1/72 Long Range Centurion Mk 5LR/Mk 5/1 Main Battle Tank

Centurion Mk.5LR - was the primary British main battle tank of the post-World War II period. It is widely considered to be one of the most successful post-war tank designs, remaining in production into the 1960s, and seeing combat in the front lines into the 1980s. The chassis was also adapted for several other roles, and these have remained in service to this day. Tank had a fuel capacity of 120 gallons but could do only about 3 miles per gallon on a cross country. In 1953 a device known as MONO-wheel trailer was introduced, the invention of colonel T.Clarke. The trailer fixed to the back of Centurion and ran on a single castoring wheel; the armored body contained 200 gallons of petrol which could be pumped into Centurion’s fuel tanks as required. The trailer could also be jettisoned in a hurry should a need arise. Australia upgraded all their Centurions Mk.3 to Mk.5/1 LR. The suffix LR stands for Long Range after the fitting of a 100-gallons armored fuel tank to the rear hull plate. Centurions became one of the most widely used tank designs, equipping armies around the world, with some still in service until the 1990s. Between 1946 and 1962, 4,423 Centurions were produced, consisting of 13 basic marks and numerous variants. In British Army use it was replaced by the Chieftain.