Tank touring near Bonn. First, just 25 minutes from my place, there’s “Little Britain” in Linz. An amazing individual owns a Centurion tank and two double-decker buses. It’s kind of him to open it to the public for free. You can even enter the buses, but they’ve been transformed into a cafe-like setting. There are various items inside, including Mr. Bean’s Mini and dolls of the Queen. The road to get there also goes through a winding forest, with a 100 km/h speed limit that feels delightful. The TR6 is in good condition and got some attention while climbing the winding uphill.
In the distant past, back when all elementary school boys were making tank models, Tamiya had a 1/25 scale model that reproduced the internal structure, available only for the Tiger I. Kobori-kun had it, and it was so cool that it made us all envious. However, I hesitated to buy the same model. Then, in 1973, they released the Centurion. “Why the Centurion?” I thought, as I had no interest in British tanks at the time. If it had been a King Tiger or a Panther, I might have considered buying it.The one in the foreground is a recent bus, while the one in the background has a 1950s vibe. You can see the back of the Queen inside the glass in the foreground.With the engine cover fully open, I was able to take some rare photos from inside. No matter where I photograph the tank from, there are cute flowers reflecting in it, which is a bit unexpected. Why is the box on the left side of the turret removed and placed at the rear?It appears like the typical twisty winding roads often found in the mountains of Japan. The speed limit being 100 kph is a bit surprising, allowing for acceleration on the straight stretches, but the immediate tight turns can be challenging. A curve mirror would come in handy!
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