- Yes
- No
General Description:
The Centurion I, II, and III are of the same general design and construction, and have a similar power unit. The principle differences are as follows:
- Centurion Mk I: 17-Pdr and 7.92mm Besa (separate mountings, linkages controlled). No 1 Mk II Vision Cupola. Welded plate turret.
- Centurion Mk II: 17-Pdr and 7.92 Besa (coaxial mounting). No 2 Mk I Vision Cupola. Cast turret with increased armour thickness.
- Centurion Mk III: 20-Pdr and 7.92 Besa (coaxial mounting). Electric primer firing on 20-Pdr.
The forward part of the vehicle is divided to form a driver’s compartment on the RH side and a compartment for an ammunition stowage and water tank on the LH side. The rear of the driver’s compartment is open to permit access to the fighting compartment.
The fighting compartment occupies the centre of the vehicle and accommodates the commander, gunner and operator. The batteries are housed beneath the compartment floor at the front.
The power operated turret contains the main armament and auxiliary weapons. The wireless set is mounted in a recess at the rear of the turret.
The fighting compartment is separated from the engine compartment by a rear bulkhead, which is fitted with a large access plate to facilitate engine maintenance.
The engine is a Meteor Mk IV or IVA, a liquid cooled engine, developing between 600bhp for the Mk IV and 640bhp for the Mk IVA at 2550rpm.
History:
The Centurion tank was initially designed in 1943 to address the threat of advanced German tanks like the Panther and Tiger. Prototypes of the tank, later designated as the Mk I, arrived in Europe in May 1945 (Operation Sentry), though the war ended before they saw combat. Developed by Vickers-Armstrong shortly after WWII, the Centurion Mk II featured a redesigned turret with thicker armour and a stabilizer for the 17-pounder gun. This updated model replaced the Mk I in production, and the British Army received the first units in December 1946. Many Mk II tanks were later converted into specialized vehicles, such as recovery vehicles or upgraded to the Mk III variant, with approximately 800 units of the Mk II produced.
The Mk II quickly became the backbone of Britain’s armoured forces, celebrated for its blend of firepower, armour, and manoeuvrability, which was considered innovative for its time. Though the Mk II was soon succeeded by later Centurion models with upgraded armament, including the 20-pounder gun and eventually the 105 mm L7 gun. Many Mk II tanks were converted into Mk III’s and ARV’s. While the Centurion Mk II did not see combat itself, it laid the groundwork for the later Centurions, which would go on to see extensive action and become some of the most versatile and widely used tanks globally.
Initially classified as the A41A, the Centurion Mk II (Meteor Mk IV) represents one of the earliest production versions built alongside the Mk I. The Meteor Mk IV is a 12-Cyclinder, vee type, liquid cooled, OHV engine. Both Mk IV and Mk IVA are of the same exterior appearance and differ only in internal fittings. The Meteor Mk IV develops 600bhp at 2550rpm with a 6 to 1 compression ratio. The Meteor Mk IVA develops 640bhp at 2550rpm with a 7 to 1 compression ratio. For reference the Meteor MK IVB (fitted to Centurion III onwards) develops 650bhp at 2550rpm with a 7 to 1 compression ratio.
Vehicle Specifications:
Role in game:
Adding the Centurion Mk 2 with the Meteor Mk IV allows a new Centurion Mk 2 to fill the tech tree gap the Battle Pass version left, which many British mains were disappointed with. The vehicle would be incredibly easy to implement, as it’s a simple copy-paste of the existing 3D model. The only difference is the less powerful Meteor Mk IV engine with 600bhp instead of the Meteor Mk IVA with 640bhp the Battle Pass version has.
Sources:
User Handbook for the Centurion I, II and III.
- FV 4200 Centurion
- The Centurion Tank, Pat Ware & Brian Delf, ISBN: 9781781590119