Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
There’s something very British about the Centurion. It arrived a few weeks too late to see service in World War 2, but it ended up being one of the best tanks ever made.
In the hunt for the Universal Tank, the British succeeded in bringing firepower, armour and mobility into one truly superb design.
While it may have missed its moment in the war, Centurion saw service in a number of conflicts around the world – and became a key armoured fighting vehicle for many countries.
Thirteen Marks, masses of upgrades, and a whole host of variants, get ready to hear the story of the Centurion.
If you're seeing this, why not leave a comment telling us what you think of the Centurion? Or, if you loved the video, give us a like!
Interested in learning about tanks? Subscribe to The Tank Museum and enjoy hours of FREE tank content at your fingertips. And if you're a real Tank Nut, why not consider becoming a channel member or joining our community on Patreon patreon.com/c/tankmuseum
Looking for some amazing gifts for the tank nut in your life? Shop our wide range of tank products at our online shop tankmuseumshop.org
00:00 | Introduction
00:54 | The Hunt for the Universal Tank
04:15 | Another Heavy Cruiser?
06:31 | Building the Centurion
14:26 | Centurion in Combat
17:03 | Upgrades and Improvements
19:46 | A Global Success
24:59 | Variants
This video features archive footage courtesy of British Pathé.
Image of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal statue at Param Yodha Sthal Delhi by Krishna Chaitanya Velaga - via WikiCommons
Image of Jordanian Centurion by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - via WikiCommons
In this film, join Chris Copson for a deep dive into the Centurion. While the British may have been a bit wayward in their tank design for much of the Second World War, the Centurion burst onto the scene and became a massive success both at home and abroad. With continual upgrades and improvements, Centurion distinguished itself in service with dozens of countries. So sit back and enjoy the history of the best tank ever.
Want to learn more about the Centurion? Here are some of the sources we used to make this film:
Dunstan, Simon, Centurion Main Battle Tank, Haynes Publishing, 2017.
Dunstan, Simon., Centurion Universal Tank, 1943-2003, Osprey Publishing, 2003.
Icks, Col. Robert J., Famous Tank Battles, Profile Publications 1972.
Katz, Samuel M., Israeli Tank Battles, Arms and Armour Press, 1988.
Support The Tank Museum!
- Patreon: patreon.com/c/tankmuseum
- Membership: youtube.com/@thetankmuseum/community
- Friends: tankmuseum.org/support-us/friends-of-the-tank-museum
- Online Shop: tankmuseumshop.org
- Workshops Channel: youtube.com/@TankMuseumWorkshop
#tankmuseum
There’s something very British about the Centurion. It arrived a few weeks too late to see service in World War 2, but it ended up being one of the best tanks ever made.
In the hunt for the Universal Tank, the British succeeded in bringing firepower, armour and mobility into one truly superb design.
While it may have missed its moment in the war, Centurion saw service in a number of conflicts around the world – and became a key armoured fighting vehicle for many countries.
Thirteen Marks, masses of upgrades, and a whole host of variants, get ready to hear the story of the Centurion.
If you're seeing this, why not leave a comment telling us what you think of the Centurion? Or, if you loved the video, give us a like!
Interested in learning about tanks? Subscribe to The Tank Museum and enjoy hours of FREE tank content at your fingertips. And if you're a real Tank Nut, why not consider becoming a channel member or joining our community on Patreon patreon.com/c/tankmuseum
Looking for some amazing gifts for the tank nut in your life? Shop our wide range of tank products at our online shop tankmuseumshop.org
00:00 | Introduction
00:54 | The Hunt for the Universal Tank
04:15 | Another Heavy Cruiser?
06:31 | Building the Centurion
14:26 | Centurion in Combat
17:03 | Upgrades and Improvements
19:46 | A Global Success
24:59 | Variants
This video features archive footage courtesy of British Pathé.
Image of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal statue at Param Yodha Sthal Delhi by Krishna Chaitanya Velaga - via WikiCommons
Image of Jordanian Centurion by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - via WikiCommons
In this film, join Chris Copson for a deep dive into the Centurion. While the British may have been a bit wayward in their tank design for much of the Second World War, the Centurion burst onto the scene and became a massive success both at home and abroad. With continual upgrades and improvements, Centurion distinguished itself in service with dozens of countries. So sit back and enjoy the history of the best tank ever.
Want to learn more about the Centurion? Here are some of the sources we used to make this film:
Dunstan, Simon, Centurion Main Battle Tank, Haynes Publishing, 2017.
Dunstan, Simon., Centurion Universal Tank, 1943-2003, Osprey Publishing, 2003.
Icks, Col. Robert J., Famous Tank Battles, Profile Publications 1972.
Katz, Samuel M., Israeli Tank Battles, Arms and Armour Press, 1988.
Support The Tank Museum!
- Patreon: patreon.com/c/tankmuseum
- Membership: youtube.com/@thetankmuseum/community
- Friends: tankmuseum.org/support-us/friends-of-the-tank-museum
- Online Shop: tankmuseumshop.org
- Workshops Channel: youtube.com/@TankMuseumWorkshop
#tankmuseum
