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 CENTURION MAIN BATTLE TANK

OK, We now have some more space.

My first setup of Centurion MBT had pages that were far to large and so slowed down the program. I have decided to remake the pages which will result in more pages but quicker loading, I hope!

This page will just be a collection of photos of interest

If you notice photos you have seen before, please make allowances. I have over 2000 photos, many  also  on my computer. To put 8 photos onto this page, I have to find them, rescan them, down size them, save to a directory. Then using the web programs they have to be uploaded and installed into the page. Then text has to be included and the lot saved. To do the first 8 photos on this page took 50 minutes. That will give some idea of what's involved.

This sign greets you as you enter Puckapunyal

This was the old Parade Ground, now a Golf Course.

Not many Kangaroos now but plenty of Emu's and Wild Ducks

Note the other mob of ducks in right middle of picture, there are dozens of mobs on any green grass in the area.

The entrance to School of Armour and the Tank Museum

This photo shows the repair to 169106 that took an RPG hit above the pistol port

The repair was done in Vietnam and it looks like they did a good job

This is the splash from the RPG hit

A demo of what the various shells can penetrate

A lot of people have asked what is a canister round, to which I reply "Like a large shotgun shell"! This does not do it justice.

At the Puckapunyal Tank Museum there is a display of rounds. This shows the Canister round cutaway, second from right.

This shows the actual projectile, made up of hundreds of round steel pieces 

Mick Rainey M.M.  directing a driver. At this stage the crewman directing has complete responsibility of the tank

 169091 was the tank Mick Rainey MM commanded in Vietnam,  

Away for a run, putting up a bit of dust

I can remember eating dust all day long

I am visiting John Langley, the owner over Christmas, by then he will have three tanks running.

Kids young and old love Centurions

Nice shells - belong to Richard Stanios

L to R (1)  Early Leopard Brass105 MM      

(2) Leopard 105 mm training HEAT round circa early to mid 1980's  

                             (These were disposed of through surplus  sales as they caused excessive barrel wear / damage)                                                      

(3) 76 MM from a Saladin or Scorpion turreted APC

(4) Leopard Brass (Early) 105 mm that has been brasso'ed 

Later MOD Record  Plate, these are still found in Centurions today

Top Plate is original UK owned by John (Rusty) Dyson. I have only seen two, as most were borrowed by crews

The second and third one's are my own I have never seen any others of these types

This shows the left hand side of the drivers compartment, the marked sections  were where the id plates were fitted

None of the original ones are left now

The last Bridgelayer. I looked for a long time to find this one. It's in the store yard at the Army Museum Puckapunyal.

The bridge is in the Museum on display

This Centurion motor was removed in the field in Vietnam from 169043 by Bruce Holt a LAD member

It was reconditioned and put up for sale at an Army Auction. Bruce recognized it and brought it for old times sake

Note the twin air cleaners and clutch assembly, Neat job

He set it up in a frame and a nice job it is too. It started first go. Note the stub exhausts and air cleaners

That is an oil tank in the middle bottom. The Cents are a dry sump setup

Bruce later found the tank the motor was originally installed in, old 169043

So he brought the tank And spare transmission and final drive

Bruce Holt with 169043

While at Cowra obtaining information on Bruce's centurion I was informed that there was another one at a Museum just out of town. On arriving I approached the owner, enquiring about his Centurion. " No he did not own one." I replied that I had been informed that he had one on display. "No, never had one", he said. On returning to Melbourne I contacted my informant and he replied that there was one there and it was still there. On another trip I was driving through Cowra and decided to  have a look. Saying nothing, I just paid my money and went in. There was 169092 on display. My time was very limited as I had another appointment at Oberon and a fair way to go. So it was a quick look and on my way. I was very disappointed as the Museum would have been one of the best I have seen. I could have spent a day there. The owner?? Well all I can say is he was strange, I cannot workout why he acted as he did, but after all that, I would recommend anyone to go and see his collection, its a beaut.

169092 The displays are a bit over done. The shell cases on display on the Cent were never fired from a Centurion

Nor were the 2nd World War tin hats used

But it was a nice tank and a pleasure to locate another one

There was also a nice Ferret and Saracen displayed

The Bren Gun Carrier looked very nice but I felt the ex servo oil signs were out of place

169081 This one was designated for a range target. It spent one day there taking a few rounds through the hull. It was rescued and put on display at the Armoured School Gunnery Wing, the penetrations were highlighted and make a great display. This one is not on public display but Major Peter Branagan arranged for me to have access, and another one is located.

She looks good with the gun on full depression

This hull has not had the up armoured glacis plate fitted, but you can see how the armoured piercing shells went through it.

The one in the middle of the picture also shows the splash below the penetration, from white hot metal. Will give you some idea of what the drivers in Vietnam experienced when RPG's hit the front of the turret.

Mick Butlers tank  at Balmoral, took a hit on the mantlet of the gun with the splash hitting just above the drivers compartment, You can see on this one, just above the drivers periscopes a small red square. That is where the splash was on Mick Butlers tank. The driver Rusty Dyson was a very lucky guy. Rusty told me he never heard the hit? But there was a lot going on then.  Another incident with Rusty was when a mortar hit the muffler as they were mounting up the tank, all were injured except Rusty, I think he was in the drivers seat having a brew. (He did that a lot)

Believe it or not. There is an APC under them. I had much the same experience with a Centurion, but not quite that bad..

I  first thought the chap sitting down was the Crew commander with his head in his hands from worry

But a closed look shows he is sending a message to the photographer

A nice view of a turret, showing the .30 and the .50 Cal machine guns

The rear view showing the difference in size between the two machine guns.

Someone told me the Viet Cong did not like the .50 cal. I would imagine they were not overjoyed with the .30 cal either

The drivers dash panel designed for easy  reading whilst closed down.

Useless when driving opened up which was most of the time

You were supposed to change gears by the Rev Counter but  in fact most times you could not see it.

We used to push one earphone off and so listen to the revs to change gears

More driver compartment controls. 

The lever is called a strangler or choke the black unit is a turret position, so you knew where the gun was pointing

 The crew commander frowned on flying into stands of timber with the  gun pointing out  the side, upset the alignment of the gun