 Centurions Mk 7 were procured, designated Panzer 57 (Pz57) as well as 10 Centurions ARV Mk 2. All underwent a series of modifications to incorporate Swi ss equipment including MG51 machine guns, SE407 radio equipment, 8.05cm 1951 smoke dischargers and lights conforming to Swiss law. Early in 1961 a new army organisation was formulated which contained mechanised divisions and tank regiments for the first time. To meet the requirements for these new formation s more tanks were needed. The demand was quickly fulfilled by the purchase of 100 Centurions from So uth Africa. In the same year a programme was begun to equip hal f the Centurions in Swiss se rvice with L 7 105mm guns. In this guise Pz55 became the Panzer 55/ 60 and Pz57 the Pan zer 57/ 60. By the end of 1979 all have been rearmed with 105mm

guns. Two tanks , one Pz55 /60 and a Pz57/ 60, were completely refurbished by Vickers Ltd to incorporate a ll the modifications of their Retrofit programme including GM 12V -71 T diesel engine, TN 12 gearbox, rubber tracks, NBC protection, laser rangefinder for

th e gunner, EC576 gun controJ equipment, Chieftain commander's cupola and additional ar mour on the gl ac is plate. Despite the success of the evaluation trial s, the Retrofit programme will no t be undertaken in series.

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Above: The Centurion ARV Mk 2 is designated Entpannungspanzer 56 in Swiss Army service. Modifications to the ARV included MG5J on commander's cupola, SE407 radio equipment and four sets of 8.05cm 1951 smoke dischargers, two on the front track-guards and two on the rear of the side stowage bins. Below: The Austrian Army employs a number of Centurion tank turrets as gun emplacements to defend mountain passes where the

employment of mobile armoured forces is often impracticable. The I 05mm gun turret is mounted over a sunken concrete bunker alTording a minimal target to attackers. Such emplacements were used with considerable success by the Germans during World War 2 on the Gothic Line. Many of the turrets were obtained from Krauss Maffei who had received them from the Canadian Army as part of the Leopard C I procurement contract.

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Above: Colombo, Centurion Mk 3 01ZR46, 3 Troop Leader (Lt M. Radford) of C Squadron 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, after the retreat from Pyongyang in face of the Chinese advance following their intervention in the Korean War. C Squadron formed defensive positions on the airfield of Seoul [sland in the Han river to cover the withdrawal route of 29th British Infantry Brigade through the South Korean capital, 20 December [950. Despite the bitter cold of the Korean winter, the Centurions performed admirably in temperatures as low as - 16°F. US Army

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Left: On II February 1951, Colorado and Caughoo ofC Squadron 8 KR[H fired tbe first rounds in anger from a Centurion tank in support of an American infantry patrol along the banks of the Han river. Colorado, Centurion Mk 3 3 Alpha fires on a Cromwell tank captured by tbe Chinese in an earlier battle. The Cromwell, hidden below a bridge of a railway embankment, was destroyed at a range of 3,000yd. In the battle of the Imjin river, 22· 25 April 1951, the Centurions of C Squadron were a crucial factor in the successful disengagement of the 29th Brigade in this epic encounter that bore the brunt of the Chinese Spring Offensive. I WM

121

Above: By the end of 1951, the fighting in Korea had devolved into static warfare reminiscent of the Great War. The opposing armies occupied the commanding features overlooking the frontline that stretched the breadth of the Korean peninsula. With their suspension and tracks protected by earthworks and sandbags, the tanks were emplaced on hilltops among the infantry positions. From their vantage points, the tanks dominated no man's land and curtailed all movement by the enemy during daylight. At night, the tanks supported infantry patrols and executed defensive fire plans to counter enemy patrols and massed infantry attacks. Becher's Brook, Centurion Mk 3 of B Squadron 5th Royallnniskilling Dragoon Guards in a typical hilltop position fires on an enemy bunker. The accuracy of the 20-pounder enabled pinpoint targets to be engaged at ranges up to 3,OOOyd. Topix

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Below: Centurion Mk 5 of B Squadron 6th Royal Tank Regiment disembarks from the LST (Tank Landing Ship), HMS Salerno, at Port Said during the Anglo-French intervention to occupy the Suez Canal,6 November 1956. B Squadron was involved in fierce street fighting in support of Nos 42 and 45 Royal Marine Commandos throughout the day until the ceasefire became effective at midnight. Both A and B Squadron were landed directly from LSTs whereas the waterproofed Centurions of C Squadron waded ashore over the beaches of Port Said during the initial assault. The black stripe around the turret was a mutual recognition device carried by all British and French tanks as the Egyptian Army had a number of Centurions in service. rWM

Above: Persuader, Centurion Mk 5 4 Alpha (Sgt Jacknik) of A Squadron 6th Royal Tank Regiment on the Suez Canal road with 'Ies paras' of ler Regiment Etrangere Parachutiste (I st Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment) in support. The Centurions of A Squadron led the rapid advance down the Canal road but the eeasefire was declared before their objectives were achieved. Despite the prominent white H emblazoned on the turret roof for air recognition, 0lZR40 was strafed by a 'friendly' aircraft and sustained a 20mm cannon hit to the hull without effect. Persuader was involved in a ceasefire violation when an Egyptian patrol fired on the tank, superlically wounding the tank commander in what was known as 'The War ofJacknik's Ear'. ECPArmees

Below: The last occasion that British tanks have fired in anger was during the Aden Emergency of the early 1960s. In the mountain warfare of the Radfan campaign AFVs were severely constrained by the appalling terrain but in May 1964 the Centurions of 4 Troop C Squadron the 16th/5th Lancers, together with Ferrets and Saladins of 4th Royal Tank Regiment, were employed to destroy sangars of dissident rebels in the Wadi Misrah , Centurions Mk 10 of 4 Troop C Squadron 16th/5th Lancers engage rebels during the action in the Wadi Misrah, the only time the British Army has used the L7 I05mm in battle. IWM

Left: An Israeli tank crew atop a Centurion Mk 5 (British designation Mark 6) await orders to move at the start of the Six-Day War, 5 June 1967_One of the major factors contributing to the awesome success of the Israeli Armoured Corps in the Six-Day War was the outstanding performance of the 105mm gun coupled with the skill of the tank gunners_ Enemy tanks were destroyed at distances of up to 4,000yd, well beyond the efTective range of Soviet supplied T54s and T55s_ Typical features of Israeli Centurions of this period were the commander's 0_5in M2 HB Browning machine gun, SC R608 radio installation, water jerrycans on the trackguards, revised headlights and a barbed wire roll on the glacis plate for night defensive positions_ Sy ndicatio n International Below : At the time of the Six-Day War the Israeli Army possessed approximately 250 Centurions. Almost all were armed with 105mm guns. They formed the principal fighting arm of the three Israeli ugdahs, or divisions, of Generals Tal, YofTe and Sharon in the overwhelming ofTensive that captured the entire Sinai peninsula. In the fluid battles that ensued, the Centurions' mobility and firepower proved second to none while their ability to continue fighting despite extensive battle damage enabled Centurion formations to sustain oO'ensive operations beyond the endurance of other tanks employed in the war. Central Press

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Above: After its unhappy debut in the Israeli Armoured Corps, the Centurion was thoroughly vindicated in the Six-Day War and won unstinting praise from Israeli tank crews. In the fierce encounters at the Rafa Junction, Sheik Zuweid, the Jeradi, Abu Agheila, Jebel Libni, Bir Gafgafa and on to the Suez Canal, Centurions spearheaded the otTensive and consistently outfought their less mobile opponents. An Israeli Centurion at speed in the Sinai Desert, 6 June 1967. The fixture above the mantlet is a mounting bracket for a .50in calibre M2HB Browning machine gun that was used as a sub-calibre training aid to conserve main armament ammunition

during gunnery practice. Syndication Internationa l Below: The Centurions orc Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps, landed in South Vietnam in

February 1968 as tank support to the 1st Australian Task Force operating in Phuoc Tuy Province. Centurions of 2 Troop, C Squadron, with their RAEME support of a Centurion ARV Mk 2 and an MI13AI fitters truck, pause on the road from the Task Force headquarters in Nui Dat to Binh Duong Province where the tanks played a prominent part in the repulse of an NVA/VC (North Vietnamese Army/Viet Cong) regiment attack against Fire Support Base Balmoral during the communist post-Tet otTensive, May 1968. The bazooka plates were discarded soon after arrival in South Vietnam because mud and vegetation compacted between them and the suspension causing distorted trackguards and stowage bins. AWM

Above: A Centurion Mk 5/1 (AUST) of B Squadron grinds through secondary jungle growth in support of C Company, 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment during Operation Surfside, a 'reconnaissance-in-force' in the south east of Phuoc Tuy Province, April 1969. Such terrain posed few problems for 50ton Centurions beyond the damage incurred from vines and vegetation to trackguards and slOwage bins, evident in this photograph. The sparc road wheels on the glacis plate were carried as ready replacements in case of mine damage, the principal NV A/VC anti-tank weapon. They also served as increased frontal protection against infantry hollow-charge weapons such as the RPG. A WM Below: The Centurions of 1st Armoured Regiment were normally employed in South Vietnam to support company size operations

under infantry control but armoured operations were also conducted such as Operation Matilda, the largest Australian armoured operation since WW2 when eight Centurions, 30 M II3A I APCs plus support vehicles swept through three provinces in a I SO-mile search for the Viet Congo A Centurion Mk 5/1 (AUST) of A Squadron negotiates a No 6 Tank Bridge, laid by a Centurion Bridgelayer, across a stream in Binh Tuy Province. The photograph illustrates a number of typical features of Centurions in Vietnam including the reinforced trackguard stowage bins, spare roadwheels on the glacis plate, water jerry cans across the transmission covers, turret stowage basket crammed with C ration packs and a machete wedged between the turret and stowage bin to cut away vegetation fouling the running gear. A WM

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near the Syrian border during the Jordanian Civil War, September 1970. The Centurions of this fine Bedu formation thwarted the Syrian invasion in support of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, destroying many T54s and T55s with little loss to themselves. Syndication international Below: By October 1973, almost half oflsraeli Centurions had been modified with Continental diesel engines and other improvements. The two armoured brigades defending the Golan

Heights at the outset of the war were equipped entirely with Upgraded Centurions. For 48 hours the Centurions of the 7th and 188th Armoured Brigades withstood the onslaught of three Syrian divisions until the mobilisation of reserve formations turned the tide and the Israeli counter-attack was launched. An Upgraded Centurion attached to the reserve 79th Armoured Brigade advancing over the rolling, open terrain of the Golan plateau towards the 1967 Ceasefire Line, 10 October 1973. Photographers international

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Above: Upgraded Centurions advance into Syria following the holding action of the opening days on the Golan Heights. Due to the haste of mobilisation, tanks were committed piecemeal as they climbed on to the Golan and armoured battalions were formed from a variety of units. Israeli tank commanders have always fought with their head and shoulders exposed in the turrets for greater visibility of the battlefield. As a result, they sulTered appalling casualties from artillery fire in the October War. Below: At the conclusion of the Israeli offensive on Ihe Northern Front, Centurion forma lions were redeployed to the Sinai where a

few Centurion units had been fighting since the opening days of the war, notably in the massive tank baltle of Sunday 14 October. Centurions were among the first tanks to cross the Suez Canal at Deversoir during Operation Strongheart, General Sharon's masterful counterstroke that encircled the Egyptian Third Army. An Upgraded Centurion forges across the desert; the lack of markings indicates a tank of a reserve formation. The distinguishing features of an Upgraded Centurion from the front are the fire extinguisher pull handles on the glacis plate and the revised American style headlight assemblies.