The Centaur Cruiser tank(A.27(L))

Centaur Cruiser Tank (A.27.)

Name	Centaur I	Centaur II	Centaur III	Centaur IV
Type	Cruiser	Cruiser	Cruiser	Cruiser

Production Date	November 1942		October 1943	November 1943

Crew	5	5	5	5
(In turret)	3	3	3	3

Length	20'-9”	20'-9”	21'-4”	20'-9”
Width	9'-6”	9'-6”	9'-6”	9'-6”
Height	7'-9”	7'-9”	7'-9”	7'-9”

Weight	21.15	21.15	21.15	27.75
Ground pressure	14.2	13.32	14.2	15.1
Ground clearance	1'-4”	1'-4”	1'-4”	1'-4”

Track type	Webbed & Studded	Webbed & Studded	Webbed & Studded	Webbed & Studded
No per track	126	114	126	126
Weight of one Track	2285	2600	2285	2285
Track width	14”	15.5”	14”	14”

Engine	Nuffield Liberty	Nuffield Liberty	Nuffield Liberty	Nuffield Liberty
B.H.P/Ton	14.2	14.2	14.2	13.8
Max road speed	27.3	27.3	27.3	27.3
Average road speed	22.2	22.2	22.2	22.2
Cross Country Speed	12.5	12.5	12.5	12.5
Gear box type	Z5 Constant Mesh	Z5 Constant Mesh	Z5 Constant Mesh	Z5 Constant Mesh
Gears	5 Forward 1 Reverse	5 Forward 1 Reverse	5 Forward 1 Reverse	5 Forward 1 Reverse


Fuel consumption (road) – MPG	1.44	1.44	1.44	1.44
Fuel consumption (cross country)	0.63	0.63	0.63	0.63
Petrol	116	116	116	116
Auxiliary capacity	-	-	-	-
Radius of action (road)	167	167	167	167
Radius of action (cross country)	73	73	73	73
Trench Crossing	N/F	N/F	N/F	N/F
Vertical obstacle	N/F	N/F	N/F	N/F
Fording height	4'-5”	4'-5”	4'-5”	4'-5”
Gradient	N/F	N/F	N/F	N/F

Main Armament	6 Pounder	6 Pounder	75mm	95mm
Ammunition	64	64	64	51
Secondary Armament	2x Besa 7.92	2x Besa 7.92	2x Besa 7.92	2x Besa 7.92
Ammunition	4950	4950	4950	4950
Transverse type	Hand & Hydraulic	Hand & Hydraulic	Hand & Hydraulic	Hand & Hydraulic
Max elevation	20	20	20	20
Max depression	12.5	12.5	12.5	12.5
Turret Ring Size	57.2	57.2	57.2	57.2
Optics	No.39	No.39	No.50 x 3	No.50 x 3

Armour Configurations	Type A	Type B	Type C

Lower Hull Nose	57(I.T.80)	57(I.T.80)	57(I.T.80)
Upper Hull Nose	20(I.T.80)	25(I.T.80)	25(I.T.80)
Hull Front	64(I.T.80)	64(I.T.80)	64(I.T.80)
Hull Sides Upper	25(I.T.80) + 14(I.T.110)	25(I.T.80) + 14(I.T.110)	29(I.T.80) + 14(I.T.110)
Hull Sides Lower	25(I.T.80) + 14(I.T.110)	25(I.T.80) + 14(I.T.110)	32(I.T.80) + 14(I.T.110)
Hull Rear Lower	32(I.T.80)	32(I.T.80)	32(I.T.80)
Hull Rear Upper	38(I.T.80)	38(I.T.80)	25(I.T.80)
Hull Roof (Front)	20(I.T.80)	20(I.T.80)	20(I.T.80)
Engine Deck	14(I.T.80)	14(I.T.80)	14(I.T.80)
Hull Floor Front (Turret Rear forward)	8(I.T.100)+6.35(I.T.110)	8(I.T.100)+6.35(I.T.110)	8(I.T.100)+6.35(I.T.110)
Hull Floor Rear	6.35(I.T.110)	6.35(I.T.110)	6.35(I.T.110)

Turret Front	64(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)	64(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)	64(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)
Turret Roof (Front)	20(I.T.80)	20(I.T.80)	20(I.T.80)
Turret Roof (Rear)	20(I.T.80)	20(I.T.80)	20(I.T.80)
Turret Sides	51(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)	51(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)	51(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)
Turret Rear	44(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)	44(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)	44(I.T.80)+12.7(I.T.110)
Turret Floor	19(I.T.110)	19(I.T.110)	19(I.T.110)

Production of Centaur Tanks by year(UK Only)

	1942	1943	1944	1945(End of May)
Centaur	2	1260	497	-
(Of which 6pdr)	2	1018		-
(Of which 75mm)	-	177		-
(Of which 95mm)	-	65		-
Centaur O.P.	-	192	159	-
Centaur Polsten	-	-	100	-
Centaur Bulldozer	-	-	1	176

Last Updated on Sunday, 12 August 2012 13:43