Rescuing A British Army Centurion Main Battle Tank Ready For Restoration
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- Опубликовано: 18 окт 2024
- We finally got our hands on a centurion main battle tank! Its in a bit of a state and proves a very challenging recovery but we finally got one!
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It really seems that you need one of those John-deer tank-recovery machines, they've proven quite popular out east.
Was gonna say it.
If they can pull burned out hulks they can pull one that hasnt been shot at.
Lol
We had a brand new Centurian tank nuked in a British test at Emu Field in 1953. It survived and the army figured why let a brand new tank go to waste so they blew all the radioactive dust off it and put it back into service. Apparently its engine ran right through the blast and ran out of fuel. Though the aerials, covers and mantle canvas were all torn off and it was pushed back about 5 feet but remained upright. It then went over to Vietnam and served there. It was penetrated by an RPG in May 1969 probably in operation Lavarack and the turret crew wounded with shrapnel though all were evacuated and survived and the tank remained battle worthy and in service. It is still with the 1st Armored Regiment and sits outside Robertson Barracks in the Northern Territory as display. They are certainly plenty tough. They were replaced by Leopard AS1's which were replaced by M1A1 Abrams and now M1A2 Abrams.
Spent 10 years carting Australian Leopards, including broken ones (locked tracks)... If you HAVE to winch one on the float, run your rope & snatchblock under the hull and pull off the back... Lifts the front of the tank up and makes climbing the ramps a lot easier... Obviously the best way to get one on the float is an a-frame and another tank...
Having been a driver, radio operator and loader of the Centurion back in a day, I am very interested in the restoration of yours. Keep the videos coming if you can.
I just wish you were closer to me as I would be happy to assist.
Best tank ever, for sheer power survivability and longevity.
can’t wait for next weeks episode when it’s all fixed and sparkling 😁
I'm an American (sorry), but my all time favorite tank has always been the Centurion. Don't know why, exactly, but to me they represent the modern battle tank. Mk I on up, they're beautiful.
Ex Centurion Gunner here, have also been a radio operator and unofficial driver. Loved our Centurion 12 BA 70. I see yours has a 105mm Gun, the most popular gun in its day, just about all other tanks had the same one, the French AMX30. the American M60. The Swedish 'S' Type and German Leoipard. Also the Vickers light heavy tank. You'll need a Rolls Royce Merlin engine for it. Looking forward to this, good luck :)
I will never forget the excitement of having my Centurion delivered !
My dad used to drive Centurion tanks during his national service days, sadly he's no longer with us.
@Stephen wilcockson my late dad too tank instructor national service 1952-1954 RAOC deepcut, Surrey
Can't wait to see this mighty tank to be restored. What a find.!!!!
Throw something on the cable like a tarp so when it breaks no one gets hurt. You could even just throw the ratchet straps over them it sure helps when things break. You were warned by the first break but did not do anything to mitigate. Playing with heavy equipment like that and not being more careful will get you on disability for the rest of your life . Which usually means no income and no play toys.
When I was in my early teens a chieftain tank had come off a transporter on the A52 in Nottingham. we went to watch and luckily the police moved us back to a safe distance when the recovery started, as the cables took the strain one snapped and cleanly cut through several posts of a heavy duty steel handrail and a push bike someone had chained to it exactly where were stood!! Be safe lads.
@@fossy4321 Yep. Can easily decapitate or cut someone in two. Easily avoided if you know what you are doing.
Greetings from Australia.
Will be nice to see another one running in the UK, there’s only 2 currently from what I recall.
That was a 105 AVRE with Cent Bridgelayer side plates fitted.
this is going to be epic, Love the Centurion tank for as long as i liked Armor. I'm 55 and made tamyia models as a kid. Was a crewman on M1IP's way back and a TOW gunner on the old M151 jeeps. just found your channel today looks good guys cya on the flip side.
Nice now a tank that can be a actual threat to everyone but mechanics
What a magnificent bunch of nutters you lads are!
A Centurion eh? Proper job ....
The tank in Mk5 form that gave the 105 mm L7 rifled gun to the world that is still a NATO standard.
Quite mad but in a daft British fashion.
Wow, something of a find you got there! It’ll be nice to see it running again, when you have a motor that is…
Seeing your comment has just turned me cold for a minute. I had a cousin called Gary who sadly passed some years ago and seeing the name was a shock for a second lol
Theylll have to save up to fill it up when it does four gallons to the mile
Could have done with a few buckets of that Halfords spray on the tracks 🤣
I actually came across your profile on TikTok a few weeks ago and now you're in my recommended feed. I didn't even realize it was you guys until I saw you unload it into the yard. Sorry about the Land Rover, dogs. Good luck with the restoration, lads.
I once drove what was allegedly the last working centurion when I was in the RCT attached to the BR90 (bridging for the 90's) project in Ringwood Dorset. Just like a car really with a clutch, brake, and accelerator, except 2 sticks for steering.
Loveley memories ... Gunner national service P4 Tank regement Sjovde Sweden 86-87...
Good stuff!
Eyes straight ahead when you’re driving laddie! No need to keep looking to see if the person in the passenger seat is still there.
During his national services days my dad did not get to drive the centurion but he did drive the Antar transporter that moved them about, his driving test was half an hour to transition from motorbike to A30 Austin on a parade ground, then straight onto the mighty Antar, he loved his service days, playing soldiers. fortunately he was to late for Korea,
When I was a very young boy, I all but cried for my father to buy me that wonderful Dinky Toy model of a Centurion Tank,...now you chaps have the real thing,.. life is so unfair LOL!
I had one, my one and only Dinky that I kept for ME. Mum threw it out when I left home, with my tea chest full of Meccano and my 00 Railway stuff. I loved her really...
@@lauriecroad3186 Threw them out as well as your Mecanno set,...GAWD, that's a capital offence, in my book,... Mother or not!
LOL!
I’ve still got my Dinky Centurion!
That is one hell of a tank. Looking forward to seeing the work restoring it.
I honestly felt every bit of that pull from that winch The power from that unit pushing the tank Excellent work guys
Best of luck with that, liked and subscribed.
Fantastic find, and nice job with the move!
My Grandad drove centurions was a reg in the RTR fought in Korea
A lot of work on that bad boy to come, looks like she's been sitting a long time.
My Dad worked on these machines for much of his life at Chilwell Army Depot ( motto " No job too small no price too large, we're rough but we are expensive" HaHa ) One of his pals was the last man who was skilled enough to scrape in the bronze bevel gears on the final drive, if I remember correctly you had to achieve better than 90% metal to metal contact or they overheated and burnt out. he spent many years just doing this one job working mainly on foreign armies tanks. Have fun.
yes i served my time @ 38 central workshops REME Chilwell,on cents & chieftain in the 60’s & 70’s
don’t remember many non british tanks in the workshops to be fair
@@stewartbrown6037do you remember my Dad Albert Foster, cantankerous old git but he really knew his stuff eventually became head examiner of the engines L60s mainly.
@@stewartbrown6037 My brother tells me of a Russian manufactured tank that was sent in to see if a modern western turret/ gun could be fitted. This caused a lot of interest and an apprentice foolishly took photos of it with an illicit camera and was discovered and immediately sacked and marched off the premises
@@fossy4321 no fraid not,i started in 66 & left in 74
depends what dept he was on,i spent a couple of years in the test house before i left,mainly on meteor’s & meteorite’s
i think i was on cent gearbox dept before that,amongst others
Buy gum.... them back sprockets sound locked up solid. Good luck!
No, the sprocket is turning just fine. It is the sound of the track snapping just off the teeth of the sprockets. Watch again, and look closely at that sprocket.
Please do it in Berlin Brigade camo pattern
My Mums parents used to live on the Hexham Rd in the fifties just outside Heddon on the Wall every now and then the house would shake as a Centurion rumbled past to go to the test track. It would be led by a green Land Rover.
You really need to get tips on tank recovery from a Ukrainian farmer!
As soon as the war is over we hope to have plenty of them bringing us some kit over!
Damn strong winch. 👍👍🇬🇧
South Africa Army has +- 200 in service, most in storage should've Scrapped years ago.
I am impressed that the tie down scheme is as close to JSP71 as to be about right. The cross chaining shows that someone knows what they're doing. Ex RLC driver of the low loader?
Nice old man intera in the Landy I hope you got it cheap.
There must be a lot of tanks from YooouuuCraaaiiine coming on the market.
There's heaps of them, here, in Australia
If your looking for a motor I have one full Centurion spec with wiring, clutch and allot of fittings. Leaving Australia next week or two.
Don't you have to open a side cover between the rollers and pull out a shaft to disengage the tracks from the final drive?
I think you would do. I worked on chieftain and you could disengage when doing a track change or something like that if I remember correctly was a long time ago😃
Another great Vid Matt😁
All it took to get it moving was the application of a Harley wrench.
It is usually considered a good thing to keep one's hands on the steering wheel when driving!
love these video's great job 👍
Probably teaching grandma how to suck eggs but the tank museum were recovering some chieftains and they removed “quills” from the rear drive, but thinking about it there was no engine or drive train in your centurion to decouple, just seized through old age, bit like me
I think this is why Emile bought a t55 winch recovery crane :o)
Awesome!
Be interesting to see what the third party, fire and theft insurance quote would be.
You're getting your money's worth out of those red plastic warning triangle thingys. Six quid well spent, I say.
That were a rite good video.
Ok, is this gonna get it's original powerpack or something else? Bc this is a great time to put that scania v8 idea in to play
Probably the coolest fucking video I’ve ever watched
Then you haven't watched very many.
If you look at the Bearded explorer, 22nd Jan video, Incredible Collection Of Planes, Army Vehicles, you may see something you would like to buy. He could pass on your details to the owner.
Hey the Australia Army I think still has some for sale in working order!
this centurion looks as if it has been concocted of various marks, i.e. rear side armour reinforcements from a bridgelayer, transmissioncover(slatted) from an AVRE, as is the turret stowage rack, yet it has no AVRE fittings , is it saved from a shooting range?
Sounds like you know your stuff.
Reg number matches with a 105 AVRE.
@@JDW-wn9te thank you, on closer inspection of the turretroof i found a bracket for a release-cable wich is part of AVRE equipment.
@@henkvermeer8652 Must of retro fitted a gun turret some how. Well spotted on the AVRE gear mate, eagle eyes!
@Will Rose Soltau? 90's i was in fallingbostel.....just round the corner.
Did you drive this via Wiltshire at some point?
Ok, thats it!! Im reporting you for abuse to the poor 434 !! poor things guts almost popped out!
At this rate it won't be long till you have a Challenger.
Be aware of the incoming ebay-offers , next months. "half-new Leopard1 , recently refurbished , slight damages from rolling over from transport-device . Transport and recovery must be organised by the buyer , location between Lviv and Vinnitsa , Ukr. Payment in Ruble acceptet ! "
I wonder if the banging noise was the track pins breaking or breaking loose?
the sprocket biting in to the track
What it that cracking/pinging/ratcheting-type noise as the tracks move?
That will be the pin's that join each plate together on the tracks
Just the track un seizing.
@@kippamip @John Nunn
The track was just a bit off the final drive sprocket as it rolled over it. Watch closely at the drive sprocket and you can see the dirt spit as the track seats on the sprocket.
Why did you not use the BARV to move it as that was what it was for if you still have it
Trying to pull a 50 ton tank with a telescopic handler 😂
Be interesting see where you get an engine from for this.
Australia has the coolest Centurion on display.............survived an atomic bomb test!
Yeah, just bought a centurion tank today…. No big deal.
so you bought a Centurion that can only go backwards in a straight line ... Italian Army spec ??
I've been told that you can transplant a scan is 750hp engine into them is this true
Serious question why didn’t you use the BARV to tow it?
out of interest, this centurion wasn't rescued from a meadow in a place called finchingfield in essex was it?? 🤔
I’m in Thaxted,never heard of a centurion in Finchingfield.. keen to hear about it!?
@@markhepworth7822 it used to be kept...or rather dumped, in a meadow up above the road on the left hand side as you drove out of finchingfield to wethersfield, it was there pretty much most of my life, then one day i happened to see it all being moved on a big military loader, must of been a nightmare job i reckon, rusted solid i bet.
@@Blackfourtrak Damn,have lived in Thaxted 35 years and never knew,driven that road enough times as well 🤦♂️ be interesting to find out what happened to it,I’m working in Bardfield today,will ask my customer. If I hear anything I’ll let you know on this thread,cheers for the info mate 👍
I pretty sure it came from a farm just past Royston it’s been there for years
i can hear the ghost of my dad, screaming just take the ******* tracks off, it'll go where you want so much easier. he was ex REME
Using a 434 to pull an MBT is just asking for a blown pack.
Should have pulled ya finger out and got that engine swapped in that old wrecker or scania engine in one of the other tanks just like that he says but yeah lmfao 😂 can't wait to see one running
Absolutely awesome bet laugh a minute messing about with that lot.
It’s strange that the British government will let citizens buy and drive battle tanks on the road but you can’t have semi automatic rifles in 5.56 caliber in your home.
are you trying to start your own squadron of tanks to send or test out in Ukraine?
Is that pinging noise the track link Pins snapping?
No
Alan: It is the track not quite hitting the final drive sprocket just right as it rolls over it. Look closely at the rear sprocket and you can see the dirt spit in sync with the popping sounds.
Great video, its a shame I played in mute though, the music is AWFUL!
When is the next Chieftan video?!
How much do they weigh?
If they are seriously interested in tanks then Ukraine has a fine selection of second hand tanks at scrap prices.
No health and safety here if one the g/ box covers which should have been laid back to the turret had fallen it would have killed someone
need to buy myself the i love hot mums shirts...
Cheers Kents
i have a gunners sight for a cent had it years reply if you want it
Is if something about farmers and tanks 🤔🤔🤔
does Israel steel use them, or have they parked them all up,
I appreciate all your efforts and enthusiasm with this great project; however, your cable handling and cutting is very unsafe. Put weight bags on the winch cable to prevent cable whipping. And don’t use your knee as a sawhorse cutting near your crotch! Holy cow!
😎👍
Why bleep bad language when you just gob off . Big brother is listening to you.
Why would you buy another one what time and for no engine in it that means you Gotta get an engine and put one in it
wouldn’t have thought that the Meteor engine was extremely rare
Reccy mechs everywhere screaming 'Nooooo!!!' 😂 434 is dying, cruelty abounds. You guys are such noobs.
OHFUCKYEAHBUD!
Gonna need a lot of WD40...
The first thing you notice about these jokers, is they wear NO seat belts. They obviously think they drive a tank, HE HE :-)