British F.V. 4011 Centurion Mk 5 Tank
A World Tanks Depot 1:87 scale Centurion Mk 5 Series 2 main battle tank with 105 mm L7 tank gun. The Centurion Mk 5 main battle tank, produced from 1955 to 1958, was up-armoured with an additional 1.5 inch glacis armour plate. The earlier Besa machine guns were replaced by .30 cal. and .50 cal. Browning machine guns which used standard (7.62x63mm) .30-06 Springfield and .50 caliber (12.7x99mm) NATO ammunition, respectively. While only 221 Centurion Mk 5 tanks were built, thousands of Centurion Mk 3 tanks were eventually upgraded to the Mk 5 standard.
On the tabletop, Centurion Mk 5 tanks may be visually identified by the 1.5 inch step of added amour plate welded onto the glacis, and by the .50 cal ranging machine gun fitted next to the .30 cal. coaxial machine gun in the gun mantlet.
Available Scale Model Kits
- Centurion Mk 5/Mk 6, 1:35 Accurate Armor
- Centurion Tankdozer Mk 5/Mk 5/2, 1:35 Accurate Armor
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 1 (20 pdr. model A), 1:144 The Toy Company 10044
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 1 (20 Pdr. model B), 1:72 ACE 72426
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2, 1:72 ACE 72265
- Israelischer Centurion Mk 5 Sho’t (105 mm L7 Tank Gun), 1:72 ACE 72427
- Israelischer Centurion Mk 5 (Sechstagekrieg, 1967), 1:87 Artitec 387.015
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2, 1:87 H0 ROCO 155b
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2, 1:87 WTD 34
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2 NL, 1:87 Artitec 387.158
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2 NL (combat ready), 1:87 Artitec 387.159
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2 NL (rail transport), 1:87 Artitec 387.191
- Centurion Mk 5 Series 2, 1:100 Roskopf 121
- Centurion Mk 5, 1:120 Quality Casting Q-2054
- Sho’t Mk 5, 1:120 Quality Casting Q-12010
- Centurion Mk 5, 1:285 GHQ N-029
Technical Specifications
- F.V. 4011 Centurion
- Type: Main Battle Tank
- Motor: Meteor 12-cylinder Petrol Engine, 650
- Transmission: 5 Forward, 1 Reverse
- Speed: 34 km/h on roads
- Fuel Capacity: 460 l
- Range: 160 km
- Length: 7550 mm
- Width: 3360 mm
- Height: 2920 mm
- Weight: kg
- Armament: 84 mm L.64 20 pdr tank gun (Mk 5), 105 mm L.51 Vickers L7 tank gun (Mk 5/1), .30 caliber (7.62mm) Browning L3A3 coaxial machine gun, .50 caliber (12.7mm) Browning L6A1 ranging machine gun, .30 caliber (7.62mm) Browning L3A4 pintle mounted commander‘s machine gun.
- Crew: Commander, Driver, Gunner, Loader
- Production: 1955–1958 (221 units)
The Centurion Mk 5 upgrade was driven by the need for NATO standardization, which necessitated a transition from British small arms ammunition to US standard ammunition.