RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

This is the question,The Centurion British Tank, I know little about this tank,we did have some discussion in the great debate thread. But I want to know more than just specific details of the Armor and the engine,How was it developed? Who designed it and for what purpose?

How many design changes did this tank under go in the long service life? The battles it was used in and to what result? Did anyone serve in those conflicts?

How many were made and are they still in use today? Where can they be found in Museums around the world? Were they used in the conflict in 1948 Palestine/Israel?

The 7 days conflict against Egypt and the other nations of the Middle east,surely the Russian T=55 and the Centurion faced each other at some point,what happened? Were their major conflict anywhere that deployed large numbers?

I know what the Wikipedia site has to offer,and their is alot of information but little perspective.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_tank" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Centurion was one of the most important and widely used tanks of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. In it's day it was also probably one of the best. It entered service with The British Army right at the end of world war two and the first examples were sent to france and Germany for trials but never saw action before the German surrender. It was used in Korea, Vietnam (by Australia), In the India/Pakistan conflicts in the 60s and 70s, and, perhaps most successfully, in the Middle East, by Israel. I believe the Israelis and The South Africans were the last to use the MBT variants.(The Jordanian Army also operated Centurions but there is no record of them being used against the Israeli version, the 'Shot' (Hebrew for 'Whip'). The Centurion's principle contemporaries were the American M48 and The russian T55. Centurions fought against both types in various conflicts. However, Probably it's 'finest hour' was in the hands of the Israelis on the Golan Heights in October 1973. This was when Israeli Centurions ('Shot Cal') and Syrian T55s went head-to-head with no quarter. The four day battle at what became known as The Valley of Tears is well documented and was one of the most epic and desperate tank battles in history. The Israelis went on to use the Centurion, continuously modified, in Lebanon. The last Shot Cals were withdrawn from front line service in 2002 and the South African variant, The 'Olifant' is, I believe, still in use.
The Centurion would indeed be a brilliant modelling subject in 1:16 scale as there were a great many marks and mods. Many remained in service with a number of armies well after they retired the MBT version. The British army used the engineer assault version during 'Desert Storm' and Israel still uses an Infantry combat vehicle based on the Centurion chassis today.
Regarding comparisons with the T55, Osprey Publishing have produced an excellent book which is well worth a space on your book shelf.
No. 21 in their 'Duel' series, it is called 'Centurion vs T55 - Yom Kippur War 1973'. The book gives short technical and developmental histories of both vehicles but mainly focuses on the action on The Golan Plateau in !973. The comparisons in capabilities and performance two of the most important tanks of their era is interesting. However the real comparison which needs to be made and understood, is in the relative performance of the opposing crews, based on skill, training and perhaps most importantly, motivation. Israeli tank crews - average age 19 - believed themselves to be fighting for the very survival of Israel as a nation. This book more than most, illustrates the essential truth that any tank is only as good as it's crew.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ISBN 978-1-84603-369-8.

Very interesting,and the use in the the 1973 conflict was the information I was most curious about. From the design origin in 1943 to be actively the aggressive and victor in a modern tank battle 30 years later is simply amazing,truly a credit to the design and construction of this weapon.

just make one like this guy did....out of a hl "snow lepard"

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_89830 ... ey_/tm.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

this might help...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41wtIok_q7Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/de ... rmor_id=13" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://centuriontank.tripod.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthr ... #post83169" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://centuriontank.tripod.com/index-1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.sabingamartin.com/detailstshotkal3.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprint ... on_shot-6_(idf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)/

http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprint ... rion_mk_3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/tanks/768 ... -tank.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If I had my choice, I think I would want the mk 1, but the mk3 is a better looking tank imo.

Saxondog wrote:Very interesting,and the use in the the 1973 conflict was the information I was most curious about. From the design origin in 1943 to be actively the aggressive and victor in a modern tank battle 30 years later is simply amazing,truly a credit to the design and construction of this weapon.

A Centurion AVRE lead the assault in the first Gulf war (1991) and the South African "Olifant" is an upgraded* Centurion thats still in service today.

* by upgraded I mean it's been completeley stripped down and rebuilt several times but there's still a Centurion at the heart of it.

you never posted pics of the finished tank......I hate that...