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6 6 5 5 1 1 Home Page Home Page T A N K FV4201 Chieftain Main Battle Tank in 1958 the General Staff issued a specification for a tank that would replace the Centurion and Conqueror in the British army. The specification drew on experience gained during the Korean War and included details of a prototype tank developed by Leyland. The tank was expected to be capable of engaging the enemy at long range and be proof against medium artillery, while the main armament was to be the Royal Ordnance L11 120 mm rifled gun which was under development. The first prototype was built in 1959, followed by six more and a pre-production order for forty which were delivered in 1961-63. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 55 tons Dimensions: Length 35 ft 4 ins, Width 12 ft, Height 9 ft 6 ins Powerplant: 1 x Leyland L60 750 hp multi-fuel engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 310 miles Armament: 1 x L11A5 120 mm gun, 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 195 mm Crew: 4 The tank was accepted for service and named Chieftain, this being followed by an order for a further 770 which entered full service in 1966. At the time the Chieftain had the largest gun fitted to any NATO tank and could fire a range of ammunition. Around 900 were supplied to the British Army, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s around a further 1,000 were sold to Iran, and after the fall of the Shah in 1979 they were used by the revolutionary forces during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88. In the early 1990s the Chieftain was withdrawn from service in the British army and replaced by the Challenger I MBT. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 2,200+ T A N K Vickers Mk 1 Main Battle Tank During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s Vickers Defence Systems designed a simple, low-cost, but effective main battle tank as a private venture for the export market. The design utilised many proven components such as the L7 105 mm tank gun, a Leyland L60 multi-fuel engine, and the transmission and fire control system of the Chieftain. The first prototype was completed in 1963, and the following year one was sent to India for trials as part of an agreement reached between Vickers and the Indian government. The tank was adopted for the Indian Army and designated the Vickers Mk 1 Vijayanta S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 43 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 10 ins, Width 10 ft 5 ins, Height 8 ft 9 ins Powerplant: 1 x Leyland L60 535 hp multi-fuel engine Performance: Maximum speed 31 mph, Range 330 miles Armament: 1 x 105 mm gun, 1 x 7.62 and 2 x 12.7 mm mgs Armour: Maximum thickness 80 mm Crew: 4 (Victory), with the first 90 being built in the UK while facilities for their construction in India were being built. Production was completed in the mid 1980s, by which time around 2,200 had been built. The Vijayanta was to see action in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War, when Indian armoured divisions intervened to support the Bangladesh liberation movement and their claim on Kashmir, and again during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1999. In the 1990s it was proposed that the tanks should be upgraded, but were eventually withdraw from service in favour of the Russian T72M. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 2,200 T A N K Vickers Mk 3 Main Battle Tank In the UK Vickers Defence Systems continued to develop the design of their Mk I MBT they had successfully sold to India as another private venture. The layout was very similar to the Mk 1, but with a redesigned turret and better protection. The turret is well shaped with a cast front welded to a fabricated armour plate body, and incorporated a cast gun mantlet which is a better shape to resist armour piercing projectiles than the flat mantlet of the Mark. 1. Another distinctive feature of the Mk 3 turret is the fitting of a commander's contra-rotating cupola. The main gun was still the same British L7A1 fully S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 38 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 10 ins, Width 10 ft 4 ins, Height 8 ft 1 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 800 hp hp multi-fuel engine Performance: Maximum speed 31 mph, Range 320 miles Armament: 1 x 105 mm gun, 2 x 7.62 and 1 x 12.7 mm mgs Armour: Maximum thickness 80 mm Crew: 4 stabilised 105 mm gun with the capability to fire a full range of NATO ammunition. Given the designation of the Vickers Mk 3 MBT, a prototype was completed in 1975 and offered for sale. During the mid 1970s Kenya purchased 80 Mk 3s which were delivered between 1977 and 1981. Nigeria also purchased 70 which with deliveries being completed in 1995. One final variant was the Mk 3(M) which was developed for the Malaysia army in the 1980’s. The tank had a number of improvements over the standard Mk 3, but a production order from Malaysia failed to materialise. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 151 T A N K Vickers Mk 3(M) Main Battle Tank In the UK Vickers Defence Systems continued to develop the design of their Mk I MBT they had successfully sold to India as another private venture. The layout was very similar to the Mk 1, but with a redesigned turret and better protection. The turret is well shaped with a cast front welded to a fabricated armour plate body, and incorporated a cast gun mantlet which is a better shape to resist armour piercing projectiles than the flat mantlet of the Mark. 1. Another distinctive feature of the Mk 3 turret is the fitting of a commander's contra-rotating cupola. The main gun was still the same British L7A1 fully S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 36.9 tons Dimensions: Length 24 ft 10 ins, Width 10 ft 6 ins, Height 8 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x Detroit 720 hp hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 31 mph, Range 330 miles Armament: 1 x 105 mm gun, 2 x 7.62 and 1 x 12.7 mm mgs Armour: Maximum thickness 80 mm Crew: 4 stabilised 105 mm gun with the capability to fire a full range of NATO ammunition. Given the designation of the Vickers Mk 3 MBT, a prototype was completed in 1975 and offered for sale. During the mid 1970s Kenya purchased 80 Mk 3s which were delivered between 1977 and 1981. Nigeria also purchased 70 which with deliveries being completed in 1995. One final variant was the Mk 3(M) which was developed for the Malaysia army in the 1980’s. The tank had a number of improvements over the standard Mk 3, but a production order from Malaysia failed to materialise. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 T A N K FV101 ‘Scorpion’ CVR(T) In the early 1960s design work began on a replacement vehicle for the Saladin armoured car in the reconnaissance role. The main criteria was that it should have at least the same 76 mm main gun, be as quiet as possible, capable of travelling over soft ground, and be of a size and weight that allowed it to be air transportable. The first design weighed around 13 tons and was too heavy for the aircraft of the time, but the solution was found in the use of aluminium armour which the Americans had pioneered on the M113 armoured personnel carrier. In 1967, Alvis was awarded the development contract to build 17 S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 8 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 5 ins, Width 7 ft 2 ins, Height 6 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Jaguar 190 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 400 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun, 1 x 7.62 mm machine Armour: Maximum thickness 12.5 mm Crew: 3 FV101 Scorpion CVR(T) (Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance, Tracked), which would be used for extensive trials around the world to test their performance in various climates. Successful trials led to Alvis being awarded an initial contract for 275 vehicles with production commencing in 1971. The first were completed in 1972 and issued to the Blues and Royals the following year. The Scorpion was phased out of British service in the early 1990s, although many others are still on strength with foreign powers, and with the upgrades that are available could remain in service for the foreseeable future. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 3,000+ T A N K T A N K FV107 ‘Scimitar’ CVR(T) The FV107 Scimitar was developed alongside the Scorpion and differs only in its main armament. The Scimitar is armed with a 30 mm Rarden cannon which can fire single rounds or in auto mode with a maximum rate of fire of 80 rounds per minute. Like the Scorpion the armour is proof against small arms fire and shell splinters and powered by the same 190 hp Jaguar engine. They also entered service with the British Army in 1973 and were usually deployed in a reconnaissance troop alongside the Scorpion. In service with the British Army two troops from B Squadron of the Blues and Royals served in the Falklands War, S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 7.67 toms Dimensions: Length 14 ft 5 ins, Width 7 ft 2 ins, Height 6 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Jaguar 190 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 400 miles Armament: 1 x 30 mm Rardon cannon, 1 x 7.62 mm machine Armour: Maximum thickness 12.5 mm Crew: 3 one being equipped with four Scorpions and the other with four Scimitars. They were only armoured vehicles used by the British Army during the conflict where their low track pressure allowed them to cross ground impassable on foot. Scimitars were again deployed during the First and second Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2003 as part of the coalition forces against the Iraqi forces of Saddam Hussein. They have served in Afghanistan, and on several occasions with United Nations Peace Keeping forces. They are expected to be withdrawn in 2017 and replaced by the Scout SV reconnaissance vehicle. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 486 Alvis Sabre To complete the line-up of the CVR(T) family, the Alvis Sabre was a hybrid machine introduced in 1995 as a less expensive way of producing a similar vehicle to the FV107 Scimitar. In the early 1990s the FV101 Scorpion and Fox armoured car were withdrawn from British service. The Fox had the same 30 mm Rarden cannon as the Scimitar in a slightly lower profile turret, so it was decided to create a new vehicle by adapting the turret to fit the Scorpion hull. The Sabre was brought into service in 1995, but during exercises several flaws were identified, in particular in its defensive capabilities. This resulted in several S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 7.67 toms Dimensions: Length 14 ft 5 ins, Width 7 ft 2 ins, Height 7 ft 1 ins Powerplant: 1 x Cummins 190 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 472 miles Armament: 1 x 30 mm Rardon cannon, 1 x 7.62 mm chain gun Armour: Maximum thickness 12.5 mm Crew: 3 modifications to the turret which included redesigned smoke grenade launchers and a Hughes L94 7.62 mm chain gun instead of the standard 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun. Around 135 vehicles were eventually converted to Sabres which were used as Reconnaissance vehicles for the Armoured and Mechanised Infantry Battalions. Sabres were deployed in Yugoslavia during the civil war in the late 1990s, and again in the Second Gulf War, however the marriage of the Fox turret to the Scorpion chassis was not successful and the Sabre was withdrawn from British Army service in 2004. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 350 T A N K Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank In 1986 Vickers Defence Systems began to design a successor for the Challenger I as a private venture. In June 1991, after competition with other tank designs which included the US M1A2 Abrams and the German Leopard II, the MOD selected the Challenger 2 for production and placed an order for 127 Challenger 2 MBTs and 13 Driver Training Tanks to replace the Challenger 1. Production commenced in 1993, and the first vehicles were completed a year later. The Challenger 2 was accepted for service with the British Army in May 1994, and was followed in July by a second contract for a further 259 S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 61.5 tons Dimensions: Length 44 ft 3 ins, Width 11 ft 6 ins, Height 8 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x Perkins CV12 1,200 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 37 mph, Range 340 miles Armament: 1 x 120 mm L30 gun, 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns Armour: Classified Crew: 4 Challenger 2s and 9 training tanks. Superficially Challenger 2 looks similar to the Challenger 1, as it uses the same hull and running gear. The turret however has been redesigned and incorporates a range of sophisticated fire-control computers and thermal imaging equipment. The Challenger 2 is widely considered to be one of the best protected tanks in the world and has seen service with United Nations forces in Bosnia and Kosovo, and with coalition forces in Iraq during the Second Gulf War. Challenger 2 is expected to remain in service with the British army until at least 2035. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 446 T A N K Stormer 30 The Stormer 30 was produced as a private venture by Alvis/BAe as a development of the basic FV4333 design to produce a highly mobile tracked Reconnaissance vehicle. Design work began in 1995, and wherever possible proven components were utilised from the CVR(T) family. The Stormer 30 was designed to fulfil a variety of military and peacekeeping roles, providing reconnaissance, fire support, escort duties, and internal security roles, and was capable of being airlifted by a C-130 Hercules or a CH-53 heavy lift helicopter. The prototype appeared in 1997 and was armed with a 30 mm Bushmaster II S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 12.79 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 2 ins, Width 8 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Cummins 260 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 250 miles Armament: 1 x 30 mm Bushmaster cannon, 1 x 7.62 mm mg Armour: Maximum thickness 12.5 mm Crew: 3 automatic cannon in a fully stabilised turret. The cannon’s rate of fire is a single shot to 200 rounds per minute, and has a double selection ammunition feed system with 180 rounds of ammunition ready to fire. The gun was capable of defeating lightly armoured vehicles, while two TOW missile launchers could be fitted to the turret giving the vehicle an anti-tank capability. Armour protection was proof against 14.5 mm heavy machine gun fire and artillery shell splinters. The vehicle was demonstrated in both the United Kingdom and the Middle East, but to date there have not been any production orders. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: Unknown T A N K T A N K A33 Assault Tank 'Excelsior' After the disastrous Dieppe Raid in August 1942, there was real concern over the performance of the Churchill infantry tank, and it was even suggested that production of the tank should stopped in order to manufacture more of the A27 Cromwell which was performing well in trials. As a replacement for the Churchill Rolls-Royce put forward a proposal for a modified Cromwell with stronger suspension and armour protection equivalent to the Churchill. English Electric suggested using the A27 hull and turret with extra armour and the track and suspension of the M6 Heavy Tank which had recently been S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 40 tons Dimensions: 22 ft 6 ins, Width 11 ft 2 ins, Height 7 ft Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 600 hp Meteor Petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 25 mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun, 2 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 112 mm Crew: 5 developed in the U.S.A. Two Rolls-Royce projects, the A31 and A32, never got beyond the drawing board stage, but the English Electric proposal, the A33, went ahead. Two prototypes were built on a Cromwell tank hull, the first with the suspension of the M6 tank and was armed with a 6 pounder gun, while the second had extra armour, widened tracks and a different armoured skirt and armed with a 75 mm gun. The A33 Excelsior appeared in 1943, but by then the reliability problems of the Churchill tank had been resolved which meant the A33 Excelsior was no longer required and the project dropped. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 2 Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 24,429 A R M O U R E D C A R T A N K A39 Assault Tank ‘Tortoise’ In 1943 the Allies anticipated that any invasion of mainland Europe would involve having to overcome the enemy from prepared heavily fortified positions. As a consequence a new class of vehicle was proposed in the shape of the assault tank, which would have maximum armour protection at the price of mobility. Work on the A33 and A38 Assault tanks was already progressing when Duncan Sandys, the Secretary of State for War Winston Churchill’s son-in-law, proposed the development of a super heavy tank. The idea was soon approved with design work commencing in mid 1943. Several design ideas were put S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 78 tons Dimensions: Length 33 ft, Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 10 ft Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 650 hp Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 12 mph, Range 87 miles Armament: 1 x 32 pounder gun, 3 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 225 mm Crew: 7 forward before they chose the Nuffield proposal which was submitted in early 1944. Known as the A39 Tortoise, it was the ultimate manifestation of the heavily armoured infantry tank, although it should really been referred to as an assault gun. It was armed with a 32 pounder gun that could penetrating the armour of any late war German tank. The superstructure had a maximum armour thickness of 225 mm, while the tank itself weighed a massive 78 tons. Development of the tank was slow, and with the end of the war interest in the project waned, only six being built which were delivered in 1946-7. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 6 T A N K M22 ‘Locust’ Light Tank In 1941 the British War Office made a request to the American government to design a light tank that could be transported by glider to support British airborne forces. The Light Tank Mk VII Tetrarch had already been selected for the airborne forces, but it had not been designed with that purpose in mind, and it was believed a purpose built tank would be needed to replace it. Marmon-Herrington were selected to design and build a prototype which was designated the Light Tank T9 (Airborne), and looked like a scaled down M4 Sherman. It was designed to be airlifted underneath a Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 7.3 tons Dimensions: Length 12 ft 11 ins, Width 7 ft 4 ins, Height 5 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Lycoming 162 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 40 mph, Range 135 miles Armament: 1 x 37 mm M6 gun, 1 x 7.62 mm machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 25 mm Crew: 3 aircraft, although its small dimensions would also allow it to fit inside a General Aircraft Hamilcar glider. Production of the T9 began in April 1943. 260 were supplied under Lend-Lease to the British who named the tank ‘Locust’, but mechanical problems hampered their introduction into service. The Locust was not used during the D-Day landings by the British airborne forces in June 1944, although eight were finally used during Operation Varsity and the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. In action they did not perform particularly well, several being damaged during the landings. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 830 T A N K M24 ‘Chaffee’ Light Tank By 1942 the U.S. 37 mm gun was no longer adequate as a main weapon for a tank, and after attempts to fit a 75 mm gun into an M5 failed, work commenced on a new design for a light tank as a replacement. The prototype was completed in October 1943 and production commenced in April 1944. The main armament was a lightweight high velocity 75 mm gun and the design incorporated a new torsion bar suspension system, the vehicle being powered by the same twin Cadillac engines as used in the M5. They began to enter service in late 1944 with U.S. forces but saw only limited use before the end of the war. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 18.4 tons Dimensions: Length 18 ft 4 ins, Width 9 ft 10 ins, Height 9 ft 1 in Powerplant: 2 x Cadillac 110 hp petrol engines Performance: Maximum speed 35 mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm gun, 2 x 7.62 mm, 1 x 12.7 machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 38 mm Crew: 4/5 The only significant overseas user of the M24 during the Second World War was the U.K. who received just over 300 who operated the type during the last few months of World War Two. Production ended in June 1945 with just over 4,700 being built. Field reports from the armoured divisions that received the M24 prior to the end of the war were generally good. Crews liked the improved off-road performance and the tank’s reliability, and although the M24 was lightly armoured and inferior to German battle tanks of the day, the 75 mm gun at least gave them the chance to fight back. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 4,731 T A N K A38 Assault Tank 'Valiant' Designed at the same time as the A33 Excelsior for the same reason, the A38 Valiant was Vickers design for an assault tank that had the thickest frontal armour on the lowest possible weight. The A38 weighed only 27 tons compared to 40 tons of the A33, but still had the same 114 mm of frontal armour. In essence it was an improved version of the Valentine tank, and was to be armed with a 6 pounder or 75 mm gun in a larger three man turret. As many parts as possible from the Valentine would be used, while it would be powered by an uprated GMC diesel engine, later being replaced by a Rolls-Royce Meteorite S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 27 tons Dimensions: Length 18 ft 4 ins, Width 9 ft 3 ins, Height 7 ft Powerplant: 1 x GMC 210 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 12 mph, Range 80 miles Armament: 1 x75 mm gun, 1 x 7.62 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 112 mm Crew: 4 engine, an eight cylinder version of the meteor. Various design features were incorporated to speed up production, such as the road wheels being the same size and were independently sprung. Ruston & Hornby produced a prototype which was ready for trials in late 1944, these however being delayed with the Valiant starting trials in May 1945. Problems with the suspension soon caused the trials to be abandoned, while driving the tank proved to be physically exhausting. By then World War Two was very nearly at an end and the need for the tank no longer existed, so the project was terminated. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 Cruiser Tank ‘Comet’ (A34) In early 1943 Leyland was given the brief to develop a tank that would be armed with the new 17 pounder tank gun and use as many Cromwell components as possible. The prototypes were delivered in early 1944 for trials which revealed a good deal of redesign was required, and what was initially an up-gunned Cromwell reached the point where over 50% was redesigned. The revised tank was still mechanically similar to the Cromwell, having the same transmission and engine, and a similar suspension system, although it did use return rollers which slightly reduced the range of movement for each road wheel. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 35.2 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft 1½ ins, Width 10 ft, Height 8 ft 9½ ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 600 hp Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 123 miles Armament: 1 x 77 mm gun, 2 x 7.7 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 102 mm Crew: 5 The gun was carried in a well-designed welded turret, with a cast front that included the mantlet, while An all-round vision cupola was fitted as standard for the commander. The Comet began to enter service in early 1945 with the 29th Armoured Brigade, and were first used in action by the British after the crossing of the Rhine. In its short combat service the Comet proved to be popular with its crews who finally had a fast, manoeuvrable and well armed and armoured tank that could take on the Panther and Tiger at reasonable ranges, and indeed was the best British tank design of World War Two. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1,186 T A N K A43 Infantry Tank 'Black Prince In 1942 work began on a new heavy tank which would have the ability to take on the latest German designs. The design was called the A43 ‘Super Churchill’, but the project was shelved in preference for the A41 Universal tank (Centurion) which was under development at the same time. As a back up in case the A41 proved a failure, the project was reinstated in 1943 and the name changed to ‘Black Prince’. The main criteria for the design was to use as many parts as possible from the Churchill, be heavily armoured, and armed the new 17 pounder tank gun. Compared to the Churchill the 17 pounder gun required a S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 49 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft 6 ins, Width 11 ft 3 ins, Height 9 ft Powerplant: 1 x Bedford 350 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 11 mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 17 pounder gun, 2 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 152 mm Crew: 5 larger turret and turret ring, so to accommodate this the hull was widened. The new design weighed around ten tons more which required the suspension to be modified and the tracks widened to carry the extra load. The same 350 hp engine was retained, but as the tank was heavier there was a drop in performance. Six prototypes were built which began trials in May 1945, but by then the war was nearly over and the Comet and Centurion were entering service, both of which were armed with the same gun and had better mobility, if not the armour protection, and the project was finally abandoned. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 6 T A N K Centurion Mk 1 Main Battle Tank In 1943 the British War Office issued a specification for a heavy cruiser tank which would eliminate the faults of previous designs. The main features to be incorporated were better reliability, protection, mobility and fire power, with the main armament being the 17 pounder which was the best Allied anti-tank gun of World War Two. The tank was to have frontal armour capable of resisting a direct hit from an 88 mm shell, while maximum weight was not to exceed 40 tons. The new tank was given the General Staff number A41, and by May 1944 a mockup was ready for inspection. 20 pilot models were S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 42.3 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft, Width 11 ft 1 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x 600 hp Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 23 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 17 pounder gun, 1 x 20 mm Polsten cannon Armour: Maximum thickness 127 mm Crew: 4 ordered with various armament combinations, ten having a 17 pounder gun and a 20 mm Polsten cannon in an independent mounting, while ten were fitted with a Besa machine gun in the rear of the turret and the rest an escape door instead. The front glacis armour was only 76 mm, which was thinner than the Churchill tank, but the glacis plate was highly sloped and the effective thickness was higher. The war in Europe ended before the A41, now called Centurion, entered service, but six were sent to Belgium less than a month after VE day in May 1945 where they were trialled by British Army units. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 100 T A N K Centurion Mk 3 Main Battle Tank The Centurion Mk 3 introduced a brand new gun in the form of the Ordnance QF 20 pounder (84 mm), which was provided with an automatic stabilisation system for better accuracy which allowed the gunner to fire on the move. The rounds were also heavier and able to cope with the frontal armour of the Russian T-34/85 and the IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tanks. The second modification was the replacement of the Polsten 20 mm cannon by a standard 7.62 mm Besa machine gun, the Polsten being an unnecessarily large calibre for local defence against troops. The Mk 3 entered production in 1948 and replaced the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 50 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft, Width 11 ft 1 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x 650 hp Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 20 pounder gun, 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 152 mm Crew: 4 Mk 1 and 2s in service, these then being converted into armoured recovery vehicles or upgraded to Mk 3 standard. In service Centurion Mk 3 tanks were successfully used by British forces during the Korean War, winning lasting fame during the Battle of the Imjin River when tanks of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars covered the withdrawal of the 29th Brigade during a massive assault by communist forces in the spring of 1951. While serving in Korea the Centurion Mk 3 proved to be more effective than the American 90 mm armed M26 Pershing and M46 Patton tanks on the battlefield. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 2,833 T A N K T A N K Centurion Mk 7 Main Battle Tank After the Mk 3, the next major version put into production was the Mk 5. The Mk 5 included various upgrades including a ranging machine gun for the 20 pounder, but by then the Royal Ordnance Factory had developed an even better weapon. This was the L7 105 mm gun which would become one of the finest tank guns in the world, and was first introduced on the Mk 5/2, the L7 gun itself would be steadily improved and remain the standard British tank gun for decades to come. The Centurion Mk 6 was an improved Mk 5 with the 105 mm main gun and infra-red night vision equipment. The next major upgrade of S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 50 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft, Width 11 ft 1 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x 650 hp Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 105 mm L7 gun, 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 152 mm Crew: 4 the tank was the Mk 7 which was developed by Leyland Motors, the design work being completed in 1953 and production beginning shortly afterwards. The revised design featured an expanded hull, improved cabin interior, larger fuel tanks, a revised turret with a contra-rotating cupola for the commander and better armour. The Mk 7 was armed with the 20 pounder gun fitted with a fume extractor, but the Mk 7/2 introduced an improved version of the L7 105 mm gun which could fire a wide range of ammunition, and with this tank the British Army had the capability of taking on any other in service at the time. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 229 T A N K Centurion Mk 10 Main Battle Tank Development of the Centurion led to the Mk 8, this having a new gun mantlet and a contra rotating commanders cupola. The Mk 8/1 was up-armoured and the Mk 8/2 was armed with the L7 105 mm gun. The Mk 9 was a Mk 7 up-armoured and up-gunned with the 105 mm gun. The Mk 9/1 was a Mk 9 with infra-red night vision equipment and stowage basket on the rear of the turret. The Mk 9/2 was a Mk 9 with a 12.7 mm ranging machine gun. The Mk 10 was an up-armoured Mk 8 which was also up-gunned with the 105 mm L7 gun and had increased ammunition capacity. The Mk 10/1 was fitted with S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 50 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft, Width 11 ft 1 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x 650 hp Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 105 mm L7 gun, 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 152 mm Crew: 4 infra-red night vision equipment and the Mk 10/2 had a 12.7 mm ranging machine gun. The Mk 11, 12 and 13 were a Mk 6, 9 and 10 fitted with a 12.7 mm ranging machine gun and infra-red night vision equipment. By the time production ended in 1962, 4,423 Centurion tanks had been built, with around 1,300 serving with the British Army and the rest sold abroad. In the mid 1960s the Centurion began to be replaced by the Chieftain in the British Army, although many remained in service with the Royal Engineers in various forms until the early 1990’s, while others are still in service around the world. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 325 T A N K FV4004 Conway With the appearance in large numbers of the Russian JS-3 tank shortly after World War Two, the British did not have a mobile weapons system to counter their heavy armour (a maximum of 200 mm). In the late 1940s it was decided to try and up gun the Centurion tank as an interim design while development work progressed on the Conqueror heavy tank which was being designed to counter Russian heavy tanks. This interim design consisted of an American 120 mm L1 gun which was fitted in large turret on top of a Centurion hull. The turret itself was only lightly armoured so not to dramatically increase the weight of S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: Vehicle Weight: 50 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft, Width 11 ft 1 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x 650 hp Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 120 mm L1 gun, 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 152 mm Crew: 4 the tank reduce the performance of the vehicle. Trials with the FV4004 Conway proved to be disappointing, the tank having too high a profile and a high centre of gravity which would have been a serious handicap in action. After that idea had been shelved it was decided to use the Conway prototype as a trials vehicle for an auto-loading 183 mm gun. This was the FV4005 Conway which dispensed with the turret and used a limited traverse mounting. Only one prototype was built before the project was cancelled in 1951, the Conqueror heavy tank finally entering service with the British army in 1955. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 T A N K FV4101 Charioteer In the early 1950s, NATO perceived that there was a strong threat of a potential invasion from Soviet forces during the Cold War. At the time the number of Centurion tanks in service with the British army was low, and as a stopgap many obsolete Cromwell tanks were taken out of storage and up-gunned with the 20 pounder gun used in the Centurion Mk 3. The turret ring was increased to take a new two man turret, but this came at the cost of giving the tank a high profile. Extra armour was welded to the hull, but the turret only had a maximum of 30 mm. The upgraded vehicle was given the designation FV4101 S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 28.5 tons Dimensions: Length 28ft 11 ins, Width 10 ft 2 ins, Height 8 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 600 hp Meteor petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 110 miles Armament: 1 x 20 pounder gun, 1 x 7.92 mm machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 64 mm Crew: 3/4 and named Charioteer before entering service and were supplied to Territorial Army units. The first vehicles were entered service in the spring of 1953 with over 600 being earmarked for conversion, this being curtailed to around 440 when the production of the Centurion tank armed with the L7 105 mm gun began to enter service. The Charioteer was only used for a short time by British forces, withdrawn machines then being sold in the late 1950s to Austria, Finland, Jordan and Lebanon, and were used in combat by a number of forces in the Middle East during the 1960s. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 442 T A N K FV214 ‘Conqueror’ Main Battle Tank In 1944 design work commenced for an infantry support tank which would become the basis for a universal tank which used a common hull that could be adapted for a variety of roles to produce a range of vehicles which became the FV200 series. The FV201 was the first to appear in 1948, but by 1949 it was decided that the Centurion was a better choice of being developed into the Universal tank, and as a consequence the FV200 series was cancelled except for the FV214 which was designed to counter the threat posed by the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank. Named Conqueror, they were initially to be armed with a S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 65 tons Dimensions: Length 38 ft, Width 13 ft 1 in, Height 10 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 810 hp Meteor M120 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 21 mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 120 mm L1 gun, 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 178 mm Crew: 4 20 pounder gun, but this was soon changed to an American 120 mm weapon. The Conqueror was issued to armoured formations in Germany, normally nine per regiment, and were intended to provide long range anti-tank support, but the success of the L7 105 mm gun, which would soon become the standard armament of the Centurion, the Conqueror became superfluous to requirements. The Conqueror was unpopular due to reliability problems and frequent breakdowns which were never fully resolved, and from the mid 1960’s they were withdrawn from service and replaced by the Chieftain tank. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 185 T A N K T A N K FV221 ‘Caernarvon’ Main Battle Tank In 1944 design work commenced for an infantry support tank which would become the basis for a universal tank which used a common hull that could be adapted for a variety of roles to produce a range of vehicles which became the FV200 series. The FV201 was the first to appear in 1948, but by 1949 it was decided that the Centurion was a better choice of being developed into the Universal tank, and as a consequence the FV200 series was cancelled except for the FV214 which was designed to counter the threat posed by the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank. Named Conqueror, they were initially to be armed with a S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: Vehicle Weight: 58 tons Dimensions: Length 32 ft, Width 13 ft 1 in, Height 10 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 810 hp Meteor M120 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 100 miles Armament: 1 x 20 pounder gun, 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 152 mm Crew: 4 20 pounder gun, but this was soon changed to an American 120 mm weapon. This decision delayed the project, so in 1952 the hull was combined with a 17 pounder armed Centurion Mk II turret to produce the FV221 Caernarvon Mk I, while further hulls were combined with a Centurion Mk III 20 pounder turret which became the Caernarvon Mk II. The Caernarvon I was only intended for development work and only one was produced, while a short experimental series of 21 Mark IIs were built and trialled, but their performance was inferior to the Centurion and the project was not pursued. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 21 T A N K