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Centurion Storage

Saw an add for five prints showing the storage placement for items in the MK 3 and Mk 5 Centurions

Five (5) A4 Size Sketches Showing

Exterior Front & Left-Hand Side

Exterior Rear & Right-Hand Side

Interior Driver's Compartment

Interior Turret And Hull Rear

Interior Turret And Hull Front

These extremely detailed Stowage sketches showing ALL The Equipment Stowage areas and what was meant to be carried as standard equipment & fittings on these Post WWII Armoured Fighting Vehicles are. taken Directly From The Rare WAR OFFICE 1953 Dated Originals and are in MINT Condition.

A quick email to Empire Books in Perth W.A for a cost, and I was rewarded immediately with a reply that a full set would be posted across free of charge. Robert Oliver of Empire Books, whose shop has a great store of military manuals and hand books, made this very kind offer.  If you are looking for manuals or handbooks, be it Army, Navy or Air force , give Robert a call. Empire Books contact information is on Steel Thunders Index page-- (The first page you open on the site)

The originals will be placed on display at the Vietnam Veterans Museum at Phillip Island in the Armoured display

Below  are copies of the prints.

Some more shots of 169080 in Vietnam

Ammo re-supply

Travelling towards the Long Hai's

Crossing the rice paddies notice the Long Hai's in the background also note the side plates  -- this was early in the tanks time in Vietnam

The Centurion 20 pounders give the Caves in the Long Hai's a pasting

River ambush  --- next morning --- boat traffic were running Viet Cong supplies

Scrub bashing in the J. This actually destroyed side bins and smoke dischargers --- just ripping them off

Motor coming out of 169080 "Hannabal" in the workshops at Nui Dat

Yes I know the spelling is incorrect but that's the way it was spelt.

The Motor is out

The above  photos courtesy of John Panton

Parade Servicing

Many people have asked just what is needed in the way of servicing a Cent

Many others appear to not bother with servicing

While the service requirements for a civilian running his Centurion for a day a month or even 1 day a year, is far removed from what a battle tank, which is used everyday, there are still some important items that must be checked regularly.

Below is what the army expected of its driver to check

Then of course there is the Last Parade, Weekly, Monthly and Mileage servicing and checks.

Not only does the driver have to do all this but he must know when and how to do it. The same setup is used for the Operator, Gunner and Crew Commander, they all have their set jobs to do --- and they do them!

I have come across some funny setup with the servicing bit and also on a lot of other items, like the driving instructor that said to flick the stick when doing double the clutch changes.