FV4005

Intro The FV4005 Stage II was a British experimental tank destroyer developed in the 1950s, known for mounting an extremely large gun on a modified Centurion tank chassis. Here's a breakdown of the key details: --- ? General Overview Name: FV4005 Stage II Country of Origin: United Kingdom Type: Self-propelled gun / Tank destroyer (prototype) Era: Post-WWII (1950s) Status: Prototype only; not mass-produced --- ? Design and Purpose The FV4005 was designed to counter heavily armored Soviet tanks, particularly the IS-3, which emerged after WWII. The project aimed to mount a 183 mm gun, the largest ever fitted to a tank at the time, to deliver a single, devastating blow. --- ? Specifications Feature Details Chassis Based on Centurion Mk 3 Main Armament 183 mm L4 gun (very large caliber, firing HESH shells) Ammunition Limited due to shell size; HESH (High-Explosive Squash Head) was the main shell type Turret Large, boxy, and open-topped (Stage II version); Stage I had a fully enclosed turret Armor Very light on the turret; not intended to take hits Crew 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) Mobility Similar to Centurion; decent for the era Speed ~30 km/h (on road) --- ? Development Stages Stage I: Enclosed turret with the 183 mm gun. Stage II: Open-topped turret, focusing on simplified construction and reduced weight. Only one prototype of the Stage II is known to have been built. --- ? Why It Was Abandoned The concept of very large caliber, low-rate-of-fire tank destroyers was becoming obsolete. Emergence of more mobile and versatile main battle tanks (like improved Centurions and future Chieftains). The gun’s slow rate of fire, large size, and vulnerability (due to light armor) made it impractical for modern combat. --- ? Current Status The only surviving FV4005 Stage II is preserved at The Tank Museum, Bovington (UK). --- ? Legacy While never fielded, the FV4005 represents a fascinating "what if" in armored warfare history. It's