Modern Battle Tanks
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MODERN! BATTLE k r * m^&-:fl 'tWBH^s £%5»-^ a $ Oft > . — n*- ^*M. S»S Ll^MfiB bjfitai 'Si^. ~i • ^-^HflH Lf. O Q MODERN BATTLE TANKS Edited by Duncan Crow Published by ARCO PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. New York Published 1978 by Arco Publishing Company, Inc. 219 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10003 Copyright © 1978 PROFILE PUBLICATIONS LIMITED. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data MODERN BATTLE TANKS 1. Tanks (Military science) I. Crow, Duncan. UG446.5.M55 358'. 18 78-4192 ISBN 0-668-04650-3 pbk All rights reserved Printed in Spain by Heraclio Fournier, S.A. Vitoria Spain Contents PAGE Introduction by Duncan Crow Centurion VI Swiss Pz61 and Pz68 VII Vickers Battle Tank VII Japanese Type 61 and STB VIII Soviet Mediums T44, T54, T55 and T62 by Lt-Col Michael Norman, Royal Tank Regiment T44 2 T54 3 Water Crossing 9 Fighting at Night 10 T55 and T62 ... 12 Variants 12 Tactical Doctrine 15 The M48-M60 Series of Main Battle Tanks by Col Robert J. Icks, AUS (Retired) In Battle 19 M48 Development 22 M48 Description 24 Hybrids 26 The M60 32 The Shillelagh 32 The M60 Series 38 Chieftain and Leopard Main Battle Tanks by Lt-Col Michael Norman, Royal Tank Regiment Development Histories 41 Chieftain (FV4201) 41 Leopard Standard Panzer 52 Chieftain and Leopard Described 60 Later Developments by Duncan Crow ... 78 . S-Tank by R. M. Ogorkiewicz Origins of the Design 79 Preliminary Investigations 80 Component Development 81 Suspension and Steering 83 Armament System 87 Engine Installation 88 Probability of Survival 90 Pre-Production Vehicles 90 Production Model 96 Tactical performance . 99 AMX 30 Battle Tank by R. M. Ogorkiewicz Original Char de Bataille 101 ARL44 102 AMX 50 102 European Tank 103 AMX 30 Prototypes . 105 Gun and Ammunition 106 Turret Assembly 108 Automotive Characteristics 109 Production 112 Recovery Vehicle 114 Bridgelayer 114 Anti-Aircraft Tank 116 Missile Launcher 117 Self-Propelled Gun 118 t red illustrations by Tom Brittain, Terry Hadler, Martin Lee and Mike Trim Introduction Many armoured vehicles today are referred to as tanks which do not properly warrant the name. As far as most newspaper readers and television viewers are concerned any vehicle that is armed and armoured is a tank whether it has tracks or wheels. And indeed in some cases a definition is hard to frame. But there is one class of armoured vehicle about which there can be no question as to whether it is a tank or not - the Main Battle Tank. The term first came into use in the 1950s and has replaced such classifications as medium, cruiser, and heavy and medium gun tanks. The function of a modern battle tank is to strike the enemy from a distance and to be able to close with the target while at the same time being to a considerable degree protected. Nine countries manufacture main battle tanks today: France (AMX 30), Germany (Leopard), Great Britain (Chieftain), India (Vijayanta, Vickers Battle Tank), Japan (Type 61), the Soviet Union (T62 and T72), Sweden (S-Tank Strv 103), Switzerland (Pz 61 and 68), and the United States (M60 series). As well as these there are earlier generation MBTs still in use in a number of armies: the British-built Centurion, the Russian T54 and T55, and the American M47 and M48 (the M47 being now almost completely phased out). The AMX 30, Leopard, Chieftain, Vickers, T62 and M60 have all been exported and are in service in armies other than their native ones, as are all the earlier generation MBTs listed above. As an example of overseas sales the Russian T54-55s may be cited. It is estimated that to the end of 1975 the Russians had sold some 15,000 of these tanks around the world from Vietnam to the Middle East. Two countries, China and Israel, may also be building their own MBTs which they have designed themselves, but are more likely to be simply developing and adapting imported or acquired vehicles. This book contains Profiles of eight of the most important MBTs in service today. The other current MBTs are the Japanese Type 61 and its successor, the Swiss Pz 61 and 68, the Vickers (Vijayanta) and that most durable of MBTs (so long in service indeed that it was first built before the term came into existence and has in its own existence spanned more than half the history of the tank): the Centurion. drive had double reduction gear trains. The turning circle depended upon the gear selected, therefore a The Centurion driver needed practice to become proficient. There were three suspension units on each side and the front and rear units had four hydraulic shock themselves the After World War II the British found absorbers; all units were supported on two pairs of only European producers of a modern battle tank. rubber road wheels. This modified Horstmann sus- With no other country in the West other than the pension was also used on the Conqueror Heavy Gun pro- Americans having the capabilities at that time of Tank and later on the Chieftain. Side plates were fitted ducing a new tank, Britain sold some 3,000 Centurions to provide protection for the suspension and for the to other countries during the 1950s, in addition to the hull sides. 1,500 required for the British army. Subsequent Centurion development was: The Centurion was originally designed in 1943 to fight the increasingly powerful tanks that the Germans Mark 7: increased fuel capacity by addition of internal were producing. In May 1945 the first six prototypes tank at rear of transmission compartment. Improved available were rushed to the British 22nd Armoured ammunition stowage including side loading hatch on Brigade of the 7th Armoured Division in Germany but left hull side. Large headlights. Appeared in late 1952. they arrived just too late to see action. These six were Design parents were Leyland Motors. part of an order for 20. Next in production came the Mark 8: As for Mark 7. Resiliency mounted gun Centurion 1 of which there were 100, and Centurion 2 mantlet (no canvas cover). Commander's cupola - another 100. In the end Centurion appeared in 21 doors in two parts - enabling "umbrella" position for versions, 13 of which were gun tanks. better observation. Cupola counter-rotates to assist in Centurion 2 was up-armoured and had a new design target acquisition. Changes in gun control equipment. of turret of cast armour, Centurion l's turret being 20- fabricated. Later Centurion 2s had the new Marks 5/1, 7/1 and 8/1: As for original Marks but up- pounder gun instead of the 17-pounder and these were armoured. A retrospective modification. designated Centurion 3. Most Mark 2s were converted to Mark 3s in 1950-51 and some subsequently to Mark Marks 5/2, 7/2 and 8/2: As for original Marks but with 5. It was the Centurion 3 that first saw action. In the 105mm gun and new ammunition stowage. Barrel hands of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars (now part similar to 20-pounder Type B but with fume extractor of The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars) Centurions mounted eccentrically. A retrospective modification. began their long and trustworthy fighting career on 3 Marks 6, 9 and 10: Marks 5, 7 and 8 respectively that January 1951 in Korea. incorporated both up-gunning and up-armouring Centurion 4 would have been equipped with the modifications. Mark 6 normally had an armoured fuel 95mm howitzer for close support role, but in 1949 this tank mounted on rear of hull adding 38 inches to proposal was dropped. Late in 1952 Centurion 5 length. appeared under the design parentage of Vickers- Armstrongs Ltd. Basically it was the Mark 3 with the Marks 6/1, 9/1 and 10/1: Marks 6, 9 and 10 fitted with co-axial Besa replaced by a . 30 inch Browning. It had a infra-red night fighting equipment. Searchlight on driver's compartment with ammunition stowage, a turret, stowage basket on turret rear. IR driving lights. fighting compartment for the rest of the crew in the centre of the hull, and two rear compartments for the Marks 6/2, 9/2 and 10/2: Marks 6, 9 and 10 with engine and transmission components. The power- coaxially-mounted ranging gun. operated turret contained the 20-pounder gun, the co-axial Browning, more ammunition and the radio Marks 11, 12 and 13: Marks 6, 9 and 10 respectively equipment. The armament was supported and pro- which incorporated both night fighting and ranging tected by the rectangular external mantlet. To avoid gun modifications. damage whilst moving the gun could be clamped The leading characteristics of Centurion 13, last of internally or secured in a travelling crutch. The sight the line, are: mounting permitted direct, semi-direct or completely Engine, make Meteor 4B indirect fire. horse power 650 The driver's compartment was reached either from Fuel capacity 1 ,040 litres Range, 185 km the double hatches in the hull roof or from the turret. roads Armour 152mm max, 76mm min Clutch, brake and accelerator controls were con- Weight, unloaded 49.800 kg ventionally arranged. The Meteor 4B engine was a combat loaded 51,800 kg Power to weight ratio 12.2 development of the Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft Ground pressure 94 kg/cm : engine which had been installed in the Comet and Length with gun forward 9.82 m with gun in travelling lock 7.82 m Cromwell tanks. It had two banks of 6 cylinders and by Width without skirts 3.30 m the use of spring-loaded governors the engine revs with skirts 3.40 m were limited to 2,550 rpm.