WEAPONS OF WAR
For 60 years, an important testbed in British tank development has lain undiscovered. For the first time, new research has pieced together its final form. Ed Webster profiles the FV201 (A45) Universal Tank
When discussing early post-war British armour development, most are familiar with the Ferret, Charioteer or Centurion.
Yet arguably one of its most important series of vehicles is criminally forgotten.
The story of the FV201 is a tale that has been muddied, confused, overlooked and written out of the history books. Yet before its cancellation, the FV200 series tank underwent considerable design effort, resulting in Britain developing the first main battle tank. Moreover, without this vehicle the army would never have adopted the Conqueror.
Over the last decade, a handful of authors have attempted to restore the FV201 to prominence, with varying degrees of success.
New information has come to light, but one thing always eluded them: what did the tank look like in its final form?
The origins of the FV201 lay in 1944 and with the development of an entirely different vehicle, the A43 Black Prince. This infantry tank, essentially an enlarged Churchill mounting a 17-pounder gun, was from…
