Cruiser Tank Mk.VIII Centaur Mk.III
| GENERAL DATA | |||
| Other Designation(s) | Cruiser Tank Mk.VIII
A27L |
||
| Type | Cruiser Tank |
Radio Equipment | N°19 |
| Manufacturer(s) | Leyland |
||
| Crew | 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, front gunner) |
||
| Production Quantity | 233, most Centaur I's were converted to III's |
Production Period | 1942 |
| DIMENSIONS | |||
| Combat weight | 28000 kg |
Ground pressure | 1.05 kg/cm² |
| Length /hull | 6.35 m |
Length w/Gun | 6.35 m |
| Barrel Overhang | 0 m |
Height | 2.49 m |
| Width | 2.91 m |
Ground clearance | 0.41 m |
| ARMAMENT | |||
| Primary Armament | 75 mm ROQF Mk. V or VA L/40 (1) |
Ammunition Carried | 64 |
| Traverse | Hydraulic (360°) |
Elevation | -12° to +20° |
| Traverse speed (360°) | ? |
Sight | No.50x3 |
| Secondary Armament | 2 x 7.92 mm Besa MG (2) |
Ammunition Carried | 4950 |
2 x 7.7mm (.303) Vickers MG (3) |
2000 |
||
| Location | 1: Turret - 2: coaxial, bow - 3:
AA |
||
| ARMOR | ||||
| Assembly | Welding & riveting
|
|||
| Armor Detail | Front |
Side |
Rear |
Top/Bottom |
| Hull | 57 mm / 67°(nose) |
32 mm / 90° |
32 mm / 90° |
8 mm / 0° |
| Superstructure | 30 mm /
23° (glacis) 63 mm / 90° (driver) |
32 mm /
90° |
32 mm /
90° |
20 mm /
0° |
| Turret | 76 mm / 90° |
63 mm / 90° |
57 mm / 90° |
20 mm / 0-9° |
| Mantlet | - |
- |
- |
- |
| AUTOMOTIVE | |||
| Engine | Nuffield Liberty |
Type & Displacement | V-12 |
| Horsepower (maximum) | 395 hp at 1500 rpm |
Power/Weight Ratio | 14.1 hp / ton |
| Gearbox | Merrit-Brown: 5 forward, 1 reverse |
Fuel Capacity | 527 + 136 (auxiliary) L Gasoline |
| SUSPENSION | |||
| Type | Improved Christie coil spring |
Road wheels | 5 independent double-road wheels |
| Track return rollers | - |
Sprocket-Wheels | Rear, double |
| Idler Sprockets | Front, double |
Shock absorbers | - |
| Track Type | Heavy cast steel, center guide | ||
| Width | 394 mm |
Pitch | ? mm |
| Links(shoes) | 126 |
Track ground contact | 3.734 m |
| PERFORMANCES | |||
| Maximum Speed | 45 km/h on road, 26 km/h off road |
Range | 266 km on road |
| Mileage | ? L/100 km on road |
Maximum grade | 25° (from horizontal) |
| Trench crossing | 2.36 m |
Vertical obstacles | 0.91 m |
| Maximum fording depth | 1.20 m |
Minimum turning diameter | ? m |
| Sources | |||
| OnWar.com | TNT Hors-Série n°6 | - |
|
Drawings |
File |
