Centurion Tank

Centurion Tank.

The Centurion Tank was the main British tank of the post war period, also being purchased by the Australian Army from 1951 and by many other armed forces. Prototype Centurions had been built by the end of WWII.

Power is provided by a V12 Rolls Royce Meteor petrol engine, derived from the Merlin aircraft engine. The Centurion is supported by six pairs of road wheels on each side, each track also passing over a rear drive sprocket, a front idler wheel and four double and two single guide rollers. The road wheels are rubber tyred and are mounted on swing-arms fitted with coil springs and shock absorbers (dampers).

Australian Centurion Tanks served in Vietnam from 1968 until 1971. The Centurion remained in service in Australia until 1977 when replaced by the Leopard Tank [- Tank Museum].

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Centurion Mk3 - Mk5 1953

Crew: driver, gunner, radio operator, commander
loa: 7552mm (hull), width: 3378mm, height: 2940mm
grnd clearance: 508mm, trench crossing 3350mm
weight: 50,800kg (unladen)
Meteor Mk 4B, 27L, petrol, 12-cyls (V12), twin carburettors, 2-valves/cyl, ohv
A 4-cyl charging engine is also fitted
bore: 137.17mm, stroke: 152.4mm, c.r.: 7.0:1
transmission: 5m (+ 2 rev'), clutch: triple plate
Max speed: 35kph
Main armament: 83.4mm 20-pounder

Go to the Military Vehicles or Mighty Antar pages

The Centurion pictured is at the Melbourne Tank museum.

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