BAOR Centurion
Centurion Mk8 main battle tank of British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ), circa late-1970s. Model completed in Summer 2005, camouflaged in Forest Green/Olive Green splinter pattern. Model painted via Olive Green aerosol can, then hand painted Forest Green hard-edged pattern. There have been two BAOR formations in 20th century, one for post-WW1 and second for post-WW2 and then NATO operations.
1st BAOR ( with 14,000 men in 10 infantry and one calvary divisions ) established March 1919 after Imperial Germany WW1 defeat, served as occupation force 1919 - 1929 during German Weimar Republic era, her primary responsibilities were to enforce war reparations - tax/custom duty collections from German government and suppress political agitants against foreign military occupation.
2nd BAOR ( with 80,000 men in 4 armored + 8 infantry divisions ) established August 1945 after Nazi Germany WW2 defeat, served as occupation force 1945 - 1955 in British Zone ( northern / western Germany ). From 1955 - 1994, BAOR combat duties transition to NATO defense of West Germany / Western Europe against potential Soviet invasion during Cold War era.
Centurion model mounted to display base via screw drilled up base bottom into model hull underside. Spare tracks painted Red Brown.
In circa 40 years of BAOR operation, formation fluctuated in composition for anticipated combat with Soviet / Warsaw Pact forces ( with main enemy units stationed literally across the border in East Germany ). In 1950s, BAOR replaced divisions with brigades, dropping personnel to 64,000 men to gain better unit mix of tank - engineer - anti-tank, etc. Brigades then reformed as Brigade Groups, but by mid-1960s were reformed back to Brigades, then in 1970s reformed back into divisions.
Political bravado aside, BAOR & Western European defense against such Soviet invasion were at best "challenged, if not outright hopeless" via conventional military arms since Warsaw Pact outnumbered NATO 10-to-1 in tanks and 15-to-1 in artillery, etc. From British assessments, BAOR could fight for at most 2 days before her ammunition ran out and her units overrun by Warsaw Pact forces.
Interestingly, BAOR also commanded 3,000-men Berlin Infantry Brigade in West Berlin landlocked deep inside East Germany, which could at best survive a few hours of combat before enemy numerical superiority ( Soviet military HQ in East Germany located in Zossen some 30 miles south of Berlin, her main armor formations stationed in Magdeburg some 60 miles southwest of Berlin ).
For this reason, BAOR ( along with US forces in NATO ) stationed tactical nuclear missiles in West Germany to forestall such an invasion, placing doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction ( MAD ) as political & military doctrine centerpiece.
Centurion model final paint scheme was black paint wash to highlight raised surfaces and crevices. Tracks were superglued to sprockets / idlers / roadwheels for snugged fit.
By late 1980s, BAOR still maintain regular patrols along West / East Germany frontier where her combat zone resided ( circa from Hamburg to Kassel in northwestern West Germany ). But to prevent inadvertent border clashes ( as commonly occurred along North/South Korea border ), BAOR troops were issued weapons but no ammunition while on patrols ( which served UK symbolism rather than actual military practicality ). But fear not, for real combat training BAOR personnel routinely cycled a tour of duty into Northern Ireland to combat militant Irish separatist groups, the Brits called this region & era "The Troubles".
Centurion tank model from 1.76th AIRFIX kit, although boxart depicts tank in WW2 combat action, only 6 Centurion prototypes arrived on European mainland in May 1945 when WW2 ended. Any event, model depicts a postwar Mark 8 ( Mk8 ) variant with redesigned gun mantle, commander copula, uparmored, up-gunned version ( with bore evacuator in mid-barrel ).
Two flexible antennae on turret made from paint brush bristles, wooden display base hand brushed enamel flat black, sealed via Matt clear cloat aerosol can spray.
Soviet Union collapse in 1991 also compelled British defense cutbacks, thus in 1993 "Options for Change" defense reorganization resulted in 55,000-men BAOR elimination, succeeding 1994 formation was 25,000-men British Forces Germany ( BFG ) to maintain UK's NATO European mainland troop commitments. From mid-1990s onward, major UK/NATO deployments in Europe have been in former Yugoslavia regions for peace keeping duties among separatist states.
Private Collection | BrynB@Twickenham.London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.gb
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