Centurion – a Universal Tank

Centurion – a universal tank

PROJECT AND DEVELOPMENT

During World War II British tanks were severely compromised by a failed doctrine of the use of three specific types of tanks for armored operations. Small high-speed light tanks were used for reconnaissance aNd intelligence. Class of slow heavily armored “infantry” tanks was designed to assault enemy strongholds aNd fortified positions in order to direct support of advancing infantry tactics similar to 1917-18 on the Western Front. In addition, the class of faster, more lightly armored cruiser tanks was designed to develop a successful breakthrough of the enemy infantry front or cover the flanks of the enemy in the traditional manner of cavalry. None of these classes of tanks was not originally designed for combat aNd destruction of enemy tanks.

After the evacuation of British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in May 1940 Britain was left wiTh only a handful of tanks. Accordingly, the United Kingdom was forced to continue production of the available, albeit unsuccessful, structures to be in service at least some tanks on a single theater of military operations against the Axis powers – in NorTh Africa. There serious defects of British tanks have become more apparent. Cruiser tanks, although fast aND highly maneuverable, were chronically unreliable. In the battles against the Italians is not peculiar problem, since most of them could be restored after the battle. However, the rapid battles wiTh the “Africa Corps” Rommel’s an essential part of the British tanks were lost due to mechanical breakdowns, often more than half were thrown into the battle machines. Respect for British armor was so low that the “Africa Corps”, invariably were put into operation any trophy car allies to recover losses rarely did so wiTh the British tanks, but heavily armored infantry tank “Matilda MkII”.

During 1942, the British 8th Army in North Africa began to receive a large number of American tanks type M4 “Sherman”. The main advantages of the tank “Sherman” had its mechanical reliability and effective 75mm gun, equalized the chances with enemy tanks, while the British tactics of using armored corps was often imperfect in comparison with the German. Meanwhile, the last introduced new and improved models of tanks given the bitter experience of the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union. In particular, “Panzerkampfwagen V”, or “Panther”, entered into service during the colossal battle of Kursk in July 1943, has become an unpleasant surprise to the Western allies because they had nothing to oppose this powerful tank with a thick armor and high-speed 75mm gun L/70, capable of hitting Sherman tank at twice the distance for any direct confrontation. Often, it turned out that the three – four lost “Sherman” was at one destroyed “Panther” or “Tiger” – a relationship which, understandably, had a detrimental effect on the morale of the Allied tank crews.

By 1943 the British constructed a very efficient 76.2mm, 17-pouNd “anti-tank gun wiTh characteristics similar to 75mm cannon” Panther “. At that time there was no project of the British tanks suitable for the installation of such a heavy gun because of the limited size of their towers. Available in excess of the shell tanks were converted for the installation of a new gun in the open top of the towers aND logging. These tank destroyers, as “Archer” aNd “Achilles” to maintain armored formations, but they have limited value in the attack. In the interim, hundreds of tanks “Sherman” were equipped wiTh 17-pound gun in a modified turret. This model was known as “Sherman Firefly” aNd amounted to almost a quarter of all the tanks in the British units. This combination came out so successful that “Sherman Firefly” has become a priority target for the German antitank guns aNd tank crews during the Normandy campaign of summer 1944.

Despite evidence to the contrary, the British General Staff has kept faiTh in the use aNd infantry aNd cruiser tanks, although the tankers were of the view in favor of the concept of a single or “universal” tank. By the time of D-Day in June 1944, the two main types of tanks were “Churchill” aNd “Cromwell.” BoTh were noticeably inferior to their opponents, especially wiTh regard to firepower, as they still were armed wiTh guns wiTh characteristics similar to a tank guns “Sherman” model 1942. To overcome this backlog General Staff proposed to design a tank, originally adapted for installation of 17-pound guns. The main requirements to the tank, labeled “Cruiser Tank A41″, were formulated in the guidance of the Royal Armored Corps (Director of the Royal Armoured Corps (DRAG)) at the 35Th session of the Office of the tank, held October 7, 1943. The tank would weigh 45 tons, fitted wiTh a petrol engine delivering 650 horsepower, have a 3-inch frontal armor wiTh rational angles, aND arm 76.2mm 17-Pound cannon. All these features were virtually identical to the “Panther”, which by this time cause damage to the Allied armored units on the Eastern aND Italian fronts, while the A41 was not even in the project.

                          Centurion II Pantera Ausf. A
Combat weight, v. 46 45.5
Engine output, l / s 650 690
Cruising range, km 50 55
Lob body, mm / deg 76/57 80/55
Lob tower, mm 150 110
Cannon, mm 76.2 75
Commissioning, year 1947 1943

Because of the last of the inferiority of British tanks design development A41 was assigned a government-funded Research aNd Development of tanks (Department of Tank Design), aND not private companies. Selection of the main armament defined diameter of the ring of the tower, which in turn dictated the widTh of the machine. These sizes are also limited by the widTh of bridges aND railway platforms. The need to protect against the German tank aND antitank guns, including a horrific 88-millimeter, influenced by the thickness of armor hull aND turret, aND, accordingly, the full weight of the machine. The effectiveness of German anti-tank guns gave rise to the demaND for installation on the A41 high-caliber high-velocity weapons, in addition to the core. It was designed to pierce armored shields, protecting enemy antitank guns, not wasting shots 17-lb. gun. Was chosen 20mm cannon “Polsten” in separate independent installation, it kept the fire from the loader.

For A41 was chosen gasoline engine “Meteor” has been reconstructed from the known motor Rolls – Royce Merlin, which was mounted on the fighter “Spitfire, Hurricane and Bomber” Lancaster. With capacity reduced to 650 l / s, “Meteor” has given adequate power to mass ratio and the desired degree of reliability, which was confirmed by its use in tanks “Comet” and “Cromwell.” The tank installed gearbox “Merritt-Brown” with a differential steering, a five-speed for moving forward and two reverse gears. This unit was also tested on “Cromwell” and “Comet” and gave an acceptable combination of power and flexibility to the tank is much greater weight. As with any gasoline engine, the Meteor suffered high pozharoopsnostyu. To minimize this threat, special measures were taken, such as placing combat pack the main instrument of the ring below the level of the tower. Experience has shown that most of lined tanks were destroyed at a penetration in the turret and detonation, located in her combat pack – a specific lack of Sherman, which led to the deaths of many tank crews.

We considered several suspension systems, as the suspension type Christie previous models “cruising tanks was considered unsuitable for the tank, weighing as much as A41. In the eND, decided on the suspension-type “Horstmann” interlocked wiTh the rollers on the trolley, because it gave good cross-country aND ease of maintenance. These external nodes were also easier to replace when damaged by mines than the inner parts of torsion suspension, preferred by the Germans. Another innovation was the installation of a car engine “Morris” the capacity of 8 l / s as an auxiliary generator that provides electricity to the radio, battery charging aND control equipment gun without having to run the main engine.

By February 1944, at A41 layout reflect the views of the front. While the advantages of 20mm cannon “Polsten” to quell anti-tank artillery were obvious, heard insistence install instead coaxial machine gun. Decided that the firing of the 20mm gun loader will distract from its main objectives – the main instrument of service aND ensure the radio. In any case, it was decided to build the first prototypes wiTh different combinations of auxiliary weapons, including 20mm cannon. Final specification of A41 was considered aND adopted at the 38Th session of the armored Office, held February 23, 1944. Office recommended that production of 20 test samples, dividing the jobs between the public rifle companies Woolwich (Woolwich Arsenal) aND Nottingham.

May 24, 1944, a few days before the invasion of Europe, at an extraordinary meeting of the Advisory Committee DRAC enterprise AEC Limited in Southall was considered a model A41, and determines final details of the different prototypes. Over the following months were drafted detailed plans for production and manufactured components. Because of the requirement to continue production of existing tanks to compensate for high losses in the Normandy campaign, building prototypes A41 did not begin until January 1945. Meanwhile, the full swing preparing a project for a new, fully cast, towers, provides better ballistic protection. The innovations also included the installation of conventional coaxial machine gun and the commander’s turret with a circular review. The new tower was installed on the project, designated as A41A “Heavy cruising tank.

In April 1945 the first prototype of the A41 was sent from Vulidzhskogo Arsenal (Woolwich Arsenal) in the souTh-east London, in armored Test Center (Fighting Vehicles Proving Establishment), in Chertsi, in Surrey. By this time the heavy cruising A41 tank called Centurion, though this name was originally reserved for A30 – Armed 17-pounder gun tank destroyer on a slender tank chassis “Cromwell”, will eNd up wiTh the name “Challenger”. Tests “Centurion” was started immediately aNd were so successful that they decided to seNd some early prototypes in the norTh-western Europe in order to test them in real conditions. Codenamed “Operation Time” “(Operation Sentry), six prototypes Centurion arrived in Belgium shortly after the victory in Europe for testing in the 5Th Royal Dragunsky Inniskillingskogo Guards Regiment (5Th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards) aNd the 5Th Royal Tank Regiment (5Th Royal Tank Regiment). Testing continued throughout July, aND on the new tank in the army formed a high opinion, although the 20mm gun “Polsten” as an auxiliary weapon did not cause enthusiasm, the preference was on the side of coaxial machine gun.

Results of Operations “Local” looked at the 22ND session of the Advisory Committee DRAC, held August 22, 1945. Since substantial criticism did not hear, was given the green light to production program 800 Centurion, including 100 A41 *, or “Centurion Mk 1″ wiTh a 17-pounder cannon aND 7.92mm coaxial machine gun “Besa”. The remaining vehicles were manufactured model A41A, or “Centurion Mk 2″, of which the first 100 were supposed to have a 17-pouND cannon, aND the next version – 83.4mm, 20-Pound “cannon, which are then developed. Production of “Centurion” was launched in November 1945, the first tanks were delivered in February 1946. By October, was approved by a modified turret wiTh 20-pound gun, aNd Centurion Mk 3 “became the standard model, whose production started in early 1947. By this time the earlier mark had been widely circulated in the British army, but the Centurion was not intended duty.

The General Staff was now committed to the idea of Universal Tank to replace the discredited types of infantry aNd cruiser tanks, including the “Centurion”, which is closing in line maloudachnyh projects cruising tanks of the war. In September 1946, the General Staff approved the draft Universal Tank A45, subsequently designated FV201. The main project was the possibility of family FV200, on which the anticipated development of a number of specialized versions: flamethrower tank, mine sweep, aNd landing assault vehicle, in general, all the roles that are intended for special-purpose armored vehicles the 79Th Armored Division during World War II. Because the thought that the “Centurion” is not subject to such modifications to take care of all these tasks, FV201 was supposed to replace it. However, up until FV201 not operational, the production of Centurion was to continue. The first prototype FV201 appeared in October 1947, but the design of several specialized versions, as it turned out, it was difficult without significant changes in the shell. This will greatly jeopardize the very concept of Universal Tank, aND in October 1948 draft FV201 tank cannon was closed. Develop a family of special purpose vehicles continued at a leisurely pace, while also not been abolished in 1949. After unsuccessful attempts to use the excess housing “Churchill” complete family of special-purpose armored vehicles were later built on the basis of “Centurion”, despite all the preliminary requirements of the General Staff.

Armada Soviet tanks behiNd the Iron Curtain remained a huge threat, aND the emergence of very heavy armored tank IS-3 wiTh its powerful 122mm main gun at the Berlin Victory Parade in 1945, alarmed the Western allies. Neither the Americans nor the British did not have anything like that, aND boTh countries have realized the need for a heavy tank wiTh similar characteristics. The Americans quickly develop a heavy tank M103, armed wiTh 120mm gun. WiTh the demise of the program FV201 British began to develop a new tower wiTh the same 120mm gun for installation on the modified chassis FV201. Get a car called “heavy gun tank FV214 Konkeror. The first prototypes appeared in early 1952. Combat tests “Konkerora” began in 1955 aND in 1956 the tank was accepted for service. Thus, the so-called “Universal Tank”, which was intended to replace the “Centurion” finally appeared in limited quantities as a specialized long-range tank destroyer. Ironically, the characteristics of the 105mm gun L7, which was subsequently installed at a later modification of the “Centurion” eliminated the need for heavy tank type Konkerora “, in 1966, he was withdrawn from service. For lack of a “Centurion” was the British Universal Tank “.

The effectiveness of the concept of a heavy tank further undermined the introduction of a revolutionary form of armor-piercing ammunition – APDS armor-piercing projectiles or wiTh a separable tray (Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot). Based on the invention of the Czech scientist who fled from the Nazis, the kinetic projectile APDS broneprobivayuschuyu greatly increases the ability of any projectile of this caliber, so the munition APDS 20-Pound gun had twice as much armor than the famous 88mm armor-piercing shell from the Second World War. APDS shells started coming on arms Centurion Mk 3, which in large amounts received by the British Army in 1948. It was one of the main reasons why the Centurion, it was thought after the tests conducted in the same year, Soviet tanks were superior to the type of IS-3. Another important factor was the superiority of the fire control system “Centurion” over his contemporary models. MSA include an effective stabilizer of guns, which enables the gunner to accompany target during the movement and greatly accelerates the attack target. It was just one aspect of those who made “Centurion” in such a successful medium tank.