Centurion and Birth of the Main Battle Tank Development of the Centurion began in 1943, when the British War Office issued a requirement for a new heavy cruiser tank, designated as the A41 .

The origin story of the Centurion – one of Britain's most important tanks and perhaps one of the most influential tank designs ever– goes all the way back to the Second World War.

READ MORE: Dorset museum celebrates 80th anniversary of Centurion tank Charioteer and Czech T-55A tanks to debut at Tankfest 2025 (Image: The Tank Museum) "Developed as an upgrade of Cromwell ...