Centurion queries

[Wulf]

Just got a Pendraken Centurion (the earliest one) as part of my 'World of Tanks' collection. Bloody hell it's big... All the rest of my 10mm tanks are WWII...

Anyway... am I right in thinking the two teeny little circular bits (which I miraculously have not lost) are to be joined together on the back right of the turret? What is that thing anyway?

Also, tracks... which way round do they go? There's a nub sticking out from the wheels at one end that I guess limits where they go, against the hull, but either way round they don't line up well with the track guards.  Mind you, the curve on the front end of the side shields in no way meets the track guards, so maybe I shouldn't take that as an indicator... some surgery needed there methinks!

[mart678]

Hi Wulf

The tracks are Drive sprockets to the rear I think the two small bit you refer too are D10(or earlier version) cable reel you need one on the rear side of turret near commanders hatch if it is about 5mm in size then you have the spotlight for the later Mk's I cant find my pictures of the original to check so if you post a picture of the parts I will confirm it. Yes it is a very large tank make normal WW2 tanks look like toys 

Merry Christmas
Martin

[Wulf]

The tracks are Drive sprockets to the rear

Yeah... need to look at some piccies I think... 

I think the two small bit you refer too are D10(or earlier version) cable reel you need one on the rear side of turret near commanders hatch if it is about 5mm in size then you have the spotlight for the later Mk's I cant find my pictures of the original to check so if you post a picture of the parts I will confirm it.

I'm at work now, and I was imagining FSN would have replied by now  - I don't think my camera will focus on anything that small! Yes, about 5mm diameter, bith identical in size, which is why I thought they were to be joined together.

Yes it is a very large tank make normal WW2 tanks look like toys 

Having played it in World of Tanks I knew what to expect, but seeing it right against them... that's a medium tank? 

[Wulf]

Went to take a pic, ended up cleaning up all my new tanks & forgot... 

So... anyone made a Centurion III and know where the teeny bits go?

[Leman]

Here's a centurion query, "I hope you legionaries have tied your sandals properly for this route march."

[Wulf]

OK, finally found the charger for the battery for the camera...

Each teeny circular piece is about 1mm thick, and featureless on the back. Each has a small 'burr' on the rim, but that just looks like the metal feed. One must be the cable reel for the back right of the turret (what's a cable reel for on a tank turret?), but what's the other bit? It has a small rectangular raised section offcentre. Do they fit together to make the cable reel? Why 2 parts then?

[Steeleye]

A cable reel on the back of a tank's turret is so you can take your 'remote handset' to a hole a 100yrds away and still be able to talk over the radio or internal comms. Very useful if you're watching for infantry tank hunting teams in the middle of the night.

The infantry tank telephone (completely different to the above) is just an extension of the tank's intercom and the cable on that is only a few feet long.

[Ace of Spades]

Looks to me like the top item is the cable reel and the other item is the round hatch that goes in the centre of the rear turret panel.
Not an expert on Centurions but it looks like an ejector hatch to dispose of empty shells to me?
The use of cable reels on a tank has just been explained perfectly!



It's not the best picture but the circular hatch (hinges at the bottom so maybe thats your 'burr'?) in the center rear can be made out as well as the cable reel to the right of it.
Hope this helps somewhat.

Cheers,
Rob

[Wulf]

Looks to me like the top item is the cable reel and the other item is the round hatch that goes in the centre of the rear turret panel.

I was beginning to think that, but couldn't find a picture to confirm.

Not an expert on Centurions but it looks like an ejector hatch to dispose of empty shells to me?

I thought that was the little hatch between the left side stowage bins.

The use of cable reels on a tank has just been explained perfectly!

It has indeed, thank you Steeleye.

Update: From a further picture search, on the Tamiya 1:35 scale Centurion III at least, it looks like that 'rectangular raised section' on the second hatch is actually a Jerry Can - since it's directly over the engine deck, I assume it's not carrying fuel!

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

The back of the turret has a small hatch to ease changing the barrel.

IanS

[Ace of Spades]

The back of the turret has a small hatch to ease changing the barrel.

Aha! That's what it for... sounds reasonable I guess
And again I learned something from this fabulous forum!

Cheers,
Rob

[Steeleye]

On Chieftain we carried two Jerry Cans, one black plastic one for water and a green metal one for petrol. Now as Chieftain had a diesel engine why carry petrol? Simple, we had a petrol fueled cooker (which often used to blow up) but why would you need five gallons of spare fuel for one small cooker...don't ask me I've no idea. Most crews bought gas camping cookers and of course there was the internally mounted 'boiling vassal'. All British AFVs since WWII have had the ability to make tea.

I think there was a small 'pistol port' between the two bins on the left(?) hand side of the turret through which you ejected the spent main armament cases. The big bin on the opposite side of the turret was called the 'coffin bin', small crewmen would be able to sleep inside it if emptied of its contents.

Most of the Cents I came into contact with were either ARVs or had had their turrets removed and were used to tow of carry targets around ranges.

[Wulf]

All British AFVs since WWII have had the ability to make tea.

Thanks for the 'insider info' - I've heard about the kettle, and have always delighted in telling people - one thing, how was it powered? Was it inside, on an electric connection to the vehicle electrics?

The jerry can on the back of the turret fooled me for a while, I had seen it before but never noticed it was mounted on a circular hatch.

[Sean67]

Hi Wolf the BV (boiling vessel) was electrically heated.
As previously stated all Armoured British Army vehicle have a BV fitted very handy for cold nights on exercise in Germany.
Regards
Sean

[Dariq Al Wazyr]

I'm trying to assemble MDV-47, Pendraken's 'Centurion Bridge layer". I'm afraid I've run into a bit of an impasse. The model is fourteen pieces. The problem I have run into is that I can't figure out where several of those fourteen pieces go! I have been studying reference photos from books, Google, and online walkarounds, but I can't get any in formation on where a lot of these pieces go, and how the bridge-laying assembly goes together at the bow and glacis.

Does anyone have any pointers on assembling this monster? Does anyone know of any diagrams that might be of use?

My sincere thanks for your help, and my sincere thanks to Pendraken, for all the wonderful toy soldiers!

-W