Centurions on the Western Front?

So I was reading up on tanks of the second world war, as you do, when I started wondering about the Centurion. It only just missed out on seeing combat by a few months. So I ask: would it be at all possible for the Centurion to see combat? I would assume that this would be a result of accelerated development instead of the war dragging on longer. My theory is that the Centurion could make it to European battlefields in time for seeing combat if there were 2 factors:
1)The Army disregarding the outdated concept of breakthrough Tanks like the Tortoise, allowing for more resources to be devoted to the A34 concept.
2)The allies being made aware of the production of the Panther being much higher than anticipated (this might have the knockon effect of seeing more heavily armed tanks in general on the allied side, with more heavily armed Sherman, since the US experimented with 90mm armed versions and perhaps earlier adoption of the Pershing and/or Comet)
3) the concept of the Universal tank gaining traction. This obviously overlaps with point 1, since one of the main issues with British tank doctrine was the division between Cruiser and Infantry tanks. Would this premise be at all feasible, or am I just being foolish? edit:cleared up the formatting.
 
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It took me a few seconds to realise this wasn't an ISOT of a Roman Legion to Falaise 1944 or somesuch.
Then, the tank shaped penny dropped. :eek:
 
You're not being foolish, IIRC Centurion prototypes were sent to Germany for trials. In WW2 there were a million zigs and zags which affected the ultimate outcome, it's very easy to think of a scenario where Germany is around for a bit longer to give my favourite tank a chance to see combat in WW2. In a similar but smaller scale there were hundreds/thousands of zigs and zags which affected British tank development so again it would be easy to think of a scenario where my favourite tank is ready a bit earlier.
 
What if that proposed mechanised whatsit thingie that got scrapped due to lack of funds prewar was developed? If tank development can actually show more promise, then maybe there'll be more tank development...

Or maybe that thing was just for tank USE and i've forgotten, and I don't know what would need to be scrapped in order to afford it..
 
Hmm...so how's this for the scenario:

In mid-1943, an Allied spy delivers proof that the Panther is being produced at a rate much closer to the ubiquous Panzer IV rather than the molasses-slow rate of the Tigers. This drives the Allies to try and and match the panther. Although the Excelsior has been made redundant by improvements in the Churchill tank, its concept of a tank to replace both cruiser and infantry tank does catch on, especially when it is mentioned to the great man himself, who expresses interest in the idea. With the driving force of finding a tank to match or better exceed the Panther, the memorandum that spurred the development of the Tortoise is not issued, with most of the effort being poured into the Centurion instead. with the additional momentum, the Centurion makes it onto the battlefields of northern Europe. The only question now is how early is it feasible? And which units are likely to be issued with the Centurions? Part of me would like to see the Desert Rats being issued with Centurions instead of Cromwells in 1944, but that's probably a pipe dream.
 
When does it have to be in production by for a significant number of them to be in service with trained crews by the end of the war?

Lets call enough to equip an armoured division as being significant numbers.
 
If you're wanting them to engage in large-scale fighting then you might be better off pushing up the development of the Comet, which as the predecessor to the Centurion means they'd also probably enter service earlier at the tail end of the war and see at least some fighting. It was a good tank in and of itself and more than capable of what is needed, until 1947 I think it was and they introduced the Mk III with the 20 pounder and improved gun stabilisation and sights (plus improvements incorporated from previous marks) whilst a good tank the Centurion wasn't yet the world beater it would become - and I speak as someone who is almost as large a fan of them as Mac. :)


Mac’s sockpuppets are always so obvious. ;)
:D
 
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