Meteor mark 4B

The 8th Hussars, Kings (or was it Queens then?) Royal Irish Hussars, were in Korea, a chap down in these here parts was there. I have (somewhere) a picture postcard with the Centurion on it. Good to hear it is being looked after.

I've got two concrete strips with loose threequarter chippings in between. Any leaks etc you merely rake over the chippings. HOWEVER, just don't drop any nuts, split pins or screws, they will be a b****r to find!!

Spotted in Devon in September.

I've always been with FJ. £85 in 2002, now its £105, fully comp, any mileage and use.

Agreed. A good bit of TV, something of a rarity in these days of all the reality rubbish!

Nice day at least!

So you were Ken!!

Sponsored by Birds Eye Custard, it appears..............

There were three there a while ago. I've never heard of them being fired up, let alone moved. Cornwall area MVT visited some time ago, perhaps something happened then?

Interesting item. I saw it around the back at Duxford years ago. Major Picton was the gunnery trials officer at Shoeburyness who used it as a mobile office, and the logo "Major Picton's Palace" was painted on the back, (front??). There was a large hatch in the superstructure at the rear, and a set of steps to gain access to the inside. The driver sat up high to the side of the gun, and apparently this was a good driving position. I can't find any reference to a Conq gearbox, so perhaps I thought wrong. Perhaps SteveO can help.

This the one? I've got my own photos somewhere, this is from a book.

Presumably this SPG is "Major Picton's Palace" named after a gunnery officer, I believe. The gun isn't actually facing backwards if it is the vehicle I'm thinking of. The gun is facing forwards, as the vehicle is driven around engine/transmission first. The driver sat to the side of the gun and level with it looking over the back (front?) decks. I've got it in my head that it had a Conqueror gearbox to make it all possible. I'll find a picture.

Ah, I stand corrected! A floating Cent wouldn't fill me with confidence either! We once were volunteered for crossings of the Weser in 432s and Stalwarts. The Stalwarts were fine, not so the 432s, which could be seen drifting off downstream at a rate of knots. My mate and me excused ourselves to do some essential maintenance on our Cent, dry land being considered the best option.

errr........water came in when it rained....well it's a good story, but I would have grave misgivings if told to go underwater in a Cent!

The first spotlight was part of the Centurion MBT kit, 1960s.

I read somewhere, in a book about early tank production called "Rude Mechanicals" I think, that a particular tank on trial had poor armour, poor armament, and poor performance. 250 were ordered............

Might not be genuine of course, but I understood it was.

Hmmm....

I can't confirm anything about Dutch Centurion BARVs. However, 12 were built, six were retained at a later date, and six sold off. Some of the six sold off went to Israel. I've never heard of the Dutch army using them.

I did hear that a Centurion BARV became stuck in the mud, and later it was pulled out into deep water to conceal it. After the conflict it was recovered. There is a poor picture published somewhere showing the stuck vehicle.

Recently received some info from Airborne Assault at Duxford, (actually little info), on my 1980 ex 1 Para lightweight. A photo showed a LR in matt green with no cam stripes, and no markings, the Pegasus emblem on vehicles had already gone. The only change I could see from standard were protective shields and grills around the headlamps.

Seen at Warminster I think. I saw that one some years ago in somewhat better condition. It had a "Chinese Eye " on it then.

You are supposed to shout "Quack, quack" when you see another DUKW! Oh, the embarrassment of it!

I want to challenge this decision with the support of the MVT "which I am a member" But would like to know who is the best person to contact.

There's a list of the MVT committee in Windscreen mag, why not contact one of them?

Quote: I certainly miss the comradeship & the banter....nothing quite like it in civvy street. Was it fun & good times all the time ?, no, but the good stuff usually outweighed the bad.

I wasn't there in the 70s/80s, but in the 60s on Centurion and Chieftain with the 11th Hussars. Nothing quite like in civvy street about weighs it up. We have a thriving Old Comrades Association and website and meet up for the main reunion every year and it's excellent.

I told him he was too tall to be a Ferret driver.......