| Tango01 | 21 May 2020 10:14 p.m. PST |
"In the '50s the British military developed a ferocious new anti-tank gun, the 183 mm (7.2 in) L4. The race was on to find a suitable mount for this monstrous weapon. It was first proposed to be used as part of the FV215 project. This self-propelled gun (SPG) design was based on the FV200 Universal tank concept. This vehicle, however, did not go further than the mock-up stage. Designers tried again, this time with a proposal to mount the gun on the chassis of Britain's trusty new Main Battle Tank, the Centurion. This vehicle would go under the project title of FV4005. The Ordnance Quick Firing 183 mm (7.2 in) L4 gun was the largest and most powerful tank gun in the world at the time, it. The gun itself weighed a mighty 4 tons and when fired it produced the equivalent of 87 tons of recoil force. The L4 was designed to be chambered for only one type of ammunition, HESH (High Explosive Squashed Head). It was separately loading ammunition. The projectile was loaded first followed by the correct propulsion cartridge. Each shell weighed a combined total of 104.8 kg (231 lbs). The 183 mm was tested in live-fire trials against a Centurion and a Conqueror. In 2 shots, the 183 blew the turret clean off the Centurion and split the mantlet of the Conqueror in half. In total, the gun fired 150 shells…"
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| newarch | 22 May 2020 1:24 a.m. PST |
I can imagine the number of scenarios where such a vehicle was of any use must've been very limited indeed. Even in the fantasy World of Tanks they're a bit of a liability, you can see them from miles away and they're not exactly difficult to hit. They do ruin your day if they get the first shot in though. |
| bsrlee | 22 May 2020 4:25 a.m. PST |
Notice the first picture – it is a mock up with a wooden barrel, they used solid, possibly green, wood and it has split. |
| PHGamer | 22 May 2020 5:17 a.m. PST |
IS it really a wooden barrel, or a plug to keep the water out? |
 Dentatus   | 22 May 2020 5:42 a.m. PST |
Looks like a barrel plug to me. |
Raynman  | 22 May 2020 7:41 a.m. PST |
Looks like a barrel plug to me too! |
| Tgerritsen | 22 May 2020 9:06 a.m. PST |
Yep, wooden barrel plug. This tank makes me think. Soviet Union: The KV-2 is the ultimate expression of an enormously tall turret. UK: Hold my pint. |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 22 May 2020 11:09 a.m. PST |
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| BattlerBritain | 22 May 2020 11:28 a.m. PST |
I've seen that tank down at Bovvy. It's outside and rusting away quite badly. |
| Tango01 | 22 May 2020 11:54 a.m. PST |
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 Legion 4  | 22 May 2020 12:13 p.m. PST |
At that time still trying to find something to field that Panthers & Tigers would fear …  |
| Chuckaroobob | 22 May 2020 7:11 p.m. PST |
Ya know, one day when I hit the lottery I'm going to start my own collection… |
| newarch | 23 May 2020 1:22 a.m. PST |
At that time still trying to find something to field that Panthers & Tigers would fear … I think by this stage they were already looking to counter the postwar Soviet designs especially the IS3. In the event everyone went for variations on the MBT instead. It always amazes me that the Centurion was developed over 70 years ago, its such a modern looking design. |
| Legion 4 | 23 May 2020 3:44 p.m. PST |
That is probably true … but they started thinking about before the war was over. It takes time generally to build a successful AFV design. The though of having to take on USSR or Chicom T-10s is why US made the Kennedy M-103 Hvy Tank. |
