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SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST

Thought you may like a look at my paper weight--couple of .50's with a 1st.A.R. car badge. I later gave this to Rusty Dyson. I am now in the process of making a new one, using W.A. Jarrah Timber and adding a couple of .30 cal rounds between the badge and the .50's

Just cannot get away from him

This is at Cowra Museum 168092

169101 On his trip it has been removed from the dam

RAEME Training Wing

169077 in private ownership near Dandenong Victoria The IR light has been mounted on the wrong side

This is the second centurion Holding Ground at Puckapunyal Armoured School Parade Ground

169072

This Infantry Phone box still has the paint showing, only one I saw with it.

Two Centurions at Caribbean Gardens Melbourne Victoria

169090 and 169115 have not been moved since driven onto the site many years ago, doubt they would go now. I was allowed access to  open and enter these two by the owners which was rather nice of them.

169103 throwing up some red dust, still a good runner. Trevor Hyde called in and took these photos for me

160103 from Mareeba Qld

Becks Museum This one did have the mount for the .30 Cal Flex mounted on the turret cupola

Centurion Aux. Gen.- the charging motor

A Morris Minor side valve

We used to  tell the girls that it was used for sneaking up on the enemy at night?

An early front idler wheel known as the long spoke

RAEME strengthening job, L.A.D. welded on supports in Vietnam

This one was named short spoke as both the spokes were short and the hub was stronger

This was the final one and did the job.

A lot of Cents had and still do have odd front idler wheels.

It makes them pull to one side and on a long trip could ruin a set of steering brakes, through constant use of the steering sticks.

169094 This one resides on a property at the Murray River near Echuca

It appears to just sit there, has not moved for quite awhile. Its a pity to see them just rusting away.

Lack of use causes "sweating" which is much worse than rusting, and can ruin the electrical system quite quickly.

It was a runner but appears to have just been forgotten. I could not find anyone at home and so no information is available.

This one took a lot of finding and two trips to the area before I located it as the info was very sketchy.

But then what are miles, I certainly did a few of them.

The two pedals on the floor in front of the seat are the firing mechanism for the .30 and .50 Cal Machine Guns, just depress the toe and the machine gun fired. The .50 cal was a ranging gun, allowing a couple of .50 to tell you where the shot would land, then just let a 20 pound round go from the main gun, saved wasting the expensive ammo of the 20 pounder.

 But I was told in Vietnam the VC did not really like the .50 cal , so imagine it was also used as a machine gun

The Main Gate at Puckapunyal Victoria

The entrance to The School of Armour at Puckapunyal

This is the last for awhile myself in 169053

The Vietnam Veterans Museum at San Remo Victoria

The backyard where 169116 is housed

This is a model of the VC tunnel system showing access ladders, air vents.

They had training rooms, quarters and even hospitals underground, all linked together

Its an excellent model and can take quite a long time to view, as you keep finding more and more details built into it

This is a small section of the model, sorry about the flash on the glass but on the right hand side, you can see a winch for raising water from an underground stream, note the blue shafts for air and the blue water stream at the bottom.

The sign giving directions to the new Museum site at the airport

The new building being constructed, the flat area at the right will be Offices and Cafeteria

Another angle. All work is done by volunteers, and its a massive job

This is an early MK1 / MK2 turret, I would think the only one left in Australia. Its at the Tank Museum at Puckapunyal.

 This port was used to remove the barrel for the 17 pounder main gun

Another view of the Early MK1/MK2 Turret-- Note the 2" Mortar unit