Difference between revisions of "Centurion Mk.5/1"
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{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=uk_centurion_mk_5_raac | |code=uk_centurion_mk_5_raac | ||
| − | |images={{Specs-Card-Image| | + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Centurion_Mk.5-1.jpg|ArtImage Centurion Mk.5-1.png}} |
| + | |market=items_Centurion Mk.5/1 (RAAC) (Britain) | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | ||
| − | The ''' | + | The Centurion Mk.5, developed in 1955, was a modified [[Centurion Mk 3|Mk.3]] with the addition of extra machine guns and minor design changes. In a further modification, '''Centurion Mk.5/1''', an additional armour plate was fitted to the Centurion's lower glacis. A total of 221 tanks of this modification were produced. Some were converted from Australian Centurion Mk.3 and Mk.5 models, 58 of which were later used by Australia in the Vietnam War. They remained in service with Australia until the 1980s, when they were replaced by [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]]s. |
| + | |||
| + | Introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season II, "Steel Centurion"]], the '''Centurion Mk.5/1''' is not only a combination of good protection, allowing it to withstand fire from potential opponents, and a powerful 20-pounder gun with AP and APDS rounds, but it also has a two-plane stabiliser, which allows for accurate firing on the move. However, the mobility of the Centurion Mk.5/1 leaves something to be desired, so it often lags behind allies when moving across the battlefield. It differs from the [[Centurion Mk 3]] by having reinforced frontal armour on the lower glacis and a coaxial 12.7 mm machine gun. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
| Line 20: | Line 23: | ||
'''Armour type:''' | '''Armour type:''' | ||
| − | * Rolled | + | * Rolled homogeneous armour - hull, turret roof, external fuel tank |
| − | * Cast | + | * Cast homogeneous armour - turret (except roof) |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| Line 27: | Line 30: | ||
! '''Armour''' !! '''Front (Slope angle)''' !! '''Sides''' !! '''Rear''' !! '''Roof''' | ! '''Armour''' !! '''Front (Slope angle)''' !! '''Sides''' !! '''Rear''' !! '''Roof''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Hull || 76.2 + {{annotation|50.8|Appliqué armour}} mm (58°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 76.2 mm (47°) ''Lower glacis'' | + | | Hull || 76.2 + {{annotation|50.8|Appliqué armour}} mm (58°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 76.2 mm (47°) ''Lower glacis'' |
| 50.8 mm|| 38 mm || 29 mm ''Crew compartment'' <br> 8-14 mm ''Engine compartment'' <br> 5 mm ''Radiator vents'' | | 50.8 mm|| 38 mm || 29 mm ''Crew compartment'' <br> 8-14 mm ''Engine compartment'' <br> 5 mm ''Radiator vents'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 56: | Line 59: | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
| − | |||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} | ||
| Line 71: | Line 73: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! ''Arcade'' | ! ''Arcade'' | ||
| − | | rowspan="2" | | + | | rowspan="2" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 8.19 || rowspan="2" | 7.25 || rowspan="2" | 6.68 || rowspan="2" | 6.30 |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Realistic'' | ! ''Realistic'' | ||
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==== Ammunition ==== | ==== Ammunition ==== | ||
| − | { | + | {{:20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.1, Shot Mk.3, Shell Mk.1, 20pdr Shell SS Mk.1}} |
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
[[File:Ammoracks_Centurion_Mk.5-1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | [[File:Ammoracks_Centurion_Mk.5-1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | ||
| − | <!-- '''Last updated: 2. | + | <!-- '''Last updated: 2.15.1.55''' --> |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 143: | Line 95: | ||
! 5th<br>rack empty | ! 5th<br>rack empty | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | ''' | + | | '''64''' || 63 ''(+1)'' || 59 ''(+5)'' || 52 ''(+12)'' || 44 ''(+20)'' || 37 ''(+27)'' |
|- | |- | ||
! 6th<br>rack empty | ! 6th<br>rack empty | ||
| Line 152: | Line 104: | ||
! | ! | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | | 29 ''(+35)'' || 9 ''(+55)'' || 5 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No |
! | ! | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 159: | Line 111: | ||
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded. | * Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded. | ||
| − | * Racks 8 and 9 are first stage ammo racks. They total | + | * Racks 8 and 9 are first stage ammo racks. They total 8 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank. |
| − | * These racks are also emptied early: the depletion order at full capacity is 8 - 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 7. | + | ** These racks are also emptied early: the depletion order at full capacity is 8 - 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 7. |
| − | * Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready racks 8 and 9. If the ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur. | + | ** Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready racks 8 and 9. If the ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur. |
| − | * Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-7 into racks 9 then 8. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks. | + | ** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-7 into racks 9 then 8. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks. |
=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| Line 188: | Line 140: | ||
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+50° || ±120° | | Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+50° || ±120° | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Coaxial || 3, | + | | Coaxial || 3,750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 195: | Line 147: | ||
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> | ||
| − | Take advantage of your good gun depression of -10° and powerful 20-pdr cannon to snipe from long distances. If you want to play close quarters, use cover as much as possible since your armour is something you shouldn't rely upon. The gun stabilizer means you can shoot faster than most tanks at that BR without needing to come to a stop. The night vision is a bonus and paired with the IR spotlight on the | + | Take advantage of your good gun depression of -10° and powerful 20-pdr cannon to snipe from long distances. If you want to play close quarters, use cover as much as possible since your armour is something you shouldn't rely upon. The gun stabilizer means you can shoot faster than most tanks at that BR without needing to come to a stop. The night vision is a bonus and paired with the IR spotlight on the front side of the turret the vehicle can be excellent in night battles. |
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| Line 202: | Line 154: | ||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * Powerful APDS round | + | * Powerful APDS round with high velocity |
* Good mobility of a Centurion plus decent reverse speed | * Good mobility of a Centurion plus decent reverse speed | ||
| − | * Accurate cannon with stabilizer | + | * Accurate cannon with stabilizer |
| + | * Extra sloped armour plate on UFP, making the frontal armour on the Mk.5/1 equal to the Centurion Mk 10 | ||
| + | * Decent frontal turret armour | ||
| + | * Night vision for driver, gunner and commander is an uncommon feature at this BR | ||
| + | * Generous amount of ammunition available for the 20-pounder gun: APCBC, APDS, smoke and HE shells | ||
| + | * Browning .50 calibre HMG with 3,000 rounds as coaxially mounted machinegun - noticeable upgrade over the standard British BESA machinegun | ||
| + | * Decent frontal turret armour, -10° gun depression and a powerful gun make the Centurion Mk.5/1 (RAAC) a powerful hulldown vehicle | ||
| + | * Rear mounted fuel tank offers a slight increase in protection against shells aimed at your engine | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * Only solid shots without | + | * Only fires solid shots without explosive filler |
| − | * Weak side armour | + | * Weak side armour |
* Frontal ammo stowage (can be mitigated by bringing fewer than 30 rounds) | * Frontal ammo stowage (can be mitigated by bringing fewer than 30 rounds) | ||
| + | * Low top speed | ||
| + | * Fuel tanks over the engine deck restrict gun depression while turret is facing backwards | ||
| + | * Unlike other Centurions, no turret mounted smoke grenade launchers | ||
| + | * IR spotlight can give your position away when activated during night battles | ||
| + | * Mediocre turret traverse | ||
| + | * Gun is slow to elevate and depress | ||
| + | * Slight loss in protection against shaped-charge munitions due to the missing sideskirts | ||
| + | * Reverse speed of -12 km/h is a noticeable upgrade over previous British tanks, but still quite underwhelming when you need a quick getaway | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| Line 218: | Line 185: | ||
Australian Centurion Mk 5/1 tanks of the C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment were deployed to Vietnam in February 1968. They were mainly used in the infantry support role due to a lack of enemy armour in the theatre. The Australian Centurions proved to have a high level of mobility during the conflict but were too heavy for most South Vietnamese bridges. Notable combats involving RAAC Centurions included defensive actions at the Coral and Balmoral firebases where RAAC Centurions were instrumental in the Australian victory. RAAC Centurions had been withdrawn from Vietnam by August 1971 and were replaced in the RAAC by the German Leopard 1 soon after. During their time in Vietnam 42 out of 58 Centurions took combat damage, of which six were irreparable. Despite this, only two Centurion crew members were killed in the conflict. | Australian Centurion Mk 5/1 tanks of the C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment were deployed to Vietnam in February 1968. They were mainly used in the infantry support role due to a lack of enemy armour in the theatre. The Australian Centurions proved to have a high level of mobility during the conflict but were too heavy for most South Vietnamese bridges. Notable combats involving RAAC Centurions included defensive actions at the Coral and Balmoral firebases where RAAC Centurions were instrumental in the Australian victory. RAAC Centurions had been withdrawn from Vietnam by August 1971 and were replaced in the RAAC by the German Leopard 1 soon after. During their time in Vietnam 42 out of 58 Centurions took combat damage, of which six were irreparable. Despite this, only two Centurion crew members were killed in the conflict. | ||
| − | While in Vietnam, Australian tank crews removed the sideskirts from around the suspension in order to prevent a | + | While in Vietnam, Australian tank crews removed the sideskirts from around the suspension in order to prevent a build-up of muck in the suspension. A 100 gallon fuel tank was bolted onto the rear of the hull in order to increase the very limited range of the Centurion. The standard ammunition loadout for Centurions deployed in Vietnam was 62 rounds of 84 mm ammunition, 4,000 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition, and 9,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. Some Australian Centurions had their smoke grenade launchers removed while in Vietnam. |
=== [[wt:en/news/7070-development-battle-pass-vehicles-centurion-mk-5-1-raac-en|Devblog]] === | === [[wt:en/news/7070-development-battle-pass-vehicles-centurion-mk-5-1-raac-en|Devblog]] === | ||
| − | Since 1951, the Royal Australian Armoured Corps has been replenished with Centurion Mk.3 and Mk.5 tanks, arriving both from the United Kingdom and other British-controlled regions. By the end of the 60s, all Centurion tanks were upgraded to the Mk.5/1 modification - among other works, the modernisation involved the installation of new sighting and commander machine guns, as well as the welding of additional armour plates, which were 50.8 mm thick, to the upper front plate of the hull. | + | Since 1951, the Royal Australian Armoured Corps has been replenished with Centurion Mk.3 and Mk.5 tanks, arriving both from the United Kingdom and other British-controlled regions. By the end of the 60s, all Centurion tanks were upgraded to the Mk.5/1 modification - among other works, the modernisation involved the installation of new sighting and commander machine guns, as well as the welding of additional armour plates, which were 50.8 mm thick, to the upper front plate of the hull. |
| − | In 1965, Australia announced the introduction of its military contingent into Vietnam. For this mission, Centurion tanks were additionally equipped with night vision devices: a removable IR searchlight appeared on the front of the tower, and the | + | In 1965, Australia announced the introduction of its military contingent into Vietnam. For this mission, Centurion tanks were additionally equipped with night vision devices: a removable IR searchlight appeared on the front of the tower, and the driver's, gunner's, and commander's sights all received infrared night vision devices. The final standardisation of all available Centurions took place in 1973 after the return of the Australian troops from Vietnam. The Centurion Mk.5/1 was the main battle tank of the Australian Royal Tank Corps until the 1980s, later replaced by Leopard 1 tanks. |
== Media == | == Media == | ||
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Skins | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_centurion_mk_5_raac Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
;Images | ;Images | ||
| Line 252: | Line 223: | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
* ''other literature.'' --> | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
| − | |||
| − | * | + | * [[wt:en/news/7070-development-battle-pass-vehicles-centurion-mk-5-1-raac-en|[Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: Centurion Mk.5/1 (RAAC)]] |
| − | |||
| + | {{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}} | ||
{{Britain medium tanks}} | {{Britain medium tanks}} | ||
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}} | {{Britain premium ground vehicles}} | ||
Latest revision as of 07:45, 6 September 2024
| This page is about the British medium tank Centurion Mk.5/1. For other versions, see Centurion (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Centurion Mk.5, developed in 1955, was a modified Mk.3 with the addition of extra machine guns and minor design changes. In a further modification, Centurion Mk.5/1, an additional armour plate was fitted to the Centurion's lower glacis. A total of 221 tanks of this modification were produced. Some were converted from Australian Centurion Mk.3 and Mk.5 models, 58 of which were later used by Australia in the Vietnam War. They remained in service with Australia until the 1980s, when they were replaced by Leopard 1s.
Introduced during Update "Hot Tracks" as a reward for Battle Pass: Season II, "Steel Centurion", the Centurion Mk.5/1 is not only a combination of good protection, allowing it to withstand fire from potential opponents, and a powerful 20-pounder gun with AP and APDS rounds, but it also has a two-plane stabiliser, which allows for accurate firing on the move. However, the mobility of the Centurion Mk.5/1 leaves something to be desired, so it often lags behind allies when moving across the battlefield. It differs from the Centurion Mk 3 by having reinforced frontal armour on the lower glacis and a coaxial 12.7 mm machine gun.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armourfront / side / back
Hull76 / 51 / 38
Turret152 / 89 / 89
Crew4 people
Visibility119 %
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour - hull, turret roof, external fuel tank
- Cast homogeneous armour - turret (except roof)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 76.2 + 50.8 mm (58°) Upper glacis 76.2 mm (47°) Lower glacis |
50.8 mm | 38 mm | 29 mm Crew compartment 8-14 mm Engine compartment 5 mm Radiator vents |
| Turret | 89-152 mm Turret front Up to 300 mm + 100 mm Gun mantlet |
89 mm | 89 mm | 29-50.8 mm |
| Cupola | 152 mm | 90 mm | 29 mm | |
Notes:
- Road wheels - 20 mm, tracks - 20 mm
- Main gun - 20 mm, machine guns - 5 mm
- External fuel tank - 12.7 mm
- Fenders and stowage boxes - 4 mm
Your upper front glacis plate may bounce a shell or two but all side skirts have been removed. It means that HEATFS, and HESH rounds become much more effective as there is only 50.8 mm of RHA on the sides.
Mobility
Speedforward / back
AB39 / 14 km/h
RB and SB35 / 13 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
2 back
Weight52.0 t
Engine power
AB1 240 hp
RB and SB650 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB23.8 hp/t
RB and SB12.5 hp/t
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 39 | 14 | 52 | 1,007 | 1,240 | 19.37 | 23.85 |
| Realistic | 35 | 13 | 575 | 650 | 11.06 | 12.5 | |
Modifications and economy
Repair cost
AB2 743 
RB3 158
SB4 414
Crew training10 000
Experts440 000
Aces1 100 
Research Aces1 340 000 
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
2 × 130 / 200 / 220 % 2 × 190 / 190 / 190 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
84 mm 20pdr OQF Mk.I cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Ammunition64 rounds
First-order8 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.1 → 6.3 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
| 84 mm 20pdr OQF Mk.I | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 64 | -10°/+20° | ±180° | Two-plane | 19.0 | 26.4 | 32.0 | 35.4 | 37.7 | 8.19 | 7.25 | 6.68 | 6.30 |
| Realistic | 11.9 | 14.0 | 17.0 | 18.8 | 20.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| Shot Mk.1 | APCBC | 232 | 229 | 216 | 201 | 187 | 173 |
| Shot Mk.3 | APDS | 384 | 380 | 363 | 343 | 324 | 306 |
| Shell Mk.1 | HE | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| Shot Mk.1 | APCBC | 1,000 | 9.1 | - | - | - | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Shot Mk.3 | APDS | 1,430 | 3.22 | - | - | - | 75° | 78° | 80° | |||
| Shell Mk.1 | HE | 600 | 7.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.13 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Smoke shell characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Screen radius (m) |
Screen deploy time (s) |
Screen hold time (s) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
| 20pdr Shell SS Mk.1 | 250 | 9.3 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 50 |
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the Centurion Mk.5/1
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 63 (+1) | 59 (+5) | 52 (+12) | 44 (+20) | 37 (+27) |
| 6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
8th rack empty |
9th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|
| 29 (+35) | 9 (+55) | 5 (+59) | 1 (+63) | No |
Notes:
- Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
- Racks 8 and 9 are first stage ammo racks. They total 8 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
- These racks are also emptied early: the depletion order at full capacity is 8 - 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 7.
- Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready racks 8 and 9. If the ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
- Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-7 into racks 9 then 8. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
Machine guns
12.7 mm M2HB machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
7.62 mm L3A1 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 750 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 3,000 (200) | 577 | N/A | N/A |
| 7.62 mm L3A1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 1,000 (250) | 500 | -10°/+50° | ±120° |
| Coaxial | 3,750 (250) | 500 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
Take advantage of your good gun depression of -10° and powerful 20-pdr cannon to snipe from long distances. If you want to play close quarters, use cover as much as possible since your armour is something you shouldn't rely upon. The gun stabilizer means you can shoot faster than most tanks at that BR without needing to come to a stop. The night vision is a bonus and paired with the IR spotlight on the front side of the turret the vehicle can be excellent in night battles.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Powerful APDS round with high velocity
- Good mobility of a Centurion plus decent reverse speed
- Accurate cannon with stabilizer
- Extra sloped armour plate on UFP, making the frontal armour on the Mk.5/1 equal to the Centurion Mk 10
- Decent frontal turret armour
- Night vision for driver, gunner and commander is an uncommon feature at this BR
- Generous amount of ammunition available for the 20-pounder gun: APCBC, APDS, smoke and HE shells
- Browning .50 calibre HMG with 3,000 rounds as coaxially mounted machinegun - noticeable upgrade over the standard British BESA machinegun
- Decent frontal turret armour, -10° gun depression and a powerful gun make the Centurion Mk.5/1 (RAAC) a powerful hulldown vehicle
- Rear mounted fuel tank offers a slight increase in protection against shells aimed at your engine
Cons:
- Only fires solid shots without explosive filler
- Weak side armour
- Frontal ammo stowage (can be mitigated by bringing fewer than 30 rounds)
- Low top speed
- Fuel tanks over the engine deck restrict gun depression while turret is facing backwards
- Unlike other Centurions, no turret mounted smoke grenade launchers
- IR spotlight can give your position away when activated during night battles
- Mediocre turret traverse
- Gun is slow to elevate and depress
- Slight loss in protection against shaped-charge munitions due to the missing sideskirts
- Reverse speed of -12 km/h is a noticeable upgrade over previous British tanks, but still quite underwhelming when you need a quick getaway
History
The Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) received Centurion Mark 3 tanks in 1955. The Mark 3 Centurion introduced the 20-pounder (84 mm) gun in the completely cast turret of the Mark 2. It was the first Centurion to include a new gunsight and a two-plane stabilization system for the main gun, as well as to have replaced the coaxial 20 mm Polsten gun with a 7.92 mm BESA machine gun. Additionally, the Mark 3 introduced a more powerful version of the Meteor engine - producing 650 horsepower. The RAAC upgraded their Mark 3 tanks to the Centurion Mark 5/1 standard. The Mark 5 replaced the coaxial BESA machine gun with a 7.62 mm L3 machine gun, a version of the American M1919 Browning, and added a second L3 machine gun on the commander's cupola; a 12.7 mm L6A1 machine gun (based on the American M2HB Browning) was mounted coaxial for ranging of the 20-pounder main gun. A layer of armour was added to the upper glacis to increase frontal protection.
Australian Centurion Mk 5/1 tanks of the C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment were deployed to Vietnam in February 1968. They were mainly used in the infantry support role due to a lack of enemy armour in the theatre. The Australian Centurions proved to have a high level of mobility during the conflict but were too heavy for most South Vietnamese bridges. Notable combats involving RAAC Centurions included defensive actions at the Coral and Balmoral firebases where RAAC Centurions were instrumental in the Australian victory. RAAC Centurions had been withdrawn from Vietnam by August 1971 and were replaced in the RAAC by the German Leopard 1 soon after. During their time in Vietnam 42 out of 58 Centurions took combat damage, of which six were irreparable. Despite this, only two Centurion crew members were killed in the conflict.
While in Vietnam, Australian tank crews removed the sideskirts from around the suspension in order to prevent a build-up of muck in the suspension. A 100 gallon fuel tank was bolted onto the rear of the hull in order to increase the very limited range of the Centurion. The standard ammunition loadout for Centurions deployed in Vietnam was 62 rounds of 84 mm ammunition, 4,000 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition, and 9,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. Some Australian Centurions had their smoke grenade launchers removed while in Vietnam.
Devblog
Since 1951, the Royal Australian Armoured Corps has been replenished with Centurion Mk.3 and Mk.5 tanks, arriving both from the United Kingdom and other British-controlled regions. By the end of the 60s, all Centurion tanks were upgraded to the Mk.5/1 modification - among other works, the modernisation involved the installation of new sighting and commander machine guns, as well as the welding of additional armour plates, which were 50.8 mm thick, to the upper front plate of the hull.
In 1965, Australia announced the introduction of its military contingent into Vietnam. For this mission, Centurion tanks were additionally equipped with night vision devices: a removable IR searchlight appeared on the front of the tower, and the driver's, gunner's, and commander's sights all received infrared night vision devices. The final standardisation of all available Centurions took place in 1973 after the return of the Australian troops from Vietnam. The Centurion Mk.5/1 was the main battle tank of the Australian Royal Tank Corps until the 1980s, later replaced by Leopard 1 tanks.
Media
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- Videos
Battle Pass Vehicles discusses the Centurion Mk.5/1 at 04:22 - War Thunder Official Channel
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the vehicles;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Department of Tank Design | |
|---|---|
| Medium Tanks | |
| Sherman Firefly | Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" |
| MBTs | |
| Centurion | Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Action X · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10 |
| Challenger* | Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS |
| Tank Destroyers | |
| Achilles | Achilles · Achilles (65 Rg.) |
| Centurion-based | Conway · FV4005 |
| Export | |
| Sherman Firefly | Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc |
| Centurion | Centurion Mk.5/1 · Strv 81 · Strv 81 (RB 52) · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Strv 101 · Strv 104** · Strv 105** · Sho't |
| See also | US Ordnance Department · Israeli Ordnance Corps · Vickers-Armstrongs Limited |
| *By successor, the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment | |
| **Swedish modernizations incorporating innovations from the Israeli Sho't Kals. | |
| Britain medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| Valentine | Valentine I · Valentine IX · Valentine XI |
| Cromwell | Cromwell I · Cromwell V · Cromwell V (RP-3) |
| Cromwell derivatives | Challenger · Avenger · Comet I · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" · Charioteer Mk VII |
| Centurion | Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10 · Centurion Action X · FV4202 |
| Vickers MBT | Vickers Mk.1 · Vickers Mk.3 · Vickers Mk.7 |
| Chieftain | Chieftain Mk 3 · Chieftain Mk 5 · Chieftain Mk 10 |
| Challenger 1 | Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS |
| Challenger 2 | Challenger 2 · Challenger 2 (2F) · Challenger 2 TES · Challenger 2 OES · Challenger 2E · Challenger 2 Black Night |
| Challenger 3 | Challenger 3 TD |
| Australia | A.C.I · A.C.IV · Centurion Mk.5/1 |
| South Africa | Olifant Mk.1A · Olifant Mk.2 · TTD |
| India | Vijayanta · Bhishma TWMP |
| Israel | ▄Sho't Kal Dalet |
| Jordan | Khalid |
| Sweden | ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) |
| USA | Grant I · Sherman II · Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" |
| Britain premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | A13 Mk I (3rd R.T.R.) · A13 Mk II 1939 · AEC Mk II · Crusader "The Saint" · Rooikat 105 |
| Medium tanks | A.C.I · Grant I · Cromwell V (RP-3) · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" · A.C.IV · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" |
| Centurion Mk.2 · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk.5/1 · ▄Sho't Kal Dalet · Centurion Action X | |
| Vijayanta · Khalid · Challenger DS · Challenger 2 OES | |
| Heavy tanks | Independent · Matilda Hedgehog · Excelsior · TOG II · Churchill Crocodile · Black Prince |
| Tank destroyers | Alecto I · Achilles (65 Rg.) · QF 3.7 Ram |
