Centurion

CENTURION

CENTURION main 'battle tank by Lt. CoL David Eshel andSimon Dunstan "

oj-if:,

CENTURION This is our first issue in the new series WAR DATA. Designed to meet the minutest requirements of the

military and aviation enthusiast, this series will at last

close a long-existing gap in military literature- de­

scribing in authoritative detail the weapon systems

and combat techniques of the armed , forces of the

Middle East. .' Specially commissioned colour art drawings of men

and equipment, technical drawings made to scale, to­

gether with detailed descriptions of the materiel, their

development and combat record - authoritatively

written by top experts - will surely make this highly

interesting 'series into an indispensable reference for

every military student. We invite our readers to comment freely - thus

participating in the exciting creation of our series by

contributing their knowledge and experience; selected

readers' letters will be published in ou r Reader's

Corner in future issues.

'I'-- ­ "

Introducing CENTURION - the amazing main

tank, which has almost no equal in 'its long

service life.

Created too late for combat action in the Second ,~

World War, it saw battle in Korea for the first time, later serving with many armies, among them the

Australians in South Vietnam. Its zenith was, however,

with the Israeli Armoured Corps, whose mainstay it

was in all the arduous battles in Sinai and the Golan

Heights, fighting the ultra-modern Soviet equipment,

with highly successful results.

We describe here the many improvements made to

the tank, and present, for the first time, full details of

the Israeli modifications achieved by its Ordnance

Corps - turning an almost obsolete armoured vehicle

into a modern fighting machine, capable of taking on

any of the supermodern Soviet arsenal made availahle

to Its opponents. .., ,_ . . ''i:<~ :~~)-;!':.~,{:" • . ,

We wis~,t~:\th-~k.;I1:~~,~Widlhm~our participants who

torn:e--g;",,: is: ;'i,fi~·~1e~tlng/this fascinating, ~tQ.ry - with

' inapy mQre to come...." . ,;;, .;1'.

battl~

, ~ ,

"'!. . ... ~•• ~

•

"'"

,..I.,JL.ft:.

, ~'I!-..

r"'"

;

Photo credits: Simon Dunstan, Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, RAC, I nternational Defense Review, Israel Government Press Office, IDF Spokesman, IDF Archives, "Bamahane" I D F Publication, N. Gutman, T. Eshel. M. Bar Am. Cut-Away by Marshall Cavendish, Drawings by: John W. Wood Ass. U.K. Scale Drawing by: A.J. Kaye,

bl ished by ESHEL-DRAMIT Ltd. B 115, Hod Hasharon, Israel. E itor: Lt. Colonel D. Eshel, IDA (Ret.) =-jnted in Israel by PELf Printing Works Ltd.

©

Copyright 1979. Eshel-Dramit Ltd., Israel. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission forbidden.

SBN 965-256-004-9

..

\

.. . .

Origins: British tank development of late WW.II

By 1943 the existing British Cruiser tanks, the Crom­ well and its successor the Comet, had reached the limit of their design potentiaL Mounting 75 mm. and 77 mm. guns respectively, they were inferior in terms of armament and armour to the more powerful Ger­ man tanks then entering service. To counter this threat, design work began in mid-1943 on the Heavy Cruiser -A41, later to be known as Centurion. The British General Staff considered the following charac­ teristics to be of greatest im portance: 1. Reliability. 2. Gun and armour configuration combat character­ istics. 3. Cross-country performance. 4. Ease of maintenance. The earlier British Cruisers had suffered a depress­ ing record of mechanical unreliability. Many had been lost in the Western Desert due to trivial breakdowns and inadequate recovery facilities. The adoption of the Yleteor engine (a detuned version of the famous Merlin aero-engine of the Spitfire and Hurricane) and the Merritt-Brown gearbox in the Cromwell and Comet overcame many of these earlier deficiencies; consequently, this successful combination was instal­ led in the A41.

Though consideration had been given to the 77mm. gun because of its superior high explosive capability, a main armament capable of defeating the Tiger and Panther was deemed essential; the 17 pounder, which had proved its worth in antitank roles, was adopted. Various combinations of auxiliary weapons were considered including a quick firing 20mm. Polsten gun or two 7.92mm. Besas in a ball mounting along­ side the main gun, together with a machine gun in the turret rear. The 20mm. Polsten, used in the first prototypes, was replaced by a single 7.92mm. Besa in later prototype vehicles. The armour basis was deter­ mined by the need to withstand the formidable 88mm. anti-tank gun employed by the Germans in heavy tanks and in ground roles. In view of the in­ creased protection afforded by a sloping glacis plate, the hull machine gunner, characteristic of earlier British designs, was dispensed with and the space used for ammunition stowage. Performance was regarded as secondary to both re­ liability and combat characteristics. Good cross­ country ability, comparable to that of the Comet, was, however, deemed necessary - even at the expense of high road speed. Experience having shown the necessity of a high reverse gear, the gearbox was modified accordingly. The hull, built with sloping

The first prototype of A41 , mounting a 17Pdr main .Qun. Note the 20mm. Pols ten gun.

4

-..

·' :~ .' ;-:;

... "",:-.

_.. . , i... :

t·

..

,.:. . -::,... .,

' ~'·'-· ~l~, .~~:~' ~ "- :

.... ,.

-,

'

..

'., , ~'

....

~

.

. '

,­

"

-

~

' -:"

:

,~'t..... ,

."

-

- ,-;,"-::-"<""­ .... -'-'.: -~~

_.-

..

'.;.

".

-

,

,

:..enturion Mk5 of the 14/20 Hussars at speed. This is a reworked Mk 3 with a 20 Pdr "A "-type barrel.

_es to minimise the effects of mine damage, as well ; .he vehicle's increased weight, precluded the use of e Christie type suspension of the earlier Cruisers; a )dified Horstman type was therefore adopted. _ " ~r ti ng plates were added to protect the suspension :. 'nst the effects of hollow charge anti-tank wea­ J'1 ~, common during the closing stages of the war. One of the great virtues of the Sherman tank was "--;. ease of maintenance under field conditions; this fant that tanks could be repaired and returned to _e battlefield with a minimum of delay. Accord­ =- ~;, such characteristics as accessibility of major ~n p onents were incorporated in the Centurion. An :eresting innovation was the provision of an auxili­ .- charging engine to ensure reserve electrical power -: the radios and gun control equipment. In .\1ay 1944 the mock-up of A41 was viewed at .- E.C . Ltd. and an order placed for twenty prototype els. Extensive running trials of test rigs began in

September; by the following January, production of the prototypes was under way. The first six proto­ types, sent to Germany in May 1945, were intended to go into action with the Guards Armoured Division, but the war ended before this could be achieved. Once the basic design was set, a limited contract was placed in 1946 for 100 vehicles designated Centurion Mark 1. .'Jevelopment, however, continued, resulting in a number of modifications which could not be readily embodied in the production of the Mark 1. Under the design parentage of Vickers Armstrong, the Centurion Mark 2 was introduced in the summer of 1946. The new model incorporated a fully cast turret, replacing the earlier fabricated one, with a coaxial machine gun integral with the main armament and stabilised gun control equipment in both elevation and azimuth. A number of other im­ portant features included a commander's vision cupo­ la, increased hull armour and a periscopic gunner's sight in the turret roof. 5

However, the General Staff did not consider that the Centurion could satisfy the current requirements for a "universal" tank suitable for both independent armoured operations and infantry su pport. Such a concept, proposed by Field Marshal Montgomery in his Memorandum on British Armour of February 1945, led to the development of the A45, intended to supersede the Centurion. As the specifications called for a tank capable of a number of roles such as bridgelaying, dozing, mine flailing and swimming, it was thought that the Centurion could not fulfill this requirement without extensive redesign. The proto­ type - now designated FV201 - which appeared in 1948 was based on a more heavily armoured version of the Centurion, with which it shared a number of common features, including the turret and main armament. Evolution of the Centurion

As it happened, it was decided not to abandon the Centurion. Accordingly, in 1948, the Mark 3 ­ mounting a new 20 pounder (83.4mm.) gun - was introduced. This version, similar to the Mark 2, fea­ tured a hull shortened by 4%" (10cm) and redesigned

transmission covers. Other improvements, including more advanced gun control equipment and minor engine modifications, increased power output and enhanced reliability. The Centurion Mark 4 was to have been a close support version mounting a 95mm. howitzer as main armament. In early 1949, however, before production could begin, it was realised that the Mark 3 could fulfil the role with the introduction of the new 20 pounder high explosive and smoke ammunition. The Mark 4 was, accordingly, cancelled. By 1951, production of the Mark 3 had reached the rate of 20 a month. During this period approxi­ mately 250 modifications were approved, consistent with user experience. These, though of a minor nature in themselves, combined to achieve considerable over­ all improvement. They included an additional guide roller, removal of the 2" bombthrower, relocation of the loader's hatches and episcope, and elimination of the turret rear escape hatch. Earlier vehicles were constantly updated to current standards, including the Mark 2s, which were upgunned with the 20 pounder to become Mark 3s.

FV-201 tank, late 1948.

____ -~ /

6

~

~_.'O

.-.----.:..

The most pressing requirement, however, was for an increase in the radius of action. This had dropped o barely 60 miles as the vehicle's weight rose from the A41 's original 45 tons to the 50 tons of the Mark 3 . To remedy this shortcoming, jettisonable fuel dmms, similar to those carried by Soviet tanks, were fi tted to the rear of the hull. An armoured mono­ wheel trailer with 200 gallons of fuel, developed in 1952, proved unpopular with tank crews, as the 'ncreased length made manoeuvering difficult. A satisfactory compromise was found in a 100-gallon armoured fuel tank bolted to the hull rear; this was 3Ubsequently fitted to many early Centurions. In the interests of NATO standardisation, the co­ j:Jally mounted BESA machine gun was replaced \-ith the 0.30 inch M1919A4 Browning; vehicles so fi tted were designated Centurion Mark 5s. Apart from an adaptation to the gun mounting, they were identi­ cal to the Mark 3s, which were retrospectively modi­ fi ed in 1955. By now, the Centurion had demonstrated its battle­ worthiness in Korea where its excellent firepower, mobility and immunity to shellfire had been tested to the full. Its impressive combat record led to many overseas sales: the Centurion has seen service with the armies of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Holland, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, New Zea­ land, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland. In January 1952, an extensive redesign programme was authorised under the auspices of Leyland Motors. The resulting Mark 7 embodied a new hull with in­ creased fuel capacity under armour, effectively doub­ ling the tank's range. Other principal features were lighter engine and transmission cover louvers, im­ proved ammunition stowage with more "ready" rounds and a loading port in the hull, an integral tur­ ret floor, unified screw threads, revised driver con­ trols and larger headlights. A mock-up of the new

vehicle was inspected in November 1952; production began in late 1953. The Centurion Mark 8, introduced in September 1955, featured a revised turret design incorporating a resilient gun mounting to lessen the likelihood of the tmnnion pins shearing under impact from armour piercing projectiles. A new fire control system, with elevation by chain drive instead of gears, was fitted, as well as an automatic sensor which engaged the stabilisation system when the tank exceeded a speed of 2 m.p.h. Enhanced protection was provided for the commander by means of a new cupola with a split hatch which could be elevated in an umbrella position to give overhead cover while retaining the advantages of direct vision. The cupola also enabled contra­ rotation to assist in target acquisition. Meanwhile, developments in tank gunnery had pro­ ceeded apace. The L7 105mm. gun, designed by the Royal Armament Research and Development Estab­ lishment, was introduced in 1959. The new gun, to­ gether with applique armour for increased protection of the glacis plate, were retrospectively fitted to the majority of Centurions in the British Army. By fur­ ther limitation of operating space, a total stowage of 70 rounds was achieved - compared with 63 rounds on the Centurion Mark 7 and 65 on the Centurion Marks 3 and 5 - despite the L7's larger rounds. To further enhance the effectiveness of the 105mm., an 0.5 inch ranging gun was mounted in the mantlet and aligned with the main armament. This made for a simple and accurate method of range­ finding and eliminated the need for corrections due to factors such as trunnion tilt and crosswinds. In addition, a thermal sleeve was fitted for the main armament, reducing distortion of the hot gun barrel due to the uneven cooling effects of wind or rain. Infra-red equipment for night fighting and driving was also installed on later models.

Centurion Mk8/1, illustrating the improvements of new cupola with split commander's hatch and resilient mantlet. (Official photo, RAG)

7

Centurion Mk 7, showing the revised air louvers on engine and transmission covers, as well as the extended hull.

. /-'

Centurion Mk7/1, distinguishable by the applique armour on the glacis plate, the large headlights and the loading port in the bazooka plate.

8

" -'­

.".

and upgunned with the 105mm. gun,. fighting e.quipfT}.!nt l )fs well a~ .

(lWM i

Be

69/ 718) " -' .

.

.

~'~-9

-.

&.."i@i~_

CBNnJRlON TAN!( SERIES

Centurion Mk 12. The ranging gun is to the left of the coaxial MG, the I R searchlight above. Twin headlights indicate that I R driving lights are installed. (Official photo, RAC)

Note: The 7.92mrn. Best machine gun was standard secondary armament up to Mark 4 inclusive. AlIl3ter Centurions had .30" Browning machine guns. Mark

Main Arm'c

A41

17.pr (76.2mm)

Mark 1 (Ml ' )

17-pr

Mark 2

17-pr

(M IA) Mark)

20-pr

RtuTlsrks

(83.4mm)

M"'S

95mm CS How. 20-pr

Mark 5/1

20-pr

Mark 4

Second MG mounted on comd's cupola.

Gun and fire control eqp1. modified.

Both loiter modificatioru.

Increased glacis plate armour.

(FV4011)

Muk5/2 Mark 6

Mark6/1 Mark 6/2 Mark 7

I05mm lO5mm

Upgunned Muk S.

Upgunned and upannoured Mark 5, some

with extra :nmoured fuel tank on huU

Te3fplalc .

Mark 6 with IR equipment.

JOSllun I05mm lO-pr

Mark 6 with .50 RG fitted.

Increased fuel and ammunition stowage.

Ltyland puent.

(FV4007)

20-pl

Up:trmo.., rcd Mark 7.

Mark 7/2 MarkS

105mm

Mark 8/ 1 Mark 8/2 Mark 9

20-pl I05mm 105mm

Upgunned }'brk 7 .

Resilient mantic! mounting for main

3rmament. New comd's cupola and nrc

control equipment.

Uparmourcd Mark 8 .

Mark 7/1 (FV4012)

IO-pr

Upgunncd

~h,k

8.

Upgunncd and up:!rmoured Mark 7

(FV40I5)

Mark9/l Mark 9/2 Malk 10

I05mm 105mm IOSmm

Mark 9 with lR equipment.

105mm 105mm 105mm I05mm I05mm

Mark to with IR equ ipment.

Mark 10 with .50" RC fitted.

Malic 6 with .50" RC and lR eqpl. fitted.

Mark 9 with .50" RC and I R eqpt. fitted.

Mark 10 with .50" RC and IR eqpl. filled.

Mark 9 with .50" RG filled.

Upgunned and upamloured Mark 8.

(FV4017)

Mark Mark Mark Mark

10/1

1O{1 II 12 Malk 13

RG

=Ranging Gun

"....

, -.

CEN TURION TANKS Comparison data

-;;;­ ~

----.

E -o.b c:: ~-;;;Type

Armament

._ c : .

;. 8

'-'

Mam

Ammunition MC

Mam

MC

.,

___

~

Max-sIde-mm. ... U

Overall

Hull

(ft.ins.) (ft.ins.)

Centurion I (A4I*)

17-pr Tk Mk 6 & 20mm Polsten or 17-prTkMk6 46.717-prTkMk6

Centurion 2 (A4IA)

48"

""

6525

Centurion 3

49.3 20-p rTkMk I

"65

3600

"

"32 3

Centurion 4 (A4IT)

45.695mm.How MkIV

"

3425

"

"25 2

CenturionS

49.920-prTkMkl

"644000

"

"3111

"

Centurion 6 Centurion 7 FV4007

51 50

-

"" "32 3

" 25 8

Centurion 8

50.8"

" 68 4250 2-.30" 63 4500 Browning """

Centurion A41

42

105mm.Tk L7AI 20-pr Tk Mk I

Centurion 9 FV4015

51

Centurion 10 FV4017

""

105mm.TkL7AI

Centurion II

"

Centurion 12

,,"

Centurion 13

""

"

I Besa

.

Annour (mm)

I Besa

"

75 960 3375 75 74 3375

101

70"

4

29 0

24 6

~ ~

___

E ~

15 2-57- 17

"29 7'h 252 "2911

-"

32 4

Engine

.~ '-:

.; '-:

'>
~
?

....... ' - '

'-'

10 9

9 3

125-57-17 "

-8 :::!:i::

b.h.p. _ Lp.m.

R-R Meteor IV 570/620-2500

R-R Meteor IV 600/650-250C " 11 0 9 8 RR-MeteorIVA 650-2550 24 9'h 11 07:;" R-R Meteor IVB 650-2550 25 2 " 9'3"

"

1107:;"

II

l'h 9 9 7 : ; " "" " " 9 II "

-

"" " 3 I II

25 2

R-R Meteor IVB or IVB I 650-2550 "9 11" ) 9 10~" " 9 97:;"

-

"32 3

25 8

"

9 11"

-

"

"

"

9 10'h

-""

"

"""

-

"

2-.30" 68 700Browning .50"

1-.50"RC 4250­ .30"

"64 600.50" 4750­ .30" """

"

9 lOY,

~~

;: 0

"

.s <;;;

P-....

"'0

~


0.----

g .~

(/)..q >< ~

C) P-.

"'" '-'

-g

~

... 1::!

~ E

.-=:~ g 0.

-c

"'0 .......

~

cG

8 ---- '" 0)

::>

~

~

10 '"

10.5

23

120

110 52

13.1

12.05

"

123

13.5

12.5

21.5"

13.2

12.8

"

120

14

11 .8

23

"

13

12 .8

21.5"

12 .7 12.5

12.9 13.2

" "

" 228

"

"

"

"

90 50 85 50 85 55 90 60 63 33 " 118 60 "

""" "" """" " """""

"""""

"

"

§

0

~

Vl

2

~ '-' cG U

14

" 32 4

c.:

8

'0)

'Ej

'-'

"

"

Centurion Mk13, the last Centurion-type gun tank to serve with the British Army_ Mk 13 was the final Centurion produced. Based on Mk 10, it was refitted with a ranging gun and I R equipment_ The thermal sleeve on the 105mm. gun minimises gunnery errors caused by changing temperatures.

;~:}rr f ·6~:~~':, : ,· ,~: ~:;: :' " , ~ .',', I ~ ...

.' , .,.liZ; ~

I. I

"~ ~ ..

~ \.

12

\ ... ;:, ! ';'; ,' r , •• ­

_~,t~'" 17,

..... .

••. '..,

.,

.-.:~ ~ .~ l

.,}

'. ~

f'! ~;

. I

:"~j "'I~t('

'

..

.<..

\,1.,

,;,Y::' ;; ." ;'.; .

.. .,:,

.\ '-" ..'.:(/..' I'

I) . .

l'

•

\

~

• _

r

.1.;. ••

J

J ....

CO'M~BAT

RECORD 8th KING 'S ROYAL IRISH HUSSARS

5th ROYAL INNISKILLING DRAGOON GUARDS

KOREA

ROYAL TANK REGIMENT

The Centurion first saw combat during the Korean \,"ar with the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, attached as armour support to the 29th British Independent Brigade. The regiment, under the command of Lt. Col. Sir W. Lowther, landed in November 1950 and travelled by train to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. While the tanks were being unloaded, news came of a heavy defeat farther north following the Chinese intervention in the war. All further move­ ment northward ceased; within days, the United \ations Forces were in headlong retreat. Before they had even sighted the enemy, the 8th Hussars were ordered to withdraw. In the terrible cold the tanks trundled south along narrow frozen roads streaming with refugees. As few bridges could bear the weight of the 50-ton tanks, the rivers had to be forded, coating the hulls with sheets of ice. Although the Centurions were brand new and barely run in, they performed remarkably well, cover­ ing 130 miles in 24 hours. A line was eventually formed north of Seoul, with the Centurions in defensive positions on the south bank of the Han River, covering the main road from the north. With the temperatures well below freezing, they awaited the enemy attack, standing the tanks on rice straw to prevent the tracks freezing to the ground. The Chinese, however, decimated by frost­ bite and disease, were incapable of sustaining their offensive. It was not until February 1951 that the Centurions first fired their guns in anger. Two Centurions, sup­ porting an American patrol along the Han River, came under fire from a tank hidden in a railway cut­ ting. The tank was engaged at a range of 3,000 yards, and destroyed with the second shot. It was identified as a Cromwell of the Reconnaissance Troop of the 8th Hussars, captured by the Chinese during an earlier battle. It is perhaps ironic that the Centurion's first action was against the tank it was designed to replace.

On the night of 22 April 1951, the Chinese spring offensive fell upon the 29th Brigade, sparking one of the great battles of British military history. The Brigade, with the Belgian battalion under command, was deployed along a 13,000-yard front o\erlooking the Imjin River, astride one of the classic invasion routes to the south. Within hours the infantry batta· lions were heavily engaged; the Belgians, fighting north of the river, were cut off. On the following morning, the Centurions of "C" Squadron (\Iajor P.H. Huth)' moved forward. Throughout th e day , they lashed out at the enemy with high explosive and machine-gun fire in support of the Northumberland

Troops of 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment piled on Centurion Mk 3 of the 8th KRIH crossing a pontoon bridge over the Imjin River, June 1951 (lWM Bf 10289)

13

Korea. Centurion Mk3 of "c" Squadron, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, in a defensive position overlooking Seoul, on the Han River, December 1950. (US Army)

Fusiliers and the Ulster Rifles. They were, however, unable to reach the Belgians or the Gloucester batta­ lion, who were also under heavy attack. During that night the Belgians fought their way back across the river and rejoined the brigade, but the Gloucesters were still completely surrounded. Next morning half of "COO Squadron, together with a Filipino force, tried to break through to the encircled battalion but were forced to turn back when the leading Filipino tank was knocked out, blocking the road. The other half of the squadron was in continuous action that day, holding open the valley road leading to the Fusiliers and Ulsters. 14

As night fell on the second day of the battle, the plight of the Brigade was becoming desperate. The Gloucesters were under furious and repeated attack within their ever-decreasing perimeter, while the Northumberlands and the Ulsters were in imminent danger of being cut off. At first light on the 25th, three troops of "COO Squadron again moved up the valley to support the hard-pressed infantry. Heavy mortar fire forced the commanders to close down; two tanks, shedding their tracks, ran off the mist­ shrouded road into the mire of the rice paddies. As the Centurions advanced through the pass into the valley, they were attacked by swarms of Chinese

infantry with sticky bombs and bazookas. Clambering onto the tanks, the Chinese tried to force open the turret hatches and drop in grenades, but were shot off by machine-gun fire from the other tanks. The Centu­ rions' firepower soon routed the Chinese completely. For the next 7Yz hours, the Centurions pounded enemy positions in the hills, while the exhausted ::'iorthumberlands and Ulsters fell back. As the last of the infantry withdrew through the pass, another wave of Chinese swept down from the hills cutting the road behind the tanks. Once more, the Centurions were forced to run the gauntlet of the bombthrowing hordes. One tank commander, discovering a Chinese ~oldier battering at his cupola lid, removed him by driving his tank through the side of a house. The tanks moved back under continuous fire, covering the withdrawal of the Belgian battalion which had been holding the road below the pass throughout the day. Two tanks, under the command of the squadron leader, remained as a rearguard to

continue the delaying action. The two Centurions raked the Chinese with close-range machine-gun fire. Each time the enemy was about to outflank the lead tank it fell back under the covering fire of the other. Not until the infantry reached safety did the Centu­ rions withdraw from the action. Without the support of the Centurions at the battle of the Imjin, both the Northumberland and Ulster battalions would almost certainly have been overrun. As it was, they suffered heavy casualties - and the Gloucester battalion, out of water and ammunition, was forced to surrender - but the Chinese offensive was halted. The 1st British Commonwealth Division was form­ ed toward the end of July 1951 by integrating all the Commonwealth units in Korea. During Operation Commando in October, the division advanced some 1,000 yards to establish positions north of the Imjin River before the coming winter. The attack was over

Centurion Mk3 of "B" Squadron, 1st RTR, fording the Imjin River. to avoid damaging pontoon bridges.

It was then customary for tanks to ford rivers

15

extremely difficult terrain; nevertheless, the Centu­ rions proved equal to the task_ The tanks climbed seemingly impossible hills to bring direct fire to bear against the enemy - an ability much envied by the crews of the American Pattons and M4A3E8 Sher­ mans_ After Operation Commando the line became static, remaining so for the next two years, while the pro­ tracted peace negotiations at Panmanjon thrashed out an armistice agreement_ As little further could be achieved by offensive action, the United Nations For­ ces established positions on the most commanding features overlooking the Chinese lines_ In December 1951, the 8th Hussars were relieved by the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards (the Skins). The Centurions were dug in within the in­ fantry company areas, their tracks and suspension protected from shell fire by sandbags and earth­ works. Beside each tank the crews built bunkers into the hillsides where they lived and slept when not on duty. The task of the tanks was to harass the enemy with shellfire by day, thus preventing motion in the open, and by night, to guard against attacks and provide covering fire for infantry patrolling No Man's Land. As the Centurions' direct fire was much more accu­ rate than that of conventional artillery, valuable sup­ port could also be given to infantry attacks on enemy hills. The tanks fired many hundreds of rounds, in cir-

16

Centurion lost at the Battle of the Imjin River, April 1951, and recovered after the UN reoccupation of the area. Centurion Mk3 of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment firing on Chinese positions, February 1953.

cumstances requmng great preCISIOn and co-ordina­ tion. The accurac·y of their 20-pounders permitted long range destruction of enemy bunkers and observa­ tion posts - a process known as "posting letters". The Centurions were capable of putting an HE round through an opening measuring two feet by one at over 2,000 yards.

thl..

Centurion Mk3, "Colorado", belonging to Troop Sergeant, "C" Squadron, 8th K R I H. A27M Cromwell Cruiser tank. in Korea, Cromwells manned by Chinese crews fought against Centurions on the Imjin River.

y

17

So effective were the Centurions in their support­ ing role that the Chinese artillery were commanded to make a concerted effort to force the tanks from their hilltops. Though no tanks were destroyed by shellfire, the discomfort of the surrounding infantry was such that a number were withdrawn to the re­ verse slopes by day, only moving up to their fire positions at night. Searchlights mounted on some of the Centurions were used at night to locate Chinese patrols in No Man's Land. Working in pairs, one tank would illuminate a suspected area, while the second engaged it with shell fire. During their year in action, the Skins made a num­ ber of limited raids to disrupt enemy positions that could not normally be shelled. The terrain was so unfavourable, however, that such operations were dis­ continued, as the risk of losing tanks due to bogging and mines was deemed too great for the results achieved. On the night of 18 November 1952, the Chinese attacked the Black Watch Company entrenched on a hill feature known as the Hook. Employing their searchlights, the Centurions fired on the enemy's ap­ proach routes. The forward infantry platoon was overrun; after a vigorous counterattack, however, the position was retaken. A second attack followed and, to relieve the pressure on the Black Watch, a Centu­ rion climbed onto the Hook itself. By the light of its

searchlight the tank engaged the Chinese at close range until it was penetrated by a bazooka round, wounding the driver, and forced to withdraw. The battle continued until dawn, when a counterattack by Canadian troops finally restored the situation. The 1st Royal Tank Regiment took over from the Skins in December 1952. During May 1953, an in­ crease in enemy patrolling and shelling of the Hook indicated that another assault could be expected. The feature was now held by the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Wellington'S Regiment, with the Centurions of "C" Squadron in support. At dusk on the 28th, a Chinese brigade attacked under an intensive artillery bombardment, forcing the defenders into their bunk­ ers. The Centurions engaged the enemy, inflicting heavy casualties. As the infantry's communications had failed, it fell to the tanks to direct the full weight of the divisional artillery onto the attackers. During the battle each tank received an average of five direct hits from shells and mortars. In all, four separate attacks were mounted, and each repulsed in turn. The tanks were a major factor in the successful defence of the Hook. Had the position fallen, the division would have been outflanked and withdrawal inevitable. Thanks to the Centurions - and despite repeated Chinese attacks - the Hook was held until the armistice was signed in July 1953.

"Beaufort", the Centurion belonging to "B" Squadron Leader, 8th KRIH, during Operation Commando, October 1951. (AWM HOB 2425)

'~...~ l

\

...

18

THE KOREAN CAMPAIGN Imjin

~~J/N R~rER '-\'Cs,~' z

N

,-\-.SOLMA.RI

CHUDONG-NI 0

.U.R.

it)' ...

o~ 6~5

Chinese ambush the tanks I

\J Book Loa,)",,~ ~ _~

496 L>.

ew Belgian Area,

dI

\

, \ ,

/J... /

//

\ \

KUMGONG-N

___ 0 ~O- - _

2~25~ '

./

/

SINSAN-rO(, \ I

...

--------m~~

".... "

/

/

1. /__ 0;:­

"

Centurion Mk3 of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars,

I"

OPERATION

"MUSKETEER"

PORT-SAID 1956

The Centurion next saw action in a totally different operational theatre: the Suez campaign of November 1956. The 6th Royal Tank Regiment (Lt. Col. T.H. Gibbon), equipped with Centurion Mark 5s, was at· tached as armour support to the 40th and 42nd Royal Marine Commando which spearheaded the sea­ borne landings at Port Said. The Centurions of "C" Squadron (Major]. loly), fitted with waterproofing equipment, left the landing ships at dawn on 6 November, wading ashore through six feet of water .

As they reached the beach, the explosive bolts se­ curing the wading kits were detonated and the equip­ ment jettisQned. Unfortunately, however, a number of the bolts failed to explode, and the crews had to remove them with sledgehammers under sniper fire. The beachhead secured, the tanks entered Port Said in support of the Commandos, who engaged in fierce but sporadic street fighting throughout the day. The remainder of the regiment landed later in the morning. "B" Squadron joined the Commandos in house clearing in the old Arab quarter, while "A" Squadron sped through the town and, together with a battalion of paratroops, advanced down the road bor­ dering the Suez Canal. Before any worthwhile object­ ives could be achieved, the ceasefire became effective at midnight and military operations ceased.

First tank down the ramp: Centurion belonging to 6th RTR disembarking from HMS Puncher (LST) at Port Said,

6 November 1956

(Official Admiralty photo)

_, ':;~,¥~~\~r:;;:~{J:,~;, " " ,:,-

. ,,,. ,, ,,, . ..

,;.: .~:. >;~{\~}':-{~~.:.:..-;- .~ .

:' .~\~

:¥i:'

:"./ ,$..' (i.t~'~~\.I~~~~.~' ~~-\'''"l;~''~~\~\r;~i·~\\'';'~;:t.~ .:..~. . . . . ......-. .

c',;;

.'" "

., ''\ ~,~:\", .:..,~:: \·:~-!t~~\k-?~~:.f?~r--.\:.~· ~~2'~~~{~ .:{.(:"",~....,\:,:~..,~\ ,;; -",',.: ~ '-~ '.

~;~;f:

id East I

Centurions

- -eeli modified Centurions (Ben-Gurian) in Sinai

r ,I

~ ~

~f ~

11 \

...

Centurion Mk5s of uB" Squadron, 6th RTR, in the streets of Port Said, November 1956. (AP)

THE INDO-PAKISTANI WARS In September 1965, the longstanding border dispute between India and Pakistan erupted into open con­ flict. During the ensuing war, neither side showed much imagination in the use of its armour. During their initial attacks, thesPakistani tanks were commit­ ted over unsuitable terrain, with inadequate recon­ naissance often outstripping their supporting infantry. As a result, they blundered into enemy anti-tank posi­ tions and suffered heavy casualties. The Indians showed a similar lack of enterprise in co-ordinating their attacks. At the Battle of Phillora, the tanks on both sides outran their lorry-borne infantry, meeting in a head­ long clash . In a number of actions over the following fifte en days - the largest tank battle since World War II - the Centurions of the Indian 1st Armoured Divi­ sion proved superior to the Pakistanis' M47 and M48 22

Pattons. In the swirling dust of the plains, engage­ ments were often fought at ranges of less than 500 yards, making fast and accurate tank gunnery a deci­ sive factor. The Centurion, with its simpler fire con­ trol system, was able to engage targets more rapidly and at a greater rate of fir e. Heavy casualties were in­ flicted on both sides, however, ending the war in a stalemate. Centurions were also employed by the Indians against attacks from West Pakistan in the war of 1971. Although this war was fought predominantly in East Pakistan (later to become Bangladesh), bitter tank battles took place in the west as well. In these, Centurions outfought Pakistani T-59s (the Chinese version of the T-54), once again proving their excel· lent battleworthiness.

';9nturion Mkl of the Indian Army.

23

1. Oil pressure filler 2. Main engine 3. Fuel pipe [0 carburetters 4. Accderator linkage S. Oil coole r 6. R.H. fuel Tank 7. R .H. fuel tank access cover 8. Induction manifold coolant jacket 9... A .. Bank front Ki-gass atomizer 10. Ki-gass atomizer pipes

11. Strangler linkage 12. R.H. air cleaner 13. Thennostat 14. Main engine generator pulley locking clamp 15. Main engine generator 16... A I I Bank exhaust manifold 17. L.H. fuel tank 18. Charging sel thermostat 19. Charging set governor 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

25. 26. 27. 28.

LAYOUT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT

Charging set oil fiUer L. H. air cleaner Charging se t oi l filter Charging set carburetter Cha rging set jgnit.ion coil Charging set dipstick Charging set jgnition assembly Charging se t coolant balance pipe Charging set engine

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

II. 12. 13. 14. IS.

16. 17. IS. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.

Flame delector warning born Interior lamp Driver's access door locking handle Driver's perisco{)eS Day and night panel lamp switches Speedometer Engine oil pressure gauge Main engine generator warning lamp Fuel I~eI gauges Panel lamp cover Engine temperarure gauge Driver's windscreen wipcr sockel Tachometer Banet}' master switch

Driver's switchboard

Charging set warning lamps Trip mileage reset con1t:ol

TUITtI position indicator

Socket for inter-vehicle starting lead Strangler control lever Portable fire extinguishcr l:Iandbrake Hand throttle control screw R.H. steering It:ver Accelerator pedal Brake pedal Clutch pecta! Adjusting rod for clutch pedal free tI'.lvel COl cylinders Re~otc control attachment to st:riktr handle L.H . sleering lever Gear lever

Centurion in VIETNAM

The announcement that a squadron of Centurion tanks was to reinforce the 1st Australian Task Force in South Vietnam was greeted by scepticism in some quarters. Critics claimed that the mobility of the tanks would be so curtailed by the rice paddies and jungle that their only function could be as static pill boxes defending the perimeter of the Task Force headquarters at Nui Dat. They also argued that an enemy equipped with modern anti-tank weapons such as the RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) could easily destroy the slow and cumbersome Centurions. Such criticisms, however, were soon to be disproved.

"C" Squadron of the 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps, landed at Vung Tau with the first 16 Centurions in February 1968. After two weeks of preparation and training with the infantry, the tanks were first committed to action in Operation Pinaroo, a task force operation designed to clear the Viet Cong-infested Long Hai Hills in the south of Phyoc Tuy Province. Acting as fire support, the Centurions destroyed suspected enemy positions as the infantry advanced into the hills. In May the task force deployed into the provinces of Bien Hoa and Binh luong, north of Phuoc Tuy, to

Centurion of "C" Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, RAAC, soon after arrival in South Vietnam, February 1968. The

bazooka plates were discarded during Operation Pinaroo as they soon became compacted with mud and vegetation.

Headlights and track guards were ripped off by jungle foliage.

(AWM EKN/68/19/VN)

26

lVIodified Australian Centurion in combat service in South Vietnam; turret facing backwards.

27

'weUl8!!\ LjlnOS Ol W86U!lUO::l ueljeJlsn\f l>tV\l !\tJ\f UO! Jn lU8 J

SIAN HOA

"r/

" ...... ,-'-,

-

--

LONG KHANH .... '"" I ,'­,__/ ­ ,.;

PHYOC-TUY PROV'NC ~

,'-6

~

\

lOp. "Ivory-Fox" ,/ July 1971

0

(J)

0'''·,

."U.A'" PIlOVI",'

....

10

I

I

I

I

15 I

_~

,sroa

Actions in Vietnam Despite devoted attention from their crews in South Vietnam, the ageing Centurions posed a constant maintenance problem. Here a tank crew is shown replacing a track. (AWM BEL/69/826/VN)

29

A Centurion defending in the area between Yehudia and Hushnia on the southern sector of the Golan.

Mid East II Centurions

I

Centurion Mk7, Jordanian Army 1973.

30

Centurion Mk5, Negev, 1967. IDF tank crews have since been issued olive drab tankers' overalls and dome-shaped helmets.

Dawn: young tankers from the 7th Armored brigade prepare to go into battle.

Centurion Mk13, "BOAR", United Kingdom, 1973. The Mk13 was the final model in service with the I British Army.

32

"

• ,

L

.,

- --:'"

.

,

.

'

...

'.­

"

. -/ -

'

_...

'7

'

Centurions of "C" Squadron in fire support role during

Operation Pinaroo, April 1968

Centurions on the move from Nui Dat to reinforce the peri­ meter of FSBs Coral and Balmoral in Bien Hoa Province,

May 1968.

(AWM ERR/68/ 544/VN)

take part in Allied operations to counter the enemy offensive against Saigon. Fire Support Base (FSB) Coral was established across the Viet Cong/N orth Vietnamese Army withdrawal route from the capital. Enemy retaliation was swift, subj ecting Coral to per­ sistent mortar bombardment and two ground attacks. The tanks were moved up to reinforce th e perimeter defenses, together with those of a second FSB , Balmoral, which had also been established. The presence of the tanks deterred any furth er assault on Coral. However, early in the morning of 26 May , an attack on Balmoral by a battalion of the North Vietnamese Army breached the perimeter wire before being repulsed by th e infantry su pported by the canister and machine-gun fire of two Centurions. Two days later, und er an intensive barrage of mortar, RPG , and small arms fir e, a second assault was mounted, this time by a regiment of the North Viet­ namese Army. Again canister rounds cut a swath through the ranks of the attackers and , under com­ bined infantry, tanks, artillery and helico pter gunship fir e, the attack was broken. 33

"Scrub-bashing": Centurions breaking slowly but surely through secondary jungle similar to that shown here_ (AWM)

The canister round is not unlike a giant shotgun cartridge, discharging steel pellets at high velocity over a wide area_ Being very effective against un­ protected infantry, as well as for clearing jungle and vegetation covering bunkers, it was used extensively in Vietnam. The principal role of the Centurions in Vietnam was that of infantry support. Most operations were of company size with a troop of tanks under com­ mand. Armoured operations were' also undertaken. These included up to two tank troops, a cavalry troop of armoured personnel carriers and a company of either Australian or Vietnamese infantry. Their aim was to continually harass the enemy by denying him safe areas and to interdict his supply routes and de­ stroy his bases. The tanks were especially effective in knocking out bunker systems, either with direct fire or by crushing them beneath their tracks. On 6 June 1969 , a composite Viet ConglNorth Vietnamese Army force occupied the village of Binh Ba on Route 2, eight miles north of Nui Dat. A troop 34

of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and an infantry company held on immediate standby at Nui Dat ­ known as the Ready Reaction Force - were imme­ diately deployed to meet the threat. The Centurions of HB" Squadron, which had by now replaced "c" Squadron, led the assault against the entrenched VCI NVA, who had fortified all the brick buildings in the village. The tanks advanced house by house under a hail of RPG rockets, blasting weapons pits with high explosives and coaxial machine-gun fire. The battle raged for four hours. Supplies of high explosive ammunition were soon expended; as the tanks were loaded with their usual preponderance of canister rounds, a novel technique of street fighting was improvised. Canister rounds were fired into the roofs of the houses, bringing the tiles crashing down on the defenders. Buildings collapsed, their foundations pulverized by armour-piercing rounds fired at point­ blank range. Contrary to accepted practice, ball ammunition was used - with telling effect - by the 0.5" ranging guns against doorways and windows.

In a cloud of dust, the Centurions of "A" Squadron rumble along Route 23 toward Binh Tuy Province during

Operation Matilda, January 1970,

(A WM WAR/ 70/ 57NN)

A Centurion of "A" Squadron crossing an A VLB during Operation Matilda. The roadwheels on the glacis plate served

as additional protection against RPGs.

(AWM WAR / 70/ 63NN)

35

Helpless against such overwhelming firepower, the VCINV A force was decimated. Early in 1970, "B" Squadron was relieved by "A" Squadron. The highlight of their tour was Operation Matilda, the largest Australian armoured operation since World War II. Forty.four armoured fighting ve­ hicles (eight Centurion gun tanks, two Centurion bridgelayers, four armoured recovery vehicles and 30 armoured personnel carriers) swept through three provinces on an Il-day, 150-mile search for Viet Congo Despite the fact that Matilda did not result in any significant contacts, this and other similar opera­ tions denied the enemy the initiative and reduced his freedom of movement. As on other occasions, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army proved reluc­ tant to stand and fight the tanks unless a particularly valuable installation was threatened. Infantry without armour support, however, was always vulnerable to ambush and attack. Operations such as Matilda created their own special problems. Continual running on roads in the high ambient temperatures of th e tropics caused the bonding of th e road-wheel rubber tyres to fail. This often resulted in the tyres being shed from the wh eels. Spare roadwheels were therefore carried on the glacis plate for immediate replacement; this also increased frontal protec tion against RPGs. "C" Squadron returned to the fray in 1971 and undertook a number of " hammer-and-anvil "-ty pc operations. In these, a blocking force of infantry and APCs would lay ambush es covering likely VC I NVA escape routes from a given area , whil e the tanks drove the enemy onto the guns of the wailing

infantry. Operation Iron Fox in late July was a typi­ cal example. The 3rd battalion of the Royal Austra­ lian Regiment and the carriers of "A" Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, formed the blocking force, while the ANZAC battalion and the tanks of "C" Squadron attacked a Viet Cong regiment along the river. During the late afternoon of 29 July, contact was made with an aggressively defended bunker system. In the fading light the tanks manoeuvred into attack formation over extremely heavy undergrowth and broken ground. As usual in such situations, the Viet Cong withdrew during the night; the bunkers were subse­ quently destroyed with explosives. Another bunker system being located the following afternoon, the tanks interrupted their refuelling and returned to the fight, scrub-bashing through extremely dense jungle. The Viet Cong countered the tank attack with RPG rockets fired into the trees above the tanks, knowing the Centurions fought with open hatches for in­ creased visibility and ventilation. The enemy had learned by now that Centurions would continue fight­ ing despite repeated direct hits to the hull and turret­ in fact, though crews \\ ere grievously wounded by RPG penetrations, no RPG ever knocked out a Centu­ rion in Vietnam. By firing into the jungle canopy. however, the Vipt Cong could incapacitate the crews with fragments and spall from the rockets exploding above them. As part of tht' n~dudion of Australian forcl's ill Vidnam, the Ct~nturions W(TI' withdrawn ill Seplcln­ bn 197]. Tht ~ y had proVt'd Iht·ir drt'clivt'lIe"" Oil numerous occasions, saving Ihl' liv('" of Illan~ infantry­ men.

M113A 1 APCs and Centurions of "B" Squadron stir up dust crossing a dry rice paddy during a typical armour operation

in SVN. ·

(AWM COM/69/173/VN)

ENTURION in the mO '-east: ISRAELI ARMOUR CORPS

_ , ••q-.<, ..

'

,.\,J.;.,

~;J.{~/> '. =_',;,-f!:!;\ --_-_'{.....:-t'iiit......::'Wr!'.;:;.~~

~~.~~~~

An upgunned Centurion Mk3, its camouflage netting being removed before starting up.

Although th ey had already taken part in many bat­ d es all over th e world , the Centurions first came into -heir own in th e Middle East. There, as the spearhead and mainstay of th e Isra el Armoured Corps , they \,-pre to prove th emselves as a major weapon system ::econd to none. Centurions entered service with the ID F in 1960; :t took a long time, however, for them to be fully ac cepted by Israeli tank crews. They had long been tEed to the relatively simple Sherman tanks, which ran under almost any conditions, especially after having been modified with th e Cummings Diesel en­ ~ ne. The Israeli Shermans mounted the high-velocity French-made 75mm. AMX 13 gun which, the crews considered, could outgun eve n the modern T-54s employed by the Arabs. The first results with th e newly acquired British tanks had been disappointing. In the barren, dusty :\egev Desert, where the Israelis t rained their tankers, the Centurions performed badly . Their radiators clog­ ged up with dust and mud, causing the engines to

overheat and seize up. The minutely detailed pre­ march maintenance and closing-down checks were too complex for the inexperienced tankers, resulting in many mechanical breakdowns which were blamed on the tank's supposedly inadequate technical stan­ dards. Many tanks ran away from their crews, skid­ ding downhill at all angles. Brakes burned out, causing severe accidents. During one exercise, several tanks overheated and caught fire before the very eyes of the Chief of Staff! To make matters worse, the 20 pound­ er guns, not being properly zeroed, performed very erratically compared to the Sherman; hits on target were considered by th e crews as flukes. All in all it was not surprising that tank officers turned down offers to join the Centurion battalion , preferring to stay in their old Sherman units. Indeed , those ordered to Centurions considered themselves punished~ In an attempt to improve the tank's reputation , the Cen~u­ nons were incorporated into the premier Israeli tank regiment, E prestigious unit that hali. served with great distinction in the two previous wars. Even this, however, did not solve matters . 37

Upgunned Centurion Mk3 negotiating heavy dust in the Negev Desert.

Centurion crew in gunnery practice.

The General Staff realised a more radical solution was required to overcome the problems of the Centu­ rion . Accordingly, a team of Ordnance Corps experts, who had gathered much experience in modifying the Sherman, were ordered to define a plan to modify the tank to meet Israeli requirements. At this time, firefights with the Syrians - known as the Water War - were escalating. Positioned high on the Golan hills, the Syrians fired constantly on Is­ raeli settlements, hampering all work in the Hula Valley. Retaliation was difficult, both militarily and politically, as neither side wished to b e drawn into a full-scale war. An efficient tank gun was necessary to engage the Syrians accurately and effectively; the Sherman gun was considered insufficient for the task. The IDF Ordnance Corps, by this time, had mounted the newly acquired l05mm. L 7 guns on the Mark 5, following the British experience in upgunning their Centurions. The newly upgunned tanks, manned by specially trained crews, were rushed to the Syrian border. The results of the first action were awaited eagerly, many high-ranking officers taking up vantage positions to watch the engagement. They did not have long to wait. At noon, as usual, the Syrians opened fire on an Israeli patrol moving along the bor­ der track , covering the work of a tractor from a near­ by settlement. Following the Syrian fire, the con­ cealed Centurions moved up to their fire positions and opened up with their l05mm. guns. All hell broke loose as the high-velocity rounds crashed into the enemy positions. The Syrians retaliated with all they had; accurate artillery fire fell on the Israeli tanks, raising great curtains of dust. Several Syrian Pz IV s, dug into the hilltops, also cracked into action, their 75mm. guns, even though of WWII vintage, still effective. The Centurions fired non-stop, but had dif­ ficulty in observing their targets b ecause of the dust cloud that now covered the valley. The Syrians, firing from the hilltops, still had a clear view, and most of their targets registered. After a duel of several hours, a cease-fire was reached by UN intervention. The results, when evalu­ ated, were most disappointing; th e crews, who had entertained th eir doubts before the battle, were now totally disgusted. Blaming the shortcomings on the ex­ cellent l05mm. gun was actually an injustice. How­ ever, after their unpleasant experience with the tank, the crews were difficult to convince. The nearby Sherman crews jubilantly watched their rivals' plight and further dejected the Centurion crews by knocking out several enemy tanks in their next skirmish with the Syrians. The dejection, however, came to an end with the appointment of a new com­ mander of the Israel Armoured Corps. General Israel

-=-- al

was not a rna n to consider a tank deficiency an ;olubl e probl em. On the contrary: his t echnical xperience mad e him realize th at he not only could, It had to , vindi cate the Centurion once and for .i..I . He first assembl ed all armour officers above the nk of captain and lectured th em on th eir short­ ) mings , pointing out in great detail the deficiencies . gu nnery maintenance and command procedures 'h ich h e had observed in th e recent actio ns. Special .ain tenance crews were appointed to zero the tank ;-.1 11 5, and gunnery courses for regular and reserve - e W S set up. Maintenance procedures were worked It and enforced by strict di scipline. Long·range tank ~lI1 n er y areas were built and firing competitions be­ ~ 'e e n crews instituted. Promotions b eca me geared t o iiiciency tests. As the results improved , morale ­ 'hich had sagged for a long time - rose and never : ain fell even during th e arduou s tank b attles of th e r m Kippur War.

Centurion Mk5. Note the SCR 608 radio antennae and 0.5" Browning MG, as well as the US-type tankers' helmet used at the time by Israeli tank crews.

Centurions with 20 pdr gun on tank infantry support, Samaria, 7967.

39

Israel's modified Centurion

BEN-GURION

Centurion climbing the Golan Heights - note the mud under the tracks. Most Centurions in the Golan had their bazooka plates removed to prevent clogging by mud.

Al th ough General Tal achieved mu ch by energy efficiency, the Centurion still needed major modi­ l ti ons to turn it into a modern fightin g ma chine. A _r.cial t eam of experts was commissioned to build :h a prototyp e and given the necessary funds to do The t ask before them was immense. f irst priority was given to replacing the long obso­ -:e and und er-powered Meteor engine , whose short ~;: ofte n made it necessary to change engines in th e ':dd. This was an intricate and complicat ed t ech­ :qu e compl et ely unsuited to field maintenance oper­ __ :ons, as it t ook five trained t echnicians, working i th heavy ordnan ce equipment, 20 hours to com­ t e - the longest tim e for such an operatio n in th e -orld! A suitable di esel replacement which would both ..mprove performance and fit into the existing engine _o mpartm ent was not easy to find. Finaqy , aft er lI ch delib erati o n, th e American Continental A VDS­ ~ :-90-2AC 12 cylinder V 90 0 air cooled engine giving ;50 h.p. at 2400 r.p.m. was chosen. It also simplified _ogistics, as this same engine was used in Israeli modi­ :led M48s and M60s, and the standardisation on diesel J.

Turret modification lint:; "A "-type barrels being removed from the original turrets. Note the M4 Sherman bogey wheel, upper right.

Israel Ordnance Corps modification line workshops. Note the new 105mm. gun on the first tank 's turret' the other tanks still mount the old 20Pdr "A "-type barrel.

41

fuel eased the problems of th e supply organisation. Fitting th e new power pack into the engine co mpart­ men t was an exacting task, necessitating over 300 modifications to the engine alone. Several parts were manufactured locally, encouraging an industry which later was of vital importance in th e developm ent of th e Israeli Merkava tank. Despite its being Israel's most mod ern tank except for the lighter AMX 13, the Centurion was the slow­ est. To improve performance further , the bulky Merritt-Brown gearbox, with fiv e forward and two reverse gears, was replaced by a modern hy draulic Allison box with only two forward and one reverse gears. This made driving easier by eliminating con­ stant gear shifting, which in the pressure of co mbat could endanger a crew's performance dur.ing long engageme nts. The clutch mechanism was entirely eli­ minated. The new engine and Allison gearbox rotated inver­ sely to the old. A complete adaptation oLall trans­ mission moving parts - a t echni cal challenge of the highest order - was necessary. The fi nal driv e housing remained unchanged; new parts were made t o fit within it. After many tests, the new transmission performed perfectly . Modified Centurion belonging to a reserve battalion in Sinai. \

I,

\' '. "

I,

III,

42

Improving the cooling syst em was th e next chal­ lenge. A mod ern, easy- to-maintain air cooling system was installed in place of th e existing unreliable water cooled type. As th e width of the hull was insufficient to fit air intake grilles, without which there would have been a serious pressure drop, special air louvers were positioned over the tran~mission compartment. Care was taken to produce a h erm eti cally sealed sys­ tem; special air filters, suited to withstand the heavy desert du st of th e Middle East, were installed in place of the easily clogged British ones. An advanced st eering mechanism, with a single handle, which improved both steering and turning, was introduced in place of the old two -lever driving system. This facilitated manoeuvering and cut down the danger of th e tank slipping out of co ntrol when changing direction at high speed. Driving downhill had always b een a problem, as the dry-type brake drum s tended to overheat and become unserviceable very quickly, resulting in the tank run­ ning out of control - a harassing experience if it happ ened on rocky and undulating ground. A new fri ction disc, oil cooled braking system was adopted. The fire extinguishing system was also improved . In the old system, carbon dioxid e was disc harged into

Modified Centurion, rear view, gun traversed, Golan 1978.

Maintenance in the field. In the foreground, a Continental A VDS 1790·2AC engine, removed for changing.

43

~~.~~;;-;-:~~~::!~'O~~fh~4'~17:~··;:~:~~~¥;~~j~_?t.;~~~~ - ~

~

...~

":A,­ ~ - :~.-

.•..

:.~

..::r A troop of Centurions moving at speed in Sinai.

I

I

the cooling system before the engine came to a stand· still - not a very effective method. The new system held more material and was more efficient. The 105mm. L 7 gun had necessitated t emporary modifications, including a rearrangement of th e turret layout to make room for the larger ammunition stow­ age. The results were unacceptabl e, as the turret had to be fr equ entl y t raversed to gain access to the ammu­ nition stowed below. This impeded the driver and was even more serious under combat conditions, as the gun swung off target. The fighting compartment was rearranged to overcome this deficiency. A further difficulty with the fighting compartm ent was that the loader's position did not rotate as the turret traversed . This meant that he either had to "chase" the turret or wait for it to stop in position ­ which, in turn, redu ced combat effi ciency. Accord­ ingly, the rear deck superstru cture was redesigned and the traversing control modified to enable th e free rotation of the gun over the rear. A locall y developed automatic device controlled gun elevation . To improve th e tank's limited range, a greater amount of fuel had to be stowed in th e hull.l-iowever, the larger dimensions of the new engine and th e add­ ed airflow channels mad e this an acute problem. To 44

overcome it the team devised specially-shaped mould­ ed fuel tanks which fitted snugly into every available corner of the engine compartment. In all, the deVelopment programme took 40 ,000 working hours over some three years. Invaluable ex­ perience, eventually leading to the development of the Merkava battle tank in 1976, was gained in th e process. The new Centurion resembled the old one only in shape. It was to become a highly effective combat system , the backbone of the Israel Armoured Corps ­ and it was soon to prove itself in battle. Modified Centurions took part in a small but sharp action against a Jordanian stronghold in the Hebron hills shortly before the Six Day War. Firing concrete­ busting HESH ammunition, th ey destroyed a Jordan­ ian fortified police post within minutes: The action brought the Jordanian 12th Tank Regim ent equipped with Centurion Mark 5s '~o th e area. They remained there until captured by th e Isra elis in the Six Day War, having taken no active part in combat. The Six Day War brought Centurion into its own. Crashing through the cactus hedges at Rafa, the lead battalion started what was to b e the classic tank thrust of modern warfare. Knocking out several

Egyptian T-34s dug in at the Rafa crossroads, Centu­ rions smashed through the drawn-out Egyptian 7th Division defences and gained EI-Arish, some 40 miles '..'est of the ceasefire line, within a few hours - a tre­ mendous feat. Two reserve Centurion brigades of another division meanwhile made their way along an uncharted desert track, their new diesel engines achieving an unprecedented standard of performance in extreme desert conditions. By the morning of the second day, the first Centu­ rions were astride the main Sinai axis in time to ambush the advancing 4th Egyptian Armoured Divi­ sion with its modern Soviet T-55's. The Centurions caused devastation by firing APDS at extreme ranges. The T -55's never even had a chance to get within range. By now the race to the Suez Canal was on. The Centurions won, reaching the Mitla Pass in time to close it before the retreating Egyptian armies. In the ensuing battle, they fired continuously, creating an unprecedented havoc of destruction. Armour-infantry cooperation with air observer, (in helicopter, above), Centurion near the crossing site at Deversoir, 17 October 1973,

45

Israel's Centurions performed brilliantly in the Six Day War. By 10 June 1967, the last day of the War, Israeli crews had full confidence in the easily driven Centurion , armed with the hard-hitting 105mm. gun and powered by the safer, more reliable Continental engine. The uLtimate t est in ruggedness - the Yom Kippur War - was, however, still to come. After the Six Day War Israel purchased further Centurions from various sources, many of them Mark 5s.. All were modified to IDF standards by the Ordnance Corps, which ran a regular production line. During the so-called War of Attrition in 1969/70, Centurions went into action both on the banks of the Suez Canal and in the Golan Heights. In a sharp clash with the Syrians in 1970 , IDF Centurions knocked out several Syrian T-54's. This encounter represented the first Syrian use of Snapper AT missiles - with negligible effect. At noon on 6 October 1973 - Yom Kippur - the Arab onslaught fell on the IDF positions in the Golan and the Bar Lev line. At the time, Centurions held the Golan sector, the Sinai being defended mainly by M48 and M60 Pattons. The Pattons rushed forward to relieve the stricken Bar Lev outposts, only to be

decimated by the Egyptian human anti-tank killer teams. The Centurions on the Golan, however , stood their ground although outnumbered by as many as 15 to 1. Their deadly 105mm. L7 guns proved more than a match for the Soviet 115mm. smooth bore T-62 guns, firing fin-stabilised APFSDS ammunition; the efficient gunnery of the highly trained Centurion crews knocked out hundreds of the Syrian T -55s and ultra modern T -62s. The young tank crews of the 7th Armoured Brigade, which had spearheaded the way in all previous wars, particularly distinguished themselves. The reserves, mostly manning Centurions, finally broke the Syrian onslaught, following with a lethal counterattack. After a sharp encounter with Iraqi reinforcements and the destruction of the Jordanian crack 40th Armoured Brigade with its Cen­ turions also mounting the 105mm. , the fighting in the Golan was over. The IDF Armoured Corps had gained a trem endous victory against great odds. Meanwhile Centurions had also joined battle in Sinai, taking a leading part in the great tank battle of 14 October, when over 2,000 tanks from both sides locked in mortal combat. Firing from well-prepared positions , the Israeli Pattons and Centurions - all

Latest version of modified Centurions, complete with Xenon searchlight, on the move.

46

Modified Centurion, Golan 1978. Note 0.5" Browning MG mounted up front, additional front plate and gun sleeve. Modified Centurion Mk5s on the Golan Heights, 1973.

47

mounting the lethal 105mm. gun - knocked out over 300 Egyptian tanks in a matter of hours. Shortly Comparison Data Table (sample-part) afterwards, a brigade of Centurions completely de­ stroyed th e Egyptian 25th Armoured Brigade on th e Original T ype banks of the Bitter Lake, knocking out over 100 T-62s with no loss to th e mselves. Centurions were Combat weight 51 also among the first to cross th e Suez Canal at Dever· 20 Pdr (83 .6mm) Armament soir on 16 Octob er, roaming the Egyptian rear to the 0.3" Co·Axial MG 0.3" Anti·Aircraft MG gates of Suez, where the last battles of the war were Muzzle Velocity VO m/sec fought against the encircl ed Egyptian Third Army. APDS 1433 Although Israe1i tank losses were heavy, many of HE 602 the disabled Centurions were repaired under combat Power Plant conditions and return ed to battle. This - in addition METEOR Mk4B Main Engine to its combat performance - proved beyond doubt Rolls Royce Manufacturer Petrol Type of carburant that the Centurion was a rugged fighting machine, Water Cooling system able to withstand battle conditions more severe than Cylinders + Fan Fan operating any previously encountered in modern warfare. Max HP 650 The lessons learned with Centurions during the Oil and Water Ca~acity arduous battles in th e Sinai and the Golan brought 64 Main engine lubrication It Air cleaners oil cap It about the development of th e all-Israeli Merkava 9 4 Auxiliary engine oil cap b a ttle tank. Despite the Merkava , however, th e Centu­ 0.5 Auxiliary engine air cleaners rion remains a major combat weapon in th e Middle Cooling liquid (water) It 150 East and will surely remain so for many years to comc . ·*For more information on Israeli armour, read: "Born in Battle" 1\0. 4, available now.

Israeli "Ben·Gurion" Modified 53 105mm L7 7.62mm 7 .62mm 1475 732 Hesh

Continental V12 Continental Mi ch Diesel oil Air Mechani cal 750

68 nil nil nil nil

The newest addition to the IDF: the Merkava main battle tank. Developed by Gen. Israel Tal, this all-Israeli tank's characteristics are based on IDF Armoured Corps experience. The main engine, mounted up front, adds further pro­ tection for the crew. Main armament is still the veteran 105mm. tank gun; many other features, however, make it an interesting new arrival on the tank development scene.

I

I

I

"~\Il

l)lf 1\

THE INCREDIBLE STORY WHICH TRAIL BLAZED THE AVIATION WORLD COMPLETE DETAILSofKFIR

C-2