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Old 01-08-13, 03:53
Mike Cecil Mike Cecil is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cody, Wyoming, USA
Posts: 2,365
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No worries, Dan, happy to answer questions about Cents (the Australian usage has been something of a research project for many years).

I find my 'detailed histories' of individual Centurions popping up in all sorts of places, most without the courtesy of seeking permission and many without crediting me. I'm told by one website (that I do willingly write for) that the article I wrote on 169041, the 'Atomic Tank' as I dubbed it, has been viewed and copied/downloaded many thousands of times. I suppose I should take that as a compliment to the research effort it took to write it. The website you refer to is a particular 'vacuumer' of Cent info and images from all sorts of places.

169042 is indeed a Mk.5/1, but the Australian 'version' with .50 inch L6A1 RMG mounted in place of the .30 cal, which is moved to the right closer to the 20-pdr main armament. The three weights are all parallel to the barrel of the 20-pdr - they are to provide balance at the gun trunnions. Most Aust Cents with B type barrels have three weights, but as few as one large one and as many as 7 have been noted. The weights are not necessarily uniform in size. The extra weights are required to compensate for the additional weight of the combined 30-cal & RMG mount, RMG, and ammo. The RMG combined with the 20-pdr is unique to Australia. The Poms tested the concept of an RMG with that combination on a couple of tanks in the late 50s, then combined the RMG ONLY with the 105mm L7 for service use.

The Infantry tank telephone is indeed mounted to the left side of the auxiliary armoured fuel tank, but horizontally, not vertically. There are also some other aspects that are peculiar to Aust Cents, such as the brush guard in front of the gunner's sight. The radio setup is British: a Larkspur SW C42/B47 combination.

Regards

Mike C
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