Alternative Decals for Centurion & Chieftain

[jarndice]

I served 2 x 3 month detachments in Berlin in the early 60s not with the Berlin Brigade directly but flying in our Scout Helicopters along the Border wall and the Border Fence during the day and being the detachments driver/radio op I would drive the crew in the evening to the US Army Base at Templehof airfield where we transferred all the (For the Time) hi tech infra red and other sensors into a Huey,
I would assume the role of crew chief which consisted of me sliding the rear doors open or closed and when requested lighting a cigarette for our American pilot and passing it to him We were not allowed to smoke in Our Aircraft and every time I lit up the Captains Marlboro I got a look from my O/C who did not approve
Absolutely NOT allowed to carry a personal camera while on duty. Courts Martial offence if caught,
I did miss out one detail of the Cents markings in the centre of the side track armour plate was a large 5 pointed star in white on both sides this was a common idenifier on American, French and British Armour in Berlin at this time.

[Sub]

At the same time of the Centurians there were also the FV432 Bull dogs specially modified with a 30mm cannon in a Fox armoured car turret for the Berlin brigade only 13 were modified, apparently it was decided that they were not as threatening when seen running around than the tanks would be.
Here's one I scratch built a while ago, the paint was airbrushed on in colour stages using Tamiya masking tape, a labourious job but quite doable.
Sub.
viewtopic.php?t=29738&start=170

[zooma]

I have started my research to try to find some pictures and more info about Centurion tanks stationed in Berlin.

Hopefully by sharing the information that I find, others can add to this to help make a more informative resource.

From what I have found so far (not much) only one squadron of Centurion tanks was stationed in Berlin between January 1961. - April 1963 and they were indeed painted in Olive Drab.

This squadron was “C” squadron 4RTR and they all carried the “Chinese Eye” marking on the forward face of the two side mounted turret boxes.

All of the tanks in the squadron were given a name beginning with”D”, the most well known being

02 BA 46. DIEHARD

03 BA 33. DIDO.



I would like to find out how many Centurion tanks were in “C” squadron (including any reserves?) and add the numbers and names to the above to form a small reference for myself and anyone that may like to make a model of a Berlin Centurion.

[zooma]

Near side front fender a yellow disc with the numbers 58 within the disc (Thats the Cents weight) centre of the hull meets body The number plate, British army number plates of the 50s were a black rectangular plate with a pair of white numbers then a pair of white letters the first letter would be a "B" followed by a pair of white numbers, to the left of the nunber plate was the RAC Flash a square with a red triangle filling the top of the square and a gold triangle filling the bottom of the square, to the right of the number plate a black circle with the word BERLIN in red over a red outer circle surrounding the black disc. Centurions in Berlin often carried a name on each side of the turret below the side boxes.

This picture shows the placement of the logo’s on the front of this bronze green example.

Is the white square to the right of the numberplate the Berlin logo.

[jarndice]

Royal Armoured Corp red and gold flash on the left in that picture, Berlin Brigade black and red flash on the right.
A small Union Flag decal was SOMETIMES placed on the right fender unlike ALL British military vehicles in BAOR in West Germany that always carried the flag decal front and rear.
I emphasise BAOR Vehicles because Northag (Northern Army Group) vehicles did not carry any national insignia although they served alongside BAOR and British soldiers Served in Northag along with Belguin, Dutch and German soldiers.

[zooma]

Thanks for your first hand information - it must have been a really “interesting” time to be in Berlin.

I think I almost have enough info and pictures to pass on to get some spray masks made, but I am hoping to find some more names and reg. numbers as an alternative to the well known (and modelled) DIEHARD - the only name with a matching reg number that I have so far.

[Meter rat]

Double post sorry.

[Meter rat]

Bob.
Don’t know if this is any use to you. https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/tan ... ac-germany

[ongbenghui]

I hope this can be useful as well.

FB group of Centurion Tank Appreciation Society
https://www.facebook.com/groups/134672933274865

and another one for Chieftain
https://www.facebook.com/groups/tankie

[zooma]

Bob.
Don’t know if this is any use to you. https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/tan ... ac-germany

Thanks Meter rat,

I have used your link to order the book and the White Rhino Tankograd to accompany it as it also looked like an interesting (later) reference.

Bob.