Slow moving isnt ?
Nice video.
Slow moving?
The bloody thing is bogged. 
It wasn’t typically slow-moving, but didn’t go very far without petrol in tow…
Cents used to drink tons of petrol
We (RE) used to tip up at a BG replen point and head over to the petrol bowsers and have the supply chappies telling us we were at the wrong bowsers and head over to the diesal ones.
Then they would have fits when they found out we had petrol engines and would require all the petrol they had just to fill 2 AVRE’s never mind the CVRT’s, bikes, landrovers and petrol cookers.
Last British combat use of Cent AVRE
Before
And After
They crew had not apparently been cooking on the rear deck, and there had been no petrol spill/leak over the louvres.
Sad but spectacular end.
Jesus H Christ!
More info, please.
Also, your ‘before’ pic isn’t showing.
Go to http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VsPSgPTQicc/SdOtUy4XCzI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/kcL4VqMVlfY/s1600/41.jpg - doesn’t allow direct linking…
Doesn’t work as a link or if I copy and paste it into the address bar.
I think the problem might be the truncated link with the dots, for address bar purposes.
Here:
Looks ok here so cant really comment on first pic?? Ok after re-booting lappie the pic has disappeared strange ‘confuzzled look’
First pic is a convoy of Cent AVRE and Chiefy Bridgelayers
Seconed Pis is of a Cent AVRE 165 full of fuel and 165 HESH rounds detonating rather violently. I dont know if this particular vehicle was up-armoured in any form as some were fitted with extra armour (chieftan side plates in vulnerable areas, re-active armour, 1 had turret chains, some had nothing added)
Both pics taken during Gulf War 1 (Op Granby)
The official explanation I was told was fuel leak/spill getting onto the hot engine and causing a fire.
Un-official rumour/story was that the crew were cooking on the rear decks with a petrol cooker
Either way it made a spectacular picture especially they way some of the lads were walking casually away.
All Vehicles belonged to 32 and/or 23 Armoured Engineer Regiments RE
The Olifant Mk 1 (originally called the Semel) was armed with the 20pdr (effectively a Cent Mk 5/1) stayed in reserve service until the 1990s and saw some action in Angola as replacement tanks in 1988.
The Olifant Mk 1a was upgraded with a 105mm gun and a new fire control system, plus new German engines. Originally they were supplied with hand-held laser rangefinders, but eventually got them fitted to the tank. One squadron saw extensive action in Angola in late 1987/early 1988, being joined by a second squadron for the battles around Cuito Cuanavale. Despite extravagant Cuban claims (which far exceed the numbers actually deployed), none were lost to enemy action, though three had to be abandoned, having got terminally bogged. Some Olifant Mk 1a are apparently still in reserve service.
Olifant Mk 1b had further upgrades, including a drastically modified armour package, making it look very much like an early-model Leopard 2 (including the Leopard-style sideskirts). These arrived too late to see action in Angola. They remain the main SANDF main battle tank.
Olifant Mk 2 was another drastic upgrade, with an angular armour package reminiscent of the latest Leopard 2 variants. The money ran out on this project, so the SANDF only possesses a single squadron of them.
Another odd British variant was the Centurion AVRE 105, which was brought in during the mid-1980s by converting the former Royal Artillery Centurion OP tanks into AVREs. They carried only 105mm HESH ammunition and were distributed among the AVRE 165s to provide longer-range HESH fire.
Re Comets:
As has been said, the entire 29th Armoured Brigade (11th Armoured Division) was battle-ready with Comets by March 1945 and went into action at the end of that month. To give you some idea of how much action they saw, 3 RTR lost HALF its Comets during the last month of combat! Tell that to those who say that the Comet arrived too late to do anything… 
Once 29th Armoured Brigade was deployed, 15/19th Hussars (armoured recce regiment for 11th Armoured Division) and 1 RTR (22nd Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division) were sent back to re-equip and train with Comet. They also got into action during April 1945. 5th Skins (22nd Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division) were also then sent back for re-equipping and were active with Comet, but didn’t see action with the new tank.
The old Centurion still gets my vote as the greatest tank since World War II.
For it’s longevity, adaptability, and a successful combat record that stretches over 5O years and still could be added to at this late date.
Incidentally I ve downloaded and pasted to youtube two great videos found in the Pathe archives.
Centurion MK II this is the definitive british 17 pounder, a perfect tank to fight against the Pzkpfw V Panther & Pzkpfw Vi Tiger, too bad it came in 1946 :mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svN-mEtFAx0
Centurion Mk III, video showing stages of its fabrication and firing with the brand new stabilization system for the 83mm ( 20 pounder) gun, quite good.
It was ready just before the end of the War actually, but missed combat before examples could be readied in Italy IIRC…
*Edit: Twenty examples were rushed to Germany in May of 1945 for combat trials, but the War ended. See:
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?3366-Centurion-Tank&p=82383#post82383
I understand, but those were pre-series tanks, in my modest opinion the mark II was the definitive british tank, the Meteor engine troubles were completely ironed out and it had an slighty improved armor over the pilot series.
The RAC returns show 26 Comets lost in WW2.
It would be interestin to know the detail of the losses, in those late days there were few tank vs panzer combats, probable they were destroyed by panzerfaust and some devices like that.
Yes… what a difference one year could have made. Thanks for posting the Centurion videos.
You re welcome, by the way I think a year could be difference specially when you trying to produce a workable design from the tactical point of view. Just to put an example using other british tank, the Matilda Mk II. The models of 1940 to 1941 were almost the same only the coaxial machinegun changed from a Vickers to a Besa, and believe me, the 1941 Matilda was by far more fective than the one facing the germans in France.
