Detail
The Centurion came into service in 1945 but arrived too late with front-line troops to see any action.
The first variants were armed with a 17 pdr and a 20 mm Polsten gun or a coaxial Besa machine gun. Later marks were up-gunned to first a 20 pdr then a 105mm main armament and a co-axial Browning .30 MG.
The vehicle first saw action in the Korean War (1950-53) with the 8th Hussars where its ability at hill climbing came to the fore allowing the crew to get the vehicle into difficult positions and bring its superior firepower to bear.
Centurion was used by Australian troops in Vietnam and had great success with the Israeli Army.
The flexibility inherent in its original design has allowed users to upgrade and reconfigure the vehicle over a long period of time.
Technical Specifications
| Crew: | 4 |
| Armament: | 1 x 105mm (later versions) 2 x .30 Browning Machine-guns |
| Engine: | Rolls Royce Meteor developing 650 bhp |
| Max Speed: | 21mph |
| Year into service: | 1945 |
