Centurion Mk5 | |
|---|---|
| Riik | Uk |
| Rolli | Type Main battle tank |
| Kasutuses | 1946–tänaseni |
| Ehitatud | 4423 |
2007 Centurion oli Teise maailmasõja järgse perioodi peamine Briti peamine lahingutank. 1945. aastal kasutusele võetud seda peetakse laialdaselt üheks kõige edukamaks sõjajärgseks tankiprojektiks, mis jäi tootmisse 1960. aastatel ja nägi võitlust eesliinidel 1980. aastatel. Šassii kohandati ka mitmete teiste rollide jaoks ja need on jäänud kasutusse tänaseni.
Allikas: Centurion on Wikipedia
| Centurion Mk5 | |
|---|---|
| Fotograaf | Teadmata |
| Lokaliseerimine | Teadmata |
| Fotod | 91 |
| Centurion Mk.5/2 Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Fotograaf | Meindert de Vreeze |
| Lokaliseerimine | Teadmata |
| Fotod | 52 |
| Centurion Mk.5 Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Fotograaf | Vladimir Jakubov |
| Lokaliseerimine | Ontario rügemendi muuseum |
| Fotod | 78 |
Vaata ka:
The **Centurion Mk 5** was the fourth major production mark of the highly successful British Centurion series, widely regarded as one of the first true **Main Battle Tanks (MBT)** of the post-World War II era. It represented an incremental but important refinement of the earlier, combat-proven Centurion Mk 3.
General Characteristics
- **Role:** Medium Tank / Main Battle Tank.
- **Crew:** 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver).
- **Main Armament:** The tank retained the highly effective **Ordnance QF 20-pdr (84 mm) rifled gun**. This gun offered excellent anti-tank performance for its time.
- **Engine:** Powered by the reliable **Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 petrol engine**, providing about 650 hp, which was based on the Merlin aircraft engine.
- **Mobility:** It was a heavy vehicle for a medium tank (around 51 tons) and was not particularly fast (max road speed around 35 km/h), but its excellent Horstmann suspension provided good off-road performance for its weight.
Key Upgrades of the Mk 5
The Mk 5 incorporated several key changes over the preceding Mk 3, primarily focused on simplifying the design for mass production and updating secondary armament:
- **Secondary Armament Change:** The main distinction was the replacement of the British 7.92 mm Besa machine guns with the American **.30 caliber (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns** (coaxial and commander’s cupola mounts), reflecting NATO standardization.
- **Turret Changes:** The turret rear escape door, present on earlier marks, was deleted. The turret roof was also slightly reshaped, and the small 2-inch smoke/fragmentation mortar was often removed.
- **Stowage and Tracks:** An extra external stowage bin was often added to the glacis plate, and a new guide roller was added to the track run, minor detail changes for improved operation and maintenance.
The Mk 5/1 Sub-Variant
A later and notable modification was the **Centurion Mk 5/1 (FV 4011)**, sometimes known as the “up-armored” Mk 5. This version featured a bolted-on or welded **extra armor plate** applied to the lower glacis (frontal hull), which provided increased protection against shaped-charge rounds and heavy anti-tank fire. This variant saw active service with the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) during the Vietnam War.
Vaatamisi : 5809
New set of 52 photos of a Centurion Mk.5/2