Page 5.

Puckapunyal Gunnery Range old Centurion wish I could find out the number

Another destroyed Centurion

Would also like to know the number of this one.

They have done some damage to them.

This cut down frame behind the cupola on the turret top holds .30 cal ammo liners for the crew commanders  Machine Gun, also a small radio on the left hand side (separate compartment) for contacting the Infantry as the old one on the rear was not much good in Vietnam. This is a command tank as the Ammo rack is a short one and the third antenna is shown there. These items were only on Command tanks

This is the normal Rack, full size you can see the extra section to the right of where the Radio fits. 

Note the clip in the centre and the right hand side, behind the frame and the turret edge

this is to hold the .30 cal machine gun when not in use

One of the mod's done to the main gun when the tanks were sold 

I f you could procure a round this would stop you firing it. 

Also the fact the barrel had a steel plug welded into it, the firing pin was removed and the breech block welded shut.

Even in the field the house work still had to be done

A RPG entry hit on the drivers windscreen bin on 169005, it exited out the side bin. 

Note the empty .30 cal cases from the crew commanders flex .30 cal.

The arrow shows the exit point. It entered the windscreen bin and went through the two side bins

The biggest rising sun I have ever seen at Cowra Museum NSW

A good cutaway showing the placement of the loading bin beside the drivers compartment and also the under floor storage bins

A cutaway of the drivers compartment, showing pedals, handbrake , gearstick and steering levers

Right hand side of drivers compartment. The lever in the centre of picture is the "Strangler lever" or choke.

Below are two gauges known as Hour meters for the man motor and Aux Gen motor

Drivers dash panel

Main power switch, ignition switch and starter button, plus fuse switches.

This is the under floor of the turret, note the ammo bins

These are accessible by travesing the turret to a certain point, 

hoping no one else moves the turret while your hands are down there. 

But the operator can lock it in position

This is the front ammo compartment which is beside the drivers left 

again accessible from a certain turret position

This is the left hand side of the Centurion rear - note the flat strip of steel between the lifting lug and the Medical / phone compartment

This is the left mount for the 100-gallon Aux. fuel tank, not all have the fuel tank

They were in short supply.

This is the windscreen fitting on the Hong Kong and U.K. Tanks, quite a fancy fitting with screw down fittings

This is the Australian fitting, just clip  in and lock very basic but then they were not used very often, never, in my time

Refuelling in South Vietnam - The Jerry cans everyone is sitting on, carry water not fuel.

Note the stretcher behind the water cans - the carry cage has ration boxes

I hope you have been enjoying my web page and there is a lot more to come

So far you have been viewing a taste of what my CD named STEEL THUNDER is like

Its a story of my search for the Centurions with a lot of photos. There is a second CD of photos only

There is also an update which will be finished shortly.

I have donated the Cd's to the Vietnam Veterans Museum Rebuilding program

They are the only people to make any money from the sale of the CD's

To achieve this, the only place it can be purchased is from the Museum direct

The search through out Australia and overseas to trace the 142 Centurions              brought by the Australian Army.                 123 Centurions were located

Lots of text and information.                        Purchase only from:

Over 1500 photos and pictures.                    Vietnam Veterans Museum

Did you serve on one of these?                       57 Phillip Island Rd

Lots of photos from Vietnam.                         San Remo   Vic   3925

Second CD of photos only.                                

$20 each or both for $30                           

 PH:  03  5678 5999                                        FAX:  03  5678 5995

Postage $3 (Within Australia)                                                                  

 Email: vvmuseum@nex.net.au

100% of all monies received to go towards the Vietnam Veterans New Museum Building Fund at San Remo.

Watch for update……Out Now May 2005……………………

All Prices are Aust. Dollars