My humble submission------




One of only three converted fron Centurion ARV Mk2---This is scratch built from photo's kindly supplied by Jo'burg National Museum of Military History and good friends in S Z.
Built in1979 and saw service in Namibia with...61 Mechanised Brigade Group. Reg #R90666 should read R90645 but has been changed at some time.
Of the other two -1 at Bloefontein and the other believed to be at the Army Battle School...Lohatlha
The complete sequence of this sojurn is on Scratch builders Forum---Olifant ..the"Diggy -thing"
A pictue build is located in my gallery:--starting----(backwards from)
http://photos.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/90573/cat/500/page/4
aye
BARV
(GOSMG)

Wow that is one heck of a beast. Nice work!

great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and the hydraulics work too methinks



reb

Steve,

What can I say that I haven't said about your "humble submission" before???

How about: "I think've got a winner here"?

Sheer brilliance!!!

Rudi

Steve
You have another winner here Great job building that rare beast? What is the next project?

Wow nice scrath built!

Just beware of the Murphy's modeling law. This tank will be release in kit form next month!

WC

Got my vote!

Mine too...

Erik

Thanks guys ---only need a few hundred more :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
Appreciated
aye
BARV
(GOSMG)

I love it! What a great subject, and tons of your own p-card to boot.

I'd love to do a fully modernized SA Olifant, but there's a total dearth of refs on them.

Great work!

Cheers,
Graeme

Don't know what the rules of the contest are, but I think this month, the show is yours even if I like the T-34/85 vehicle best.

Thanks guys ......Graeme ----have a word with Tarok(Rudi ...see above) he got more info than me as I only do recovery etc.
aye
BARV
(GOSMG)

You got my vote, superb scratch built work
best regards

how do you vote on it?



reb

Wow..nice job all around Steve.

Rick

Steve, excellent mate.




Graeme a fully modernized SA Olifant would probably by now be the Olifant 2.


If you're aiming for the Olifant Mk1 / Mk1a as shown below:


then there are other conversion kits that with a little change (air filter boxes and the turret bin) build into a nice Olifant Mk1 / Mk1a.

HTH

Photos are from Globalsecurity.org

SA Olifant

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rsa/olifant.htm

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=13

http://www.southafricanartists.com/ShowArtist.asp?ID=2050&WorkID=6045

hope this helps


reb

Sadly that's highly unlikely as there are only about 3 of these beast in the world...





Theoretically the "most" modern version of the Olifant would be the "TTD" with a 120mm smoothbore gun, which would have replaced the aging Mk1B's and the handful of Mk2's. Unfortunately this project was canned in the 1990's. Interestingly, after Botswana recently announced it would be procuring several German Leopard MBT's, the SA government decided to reintroduce the Mk2 upgrades.

On the modelling side, there was a SA company producing a resin Mk1B conversion kit for the Tamiya 1/35 Centurian Mk3. Unfortunately the company has long since retired the moulds, and stopped producing the kits. If they ever start again, I guess I'll be first in line

See HERE for the discussion about this kit in the SA community forum.




Is it really any wonder there's a "total dearth of refs on them"? We are talking about a MBT is based on a 50+ year old tank. Also, we are talking about a MBT that has only been used by the SADF, and then the SANDF. This is one of the original "tools" of the Apartheid regime - not one of our prouder moments...

That said, there is however some light at the end of the tunnel for those interested in this highly underrated piece of machinery. The publishers of the SA periodical VEG (see HERE for our discussions about it) will be releasing a book about the history and development of the Olifant, right from the Mk3 days to the TTD and ARV versions, but only after the magazine series is done with them.

HTH...

Rudi

BTW, I'd be interested to know if Red Carpet would produce some more kits if there is enough demand generated here on sites like Armorama and via mediums like VEG....

Heeya ya guys ........this started out as a post on Ollie for the comp-----now its a Centurion /Olifant convention (LOVE it)-----(bet I get into trouble for this ---Hee!-Hee!)........next you will want a master built for Ollies :-) :-) :-) .....any company interested???? (Now I will be in trouble)....... ....OK....Lets start an -"Ollie Appreciation Society"........but wait till I finish --"Oly1a"..and the comp is over---I will submit all I have on Recovery versions if you all want to have a go--and you guys can drop all you want on OLIFANTS to me to collate and disperse----How does that sit :-)

aye
BARV
(GOSMG)

Just as ugly as the original!!! Beautiful work!

Thanks Eric.................
Oly1a (sister ) now started...sorry no pics ---gallery full ......mosi of ollie pics to come off Friday
aye
BARV
(GOSMG)

BARV,
I did not see an official thread to vote for MOM, but the Olifant ARV has my vote hands down.
GREAT WORK my friend !!!!! KUDO's x 10

Cheers for the info Rudi. I think SA is long overdue for a MBT replacement (hmmmm Challenger 2E in SADF colours anyone? )

Though SA have an expanding regional security role, which seems to be leaning towards air transportable forces… so perhaps an MBT is not in the cards?