Tank Restoration

[old_goat]

6 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Yeah, I dont think they are bad. I think the narrative they are bad is mainly due to the electrics (upscaling to 24v seems to fix that) and the preceived problems with the engine (which as long as you dont drive it through a desert without filters seems pretty good for its age).  I remember someoen saying on this grate site long ago that Centurion was only any good after the Israelis got hold of it. And yet, they seem to keep kicking. When some idiot doesnt run them without oil anyway.

I think Lottie talked about its reliability in her earlier videos. If I remember correctly, she said that the Centurion's reliability isnt bad as long as it is properly and frequently maintained. But she certainly said damning things about the electric system (Lucas... no further comments needed). All in all, Centurion's reliability was definitely better than M-47 Patton, and probably slightly worse than T-54. But I have no idea how it compares to later M-48 variants... (A3 and above)

Edited November 2, 2025 by old_goat

[old_goat]

Looks like Patriot Park has a newly restored T-10 heavy tank. 

That means, there may be 3 running T-10s in existence:

1 base model T-10 in Patriot Park

1 T-10M in Padikovo

1 unknown model (T-10?, A?, B?) somewhere in Russia, with cut gun barrel. Although it is entirely possible that it is the same tank as in Patriot Park.

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

4 hours ago, old_goat said:

I think Lottie talked about its reliability in her earlier videos. If I remember correctly, she said that the Centurion's reliability isnt bad as long as it is properly and frequently maintained. But she certainly said damning things about the electric system (Lucas... no further comments needed). All in all, Centurion's reliability was definitely better than M-47 Patton, and probably slightly worse than T-54. But I have no idea how it compares to later M-48 variants... (A3 and above)

I think it may be the composition of wiring used. Britain was still in austerity when it was built, and I have to wonder if the copper used wasn't salvaged from other applications. sounds ridiculous, except the first land rovers were painted in RAF cockpit green because they had gallons of the stuff left over from the Air Ministry.

The episodes lottie did on the optics were excellent.

[Mike1158]

I wonder how they are doing now?

[Stuart Galbraith]

Still going apparently, albeit with a small rebranding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_Industries

[Stefan Kotsch]

...

Edited November 4, 2025 by Stefan Kotsch

[DB]

It seems to me, based on both Lottie's videos and those of Mr Hewes, that the Centurion suffers from being excessively complex electrically, with functions allocated to many separate boxes that are stuffed into available space, rather than being designed (for want of a better word) efficiently.

Why this would be the case is probably related firstly to the wartime design process, followed by cheaping out on redesign efforts during the various mks.

Easy to criticise with hindsight, of course, but until you get CAD, doing this stuff is hard, and we probably didn't have the engineers to do it all properly.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Well its was the first ever tank stabilised in azimuth and elevation. pioneers always do things differently  from everyone else that follows and can see the flaws.

In fact, reading the manuals, its a surprise how modular it all is.

Edited November 7, 2025 by Stuart Galbraith

[Stuart Galbraith]

Lottie gets a historic Centurion ARV mk2.

 

Edited November 13, 2025 by Stuart Galbraith

[Coldsteel]

 

Well that's a little disappointing, trying to stuff two 25pdrs into a tank which never had that armament, when it could be made into a pretty decent looking standard AC3 instead.

It is going to be an Abomination Unto Nuggan.

[Stuart Galbraith]

On the positive side, its going to look amazing in the next Mad Max film....

 

So I notice Mr Milo has got himself an Australian Churchill. 

https://youtu.be/_9x0AOOjYIA?si=-jHRpvWXLgHfxHer

[Coldsteel]

On 12/13/2025 at 7:38 PM, Stuart Galbraith said:

On the positive side, its going to look amazing in the next Mad Max film....

Witness Me!

Edited December 15, 2025 by Coldsteel
Bypassing UK Government restrictions.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Regrettably I cannot.  Because the UK Government has decided that IMGUR will warp our tiny minds 'Content is notviewable in your region.'  Im glad you are famous however.

 

[Coldsteel]

Really? What a bunch of drop kicks.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Yeah, major drag.

[Mike1158]

Careful, that's dangerously close to expecting intelligence from the bleeders...

[Stuart Galbraith]

On 12/15/2025 at 11:18 AM, Coldsteel said:

Witness Me!

Ooh, careful, not illegal is it?

They really should have put that into production just for the giggles.

[DB]

Imgur has decided to not implement the rules for age verification imposed by the UK's Online Safety Act. Whether you choose to call that a UK government ban or not is your choice, of course.

See also 4chan, which is just ignoring the law, apparently.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Even if they implimented that way, its clearly still going to be unsuitable for anyone using their site to link their pictures to forums. Historically thats precisely how I used the site when photobucket became unusable. 

 I can see what the Government are trying to do, and and I dont completely condemn it. When its blocking access to sites like that for everyone, then clearly there is a huge problem here that nobody thought about.  

 

[Coldsteel]

3 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Ooh, careful, not illegal is it?

Of course it is.* Firearms Act 1996 section 119A 8(a) "Possession of digital blueprints ... any type of digital, or electronic or photographic, reproduction of a technical drawing of the design of an object". It is blue and digital and of an object. You can even get digital blueprints from the National Australian Archives for free, if you wish to break the law in the privacy of you own home. But, as everyone knows Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them.

*No. Not really. By letter of the law yes, but they aren't going to prosecute over something that would show how stupidly vague the law is written, so books and photos and so on are safe. For now.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Too late, im probably on an MI5 watchlist. Although hanging around this site for quarter of a century, ive probably been on there long since.

Ill have to take a look and see if they have any centurion stuff on there.

[Coldsteel]

They do actually. Just don't look at the Charlton Rifle blueprints, iz verboten:

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=205145581

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4822107

Assuming of course His Majesty's government of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will let you look at websites from a penal colony.

[Stuart Galbraith]

A self loading Lee Enfield? Be still my beating heart. 😍

Nah, we can look at anything, as long as its not Pron. Warps our fragile little minds apparently. About 40 years on from doing me any good I guess.

[fikatime]

This Tiger II has been restored to be driveable since 2006 and will be finished next year.

[Stefan Kotsch]

On 12/30/2025 at 5:55 PM, fikatime said:

This Tiger II has been restored to be driveable since 2006 ...

In 2006 I was in Full at the 'great spring cleaning' before season opening. At that time, the King Tiger was still in a deplorable condition. Inside totally empty. The gun barrel broken and without muzzle brake. The result today is really a tremendous achievement.
Hats off!