Mr Dawe's Centurion.

[Phil Dawe]

Thanks Stephen. I knew you would come up trumps with the light! The book is still available new but its not cheap I think the copy I got for Phil W to use was £38. Part 2 covering the AVREs etc is also available if you look. Same sort of price.

[Phil Woollard]

Lots going on.

[Kevin Hunter]

Phil W, this has become yet another mind blowing blog. Your attention to detail and ability to recreate it is quite something. Keep it up.
Kevin

[Michael Cecil]

I've not seen that photobook on Centurions - must look for a copy. The images shown from it in this thread are both 'lash up' tanks placed as monuments - 169017 in Darwin (Palmerston, to be precise) is on the front cover, and 169080 is at the Army Tank Museum in Puckapunyal. Neither vehicle is accurate in detail, having been reconstructed from parts without any thought to great accuracy. I wonder how they captioned those images. The rear shot of 169080 was taken after museum & school staff rubbed back the rear plate to expose the original British War Office number, as there were two tanks with the number 169080 on display in different locations. The one you see is the original hull of the tank supplied to Australia in 1956, which was mine damaged in SVN in late 1968.

The other rear shot shows that tank (169017) was fitted for the auxiliary/long range fuel tank (the four bars with bolt holes - two vertical/two horizontal), but then had the tow rope mount refitted when the LR tank was removed, but not the tank telephone/first aid box.

Mike

[Phil Woollard]

This afternoons shenanigans then. I'm glad you guys find this entertaining, it keeps me going.
I've ordered some waxed dakron for the tow cable lashings but it's not here just yet so cable ties will have to do for now.

[Phil Woollard]

Just a smidge done today. The cable butt joiners are holding up even when under fire.

[Michael Cecil]

There is a copper ferrule on the tow rope near the overlap join which has the tow rope data. I have several images showing the detail, which may be of interest, if only academic - probably a bit small to reproduce in 1/6th scale. The ropes are dated along with the manufacturer's name. First image is the rope on the Cent at the RAC Museum showing the location of the ferrule, the others are close ups of the ferrule on the rope on one of the Aust War Memorial Centurions.

What is an 'infantry ride bracket', please? I'm not familiar with the term.

Mike

[Phil Woollard]

The " infantry rides" refers to the panniers Michael, New to me was well !
Just two more brackets to go which lie behind the mufflers, these will need the tow rope clasps making.

[Kevin Hunter]

Phil, what does the burning do for the tow ropes?
Cheers
Kevin

[Phil Woollard]

Removes the nylon core and relaxes the cable Kevin.

[Phil Woollard]

The rear infantry rides brackets are nearly done.

[Phil Dawe]

Huge thanks to French Forum member Didier Molard who having found a supplier of the longer piano hinges we were looking for contacted them to see if they would ship to the UK ( they won't due to customs paperwork) So Didier ordered them on our behalf and shipped them direct to Phil W's address in Cornwall. Problem solved. Big Thanks to Dave at Armorpax for sending as a priority the tie downs for the bazooka plates. Support from members of the Forum is greatly appreciated

[Stephen White]

Phil, I’m still intrigued - what’s with this “rear infantry ride bracket”? Where’s that from? Did you see it in a reference?

[Phil Woollard]

I'm sure you keep an eye on the "Centurion tank appreciation society " Stephen, a nice ol chap referred to them in a reply, makes sense when the tank was used as an infantry support weapon so I suppose it stuck with him. I like it!

[Stephen White]

Ah, seen. That’s Ossie Orsbourn, ex Sapper. He knows his stuff. he’s referring to the catwalks. Not a term I’ve ever heard a tankie use, either Brit or Aussie.