strange Centurions

[Roo]

I came across these in my Fathers photos.The B+W taken in 1954, and the colour in 1977 When he was driven around chobham in the centurion when he retired from MVEE

[David Herbert]

Not a Centurion but a Conqueror with a dummy turret as ballast for automotive trials. It looks like it has Chieftain track fitted which has rubber pads unlike the standard Conqueror track as shown in the B&W photos.

David

[Roo]

Yes, once you look a the wheel configuration it falls into place. '54 is a pretty early conq. never liked the conq

[Roo]

Presumably, picture 6 is a conquerer hull with a centurion? turret?

[David Herbert]

Well done, I didn't spot that, yes it is.

At the time your father worked at MVEE they were doing a great deal of work developing what became the FV430 series. A lot of that work was done on FV420 series vehicles, mostly the FV421 unarmoured load carriers. Do you have any photos of these that you can share as I have a particular interest in FV421 ?

David

[fv1609]

or even any FV426 mock-ups? 

[edfrancis001]

The vehicle in question 'winny', was a Conq with a windsor ballast turret - it was used a lot on trials alongside the dynamometer vehicle today it's in one of the bovington sheds. The chap in the top was the CO of the base on his retirement day. as for the other pictures the bottom right is an FV.221 Caernarvon tank - it has an extension added to increase the length and weight of the barrel for testing.

[Roo]

The "Chap on the top" was my father😉😉Brigadier Bill Fairbairn, 8th tanks, 5th tanks. commanded Kirkcudbright,  MVEE.   RMCS lecturer, Armour school lecturer I spent many happy hours playing on the RMCS tank collection. Favorite was the Tortoise, it was such a big space, rather like a naval gun turret. I am at the moment, ploughing my way through piles of photos of the '50s and '60s, and a pile of 8mm films of Lulworth, and Bovington Demonstration days.Also a lot of film of egypt and Palestine 1940's Also a short silent 8mm film of the Beatles on Salisbury plain filming Help

Edited January 11 by Roo

[Roo]

3 hours ago, fv1609 said:

or even any FV426 mock-ups? 

Hi David, I shall keep looking, but I have very little on that period,

[Roo]

follow on to my previous post, more pictures of the same exersise

Seems strange, to name two british tanks, Hengist, and Horsa, who where the supposed german invaders of Britain in the 5th century😉

Edited January 11 by Roo

[Pzkpfw-e]

7 hours ago, Roo said:

Presumably, picture 6 is a conquerer hull with a centurion? turret?

It's an FV 221 Caernarvon Mark I.

Tank, Medium Gun, FV221 Caernarvon - Tank Encyclopedia

[BlueBelle]

8 hours ago, David Herbert said:

Well done, I didn't spot that, yes it is.

At the time your father worked at MVEE they were doing a great deal of work developing what became the FV430 series. A lot of that work was done on FV420 series vehicles, mostly the FV421 unarmoured load carriers. Do you have any photos of these that you can share as I have a particular interest in FV421 ?

David

Me too David, especially the three that went to 6RTR in Libya in 1958....flown in by Beverley to RAF Idris.  I have colour slides (and ERMs) of those three Cambridges! In the 6RTR book for first sight, soon.

[TJSB]

Here's a FV 421 pic from W&T 11.

[David Herbert]

The FV421 that went to the Tank Museum is 00CA25. It had previously been a range buggy at Porton Down range (not a NBC target!) and before that had been heavily rebuilt several times testing transmission and steering systems and hull and suspension refinements of the FV420 program. It finished up with a RR B81 engine and inline Allison 6 speed fully auto transmission coupled to a controlled differential steering box with aditional brakes on the input to the final drives which enabled it to pivot turn at low speeds and gave better steering in water. This same powertrain was rearanged for early FV432s by placing the engine beside the transmission instead of in the middle of the cargo area (inherited from universal carriers). I have never found any photos of 00CA25 before it went to the Tank Museum - has anyone got any ?

David

[10FM68]

1 hour ago, BlueBelle said:

Me too David, especially the three that went to 6RTR in Libya in 1958....flown in by Beverley to RAF Idris.  I have colour slides (and ERMs) of those three Cambridges! In the 6RTR book for first sight, soon.

Now come along!  You know full well that the FV 420 series weren't Cambridges!  The Cambridge was the FV400 series and were with 3RHA at Homs while the RTR tested the 421s.  Whether at similar times, though, I don't know.  

[fv1609]

5 hours ago, Pzkpfw-e said:

It's an FV 221 Caernarvon Mark I.

I have the Trials Report for 07 BA 71

[Roo]

suddenly realised what this refered to🤣

I have one, maybe two copies of the power trains book, 145 pages , slight damage to covers. Have you got one?

img279.pdf

[wally dugan]

The picture of your father in the conqueror 4O BA 81 this tank came into service 18/03/55 and disposal          22/10/75  and went to DUXFORD

[BlueBelle]

On 1/11/2025 at 8:44 PM, 10FM68 said:

Now come along!  You know full well that the FV 420 series weren't Cambridges!  The Cambridge was the FV400 series and were with 3RHA at Homs while the RTR tested the 421s.  Whether at similar times, though, I don't know.  

Just testing you! Often and mistakenly referred to as Cambridges... by some! 🤣 421s went to 6RTR x3 at Homs. 402 AOP as my photos show went earlier (1957?) to 3RHA and another photo from the same time shows a different one at 595 Veh Ord Pk LAD REME, Tripoli.