WIX Archives

On UK Telly Last Night

Posted by Paul McMillan on Tue Jan 29, 2002 04:03:35 AM

Was a program called Salvage Squad. In it they had 10 days to restore a 1950 Centurion Tank to working order. This tank had a bit of a history. It took part in the Suez campaign in 1956 and the Gulf War of 1991.. I kid you not. Anyway.. It has Tony's favourite engine a Meteor, which as we all know was based on the Rolls Royce Merlin... So now you know the Engine was still in Combat 1in the 1990's, 50 years after the first time..

Anyway thats not why I am posting.. They could not get the Engine to fire.. The techie realised that it was an ignition problem. So he took out the old magneto and replaced it with an Electronic Ignition from a V12 Jaguar Engine (he also had to put in a voltage converter to take it up to 12 V (Car) to 24 V (Tank).

Anyway that worked.. The question I have is:

a: Why didn't the army do this while it was in service?, all those old war stories you hear (especially about aircraft) whereby they had a 'Mag Drop' and the engine did not work. Surely a conversion like this would make much sence. Also does any WW2 aircraft fly with a similar conversion.. I know that some restorers want straight out of the factory rstorations.. But for safetly.. Wouldn't you want something other than a Magneto?

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