I've got an opportunity to by an Accurate Armour Centurian Mk - 5 AVRE and an Scimitar (Gulf War version) for a good deal.
Did the British use the Centurian 5 in Operation Granby? Where to look for info?
Thanks in advance
Joker

Joker
The British army did use a Centurion AVRE in Desert Storm, I believe AA do a kit of that particulare vehicle. At the time it was the oldest vehicle in use by the British army.

HTH
Pete

hey,
a google image search gives a few useful pics but try..
[url]http://www.armouredengineer.force9.co.uk/centavre.htm[/url

good site...]

On the T. V. a while ago was a programme called Salvage Squad, It had Suggsy (from the pop group Madness), and a bunch of restorers nipping round fixing up all kinds of machines. They actually restored a Centurion AVRE on programme and got one of the crewmen who used it in Desert Storm to look it over afterwards.
Tom

hi

if you had posted the question in Modern on Missing links or did a search there you will find more than you think.

i drove one .

ok

check these web site's out

http://www.armouredengineers.co.uk/photose.htm

http://tanxheaven.com/cent/fv4003avre165mm/11ba46/fv4003avre11ba46.htm

http://tanxheaven.com/cent/fv4003avre165mm/09ba64/fv4003avre09ba64.htm

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=47209&messageid=1106857290

registration numbers
CENTURION AVRE 165mm Mk 7


43BA89 this was the original prototype built on an Mk 7 hull. This had a winch ,a dozer blade but a wooden barrel to show what the 165mm would look like .

CENTURION AVRE 165mm MK5 FV4003
Command Tank

1. 01ZR15 this tank as a Mk 3 (turret) T352161 served in Suez as a gun tank. Served in the gulf, camouflage poles welded to the corners of the rear of the engine decks. Last served with 32 Armoured Engineers Regiment (p) Command AVRE. Now in private hands. It has just been rebuilt and fitted new engines. Nick Mee the owner intends restoring it to its full gulf war trim with mock up armour. Also requires a dozer jack changing. TV program being made by Channel 4 to convert it back to its Gulf trim and is now displayed By Nick Mee at shows. It is now also been fitted with electronic ignition.

2. 01ZR58 Command AVRE, Mk 5 turret. Converted in 1968 from T351682 in the Gulf it callsigns was 4/3/C nickname of “bombastic”. Was dropped on return to England whilst being unloaded by crane. Last served with 32Armoured Engineers Regiment. Now in private Museum Cobbaton Combat Collection owned by Preston Isaac’s they are going to keep this AVRE in the way they received it. (P)
modifications that can be seen are cam pole brackets rear left and right, jerry-can holders left and right of the back basket, additional MG mount and ammo boxes bolted to the outside of the basket for additional stowage. Your attachment states that the callsign was 4/3/C, I forget what this signified, unit designator or something, the callsign was in fact 21A although earlier pictures show it as 22A, why it changed I can't say but 21A is in all the later pictures.

I was in 10 Troop 77 AES and the other 2 AVRE comds were Cpl Steven 'Sharkey' Clark who is now out and working on the gate at Bovington and Cpl Bruce Campbell who is the Recce Troop SSgt at 26 Engr Regt, my crew was myself commanding, LCpl Peter 'Chilly' Chilton driving, LCpl 'Ted' Heath was 2IC and Spr Bert Hall was the gunner, we had a 5th man originally but managed to ditch him early on in favour of the extra stowage space.


3. 02ZR04 Used for mineplough & universal dozer trails. It had a Mk 3 turret(P) Command AVRE


4. 11BA46 built at DGOF on 01,1953. This tank had a Mk 5 turret fitted to it. Served in the gulf war with 77Armoured Engineers Squadron. Commanded by Cpl (paddy) Dave Kirk. Where it had a call sign of 11A in a circle, on the barrel fume extractor it had “Betty Boo” on the right hand side on the left-hand side it had “Doing the Do”. It was the recognised in the gulf especially the Basra road when it had two flags flying they were the red hand of Ulster & the other being the Scottish Lion. After the gulf it served with 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron in Germany with its last tank commander Cpl Parry, now at Duxford as part of the imperial war museum collection (p) Command AVRE

5. 11BA66 built at DGOF in 1953. It was fitted with a Mk 5 Turret Photographed in tiger strips at Bovington part of the RE wing where it last served. (p)Command AVRE

6. 11BA74 built at DGOF in 1953. This tank has got a Mk 3 turret fitted Hatch It lasts served with 32Armoured Engineer Regiment. it is now a gate guard at 22 Engineer Regiment (p) Command AVRE


CENTURION AVRE 165mm MK5 VHF

7. 01ZR56. This was originally built as a Gun tank no T351976. VHF AVRE, Mk 5 turret. Not a gulf tank war. Converted to an AVRE in1963 (p). This tank is now part of the collection at Bovington Tank museum.

8. 01ZR75 gun tank registration was T351560. , Mk 3 turret AVRE VHF. In the gulf war this was the only AVRE which hung chains from turret, it also had early TA wheel Served in 2 squadron for most of its life tills its disbandment. Last served with 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment (P).

9. 02ZR14 gun tank registration was T351978. AVRE VHF

10. 02ZR86 this tank had a Mk 5 turret last served with 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment (p)AVRE VHF


11. 02ZR89 in the Gulf war its nickname was (fluffy). It had no turret armour fitted. Last served with 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment (P) AVRE VHF this is now in private hands.

12. 04ZR81 last served with 32 Armoured Engineers Regiment this tank was converted from T351464 this tank served in the gulf with 9 troop 77 Armoured Engineer Squadron, commanded by Cpl Dave Smith. . The crew was LCpl Brad Pritchard (driver), Sapper Dave Johnstone (Gunner), Cpl Dave Smith (Cdr) and Sapper Brian Jenkins (Loader).

05ZR38 gun tank registration T351549. AVRE VHF


13. 06ZR06 built by Vickers in22, 03,48. Cpl John Mudd was the last tank commander in 32Armoured Engineer Regiment.. Was used for the Preparing the queen’s jubilee site in 1977 with Cpl j Latham & Cpl d Weaver & spr Addarner this time it was serving with 31 Armoured Engineer Squadron. Fell into the river at bridge camp in1977 Rouge tank was stripped for spare for the gulf war in Musterlager. ( P)AVRE VHF

14. 07ZR10 this avre served in the Gulf war. It had mine plough fittings, it also had a Mk 3 turret (P)

15. 07ZR12 this tank had a Mk 3 turret. It served in the Gulf war. Last served with 32Armoured Engineer Regiment it also could take a mine plough. (P)

16. 07ZR21 it was fitted with a Mk 3 turret. This is the AVRE that lost its dozer blade on Operation Motorman. In the gulf war its callsigns was 4/3/B 11A in a square & a nickname of easy posse Last regiment it served with was 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment last seen at Shoeburyness with a 10-ton coles crane fitted to turret ring with its dozer blade removed. This is believed to be in private hands now.(P)

17. 07ZR47 it was fitted with a Mk 3 turret. This AVRE served in the Gulf war. Last served with 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment last seen at Lugershall with right hand final drive missing but half tracked on that side with hush puppy track fitted. On the left-hand side it was fitted with normal steel track it was seen in the gulf towing a Giant Viper. (P)

18. 00BA46 one of the four tanks that was on operation Motorman

19. 00BA70 built by Leyland in 1951. As an AVRE had a Mk 5 turret. In the Gulf war it had no turret armour. It was also capable of fitting a mine plough. It last served with 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment (p)AVRE VHF

20. 00BA75 built at Vickers in 1951. The R.E. wing RAC centre Bovington last used it. AVRE VHF

21. 01BA73 built at Vickers in 1951

22. 01BA75 it served in the Gulf war believed to be blown up in the gulf (P)

23. 02BA32

24. 02BA33 built at DGOF 1951. This was the Reference vehicle of which all modification etc. was based on there fore served a lot of its time at Vickers or other manufactures. Now at Royal engineers museum Chatham. This tank was one of the four on motorman. It was fitted with a MK 5 turret (P) this tank flew to the gulf. It is believed that this tank stayed at the rear in reserve and subsequently was not uparmoured but stayed in its original configuration.

25. 02BA55 built at DGOF in 1951.last served with 32 Armoured Engineers

26. 02BA58 it has a Mk 5 turret this is the one of the original Prototype, which also had a winch, fitted at the rear in 2,2,1959. In the Gulf war its callsigns was 31 in a circle nickname of bloodhound. This is now in privately owned could also be fitted with a mine plough. Steve Mac Haye has restored this AVRE back to its 1980’s configurations complete with larkspur radio system (p)

27. 02BA86

28. 07BA47. Was fitted with a mk5 turret, served in the Gulf war. Last seen at Lugershall (p)

29. 09BA64 built at DGOF in 1952. This tank had a Mk 5 turret. At one point it with served with 26Armoured Engineer Squadron. Last served with 32Armoured Engineer Regiment. (P) AVRE VHF

30. 10BA09 built at DGOF in 1952. Fitted with a Mk 5 turret last served with 32Armoured Engineer Regiment. AVRE VHF

31. 10BA55 fitted with a Mk 5 turret. Served in the Gulf war in the war main reserve. (P)

32. 10BA56 built at DGOF in 1952. It was fitted with a Mk 5 turret. In went to the gulf war. Last served with 32Armoured Engineer Regiment. Last seen at Lugershall with the right hand track adjuster wheel & first road wheel missing and half tracked on that side. (p) AVRE VHF

33. 10BA89

34. 11BA33

35. 11BA86 this was another tank of the four that went on operation Motorman

36. 11BA73 this AVRE is now in private hands.

37. 12BA50 Built at DGOF in 1953. AVRE VHF

38. 12BA54 built at DGOF in 1953. AVRE VHF

12BA55 built at DGOF in 1953 Served in the Gulf war. Now at the Isle of Wight military museum, minus a dozer blade. Where eventually it will be put back to full working order. Sold as 46MS98.(p)AVRE VHF







CENTURION AVRE 165mm MK5


AVRE On operation Motorman

07ZR21 00BA46 02BA33 11BA86

CENTURION AVRE 165mm MK5 VHF
AVRE’s that Served in the Gulf War
01ZR15, 01ZR58, 01ZR75, 02ZR89, 04ZR81, 07ZR10, 07ZR12,07ZR21, 07ZR47, 00BA70,01BA75
02BA33,02BA58,07BA47, 10BA09, 10BA55,10BA56,11BA46,12BA55

In the Gulf war some of the AVRE’s were fitted with MIMIC Coils. All the AVRE’s except war reserve were fitted with side armour from the Warrior MCV Not all the AVRE’s were fitted with turret armour; non were fitted with lower hull armour. The other modification was the fitting of a scorpion night sight to the driver’s left hand episicope fittings.

The 165mm ammunition used in the gulf was of the American ammo from the CEV728. This is only different by its primer and colour.

Non were fitted with mine plough, there were AVRE trailer’s out there. One photo showing an AVRE towing an AVRE trailer. In the trailer cargo area covered with a tarpaulin with the tailgate missing can be seen a mine plough.

The war reserve AVRE gunners of whom there were 20 were R.A.C gunners from the tank regiments. Who were taught at Lulworth camp?

Two of the AVRE's used in the Gulf were on operation MOTORMAN 07ZR21, 02BA33
One AVRE in the Gulf served in SUEZ crises as a gun tank 01ZR15 which is still running to this day. Testimony to this vehicle.


want to know anything else i have everything you may need to build any Centurion. especially AVRE,ARV,BRIDGELAYER,ARK or gun tanks.

one question. is it the ARV recovery vehicle or the AVRE 165mm you want or have?


ossie

Centurion is the best tank ever.

Thanks to all who answered my question, but Ossie above and beyond the call!
Thank - you very much for taking the time to write all that information, just fantastic!
The AA kit I've got set aside is kit no.K075 Centurian Mk-5 AVRE, it sounds and looks as though I can up armour to a Gulf War version but which one!
I did do a Goolge search ( did find the ref shots at TanxHeaven) before I posed the question but I think I needed to hear from an expert and man did I get one, wow.
I think the only issue I need to find out now is what the reactive armour looks like and where its located on the vehicle.
I can get most of the positioning from the AA website.
Cheers and Thanks again
Pete

AA DOES TWO KITS OF THE CENT 165 (DUSTBIN CHUCKER) THE LATER KIT IS THE UP ARMOURED VERSION FOR OP GRANBY ITS ALSO FULLY DETAILED THANKS TO OSSIE (AVRE 165)

hi

if you ask AA and they will send the bits from the uparmoured kit for you seperatly.

this is what i do alot.

if you want to scatch build the add on armour EMAIL ME.

ok little HINT,

pick a registration number of the ones with a MK 5 turret. that is what the kit is. decide which one ask me NICELY and i might send some real pics of it.

ossie