This Centurion Mark 3 was on display at the Tank Museum at Bovington. It is missing its side-skirts.
It has been painted as a tank that fought in the Korean War. The Centurion depicted, participated in a fiercely contested action defending a location called ‘The Hook’ against Chinese forces in Korea in May 1953.
The Centurion tank was one of the most successful post-war tank designs. It was introduced in 1945, just too late to see combat in the Second World War. However, it went on to serve in a number of conflicts, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Arab-Israeli wars.
The Centurion was a well-balanced tank with a good mix of armament, armour, and mobility. It was armed with a 105mm rifled gun, which was capable of firing both high-explosive and armour-piercing rounds. The Centurion’s armour was also very effective, and it was able to withstand the fire of most enemy tanks. The tank was also highly mobile, and it was able to keep up with the latest advances in tank warfare.
This Centurion Mark 3 was in fact the prototype Centurion Crocodile flame throwing tank; a type that never entered production.