120mm Israel's Centurion

[ysi_maniac]

I am pretty sure I have read that British gov offered Israel to upgun their Centurion with 120mm L11 rifled gun, the Cheftain's gun. This should be in seventies aprox, but Israel's army did not agree. I am trying to find again this quote.

Has anyone of you read something like this?

Related information?

Thanks in advance,
Carlos.

[Geoff_B]

Well the UK did try to sell 250 additional Centurions together with 250 Chieftans between the 67 was and the 73 one. I herd that the Isreali's tested the Chieftan and its gun but felt the British 120mm gun was too lethal !!! (The Isreali's had become used to reclaiming the wrecks off the battlefield to recycle them, but on testing the the 120 rifled they discovered the soviet tanks were being blown to bits rendering them unrepairable.

G

[ysi_maniac]

Well the UK did try to sell 250 additional Centurions together with 250 Chieftans between the 67 was and the 73 one. I herd that the Isreali's tested the Chieftan and its gun but felt the British 120mm gun was too lethal !!! (The Isreali's had become used to reclaiming the wrecks off the battlefield to recycle them, but on testing the the 120 rifled they discovered the soviet tanks were being blown to bits rendering them unrepairable.

G

So, do you think that british 120mm gun can be installed in a Centurion?
Perhaps its recoil force is too high?

[Radish]

I'll ask my armour gurus......they'll know.  

[Aircav]

There was a Centurtion fitted with a 120mm
http://www.tankmuseum.co.uk/librarynewaddi...tions_0506.html
http://www.tankmuseum.co.uk/colhid_0806.html
http://tanxheaven.com/cent/fv4004conway/fv4004.htm
But I'm sure I've seen a picture of a 120mm gun fitted to a standard centurion turret as well.
Hope this helps
Steve

[ysi_maniac]

Well, the weight of both tanks are not that different. I assume that some reinforcement of turret ring and some ballast to balance it will be enought. Anyway, in some weeks, months or years you will see it in this site.

Carlos.

[Radish]

Sounds good.
Remember, in whatiffery, anything can happen.....

Parasol Tanks??

Meanwhile, despite the small size of the T-72 turret, I put a pair of 100mm guns as a twin-turret for demolition work (redundant guns from  T-55s) once..
and at the same time updated a T-55 with a 120mm gun from a Leopard 2 with Leopard running gear, engine pack, etc.. Looked cool.
Destroyed now sadly. 1/35th for both of them.

the Israelis MUST have been able to fit a 120mm gun in a Centurion "Sh'ot".
They fitted a 105mm in a Sherman after all, and the Iraqis fitted a 125mm in a T-55.

Looking forward to this.  

[ysi_maniac]

Meanwhile, despite the small size of the T-72 turret, I put a pair of 100mm guns as a twin-turret for demolition work (redundant guns from  T-55s) once..
and at the same time updated a T-55 with a 120mm gun from a Leopard 2 with Leopard running gear, engine pack, etc.. Looked cool.
Destroyed now sadly. 1/35th for both of them.

Did you keep pics    No?    

[ysi_maniac]

They fitted a 105mm in a Sherman after all.

In fact French did it, and sold the upgunned tanks to Israel.  

[NARSES2]

Meanwhile, despite the small size of the T-72 turret, I put a pair of 100mm guns as a twin-turret for demolition work (redundant guns from  T-55s) once..
and at the same time updated a T-55 with a 120mm gun from a Leopard 2 with Leopard running gear, engine pack, etc.. Looked cool.
Destroyed now sadly. 1/35th for both of them.

Did you keep pics    No?  

Carlos

Raddish has problems remembering what a camera is   He's a "cameraophobic"    

[Radish]

Well.....I DO have pictures from the "old, pre-digital" days.

Perhaps I'll try and scan them.