Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Cecil
So maybe Dan has hit the nail on the head with this one - a 'bitzer' made up from:
- the lower half (hull with fittings) from a Mk5/2
- the turret from a Mk.11, (and not just the mantlet from a Mk11, as the turret has the IR control box fitted adjacent to the battery balance box)
- a 20-pdr barrel
Wouldn't be the first gate guard to be assembled from what was available in the workshop 'scrap'.
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I'm not sure that is so likely. To assemble a monument from scrap parts, when you have an entire fleet being disposed of, costs labour. Many/most went out as range targets, so it would have made more sense to use one of those for a monument.
Far more likely is that this cent had whatever kits and modifications it got scheduled for. There is also the possibility that there could have been the rotation of a tank from Germany for rebuild or 3rd line repair, and some portions got swapped and this is the result.
I think I may have the ELD at work for the Centurian...I'll have a look. Often they were more detailed with what the fleet was really like along with final disposition and disposal instructions.